Marvel Really Fumbled the X-Men And I’m Not Sure Anything Can Save Them Now

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Currently, it’s quite intriguing to be a fan of the X-Men as the Krakoa Era brought about a significant shift, making the X-Men comics the most popular superhero titles in 2019 and 2020. Writer Jonathan Hickman crafted some of the finest X-Men stories ever written, with other books in the series also performing exceptionally well. However, as Hickman’s initial plan evolved with input from his collaborators, he departed the project, allowing other creators to steer the narrative in new paths. Unfortunately, the Krakoa Era lost momentum without Hickman, and its conclusion didn’t live up to its promising start. Marvel chose to bring an early end to it, handing over the X-Men to Marvel editorial veteran Tom Brevoort who launched the “From the Ashes” era in the summer of 2024. The beginning of this new phase saw some initial sales success, but it failed to match the acclaim garnered by the Krakoa Era’s debut.

Marvel’s mismanagement of the X-Men franchise is evident as they allowed Hickman to depart from the series and prolonged the Krakoa Era for financial gains – a period that kept Marvel afloat during COVID times. The continuation, “From the Ashes,” unfortunately carries on this misstep. The X-Men comics are plagued with issues, and it appears there’s no genuine desire to rectify them. Despite being one of Marvel’s most iconic franchises, I fear that at this point, the X-Men may be beyond repair.

The X-Men Are Dead…

The primary issue with “From the Ashes” series is that it lacks fresh concepts in most of its volumes. Unlike many 21st-century X-Men runs which are characterized by a central narrative like the X-Men’s X-Men runs, this one seems more reminiscent of the ’90s era where the X-Men were predominantly just present without a cohesive plotline. The term “rehash” is often associated with “From the Ashes.”

In essence, “X-Men” appears to be a blend of Bendis’s “Uncanny X-Men” and Morrison’s “New X-Men,” while Wolverine attempts to emulate Larry Hama’s Wolverine but falls short significantly. “X-Factor” is similar to the combination of X-Force/X-Statix with the ’90s government X-Factor team, and “X-Force” feels aimless, much like the X-Force books prior to their reintroduction during the Utopia Era. “Exceptional X-Men” can be likened to “Generation X” set in the 1920s.

“Uncanny X-Men” stands out as the most innovative book of the bunch (and arguably the best), employing a character-driven storytelling style similar to Chris Claremont’s approach, which gradually escalates. However, Phoenix and Storm are not simply rehashes, although resurrecting Jean Grey as Phoenix is clearly an attempt at nostalgic appeal. Several books have already been cancelled, with others on the verge of cancellation, as most second-round books have announced conclusions. “From the Ashes” isn’t a disaster, but there’s not much excitement in the current storylines. It almost feels like the series is maintaining the status quo until the X-Men’s MCU debut film, with the comics mirroring whatever happens on screen.

The simplicity of X-Men tales is not a problem, but they work best when there’s more depth than just entertaining stories. The last time the X-Men really shone was during Grant Morrison’s “New X-Men,” although I appreciate the Krakoa Era too, it had its inconsistencies, particularly as time went by. What made “New X-Men” successful was that Morrison had a concept that advanced the X-Men, and after “House of M,” there was a significant transformation in the mutant world, shedding excess elements. The Utopia Era focused on the X-Men’s struggle to survive with dwindling numbers. The Schism Era gave Wolverine an opportunity to lead. Even the post-“Secret Wars” (2015) period had a concept driving it – the Terrigen Mist clouds and the rise of the Inhumans, though it was a flawed idea. “From the Ashes” lacks such a concept, giving off a cynical vibe. It seems Tom Brevoort doesn’t have much affection for the X-Men (or their fans), as evidenced by his responses to fan questions on Substack, and the main idea he introduced was “rehashing.” It feels like the X-Men are not valued at Marvel beyond boosting sales. Currently, there are many X-Men books, but few are generating excitement. We’re all eagerly anticipating the teams coming back together at the X-Mansion, which appears to be the goal of “From the Ashes,” and it’s as thrilling as a blank page.

…Long Live the X-Men

As a devoted fan, I must admit, the X-Men feel as frosty as Iceman at the moment. Sales are decent, but the phenomenal launch of DC’s Absolute series, which coincidentally started around the same time as “From the Ashes”, has cast a long shadow over our beloved X-Men line. Don’t get me wrong, titles like Uncanny X-Men and Storm are nothing short of sensational, but the overall feel is stale and predictable. It feels like we’ve been here before, and we all know where this is heading: Professor X will return to Earth, the X-Men will evict humans from the X-Mansion, the fractured teams will reunite, and the only innovative aspect of “From the Ashes” seems to be its connection to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

It appears the creative direction for the X-Men isn’t sitting well with many fans, as they feel Marvel isn’t addressing any issues due to the ongoing success of their X-Men books in sales. Historically, Marvel has been criticized for focusing solely on sales figures and ignoring fan feedback, which can lead to a decline in quality. This happened in the ’90s when the writing deteriorated despite the books selling well, until things reached a critical point later in the decade. At that time, Marvel brought back Chris Claremont and later Grant Morrison to rectify the situation. Regrettably, it seems the X-Men are following a similar path now, with no apparent effort being made to alter course by those within Marvel.

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2025-06-30 04:12