LAYLA MILLER GETS HER OWN SPOTLIGHT IN AUGUST

[MattBrady]

By Lucas Siegel

The larger X-Men line has seen several revamps in the last seven years. Since its own relaunch nearly three years ago, X-Factor, written by Peter David and drawn by several dark, realistically-inclined artists, has managed to keep a consistent look, tone, and for the most part, cast, even in the face of multiple shake-ups across the X-Verse. Now, the editors at Marvel have given PAD, as he makes himself known to fans, two oversized one-shots to focus on two “missing” characters. The Quicksilver one-shot, X-Factor Special: The Quick and the Dead, premiered in early May, and the August solicitations gave us a tiny peak at Layla Miller’s turn in the spotlight. The book will carry a similar feel to the ongoing series, mixing gradual noir story telling with some big action. Artist Valentine De Landro lends “realistic” pencils in a way that, according to PAD, are “perfect for the emotional story [he wants] to tell.” The solicitations mentioned Layla would find herself in the midst of the Summers Rebellion, a somewhat fabled event in the world of the X.

Back in Uncanny X-Men #302, Bishop mentioned the Summers Rebellion for the first time, and throughout the years, there have been hints and clues, but never a straight-forward telling of the events. We know that Forge, re-branded as “Genesis,” had a part, along with Remy LeBeau, “The Witness,” and someone named - you guessed it, “Summers.” We also know that this Summers united mutants and humans together against the Sentinels, and it led to freedom for the mutants. Some of them, including a mutant named Hecat’e went on to form the Xavier Security Enforcers, or X.S.E., of which Bishop and his sister Shard were a part. And the rest? Well, after all these years, we’ll have some of the blanks filled in come August, and the release of X-Factor Special: Layla Miller.

In speaking with Peter David about the upcoming one-shot, we were able to delve a little more into the current status of Layla Miller. Regular readers know the girl who “knows stuff” was last left in the future timeline Bishop came from, trapped in a mutant prison camp at the end of last year’s X-book X-over, Messiah CompleX. The one-shot will pick up “a few months” after she was stranded in the future. David says Layla “falls in with some rather unusual company” and is thusly thrust into the Summers Rebellion towards the latter half of the issue.

David teases that it “is called the Summers Rebellion for a reason” and that readers will meet several characters that have been mentioned in relation to the event, but never seen prior to this special. Whether these are new incarnations of known characters, or other rarely mentioned Rebel leaders, however, remains to be seen.

Layla’s demeanor can be summed up in one easy word: cool. This little, mysterious, weird girl always seems to remain collected. David explains this as “an almost supernatural calm” that is held frequently by deeply religious people. “Any good thing is a gift from God; any bad thing is a test to be met and overcome.” Still, Layla is exceptional even from within this pack, as she knows not just that “everything happens for a reason…she knows the reason.” This is, according to PAD, the true nature of her ability, seeing the big picture and like any good chess player, staying “ten steps ahead.” However, her strong air of confidence, which David says is in both herself and her powers, will be tested, and even “slip a bit” in this dystopian future. PAD notes that Layla has “a very strong emotional reaction at one point.” What that means for her status, and the status of that future, remains to be seen in August.

David was glad to get a chance to catch up with Layla, stating that he missed her. He also assures her fans that “hints are dropped” about her future, strongly implying that the girl who knows stuff’s story won’t be ending just yet. If she does make it back to the present, however, even she may be surprised, with X-Factor’s status in question after the burning of the former Mutant Town in X-Factor #31.

If the promise of long-lost X-Plots being revived and fleshed out, along with the status and future of the enigmatic Layla Miller isn’t enough for fans, Peter David leaves us with one last tease:

“I’ll tell you this: I think the first five pages is the best opening sequence I’ve ever written for any comic book, ever.”

X-Factor Special: Layla Miller is currently scheduled for release August 20, 2008.

[dorknerdgeek]

Ooooh...this is going to be special. Bringing some of the unanswered questions from X-Lore some answers and Layla Miller? Sign me up. If it's even half as good as I think it will be, it will totally make up for the clunker that was the Quicksilver one-shot.

