X-Men Blue: Cullen Bunn Details The Original X-Men's New Era
A new day is dawning for Marvel's X-Men. With the Inhumans vs. X-Men conflict now behind them, the [...]
X-Men Blue
Jean was not part of this X-Men team during the "Extraordinary" era. How does her return to the fold effect the team's dynamics?
It's a bit of a shake-up for everyone, but all the other team members tend to agree that it's time. It is Jean who convinces the team to sign on with Magneto, which is a big change for them. But it shows how much they trust her judgment.
Fans often say that, even though the X-Men didn't seem to find their stride until the Giant-Size relaunch, there's something "special" about the original lineup. What do you think it is about the group that makes them so special?
As I see it, the original X-Men have a connection unlike any of the other incarnations of the team. Maybe it's because they were so young when they got together. Maybe it was working so closely before there were 200 other X-Men to team up with. These five will always be together... a family... and nothing will change that. They've changed so much since they arrived in our timeline, but the camaraderie between them will always be there.
Which relationship within the team have you most enjoyed writing? Is it who you would have expected when you began?
That's a tough one for me, but straight away I really love the interaction between Jean and Cyclops. I knew that would be a big part of the series long before I started writing, but it took me by surprise a bit. I'm also a fan of the dynamic between Cyclops and Beast. They aren't seeing eye to eye as we start this series. And Angel and Iceman have an interesting dynamic forming, I think.
Of course, if more characters join the team, that could really shake things up.
We've seen the original X-Men joined by X-23, Oya, and Genesis in past series. Do you plan to mix things up a bit in terms of roster, or are you focusing squarely on the original five?
I'm definitely mixing things up with this team. This book will have a supporting cast, much like the X-Men of Claremont's run. I'm sure some readers can guess who some of these cast members will be. We're also going to have two (three depending on how you look at it) new members of the team.
I have sort of a guiding principle for adding new team members to the X-Men. I don;t want to say what that is because it might spoil things.
What kinds of threats will you be throwing at the Blue team? Any hints as to what villains will be appearing?
As anyone who read my UNCANNY X-MEN run knows, I enjoy delving back into X-Men history, and I love revisiting classic X-villains. We're seeing Black Tom and Juggernaut--as classic an X-Men villain pairing as there's ever been--in our first issue. But were also going to be seeing a number of fan-favorite villains from the 70s, 80s, 90s, and beyond. I hope that I've managed to add a few surprises to some of these classic villains, some things you wouldn't expect. And there will be characters you haven't seen in decades joining the cast.
Any last hints or teases you'd like to leave fans with?
These characters have gone through a lot of changes since they arrived in our time, and they will continue to go through even more changes as the series progresses. And since they are time travelers, they may find themselves back in the time stream. If they do that, there's no telling where they'll end up and which X-characters they may meet.
Also.
Watch the Blackbird.
X-Men: Blue #1 goes on sale Arpil 12.
X-Men: Blue #1
FEB170767
(W) Cullen Bunn (A) Jorge Molina, Matteo Buffagni (CA) Arthur Adams
THE ORIGINALS!
Join MARVEL GIRL, CYCLOPS, BEAST, ICEMAN and ANGEL as they reclaim the title of X-MEN. After the world-shaking events of IVX, the original five X-Men are here to bring mutant criminals to justice and restore a heroic sheen to their team. But with a new leader in JEAN GREY and a new mentor in their "arch-frenemy" MAGNETO, will old rivalries and new conflicts tear these heroes apart?
Rated T+
In Shops: Apr 12, 2017
SRP: $4.99