does New X-Men End After Messiah Complex?

[Lux]

Because there was no cover added for Febuary 2008 on IGN.com

[ProfeZZor X]

This question has already been covered in another thread.

http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showthread.php?t=198883

...And by the way, the "search engine" is your best friend in this forum.

[DeadXMan]

Because there was no cover added for Febuary 2008 on IGN.com

my guts telling me, "yes".

if that the case I think we'll see them splint into the other titles

Santo and Strong guy on X-factor would so kick a$$.

Edit

Hey Prof , instead of turning up your nose,hows-about link to where those that don't know the answer?!!

[rZi]

Will i be the only one to not miss it? Altough X-force doesn't look promising..

[Brickbatstone]

the title hasnt been as good as it was at the beginning but im sad to see it go. i hope somethign better comes out

[megaman x]

Because there was no cover added for Febuary 2008 on IGN.com
Having no cover for February doesn't necessarly mean it's canceled. Marvel hasn't made any statement about a cancellation.
Personally, i think they wanted to give more time to Craig Kyle & Chris Yost, given they're also writers of X-Force. Besides, New X-Men is one of the best X-Books right now , so there is no reason for a cancellation

[XYagentguy]

Having no cover for February doesn't necessarly mean it's canceled. Marvel hasn't made any statement about a cancellation.
Personally, i think they wanted to give more time to Craig Kyle & Chris Yost, given they're also writers of X-Force. Besides, New X-Men is one of the best X-Books right now , so there is no reason for a cancellation
I've said this in other threads, but here are some of my personal theories on why we won't see it canceled, or at least, if it's canceled I believe it will be re-launched with an issue 1 that is still the student team.

C&C have a personal affection for New X-Men, they've said so on more than on occasion.

New X-Men almost always outsells the many other young hero teams including the Runaways, the Loners, and New Warriors. I think the only exception was Young Avengers which was plagued with delays.

I think the X-Universe will always have a young X-team because if any one Marvel comic deserves it, it's them. After all, they ARE a school and one of the largest priorities of the X-Men is to train the next generation and offer haven and protection to youngsters. A young X-team fits the X-Men Universe far more than the Avengers, for example.

I don't think they would be sparking new interest and investing so much using New X-Men as a medium for ES and MC etc if they didn't plan on continuing it in one form or another.

New X-Men always outsells certain other X-titles and many, many, other Marvel books who still see the light of day, including Exiles and Excalibur.

I anticipate that New X-Men will be relaunched sometime next year in a slightly new form and C&C will continue to be the writers.

Take it or leave it. :P

[DeadXMan]

This question has already been covered in another thread.

http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showthread.php?t=198883

...And by the way, the "search engine" is your best friend in this forum.

half the time i get the "the word(s) you use is to common" page


but if someone asks I tend to use a link to steer them to their goal

[CyberHubbs]

Might be that, as a teenage group, the kids have run their course. And it seems the school is disbanding, so they technically won't be students anymore.

Fresh start with a different direction wouldn't be much of a surprise.

[pryde15]

I hope it isn't cancelled, its my favorite X-Book, I haven't been disappointed with an issue yet. But if it is cancelled that leads to the possibility that the members will be on the x-teams :D


but that also means the side characters willl probably float into limbo :(

[The Lucky One]

Will i be the only one to not miss it? Altough X-force doesn't look promising..

I stopped reading a year after Nunzio and Christina left -- just wasn't doing it for me -- so I wouldn't really miss it. However, I respect that many other people would, and I'll admit that it doesn't seem to have dropped readers (yet) the way The New Mutants and Generation X did before their cancellations. So we'll see.

I hope it isn't cancelled, its my favorite X-Book, I haven't been disappointed with an issue yet. But if it is cancelled that leads to the possibility that the members will be on the x-teams :D (

Well, only one member of the New Mutants has joined the X-Men on any kind of a permanent basis (Cannonball), and although a few of the Gen Xers did (Jubilee, Chamber, Husk), none of them had particularly long tenures. So it's possible, but I wouldn't count on it.

