What if the X-Men were being reintroduced today?

[Cayman]

Imagine that X-Men had been cancelled with issue #66 and the characters had remained dormant ever since, with no Giant-Size X-Men 1 to relaunch the franchise.

What if you were at Marvel and were now relaunching the book today after decades away from the spotlight. You could only use characters who appeared in the original run, like the original 5, Havok, Lorna Dane, and Banshee. How would you relaunch the book?

[The Fury]

Before I start. Did the characters make guest appearences in other books over the years?

[Cayman]

Before I start. Did the characters make guest appearences in other books over the years?

Yeah, but they never joined any other teams and Beast never became furry.

[Brian M.]

I'd relaunch it similar to X-Factor. The Mutant populace is growing and the need to calm mutant fears is greater than ever. The Government forms a team of Mutant Liasons using the O5.

[Rob on the Job]

I guess I'm with UTV.

Obviously, such a long dormant period could never happen because of the demands of copyright/trademark protection -- basically "use it or lose it" -- but if you were stuck with the originals, then the X-Factor approach makes sense.

What made the "New" X-Men so interesting in 1975 -- and I was on the bandwagon from the start -- is that it went for new members from different countries [with the exception of "Marvel Girl" and Cyclops, of course]. It's hard to believe now, but the idea of having a German, an African, a Russian and a Canadian on a superteam was really innovative at the time.

BTW, a little-known fact that almost always is overlooked in X-Man history and one that I know only because I was around at the time -- the old official Marvel fan club FOOM [Friends of Ol' Marvel] held a contest in its first year of operation. Fans could create a new character that would be used in the upcoming revival of the X-Men. Fans submitted droves of character designs and descriptions, but one stood out.

And, true to its world, Marvel included the winning character in the New X-men Giant Size debut.

That character? Thunderbird.

Marvel being Marvel, ol' Thunderbird was killed off quickly so as to avoid legal entanglements and ownership rights.

[Indigo Al]

So I'd probably have Magneto grow up in sort of "real time", a nice twentysomething young man with no recollection of his past life, helping out Moira MacTaggert's when all of a sudden a telepathic signal from space brings all his memories crashing down on him.

It comes from....Krakoa! And Krakoa is broadcasting all the pain and misery of the mutants of Genosha.

So he builds his base on Krakoa, which is orbitting space, and recruits a new Brotherhood and rescues Genoshan refugees.

I'd probably use the mutant population boom introduced in New X-Men.

More later....

[Indigo Al]

Meanwhile....

Chuck has been running his school all this time, but has decided not to put them out there as superheroes, simply to focus them on controlling their powers and blending as best they can with society.

However, he senses the threat of Krakoa, and learns the truth about Genosha. But none of the kids at Xavier's have what it takes to be superheroes - X-Men.

So he decides to get the band back together.

Beast has just been denied tenure as a professor of Biochemistry at Harvard for being a mutant, and he willingly rejoins Chuck in his quest.

Iceman is a slightly paunchy CPA living in Long Island. He's married with a son, and hesitates. But as he looks at his son, wonders if he's a mutant, and decides he should fight for a better future for him, rejoins.

Angel is still living the billionaire playboy life - however, since anti-mutant hysteria is that much sharper, he's found his influence in Worthington Industries decreasing and he's dating less and less starlets. Essentially he's been given hush money to stay out of the family business. And he's White King of the Hellfire Club. Feeling directionless, he rejoins.

Calvin Rankin tells Chuck to f--- off.

Xavier makes his first mistake in trying to recruit Havok and Polaris, who unknown to him, have become militant and joined Magneto's cause.

Scarlet Witch regretfully informs Xavier that her brother has rejoined the Brotherhood. She, however, would be glad to join her once-enemies

Cyclops lives in Alaska with his grandparents as a pilot. He too rejoins. He's been a heartbroken hermit ever since he broke up with Jean.

Which is the next big mystery...... WHERE'S JEAN?

[Nyssane]

Cyclops would be black.

Jean Grey would be black.

Beast would be skinny and gay.

Iceman would be the muscle of the group.

Angel would be female, and a slut to boot.

Polaris would be a fat chick.

Havok would be ghetto black.

Banshee would be a hot Irish man who has sex with Beast.

[Brian M.]

Cyclops would be black.

Jean Grey would be black.

Beast would be skinny and gay.

Iceman would be the muscle of the group.

Angel would be female, and a slut to boot.

Polaris would be a fat chick.

Havok would be ghetto black.

Banshee would be a hot Irish man who has sex with Beast.

It would probably be better than Austen/Hudlin books I accidently read.


