Although the X-Men titles are constantly evolving (see what I did there?), Marvel Comics has just announced their biggest evolution in years is on its way. Well, their biggest evolution since the mutant gene was decimated leaving most mutants de-powered, or the biggest change since mutants came back. Or maybe the biggest change since the X-Men moved to Central Park? What did I say about the X-Men books constantly changing? Who can keep up?
Marvel just announced Extermination, a new event series debuting in August, from the creative team of writer Ed Brisson and artist Pepe Larraz, with covers by Mark Brooks. Brooks’ artwork shows the classic X-Men: Blue line-up apparently merging with their current adult counterparts, in a series that is probably looking to streamline the mutant universe. Since 2012, the long running X-Men characters have been sharing space with the original five X-Men, plucked from the past by the Beast. The O5, as they have been nicknamed, have been stranded in the future for some six years now. At first, this was a fun experiment, seeing how the younger X-Men would react to seeing their future selves, who are so wildly different. It was a breath of fresh air for the X-titles to be sure.
"It meant none of those deaths really mattered, even in the short term."
But it has since become something of a chore, having two versions of each of the original five X-Men running around. It allowed Marvel to have their cake and eat it too -- they could kill the adult Cyclops, who had become an insufferable ass, and still have a version of the character appearing in several books in the Marvel Universe. And it was one who just happened to be a teenager, and therefore had not yet made all the horrible life choices that made fandom turn on Scott Summers. Most importantly, it allowed Jean Grey to return to the pages of the comics, without undoing her previous death back in 2004. Again, Marvel was having its cake and eating it too. Similarly, Marvel could also "kill" Wolverine in a big event comic, and still have Old Man Logan from an alternate timeline as a member of the team. It basically meant none of those deaths really mattered, not even in the short term.

Images: Marvel Comics / Saban Entertainment
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