-D

[pryde15]

Well, only one member of the New Mutants has joined the X-Men on any kind of a permanent basis (Cannonball), and although a few of the Gen Xers did (Jubilee, Chamber, Husk), none of them had particularly long tenures. So it's possible, but I wouldn't count on it.

yeah thats true...well Wolfsbane is used frequently in X-Books, but your right, it seems only a couple really get passed being the in the x-student title.

[Faded]

Well, only one member of the New Mutants has joined the X-Men on any kind of a permanent basis (Cannonball), and although a few of the Gen Xers did (Jubilee, Chamber, Husk), none of them had particularly long tenures. So it's possible, but I wouldn't count on it.

-D

I think one advantage they have though is that they're still mostly blank slates; they're almost like relatively new characters with enough background for some readers to attach to already.

I don't think all twenty-something characters will become core members, but a few (Anole, Hellion, Elixir) I think can really be something, while others (Loa, even Sofia just for being out of the game for a while) may still need the book.

BTW! Depending on who you ask, Monet was also an X-Man during Chuck Austen's first arc! <4 M

[Harding Prime]

...We can hope...because the book is unnecessary.

How many X-titles are there, and those students show up in all of them. That is enough. The Astonishing team is the only team that needs to show up in all title because they are the lead team.

[Pach!]

...We can hope...because the book is unnecessary.

How many X-titles are there, and those students show up in all of them. That is enough. The Astonishing team is the only team that needs to show up in all title because they are the lead team.

If it's unnecessary why does it have a lot of readers?

[Harding Prime]

If it's unnecessary why does it have a lot of readers?

If it has a lot of readers, then why is it being canceled?

[Stix]

I stopped reading a year after Nunzio and Christina left -- just wasn't doing it for me -- so I wouldn't really miss it. However, I respect that many other people would, and I'll admit that it doesn't seem to have dropped readers (yet) the way The New Mutants and Generation X did before their cancellations. So we'll see.

-D

I also hated it post M-Day. The whole death-by-purifiers arc was terrible. But I stuck it out, and C&C have really turned it around. It's the first title I read when I go to my LCS every two weeks. The Quest for Magik arc was amazing, and they still need to explain Wither and Selene. It was promised. For that reason alone, I think we'll have new x-men in March. Titles do skip a month (or six) periodically. See Ultimate Wolverine and Hulk.

[Harding Prime]

Titles do skip a month (or six) periodically. See Ultimate Wolverine and Hulk.

Or Astonishing for that matter. As long as they use that team in every other book though, I'm cool. Astonishing as a stand alone does its best.

[Pach!]

If it has a lot of readers, then why is it being canceled?

It has roughly the same as X-factor and more than Excalibur and Exiles which are getting relaunched.

[Harding Prime]

It has roughly the same as X-factor and more than Excalibur and Exiles which are getting relaunched.

X-Factor?!?...X-FACTOR!!!

The name has X-Men in it, so it should live up to that name. Hell, New X-Men was the name of THE X-Men book for a while done by Grant Morrison. That is like being show after Seinfeld or Friends.

[Dagger]

X-Factor?!?...X-FACTOR!!!

The name has X-Men in it, so it should live up to that name. Hell, New X-Men was the name of THE X-Men book for a while done by Grant Morrison. That is like being show after Seinfeld or Friends.
Don't knock on X-Factor. It's hands down the best x-book we have going right now, with New X-Men coming in as a close second. Sales =/= quality. If that were so, Wolverine:Origins would be selling less than these books.

[Harding Prime]

Don't knock on X-Factor. It's hands down the best x-book we have going right now, with New X-Men coming in as a close second. Sales =/= quality. If that were so, Wolverine:Origins would be selling less than these books.

