If I Wrote X-Men Forever
My focus has long been on Silver Age Marvels, and my comments in regards to Masterworks has long been to focus on whatever it
takes to get that last '60s Marvel story back into print in Masterworks format. By my reckoning, to get past the publication date of January 1970, we still
need to see The Incredible Hulk Vol. 6, The Mighty Thor Vol. 9, Daredevil Vol. 6, The Sub-Mariner Vol. 4, Ka-Zar Vol. 1, Nick Fury Agent of SHIELD Vol. 3,
Tower of Shadows/Chamber of Darkness Vol. 1, Sgt. Fury Vols. 3-7, Doctor Doom Vol. 1, Captain Savage Vols. 1-2, Not Brand Echh Vols. 1-2, Marvel Tales Annual
Vol. 1, Tales of the Watcher Vol. 1, Amazing Adult Fantasy Vol. 1, Rawhide Kid Vols. 3-6 and Two-Gun Kid Vols. 1-3.
But the appearance on DVD of the '90s X-Men cartoon show has brought my mind back to another vice of mine: the X-titles with cover dates from May
1975 through September 1991. … I think the stories that appeared after that date were abysmally stupid. The artists seemed motivated to try to make every page
look like a poster, putting the story in the back seat. I think returning Professor X to his paraplegic state was way worse than just abysmal, and the new
menaces that appeared after that date were ridiculous and pathetic.
Lest I seem too negative, I think starting with the X-Men World Tour, which began in The Uncanny X-Men #111, the series was really
great. This was truly a high point in the comic book medium. … And there were two X-series that were worth reading after September 1991: I think Alan
Davis' Excalibur and Peter David's X-Factor were exemplary pieces of comics writing. I wish they had gone on longer.
So, if I could turn the clock back to The Uncanny X-Men #280, and the end of "The Muir Isle Saga", I would have the X-Men win without
Professor X losing the use of his legs again, I would heal David Haller's psychological afflictions, and I would divide the X-Men into a number of teams
spread out all over the globe, the membership of which would be comprised of every good and ambivalent mutant that ever existed in the X-universe:
The Uncanny X-Men (based in New York City): Professor X, Cyclops, Havok, Beast, Legion, Skids, Tattletale, Wiz Kid, Douglock and perhaps a few
other surviving Morlocks.
The Spectacular X-Men (with twin headquarters in Chicago and Kansas City): Forge, Archangel, Marvel Girl (Jean Grey), Shadowcat, Rogue,
Multiple Man, Cannonball and Gambit
The Astonishing X-Men (with adventures on the West Coast): Iceman, Polaris, Dazzler, Phoenix (Rachel Summers), Strong Guy, Mirage, Firefist
and Thunderbird II … with guest appearances by Lila Cheney.
X-Force (based in the South Atlantic, with adventures taking place in both South America and Africa): Sub-Mariner, Storm, Sunspot, Magma,
Rictor, Namorita, the Mer-Mutants and S.U.R.F.
Excalibur (still based in the U.K.): Banshee, Capt. Britain, Psylocke I (Anglo-Saxon), Siryn, Meggan, Wolfsbane, Alchemy, Kylun, MicroMax,
Cyrise and Feron.
X-Factor (with twin headquarters in Japan and Australia): Wolverine, Sunfire, Karma, Psylocke II (Chinese), Jubilee, Boom Boom and Gateway.
Mutants (based in Eastern Europe): Magneto, Mystique, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, Colossus, Nightcrawler, Magik, Daytripper.
By the way, these wouldn't be seven different publications. Just seven long strips in a black-and-white, phone-book-sized publication bearing the name
X-Men Jump. And there would also be a solo Wolverine strip included too.
First Antagonists - I would like to bring in mutants that have not been integral parts of the X-universe: Whirlwind, Mad Merlin/Maha Yogi,
Mindworm, Mandrill, Nekra, etc.
By the way, I'd also like to take everyone who's ever been an Avenger, and divide them down into world-spanning teams like this too.
-- Joe M.
