Say it ain’t so!
Via Uncanny X-Men writer Kieron Gillen himself, the Associated Press has reported that the long-running X-Men series will end in October with issue #544, as Schism rolls through Marvel’s band of merry mutants.
“The X-Men are getting torn apart from within. The events of ‘Schism’ do more damage to the X-Men than any villain has ever done,” editor Nick Lowe told the Associated Press.
Schism, which pits longtime leader Cyclops against fan-favorite Wolverine for the future of the mutant race, has been likened as “the X-Men’s Civil War,” according to Marvel EiC Axel Alonso.
“The X-Men has always been a book with ideology and ideas at its heart, and to be fair to them — to best present them — you have to be entirely true,” Gillen added to the AP. “And if the story we’re telling demands that you end the Uncanny X-Men, you end the Uncanny X-Men. No, it’s not taken lightly — but it’s taken if it’s necessary to do it.”
For me personally, this is pretty sad news — Gillen only took over the book entirely back in April with #534.1, and so to hear that his run will end in October with issue #544 is just a shame. He himself has joked that after his ill-fated space series S.W.O.R.D., there are no limits to his power about getting a book cancelled, and has said he will not elaborate further on his future plans. Here’s hoping that Gillen has a place with the Children of the Atom once the dust clears for Schism.
June 9th, 2011 at 7:21 am
I’ve not enjoyed Uncanny since Brubaker (my favorite current writer) took over with Dark Genesis. From the Claremont/Cockrum run up to the Claremont/Lee run, there wasn’t a comic that I loved more. This screams of “stunt numbering” so whatever. Cancel it,launch a new #1 and renumber it at 600.
June 9th, 2011 at 7:40 am
Gillen is the best thing that’s happened to X-comics in a long time – whatever the situation afterwards I hope he remains on a core title.
June 9th, 2011 at 7:54 am
Well, no surprise here as Tom Brevoort pretty much told us this was coming in an interview the other week. But really, all this bragging about the super-creative Marvel ‘architects’ and they have to resort to this stunt for the sake of a one-month upward sales blip? Woeful.
And love comics as I do, I find it a little over the top when companies issue press releases to international press agencies about changes to the numbering system. It matters to some of us fans, but the rest of the world? Not even on the slowest of news days.
Great cover.
June 9th, 2011 at 12:53 pm
After the complete restart of all DC books, this is nothing. I think Marvel should consider renumbering all thier books with 1,000.
June 9th, 2011 at 5:55 pm
I’ve seen people mention that comics should just go to annual volume/numbering , an idea I’m liking more and more with every relaunch/renumbering stunt.
June 10th, 2011 at 9:27 am
As a long time reader and collector of Uncanny, I’m annoyed. These renumbering stunts are getting out of control. New number 1s don’t attract new readers in any sustainable fashion. It just alienates those that have been there through thick and thin.
Not impressed.
June 13th, 2011 at 6:10 am
The buzz is clearly with DC right now…so this does have the smell of a gimmick. Personally, I don’t care about renumbering one way or another…as long as the story is good and not gimmicky itself.
June 14th, 2011 at 1:29 pm
I’m stoked about Schism. There has never been a definitive battle between Cyclops and Wolverine. We can argue about Cyclops punching Wolverine or blasting him through a wall. Or Wolverine as Death putting the pain on Cyclops and his team of Astonishing X-Men. Still, a real battle between the two hasn’t happened, not on 616. Who’s going to win is mute point, my question is what’s the reason behind Schism?
There’s always X-Force. Wolverine and Archangel have gone behind Cyclops’ all seeing eye, continuing the black ops work for mutant kind. This shows that both Wolverine and Archangel are both willing to step out of ranks and do what they feel is necessary. The revelation of Cyclops X-Force in second coming caused a huge riff between Cyclops and the rest of the X-Men. For Wolverine to go and continue his missions on his own agenda, well you can see how that would affect Cyclops and his role of Mutant Leader.
The biggest reason I can think of is that both end up with different views. Not so much an Xavier vs. Magneto debate, but something along those lines. Ever since Cyclops bonded with Apocalypse, we’ve seen an edge to the man. To the point where his character started to “evolve” as many fans say. He’s been more aggressive, taken chances, and abandoned certain beliefs for what he deems necessary survival. Wolverine on the other hand, has always been a failed samurai, his innate killer instinct always becomes a hurdle to his righteous attempts of life. An animal, trained to be a killer, with the soul of a man. He’s also gone out of his way to integrate into society. That’s why he’s on the Avengers (both of them), working side by side with men such as Steve Rogers and Tony Stark. Wolverine may be the heaviest believer in Xavier’s old dream, not because he wants to, but because he has to.
Something big is going to happen, where Cyclops is going to put his foot down. Either your with us or against us. Maybe he finds out about Wolverines X-Force, tells him to fall in line or fall out. This might even lead to Cyclops given Wolverine another ultimatum. Fall back to Utopia under my thumb, or head back to your Avenger pals. Anything can happen, at the end of the day though, I’m pretty sure Cyclops will stay with Utopia and San Fran, while Wolverine takes his team to New York, where his ties with the Avengers will come in handy. Who knows, he might even rebuild the Xavier Institute. Either way, I’m sold on Schism.
December 13th, 2012 at 12:27 am
So glad I found this site. I’m a total X-Men fangirl and you’re right: If Wolverine hates you, you suck. I adoerd Gambit. He had that smooth, drawling voice and laid back attitude that could shift when things got rough. I wasn’t too impressed with the movie casting of his character. Then again, it would be difficult to cast someone as awesome as the cartoon version.The movies screwed up the Dark Phoenix character in my opinion; she wasn’t anywhere near as kick-butt as the cartoon Dark Phoenix who, lest we forget, destroyed GALAXIES.Can you tell how much I miss this show?