Then don't knock Origins. The first 15 issues might have had a promising premise but ended up kinda sucking, the origin story of Wolverine and Cap is really good and intertwining with a lot of other stories going on outside of XU in the now. I'm sorry I have a hard time picking up a Gen-X knock off and a detective book starring Multiple Man and Strong Guy.

[Stix]

Then don't knock Origins. The first 15 issues might have had a promising premise but ended up kinda sucking, the origin story of Wolverine and Cap is really good and intertwining with a lot of other stories going on outside of XU in the now. I'm sorry I have a hard time picking up a Gen-X knock off and a detective book starring Multiple Man and Strong Guy.

Have you actually read it? PAD is hands down the GREATEST comic scribe in the market today. Every single issue leaves you laughing, and desperately begging for more. His characters play off each other with quirky one liners and comments all the time. I think this PAD run will be remembered as one of the greatest x-runs in history.

Onto Origins. What makes you think that this current arc is not going to end up sucking as well? Daniel Way can write build up and build up and build up. Then the whole story just implodes on itself. After the first 3 arcs, I am always left thinking, why did I waste my money? Then I buy the next issue...

[Daydreamer]

Why do I feel like Marvel is killing off all it's good characters and cancelling all it's good series?

[John Sage]

I really hope this title sticks around.

I regularly enjoy it and do feel that it serves a niche in the X-world. I'd be happy for some team members to graduate - but the roster is big enough to withstand this.

I would also love a New Mutants book with the original New Mutants (a la Titans). I would love to see some love shown to Moonstar, Magma, Karma & Sunspot and team them up with their more successful counterparts Cannonball and Wolfsbane.

I would love a New Mutants / New X-men cross-over involving the promised return of Magik!

[podmark]

I believe it was Nick Lowe who said said the book was increasing in sales each month. So it wasn't a financial reason that it was ended, it would be creative reasoning.

Also it has yet to be officially canceled. All we know right now is that there is no new issue slated for February. No one at Marvel has yet to acknowledge the situation.

Comparing New X-Men (current) to Morrison's New X-Men is an inaccurate comparison. One was THE flagship X-Title staring some of the most recognizable X-Men. The other is a book about new mutant teens learning to be X-Men. Comparing it to other secondary books like X-Factor is completely accurate.

[Brickbatstone]

It has roughly the same as X-factor and more than Excalibur and Exiles which are getting relaunched.
i dunno. x-factor does not have the quality of art, writing and characters that new x-men has.

[samhalliwell]

i dunno. x-factor does not have the quality of art, writing and characters that new x-men has.

That depends on what you like to read. I actually think X-Factor has been better in all three aspects you mentioned lately.

New X-Men got better after the stupid death melodramas stopped, but I still think PAD writes stories and characterization way better.

[XYagentguy]

i dunno. x-factor does not have the quality of art, writing and characters that new x-men has.
I would tend to agree, except I do enjoy the X-Factor writing very much. Everything else I would say is second fiddle compared to New X-Men (I love New X-Men writing, too!)

[The Lucky One]

i dunno. x-factor does not have the quality of art, writing and characters that new x-men has.

That's, uh... very, very much a debatable point, methinks. ;) Art maybe (although X-Factor has had some great artists too, notably Pablo Raimondi), but I think the majority of people who read both would say that both the writing and characters in X-Factor are superior to NXM. That's not a slam on NXM by any means, just a reflection of the fact that X-Factor is the best X-Book on the market right now, and has been for the last couple of years.

-D

[Pach!]

That's, uh... very, very much a debatable point, methinks. ;) Art maybe (although X-Factor has had some great artists too, notably Pablo Raimondi), but I think the majority of people who read both would say that both the writing and characters in X-Factor are superior to NXM. That's not a slam on NXM by any means, just a reflection of the fact that X-Factor is the best X-Book on the market right now, and has been for the last couple of years.

-D
And many would obviously disagree with you. Still doesn't prove anything either way.

[Josef F.]

