Has “From the Ashes” Failed the X-Men?

The X-Men found themselves in an unusual situation due to Marvel’s lack of control over their film rights, which led to their diminished role in comics. However, when Disney bought 20th Century Fox and regained the X-Men’s film rights, everything shifted for the better. Renowned writer Jonathan Hickman was brought on board to spearhead a team of creators for a X-Men reboot, resulting in some of the most innovative X-Men comics ever, known as the Krakoa Era. The X-Men climbed back up the sales charts, but this success was short-lived following Hickman’s departure, leading to a decline in the Krakoan status quo. Sales dropped again and the arrival of “X-Men ’97” indicated Marvel’s desire for a more familiar status quo for casual fans. Thus began “From the Ashes,” the latest X-Men storyline under the guidance of legendary Marvel editor Tom Brevoort.

As a devoted cinema-goer, I found myself eagerly anticipating “From the Ashes,” but unfortunately, its release timing couldn’t have been more off. The introduction of DC’s Absolute line and Marvel’s Ultimate line created an overwhelming wave that quickly pushed the X-Men books down from their top positions, leaving them almost back to where they were at the end of the Krakoa Era. Already, several X-Men titles have been cancelled, hinting at a struggle for survival. The question now arises: Has this latest status quo ultimately failed the X-Men?

“From the Ashes” Borrows From Giants but Rarely Impresses

Let’s kick off by discussing the positive aspects of “From the Ashes”. To be clear, this won’t take long. The Uncanny X-Men is fantastic, Wolverine is exploring intriguing elements within his mythology, and Storm is finally embodying the goddess she’s always been. Essentially, that sums it up. It’s worth noting that there are readers who appreciate some of the other books, such as Jed MacKay’s X-Men, but a significant issue with “From the Ashes” has emerged during the days following the Krakoa Era. In essence, “From the Ashes” can be likened to Frankenstein’s monster, pieced together from various X-Men status quos. This assemblage, unfortunately, has caused issues in the comics post-Krakoa.

The series titled “Uncanny X-Men” primarily follows characters who gained popularity during Chris Claremont’s initial tenure on the original “Uncanny X-Men“, maintaining a vibe similar to his later storylines where the team was no longer based at the X-Mansion. The storyline of “X-Men” adopts the setup from Brian Michael Bendis’s version of “Uncanny X-Men“, with Cyclops leading a militant group of mutants from an icy stronghold that once belonged to their adversaries, while incorporating elements reminiscent of Grant Morrison’s “New X-Men“, such as Cassandra Nova and the U-Men. As for “X-Force” and “X-Factor“, these series essentially retain the storylines from their ’90s counterparts, with a few character changes. The series “Wolverine” returns Wolverine to his woodland environment, revisiting the raw, wild nature of every Wolverine narrative since he started his own solo comic book. The storyline “From the Ashes” offers little in terms of fresh ideas.

In superhero comic reboots, it’s quite common for the status quo to remain similar to previous versions, as seen with Morrison’s “New X-Men”. Concepts such as the Phoenix Force, Xavier Institute, the Shi’Ar Empire, and Weapon X are all present, but they’re not radically different from their earlier appearances. The unique aspect of Morrison’s work is that it seems to reimagine these familiar elements in innovative ways, which isn’t always evident in “From the Ashes” books. Unfortunately, many of these books simply recycle ideas without offering any fresh perspectives. Moreover, there’s a sense that all these stories are pointing towards the X-Mansion once again.

Marvel appears to follow a strategy that grates on many comic book enthusiasts. With the MCU being more prominent, they seem to think that if they adjust the comics to resemble the movies, it will attract movie fans to read comics. However, this approach rarely succeeds; the influence of films on comics is minimal at best. The latest X-Men series, “From the Ashes,” seems to be attempting to subtly steer the X-Men back to the X-Mansion under Xavier’s guidance for the first time in a long while. This move is likely due to Marvel’s plans to start the X-Men in the MCU with their traditional setup, necessitating a change in the comics. Unfortunately, “From the Ashes” lacks the creativity found during Morrison’s era or Utopia and Krakoa periods, which is evident in each issue. While there are some good X-Men stories within, they may not be remembered fondly in two or three decades.

“From the Ashes” Forgets the Fundamental Rule of Mutation — Change

Examining the evolution of the X-Men series, one recurring theme stands out – transformation. When the pace of change slows down, the narratives tend to grow stale. This was evident in the ’90s when the X-Men were at their peak sales. Marvel seemingly let them sail along without significant changes, leading to a sharp decline in quality. The current storyline “From the Ashes” has unfortunately given off an air of repetition and it’s only been running for a short time. There are bright spots, but they’re overshadowed by a sea of X-Men tropes that longtime fans find overly familiar.

The series “From the Ashes” has not been successful with the X-Men comic books. One might argue that if the Absolute and Ultimate books weren’t dominating the market, then “From the Ashes” would still be popular. However, the cancellation of three books indicates otherwise. “From the Ashes” lacks something to draw in readers; while some older fans returned due to their dislike of Krakoa, many younger readers who were attracted by the excitement of the Krakoa Era have departed. The top-selling titles such as Uncanny X-Men, X-Men, and Wolverine are doing well (though not at the level of the first year of Krakoa Era books), but the rest of the series are struggling. It seems that Marvel wants the X-Men to succeed, but if they believe “From the Ashes” is the solution, they are mistaken. The current state of the X-Men books reminds us of 1996, and that’s not a good thing.

2025-03-23 03:43

“From the Ashes” Borrows From Giants but Rarely Impresses

“From the Ashes” Forgets the Fundamental Rule of Mutation — Change

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