Summary
Marvel Comics' relaunch of theX-Menfranchise includes a new iteration of the tentpole titleUncanny X-Men, written by Gail Simone. Anticipation for the series has been steadily rising among theX-fandom since it was announced, and nowMarvel has dropped a trailer for the series, along with preview pages that hint at the first adventure for Simone’s all-star mutant squad.
The upcomingUncanny X-Menseries will feature a new primary location, and introduce new characters, while at the same timeoffering something of a throwback to X-Men’s classic team books.The information released about the series by Marvel so far has made it clear thelatestUncannyvolume will be exciting and ambitious, but will likely focus on more grounded, character-based storytelling.
Readers familiar with Gail Simone’s work know she excels at delivering exactly that, and fans encountering her writing for the first time should expect to come away satisfied that theX-franchise’s most iconic series is in exceptional hands.
UNCANNY X-MEN Writer Promises the Series’ New Villain Is the Franchise’s Scariest — And Sexiest
The franchise is preparing to unleash one of its most formidable adversaries - and its most unique tone - as the X-Men recover from the Krakoa Era.
Gail Simone’sUncanny X-MenIs A Return To Form For The Franchise
Anchoring The “From The Ashes” Relaunch
[Uncanny X-Men] is set to introduce a new group of mutants to the franchise, known as “the Outliers,” as well as a threatening new antagonist.
The preview pages forUncanny X-Men#1 begins as Gambit and Rogue reunite with Wolverine, who is in Mexico to fight a dragon. There is a collusion of elements here that immediately tell the reader that author Gail Simone is harkening back to a familiarX-book formula. The preview offers a glimpse of the tone and style of the book – both narratively, and artistically – while suggesting that the issue will start with a self-contained battle against the dragon Sadurang, before shifting focus to the larger plot that will occupyUncanny’sinitial arc.
David Marquez
Variant Covers:
John Tyler Christopher; MR Garcin; Andy Kubert; Scott Koblish; Jim Lee; David Marquez; Stephan Segovia; Luciano Vecchio; Pablo Villalobos; Leinil Francis Yu;
PROFESSOR X… IS GONE! A core group of essential X-Men rise FROM THE ASHES to face a world without a home — and without Professor X! All bonds among the mutant community seem to be slipping away, and ROGUE reluctantly finds herself as the hero designated to bring them back together… but a fearless, malignant power is out there hunting mutants, and it has a terrible secret that may destroy what remains of the X-Men!
Early plot solicitations for Simone’sUncanny X-Menemphasize that Rogue will be stepping forward into leadership role, as the team navigates the post-Krakoan status quo for mutants in the Marvel Universe. The series is set to introduce anew group of mutants to the franchise, known as “the Outliers,“as well as a threatening new antagonist. Marvel elaborated on the initial synopsis for the series, further teasing that:
In today’s world, mutants need the X-Men more than ever. With Professor X gone, Rogue reluctantly finds herself as the X-Man designated to keep the team together. Rogue, Wolverine, Gambit, Nightcrawler, and Jubilee forge a new home in a New Orleans, and when four mysterious young mutants show up at their doorstep, that home becomes a haven. Protecting mutants from a world that hates and fears them, and using their powers to ensure there’s a future worth living in. They are the Uncanny X-Men!
to find out how these various plot threads all fall into place, readers will have to pick upUncanny X-Men#1 when it hits shelves.
Writer Gail Simone Is Crafting “Uncanny” To Appeal To Every X-Men Fan
Uncanny X-Men#1 – Debuting This August
Gail Simone – and her counterpart Jed MacKay, writer of Marvel’s other flagshipX-title,X-Men– are in a sense the perfect caretakers of [X-Men’s] new era, authors who know how to achieve novel results within familiar forms, rather than reinventing the form entirely.
According to Gail Simone, the undeniable opportunity to add her name to the legendary roster ofUncanny X-Menwriters came with a mix of emotions, as well as a mandate to live up to the legacy. As she stated:
“The shadows of the giants who have worked on [Uncanny X-Men] are all over the landscape, and it gets a little emotional to think about. Everyone has an X-Man they feel speaks to them directly. There’s no other franchise like it in comics. It’s an honor and a thrill and a panic, all at once. My first idea was, I want to lay out a welcome mat for all readers: new, returning and lifelong. They deserve the best mutant stories I can give them. I want to focus on the humanity, no pun intended. Big action, big personalities.”