I enjoy new x-men.
Mainlt cause it's not bogged down by years of continuity.
And can go a bit mad.
And Northstar needs to come back.
And him and anole can get it on
=]

[XYagentguy]

And him and anole can get it on
Is Anole even of age?

[The Lucky One]

I think one advantage they have though is that they're still mostly blank slates; they're almost like relatively new characters with enough background for some readers to attach to already.

I see what you're getting at, Faded, but I think I only partially agree. Some of them, like Loa and maybe Anole, I think you're right. But other characters have had going on 57 issues to develop (13 of New Mutants vol. 2 + 44 of NX:AX/NXM, to say nothing of the 4-issue Hellions miniseries)... at some point you have to say, if they're still a blank slate by now, something's wrong. To draw a comparison, by issue 25 or so of the original New Mutants, you knew every single important character trait about each member of the cast. That's not to say they didn't each develop further -- they did -- but you knew those characters, their dreams and aspirations and insecurities. Now, I don't read NXM anymore, so maybe the same is true of that book's characters... but if so, they're no longer really blank slates. Whereas if that IS the case, if they really haven't been developed much, then you're right that they're blank slates... but longtime blank slates make for expendable characters.

To reiterate, I'm not criticizing the book. But the fact remains that the characters have had nearly 60 issues by now, and that's not "new" by anyone's standards. Most of them (except, obviously, the newer additions) should either be well-defined characters by now (which maybe they are), or else that points to some serious issues with pacing and/or balancing the action and character development components. That's not a critique because I'm not implying one or the other is the case, simply an observation.

-D

[The Lucky One]

And many would obviously disagree with you. Still doesn't prove anything either way.

That's, uh... true? :confused:

Not sure I understand the point you're making, Andres. Mine was simply not to make blanket statements. Sorry for not getting it, but could you explain yours to me?

-D

[Pach!]

That's, uh... true? :confused:

Not sure I understand the point you're making, Andres. Mine was simply not to make blanket statements. Sorry for not getting it, but could you explain yours to me?

-D

Well if you follw the posts from the beginning it might become clear.

Someone said NXM is getting canceled, I said it says roughly the same as X-factor so I don't think it's gonna get canceled. Then someone else added that it has better writing, and then you said it doesn't. I was saying that the fact that X-factor or New X-men has better writing doesn't say anything about it being canceled.

[podmark]

lol its silly to compare two titles like this. It all depends on your tastes. Personally I can't get into X-Factor the way I can with New X-Men, but I still think both are great books.

[Veronica_Sawyer]

lol its silly to compare two titles like this. It all depends on your tastes. Personally I can't get into X-Factor the way I can with New X-Men, but I still think both are great books.

Same feelings over here.

Im too lazy to double quote but... Origins was good lol

And besides these threads, i've heard that NXM is one of the better selling titles right now so i doubt they would cancel it rather than just delay it. I, obviously, dont want NXM to be canceled but even if it were, i doubt that the characters would just disappear but rather transfer to other titles.

[Stagier]

Is Anole even of age?

sorry, at first glance i thought that said "even a gay"

ha

[Alex A Sanchez]

I agree- comparing the two titles doesn't do either one justice. One is a noir street book featuring adults, the other is book about kids in an educational setting. The books are both great for different reasons.

[Harding Prime]

Have you actually read it? PAD is hands down the GREATEST comic scribe in the market today. Every single issue leaves you laughing, and desperately begging for more. His characters play off each other with quirky one liners and comments all the time. I think this PAD run will be remembered as one of the greatest x-runs in history.

Onto Origins. What makes you think that this current arc is not going to end up sucking as well? Daniel Way can write build up and build up and build up. Then the whole story just implodes on itself. After the first 3 arcs, I am always left thinking, why did I waste my money? Then I buy the next issue...

Let me ask everyone something...Do you usually pick up books that the premise of the book is not something that catches your fancy to begin with???

I'm going to say no for most everyone, and that is why I don't want to pick up these books, no matter how good they might be, because most of us do judge a book by its cover, metaphorically speaking and literally, when it comes to comic books. A Gen-X knock off with one notable character is not going to succeed without a lot of work, and Marvel didn't invest enough I feel.

