BRUBAKER TALKS X-MEN: DEADLY GENESIS

**MattBrady** · 07-21-2005, 06:17 PM

Initially (and inadvertently) announced in the October solicitation of Wizard’s issue (which will show a preview), the X-Men will return to their roots in a manner of speaking, courtesy of Ed Brubaker and Trevor Hairsine in X-Men: Deadly Genesis, a six issue miniseries beginning in November.

With only the hints out that the story deals with a secret coming back from the X-Men’s past, we caught up with Brubaker to learn a little more about the project.

According to the writer, while the idea came from Marvel, he was given latitude to put his own spin on it as he saw fit. “This was one of those ones where Joe Q called me and said, we've got
this project we'd really like you to do,” Brubaker told Newsarama. “And I was hesitant at first, because it was the X-Men, but when he explained the basic idea, that one aspect of the story was paying tribute to Giant Size X-Men #1 and that I could have a really free hand to make it my kind of story, I couldn't turn it down. Plus, I was really enjoying writing a team book with The Authority, so I decided to give the X-Men their turn to shine. Someone has to, right? [laughs.]”

As for the appeal of Marvel’s mutant team, Brubaker said that the setting had to do with it as much as the cast. “There were many things about the basic idea Joe pitched that appealed to me. One was that it was just the kernel of an idea, and that I'd get to flesh it out and take it in as many different directions as I wanted. The other was, honestly, that it was dealing with the X-Men from a time that I was a fan of them, the early days. I'm a sucker for stuff about characters reflecting on something from their past, and I liked the idea of doing something like that, with these characters. Also, they wanted me to bring my style to this story, not to mold to the way X-Men stories always go. So, that helped, too. And because of that, I think in a few major ways, this is a very different kind of X-Men tale.”

As for what the part of the past the story deals with…is Kitty pregnant with a Brood Baby after all these years? Did Jean and Mastermind have a psychic child together? Brubaker ain’t squealing.

“Did someone give you my outline? How'd you know about Kitty's love-child?” Brubaker said, laughing. “I'm not going to reveal anything, obviously, but I will say -- the fact that the word Genesis is in the title is a bit of a hint about where this secret comes from. And it's a big one.”

And, as the illustration, and Bruabker’s comments suggest – this story is set in the Marvel Universe proper – not the Ultimate U. As for the cast?

“Every character that's popular,” Brubaker said with a chuckle. “It's really the whole group, just about everyone important to the X-Men gets an appearance, but the main characters so far have been -- Cyclops, Kitty, Emma, Nightcrawler, Beast, Marvel Girl, Havok, Wolverine, and Banshee.”

As for Brubaker’s lead character? “I'm not sure. It's a real ensemble story so far, and each chapter there seems to be a character who does something I hadn't planned. Nightcrawler did stuff in #2 that I wasn't expected, but he just showed up in a scene for some reason. I like Kitty a lot, as well.”

As a veteran of another cross-company similar storyline (Brubaker apparently brought Captain America’s old partner Bucky back from the dead roughly at the same time Judd Winick brought back Jason Todd, a deceased Robin at DC), Brubaker prickled a little bit when it was mentioned that Marvel’s Distinguished Competition had their own story about a shameful secret from the past coming to light recently…

“Yeah, we're basically just doing a big Identity Crisis rip-off, the real secret is Storm was raped by the Blob and Professor X mindwiped the entire Direct Market. That's why Storm is a chubby-chaser, she just doesn't realize it [laughs].

“Seriously, though, I just want to take a moment to ask some people to stop jumping to conclusions. The second that Wizard solicit hit with its limited information, the internet was flooded with people claiming this story was an Identity Crisis rip-off, and I was really puzzled by that. I couldn't see a single thing in those two sentences that implied the slightest similarity. They hardly said anything, and then I realized it -- it's because it says there's a secret from the past coming back to haunt them.

“And I hate to break it to anyone who doesn't already know this, but that is not something invented by Identity Crisis. For one thing, it's one of my main themes -- Scene of the Crime, The Fall, Sleeper, hell, even Cap to some degree -- and it's one of the main tropes of all mystery and suspense fiction, as well as one of the oldest stories in the world -- just look at Oedipus, for example.

