>>102941233My hopes are pretty dismal. The X-Men issue isn't a matter of talent or proper team comp, it's a matter of a franchise-wide malaise.
What I want from an X-Book is pretty simple. I want to establish WHO the X-Men are, why they're heroes in a world that hates and fears them, and why that's a good thing.
I want to establish who the X-Men's enemies are; I want to have fun, charismatic villains on all sides; shady humans looking to control or destroy mutants, mutant terrorists on a power trip seeking genetic warfare and dominance of the puny humans, bizarre aliens and strange spirits drawn to the amount of power and potential housed at the X-Mansion. Who are the Brotherhood of Mutants, the Hellfire Club, the Sentinels, the Friends of Humanity, the Shi'ar?
I need to establish WHAT the X-Men do; what makes them different from their colleagues in the Avengers and SHIELD, what a typical adventure is for an X-Man, the passions that drive them. Why do I care about these mutants in spandex?
We need to get back to basics, real brass tacks, because for the first time in the X-Books's long and sordid history the franchise is bleeding readers so clearly what's going on now isn't working, hasn't been working, and Marvel putting out an issue 1 that doubles down on everything still isn't going to work.
If I had my druthers I'd have Charlie, actual Charlie and not some weird monster that's probably the Shadow King pulling another con, back in the driver's seat and let him actually be a superhero instead of Voldemort and every wiriter's daddy issues wrapped in a wheelchair. I'd have Magneto be a bad guy who could be saved but keeps succumbing to his hate and need for control. I'd have fun, high octane adventures where Marvel's best fucking superteam goes and does everything superheroes do, and have The Metaphor be thematic instead of shoved in your face every fucking issue.