[dotdotdot]

Let me ask everyone something...Do you usually pick up books that the premise of the book is not something that catches your fancy to begin with???

I'm going to say no for most everyone, and that is why I don't want to pick up these books, no matter how good they might be, because most of us do judge a book by its cover, metaphorically speaking and literally, when it comes to comic books. A Gen-X knock off with one notable character is not going to succeed without a lot of work, and Marvel didn't invest enough I feel.

so you just admit that you judge a book by its cover and aren't particularly interested in a good story/quality writing.
worst kind of fan.

[Fixx]

I really hope not
New X-men is one of the best x-books out right now(x-factor is the only book I look forward to more, PAD's writing is brilliant)

but if it is cancelled I at least hope the students get absorbed into other teams so we dont loose them altogether, that'd just suck ass

[Harding Prime]

so you just admit that you judge a book by its cover and aren't particularly interested in a good story/quality writing.
worst kind of fan.

Except the fact that you and everyone else do the same thing. Unless you just pick up every comic book, you have to judge the book by what you know of it, its characters and its possible premise. I don't have 2.99 for every comic that someone thinks is good, because every comic at least has one person that thinks its good. Of course I am interested in a good story, why else would I read, that statement makes no sense, but before this thread, I actually hadn't heard anything good about New X-Men or X-Factor, so what basis do I have to pick these books up with either characters I never had a fondness for (X-Factor), or a bunch of new characters that only has one viable character with a back story (X-23) and the same premise used before this one (Gen-X) I did pick up and it bombed.

[pryde15]

Is Anole even of age?

I don't think that really matters in the x-books lol :D

[Harlock]

New X-Men is not in the February solicits. I am hoping X-Men: Legacy covers them while Uncanny, X-Force, and Astonishing covers the elder X-Men.

[dotdotdot]

Except the fact that you and everyone else do the same thing. Unless you just pick up every comic book, you have to judge the book by what you know of it, its characters and its possible premise. I don't have 2.99 for every comic that someone thinks is good, because every comic at least has one person that thinks its good. Of course I am interested in a good story, why else would I read, that statement makes no sense, but before this thread, I actually hadn't heard anything good about New X-Men or X-Factor, so what basis do I have to pick these books up with either characters I never had a fondness for (X-Factor), or a bunch of new characters that only has one viable character with a back story (X-23) and the same premise used before this one (Gen-X) I did pick up and it bombed.

no. people who follow the talent do not do this same thing. you've heard nothing but good things about both books from this board, if you've posted before or paid any attn. there's never a good way to back up your reasons for not even bothering, unless you've got issues with a creative team.

[Kevin D.]

Except the fact that you and everyone else do the same thing. Unless you just pick up every comic book, you have to judge the book by what you know of it, its characters and its possible premise. I don't have 2.99 for every comic that someone thinks is good, because every comic at least has one person that thinks its good. Of course I am interested in a good story, why else would I read, that statement makes no sense, but before this thread, I actually hadn't heard anything good about New X-Men or X-Factor, so what basis do I have to pick these books up with either characters I never had a fondness for (X-Factor), or a bunch of new characters that only has one viable character with a back story (X-23) and the same premise used before this one (Gen-X) I did pick up and it bombed.
Actually, I give everything a chance. I hate space stories, but I still give it a chance because half of the time I find myself liking it.

[Harding Prime]

no. people who follow the talent do not do this same thing. you've heard nothing but good things about both books from this board, if you've posted before or paid any attn. there's never a good way to back up your reasons for not even bothering, unless you've got issues with a creative team.

Actually, I give everything a chance. I hate space stories, but I still give it a chance because half of the time I find myself liking it.

Wow, so both of you bought every comic that came out last Thursday, and sat down and read each one of them and gave them a chance...