“And in the modern world, so much popular fiction is based on this theme, even in comics. Hell, Watchmen uses it, to a degree, as does V for Vendetta, and wasn't the entire plot of the first run of Runaways about an old secret being discovered and dealt with? And this is not meant as a knock against Identity Crisis, but just to point out that it didn't
exactly invent the wheel on this one.

“So, please, until the actual comics come out, I'd hope people could keep the accusations in their pants a little.

“Also, and this is the most important part to me, as a writer -- the secret buried in the past is one of my favorite plots to explore, because no matter how many times it's used, it's always different, because everyone's secret are their own.”

Got it? Okay…as for any final teases from Brubaker?

“The art is very, very, very good. I wish I could show you some more, but it's in a vault somewhere. Oh yeah, and I forgot to say, this is kind of a horror story, more than a superhero one. Well, it's a bit of both, but you'll see.”

BlueThunderArmy · 07-21-2005, 06:28 PM

WIth Bru involved, this should be great. Speculation based on the Genesis theme:

1.) this may have to do with the first or protypical mutant, or possibly Prof X and Magneto by similar symbolism

2.) it may have to do with a murder of a sibling

Any other good possibilities?

Michael P · 07-21-2005, 06:30 PM

Given the cover and title, I'm going to guess it has something to do with the first mission of the All-New, All-Different Team.

DrCool976 · 07-21-2005, 06:31 PM

Hot damn.

I am all over this like Alfonso on a Marvel press release.

07-21-2005, 06:31 PM

Wow, if I ever see that cover copied again I'm going to vomit until I die. People have ripped off Giant Size #1 so many times lately it's lost all impace. In the last month alone, it was swiped by Giant Size #3 and the Pact #something. Anyways, I love the X-Men, but this sounds like total $#!%

razorwing77 · 07-21-2005, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MattBrady
[B“So, please, until the actual comics come out, I'd hope people could keep the accusations in their pants a little.[/b]

Awesome quote.

Sounds cool. I'm a little X-Men'd out, but after reading Captain America, I'll read anything this guy writes.

Supreme Convoy · 07-21-2005, 06:35 PM

Definitely looks worth checking out.

shanematlock · 07-21-2005, 06:37 PM

When I first read "Brubaker" and "X-Men" in the title of this, I thought, oh, no, wasting Brubaker's writing on yet another X-Men book. Someone put a bullet in the head of the comics industry please.

But after reading this, I'm just glad to find out we've got more Ed Brubaker comics coming out. Even if this wasn't his initial idea, it sounds like he's going to put his own spin on the characters and when a good comics writer does the X-Men (Grant Morrison, Joss Whedon), they can do some killer stuff.

I've really enjoyed Ed's run on Authority, and I was just thinking as I read issue ten last night, that he'll only have Captain America coming out in a couple of months. Which is a shame because I liked weeks of two and three Brubaker books on the stands.

By the way, Ed, Captain America is the best superhero book coming out right now. That Nomad issue was one of the best things you've ever written and one of the best comics I've read since Sleeper. I never thought Captain America could be this damn good.

IronWolf · 07-21-2005, 06:38 PM

THAT cover looks SO COOL!!!

Doc Midnight · 07-21-2005, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by nausicaa
Wow, if I ever see that cover copied again I'm going to vomit until I die. People have ripped off Giant Size #1 so many times lately it's lost all impace. In the last month alone, it was swiped by Giant Size #3 and the Pact #something. Anyways, I love the X-Men, but this sounds like total $#!%

Yeah is it OK, if I say that Ed Brubaker just told us nothing about nothing.

I read "X-Men...blah blah blah...X-Men....blah blah blah....Wolverine....Giant X-thing....blah blah blah......."

Still waiting for some X-News that matters.

Doc Midnight

Comic-Reader · 07-21-2005, 06:40 PM

Most likely I'll get this, but as far as this having nothing to do with "Identity Crisis," I dunno.

It does seem the mystery story is getting major play at Marvel ever since IC brought the whodunnit back in to the limelight.

"Avengers: Disassembled" and "House of M" each have a mystery at their core.

Not a bad thing, but you do have to give IC props for being influential. Even Joe Q said awhile back that it's the best DC title in years, so I can't help think he'd want to bring that same sort of excitement into the Marvel U.

Again, there's nothing wrong with that and I think it'll be interesting to see a writer like Brubaker take on a huge mainstream franchise like X-Men and make it his own.