*shakes head at actually buying BP #22*

[ProfeZZor X]

Cyclops would be black.

Jean Grey would be black.

Beast would be skinny and gay.

Iceman would be the muscle of the group.

Angel would be female, and a slut to boot.

Polaris would be a fat chick.

Havok would be ghetto black.

Banshee would be a hot Irish man who has sex with Beast.

So half the X-Men would be black (afro-american) huh?... I'm liking this idea.

Power to the people!!! :eek:

[Rob on the Job]

So half the X-Men would be black (afro-american) huh?... I'm liking this idea.

Power to the people!!! :eek:

And the other half would be gay.

Here's their costume designer:

http://www.eoe.is/gamalt/carson-action-thumb.gif

[Brian M.]

And the other half would be gay.

Here's their costume designer:

http://www.eoe.is/gamalt/carson-action-thumb.gif


Is that Iceman's design?

[Rob on the Job]

Is that Iceman's design?

Well if it is, and the Iceman is supposed to be "the muscle of the group," then this version of the X-Men is limpid.

[DDM]

Yeah, but they never joined any other teams and Beast never became furry.

Beast became furry & joined the Avengers precisely due to X-Men being cancelled. I would think Hank would be one of the Avengers today with no new X-Men to bring him back to Xavier's school.

[Cayman]

Beast became furry & joined the Avengers precisely due to X-Men being cancelled. I would think Hank would be one of the Avengers today with no new X-Men to bring him back to Xavier's school.

Not in this imaginary scenario.

[Jack Flash]

I'd have Iceman, Havok and Po graduate from College and are all BFFs. Bobby's come out and dating a nice boy named Miguel (Living Lightning) and return to the mansion to find it destroyed and abandoned.

Scott is a pilot in Alaska
Beast retired from the superhero biz and is now married to Val Cooper and works for the Gubment.
Angel runs his dad's business empire.
Jean is Black Queen of the Hellfire club and married to Warren.


Warren secretly funds Havok's new X-men and the search for mutants to be on the team, he does this behind the back of his jealous/possesive wife. Jean's been corrupted by Mastermind over the years and is a major enemy in the first 2 arcs before freeing herself and re-joining the team.

New members include Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, Living Lightning, Iceman, Havok, Pyro and Magneta

[Cayman]

I'd have Iceman, Havok and Po graduate from College and are all BFFs. Bobby's come out and dating a nice boy named Miguel (Living Lightning) and return to the mansion to find it destroyed and abandoned.

Scott is a pilot in Alaska
Beast retired from the superhero biz and is now married to Val Cooper and works for the Gubment.
Angel runs his dad's business empire.
Jean is Black Queen of the Hellfire club and married to Warren.


Warren secretly funds Havok's new X-men and the search for mutants to be on the team, he does this behind the back of his jealous/possesive wife. Jean's been corrupted by Mastermind over the years and is a major enemy in the first 2 arcs before freeing herself and re-joining the team.

New members include Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, Living Lightning, Iceman, Havok, Pyro and Magneta

Sounds pretty cool!

[Brian M.]

I'd relaunch it similar to X-Factor. The Mutant populace is growing and the need to calm mutant fears is greater than ever. The Government forms a team of Mutant Liasons using the O5.
I forgot to mention Scott and Jean are married. Beast is working at a clinic at the time of the recruitment and is dating a young woman named Cecelia Reyes. Warren is a playboy running his company and Iceman is a CFO for Warren. Alex and Lorna live in Muir Island. Jean is set to have a baby in 9 months...a lil girl.

[xgeek52]

utv's breakdown works for me...

[Omega Alpha]

Imagine that X-Men had been cancelled with issue #66 and the characters had remained dormant ever since, with no Giant-Size X-Men 1 to relaunch the franchise.

What if you were at Marvel and were now relaunching the book today after decades away from the spotlight. You could only use characters who appeared in the original run, like the original 5, Havok, Lorna Dane, and Banshee. How would you relaunch the book?

Havok and Polaris are married and living in the desert, as they were after GSX #1.

Beast is a famous scientist who works at Harvard.

Archangel is a mutant playboy and businessman, who dates lots of super-models. However, he can't get Jean, the one he wants.

Cyclops is a pilot and, surprisingly, is single after he dumped Jean because she was annoying (:D). He has several female friends, though.

Jean is a famous boring super-model.

Iceman is off the closet and works as an accountant.

Xavier has his students, but doesn't send them to battles, and there's no X-men anymore.

However, the presumed Magneto returns and attacks New York. Xavier decides to not use his unexperienced students against one of the most powerful mutants on Earth (yep:D ) and calls the old team, who after the battle decides to stay together again.