That's amazing, I wish I had as much money as you guys, or patience

[podmark]

A Gen-X knock off with one notable character is not going to succeed without a lot of work, and Marvel didn't invest enough I feel.

I just want to state that everything I've seen from Marvel indicates that whatever change is upcoming for New X-Men it was a creative decision rather than a financial one. New X-Men was steadily rising in sales and had passionate fan base along with mostly positive critical response as of late as well as editorial and creative support for the characters. It's a secondary book obviously but it wasn't failing.

Also the most likely scenarios is that the book is folding over into Legacy or relaunching in March. If not the surviving kids will be appearing somewhere - that much has been confirmed.

[Harding Prime]

I just want to state that everything I've seen from Marvel indicates that whatever change is upcoming for New X-Men it was a creative decision rather than a financial one. New X-Men was steadily rising in sales and had passionate fan base along with mostly positive critical response as of late as well as editorial and creative support for the characters. It's a secondary book obviously but it wasn't failing.

Also the most likely scenarios is that the book is folding over into Legacy or relaunching in March. If not the surviving kids will be appearing somewhere - that much has been confirmed.

I understand, and I attest to the passionate fan base, well placed aggression or not. What I am saying is why I have never picked it up before this crossover. Sorry there were names at the bottom of the cover that I didn't know, talented or not. Sorry they were characters that I never picked up a likeness for within the X-books to being with. I have writer and artist favorites, a lot of which are commercially successful as well, but there is a reason, because they are good at what they do and its been proven. Huge fan of Brubaker and even though his run so far on Uncanny hasn't been Captain American caliber, this crossover looked interesting and I liked the Crossover Special issue number 1, written by Brubaker. You can't be mad at a guy that doesn't read every comic because they don't find it needed in there collection, or thinking that it probably isn't surprising that it might be getting dropped.

[Dagger]

It's rumored that they're going to retool New X-Men into a new New Mutants book, which I would be fine with, as I always liked that title more than the New X-Men book they had.

[Harding Prime]

So that would make it seem that they aren't in the institute anymore though, They would be independent.

[podmark]

I understand, and I attest to the passionate fan base, well placed aggression or not. What I am saying is why I have never picked it up before this crossover. Sorry there were names at the bottom of the cover that I didn't know, talented or not. Sorry they were characters that I never picked up a likeness for within the X-books to being with. I have writer and artist favorites, a lot of which are commercially successful as well, but there is a reason, because they are good at what they do and its been proven. Huge fan of Brubaker and even though his run so far on Uncanny hasn't been Captain American caliber, this crossover looked interesting and I liked the Crossover Special issue number 1, written by Brubaker. You can't be mad at a guy that doesn't read every comic because they don't find it needed in there collection, or thinking that it probably isn't surprising that it might be getting dropped.

Not mad at you. Just clarifying the New X-Men situation. And I can understand not knowing the creative teams if you don't follow the whole of comics too closely. The original writers Nunzio DeFilippis and Christina Weir are fairly unknown, and the current ones are best known for their animation work on shows like X-Men Evolution, the current Ninja Turtles and Fantastic Four. None of the artists used have been big names except maybe Mark Brooks and Huberto Ramos. But again this is a secondary book so it's mostly going to be the secondary talents and up and comers. You're not likely to see a Bryan Hitch or Frank Cho do much with a title like this. Still that hardly precludes it from being a success.

[Joe Franklin]

I just want to state that everything I've seen from Marvel indicates that whatever change is upcoming for New X-Men it was a creative decision rather than a financial one. New X-Men was steadily rising in sales and had passionate fan base along with mostly positive critical response as of late as well as editorial and creative support for the characters. It's a secondary book obviously but it wasn't failing.

Also the most likely scenarios is that the book is folding over into Legacy or relaunching in March. If not the surviving kids will be appearing somewhere - that much has been confirmed.

And some of the creators and editors working on Messiah Complex have stated that the FEB-08 X-solicits released online may be a red hearring?