This could be good. I don't mind lots of good X-titles being published. I just never cared for lots of medicore/pointless X-titles being pumped out.

MikeCosta · 07-21-2005, 06:41 PM

Jean is Prof. X's daughter. That's my guess. I figured it out. Jean's his daughter, and he has been constantly putting her life at risk by constantly subjecting her to insane psyonic nonsense like the Pheonix Force because he knows her true abilities and potential.

Booya Brubaker! Second post guesses it all! In your face!

Rodimus_Max · 07-21-2005, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Doc Midnight
Yeah is it OK, if I say that Ed Brubaker just told us nothing about nothing.

I read "X-Men...blah blah blah...X-Men....blah blah blah....Wolverine....Giant X-thing....blah blah blah......."

Still waiting for some X-News that matters.

Doc Midnight

...with that attitude, I can't see it happening any time soon.

'Genesis' - wasn't one of Apocalypse's satellite characters called Genesis? Cable's son, or something?

Alternately, a previous poster suggested 'murdered sibling' - Cassandra Nova story, anyone?

shanematlock · 07-21-2005, 06:45 PM

Quote:

It does seem the mystery story is getting major play at Marvel ever since IC brought the whodunnit back in to the limelight.

And I thought it was because Grant Morrison did the whole mystery plot in his run on New X-Men which predates Identity Crisis by almost a year, doesn't it? It also sold very well, if I remember correctly.

Like Ed said. They didn't invent the wheel. This is what most of his work has been his whole career.

MarkG72 · 07-21-2005, 06:51 PM

First X-Men title I'm looking forward too in a looong time. Hope it's good!

Punchy · 07-21-2005, 06:55 PM

Looking forward to this, Brubaker writes an excellent Batman and Captain America, and I think he can do just as good on X-men, no idea what the deadly secret is, perhaps something relating to Thunderbird?

Trevor Hairsine is good too, I just hope that Silvestri doesn't do all the covers, I'm not fond of him

The Mirrorball Man · 07-21-2005, 06:56 PM

"Deadly Genesis"? Is that the ultimate Phil Collins vs Peter Gabriel fight?

Or, um, you know, the High Evolutionary.

Mr Floon · 07-21-2005, 06:59 PM

Proteus alters the reality underpinning the entire MU and...wait.

Nevermind.

Beyerstein · 07-21-2005, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MattBrady
but the main characters so far have been -- Cyclops, Kitty, Emma, Nightcrawler, Beast, Marvel Girl, Havok, Wolverine, and Banshee.

Storm?

Doc Midnight · 07-21-2005, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Rodimus_Max
...with that attitude, I can't see it happening any time soon.

'Genesis' - wasn't one of Apocalypse's satellite characters called Genesis? Cable's son, or something?

Alternately, a previous poster suggested 'murdered sibling' - Cassandra Nova story, anyone?

Yeah somehow I am more cynical than normal today.

Maybe I need a hug....

Doc Midnight

burrfoot · 07-21-2005, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Doc Midnight
Yeah is it OK, if I say that Ed Brubaker just told us nothing about nothing.

I read "X-Men...blah blah blah...X-Men....blah blah blah....Wolverine....Giant X-thing....blah blah blah......."

Still waiting for some X-News that matters.

Doc Midnight

Marvel asked him to not Hype the book at all I guess since they are being taken to task for that on the web these days.

HankPym · 07-21-2005, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MikeCosta
Jean is Prof. X's daughter. That's my guess. I figured it out.

That would make the whole "Prof. X was in love with Jean" revelation from back in the Onslaught days so much more interesting!

Doc Midnight · 07-21-2005, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by burrfoot
Marvel asked him to not Hype the book at all I guess since they are being taken to task for that on the web these days.

I mean was it just me or was that the equivalant of a man sticking his head in the window and saying "Man you should see what's in my X barn. It's gonna be sooooo good. But I can't show ya why. You'll just have to wait. Here's a hint though, it fits in my barn."

I'm just sayin.

Doc Midnight

Boneitis · 07-21-2005, 07:23 PM

Why is cyclops on the cover twice? That's because cyclops had a twin brother or a clone. But he was killed and the x-men covered it up. NAW

Sounds interesting.

AdamYJ · 07-21-2005, 07:24 PM

I'm not really buying into the hype for this. There's too much hype in comics these days. However, the fact that he mentioned that Banshee was in it has piqued my interest.