With that in mind,the familiar feeling of the preview pages forUncanny X-Men#1 can be linked back to Simone’s impulse to cater to every stage of theX-fan lifecycle.In many ways, this is a return to form for the franchise, which Gail Simone noted stands as truly singular in the history of the superhero genre.
The past half-decade ofX-Menstorytelling –collectively known as the Krakoan Era– was more than just innovative, it was revolutionary in its vision of mutantkind. Now, as the franchise relaunches once more, with the “From the Ashes” Era, it is natural to return to a more recognizable version ofX-Men. Gail Simone – and her counterpart Jed MacKay, writer of Marvel’s other flagshipX-title,X-Men– are in a sense the perfect caretakers of this new era, authors who know how to achieve novel results within familiar forms, rather than reinventing the form entirely.
Sorry X-Men Fans, Marvel Is Officially Retiring the Franchise’s Fan-Favorite Warrior Super-Mutant – Here’s Why
Fan-favorite X-Men character Rasputin IV, introduced during the Krakoan Era, won’t have a place in the “From the Ashes” Era – at least for now.
Simone’s “Uncanny” Lays The Foundations For The X-Men’s New Era
Uncanny X-Men#1 – Variant Cover By Stephen Segovia; Jay David Ramos (Color)
Readers should feel confident that [Gail Simone] is playing such a central role behind the scenes in this transitory period for Marvel’sX-Office.
With a line-up consisting of Wolverine, Nightcrawler, Jubilee, and the power-couple of Gambit and Rogue, the upcoming volume ofUncanny X-Menis stacked with some of the franchise’s most familiar, most beloved heroes. This makes writer Gail Simone’s responsibility even more imposing, given thatthe trajectory of these major mutant figures' storylines in the “From the Ashes” Era will be defined by what she does with them inUncanny.Of course, as the writer herself noted, there is also the lineage of the title to live up to.
As a veteran of the industry, Simone is more than up to the task; readers should feel confident that she is playing such a central role behind the scenes in this transitory period for Marvel’sX-Office. Amongthe author’s most highly-regarded workis her run on DC’sBirds of Prey, meaning that she brings the experience of writing a team book packed with exciting personalities to her upcoming tenure onUncanny X-Men, along with the rest of her decades of experience as a comic book scribe.
Writers Like Gail Simone & Jed MacKay Are The Perfect Heirs To X-Men’s Legacy
Given the opportunity, both MacKay and Simone will offer more than worthy new chapters inX-history, ushering in a more familiar status quo for the franchise, while also opening up an entirely new frontier of possibilities.
According to Marvel’s “Legacy Numbering” system, the final issue of the latest volume ofX-Menmore than just served as the epilogue tothe Krakoan Era– it also doubled asUncanny X-Men#700. In other words, both Jed MacKay’s relaunchedX-Men#1, and Gail Simone’sUncanny X-Men#1 one, have a claim to being “Uncanny X-Men#701.” Meaning that both hold an equal stake in carrying on thelegacy of theX-franchise, as it continues into its sixth decade as a pop cultural force.
Given the opportunity, both MacKay and Simone will offer more than worthy new chapters inX-history, ushering in a more familiar status quo for the franchise, while also opening up an entirely new frontier of possibilities.X-Menreaders can certainly mourn the loss of the Krakoan Era – just as mutantkind must – but they should also recognize thatthis is a time of limitless potential for the series, as a new slate of some of comics' most Omega-level talented creators have their turn at telling unforgettableX-Menstories.
X-Men
The X-Men franchise, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, centers on mutants with extraordinary abilities. Led by the powerful telepath Professor Charles Xavier, they battle discrimination and villainous mutants threatening humanity. The series explores themes of diversity and acceptance through a blend of action, drama, and complex characters, spanning comics, animated series, and blockbuster films.