[Harding Prime]

Not mad at you. Just clarifying the New X-Men situation. And I can understand not knowing the creative teams if you don't follow the whole of comics too closely. The original writers Nunzio DeFilippis and Christina Weir are fairly unknown, and the current ones are best known for their animation work on shows like X-Men Evolution, the current Ninja Turtles and Fantastic Four. None of the artists used have been big names except maybe Mark Brooks and Huberto Ramos. But again this is a secondary book so it's mostly going to be the secondary talents and up and comers. You're not likely to see a Bryan Hitch or Frank Cho do much with a title like this. Still that hardly precludes it from being a success.

I wasn't speaking towards you about the aggression. Ramos I know, and having over 1,600 posts should say that I follow comics pretty well. But I did a hiatus for a while and have been an avid reader again for about 2 years, and its been hard to get back into the X-Men, as they used to be my favorite titles, but not so much anymore. Missing Jean Grey, more her Phoenix persona, and hating the fact that Emma Frost is a leader of the team and head of the New X-Men keeps me at bay a bit too. To me and many, the New Avengers has been the best team title out since I returned to comics.

[Harlock]

I understand, and I attest to the passionate fan base, well placed aggression or not. What I am saying is why I have never picked it up before this crossover. Sorry there were names at the bottom of the cover that I didn't know, talented or not. Sorry they were characters that I never picked up a likeness for within the X-books to being with. I have writer and artist favorites, a lot of which are commercially successful as well, but there is a reason, because they are good at what they do and its been proven. Huge fan of Brubaker and even though his run so far on Uncanny hasn't been Captain American caliber, this crossover looked interesting and I liked the Crossover Special issue number 1, written by Brubaker. You can't be mad at a guy that doesn't read every comic because they don't find it needed in there collection, or thinking that it probably isn't surprising that it might be getting dropped.

I consider myself an X-Fan. I have collected comics, off and on, since I was 8 or 9. I am 34 now. X-Men (be they Uncanny, New Mutants, Adjectiveless, or [the original] X-Factor) were all favorites of mine, along with Spider-Man.

When I got back into comics a couple of years ago after a long, 13-year hiatus, I picked up one each of many comics, just to see if I could even get into the storylines. Of those I picked up, one was New X-Men: Academy X issue 14 or 15. I read it and felt completely lost. I wrote it off as title directed to a younger audience.

Over the next year I filled in gaps in my X-Men collection (I now have every issue, yay!) and read these boards and explored other titles. After reading these boards so much, and getting to know people on these boards whose opinions I actually cared about, I decided I must have missed something in New X-Men and decided that perhaps one issue was not a fair enough shake.

So, I waited for a new arc to begin and decided to stick with it for one story arc. Lo, and behold I was impressed. I went back and picked up all of the New X-Men books i had missed and then read them all straight through. I discovered that this was a really good series and deserving of the praise I had seen it garnering.

As for finding it surprising the book may be getting dropped; I think a lot of people, myself included, rightfully are. It is a book that is almost constantly in the top 50 and rising the past several months. Other books, even from the big two publishers that constantly sell less are quite safe from cancellation or at worst, looking at a re-boot.

As for being mad at you, I hope I do not come off that way and that that is quite obvious. I do think New X-Men has suffered a bit from perceptions people may have of it as a book with a target audience of teen - young adult readers. Fortunately, for those of us reading the book, we know that the stories are quite compelling and the dangers go well beyond the X-Mansion. The characters are well-developed, fun, tragic in some cases and the art is very fitting for the title.

Finally, you stated that the New X-Men characters have not appealed to you from what you have seen of them in other X-Titles. I agree with you. You should really read them written in their own book as that is where their major character development takes place. It's like saying you didn't enjoy the Thing as he appeared in a Spider-Man book. Of course not. The main characters will always shine while the guest star is almost always there in a supporting role. Sure, sometimes a guest star can steal the show, but often enough, it doesn't turn out that way.

Wishing you well and happy reading.