[LuisMa316]

Originally Posted by dorknerdgeek

Ooooh...this is going to be special. Bringing some of the unanswered questions from X-Lore some answers and Layla Miller? Sign me up. If it's even half as good as I think it will be, it will totally make up for the clunker that was the Quicksilver one-shot.

Eh, enjoyed the Quicksilver one-shot and can't wait for this one.

[newfoundma]

With X-Factor, PAD can do no wrong. Layla was a crap character and PAD turned her into a star. Plus, dealing with the Summers rebellion (which I had never heard of until now), sounds really cool and mythic. As Shard was a member of the old X-Factor and XSE played a part towards the end of that run, this is a cool way of tying the new team to the old.

[John Q.]

yeah, i really think x-factor is one of the hidden little gems off all the stuff Marvel are doing at the moment, i'm looking forward to this.

[Young Neil]

I hate one-shots yet the quicksilver story didn't feel like one and I loved it hopefully this will be the same, I love layla!

[IllShogun]

My LCS didn't even order the Quicksilver one-shot, so I'm still waiting for it to be delivered to me. You'd best believe I'm putting this one down on my pull list Thursday.

[lombardo]

Quick and The Dead was awesome, this looks just friggin' incredible.

[Doc_doom79]

Originally Posted by LuisMa316

Eh, enjoyed the Quicksilver one-shot and can't wait for this one.

Was the Quicksilver one that bad? I've heard quite a few eehh reviews. I thought PAD could do no wrong with Pietro.

[Nas-Vell]

I enjoyed the Quicksilver one-shot (we needed to see him come back from the brink and try to reclaim his heroic status, imo) and am looking forward to this one even more. It looks like the X-Books are finally embracing their history/lore/heritage, rather than sweeping it all under the rug. I'm also still intrigued about the location of the 'other' Jamie Madrox that went into the other future (I'm guessing that that future is either amazing and beautiful, or it's an even bigger mess than this one).

[newfoundma]

Originally Posted by IllShogun

My LCS didn't even order the Quicksilver one-shot, so I'm still waiting for it to be delivered to me. You'd best believe I'm putting this one down on my pull list Thursday.

Same. Very excited to finally be able to read it when the order comes in. Quicksilver has always been a favorite, and that has so much to do with PAD.

[HankPym]

Originally Posted by Doc_doom79

Was the Quicksilver one that bad? I've heard quite a few eehh reviews. I thought PAD could do no wrong with Pietro.

In my opinion, it was a good story that was packed into too few pages, which made the character development seem rushed at best. I think if the issue had been twice as long, or better yet a miniseries, the story would have seemed more plausible.

[Corpulent1]

The Quicksilver one-shot felt very rushed, and the last half of the issue was all-out campy in a way that really didn't fit with the first half of the issue, making for a very disjointed and awkward read. I want to say it didn't do justice to what should be a very long and complicated road to redemption, but I don't think PAD's done with Pietro just yet, so I'll reserve that particular judgment for later.

Regardless, I'm still very interested in the Layla Miller one-shot. While I normally hate the cutesy little girls in comics, from Molly in Runaways to Misfit in Birds of Prey, Layla has just enough complexity and edginess to win me over. The fact that we get a better look at Bishop's future timeline is a nice bonus, too. Can't wait.

[xdemon]

Originally Posted by Corpulent1

The Quicksilver one-shot felt very rushed

Pun intentional?

[thefrogman]

Does anybody else think that the Summers is going to be Vulcan? I've been wondering about this for a while now. Is Gambit really going to be the Witness? I thought Gambit actually met the Witness in regular continuity.

[Police-dude]

Layla!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Im so glad to see her again. I think she's an amazing funny character. Hope she's drawn right by the artist. Some make her look like an adult/teenager while she is like 12 or so?
And i was very curiuos about the time-line she and Madrox wended up in, hope to get the awnsers now

[s*p rules]

So did all this happen before or after Layla was recruited for, and turned down a position with, Fury's new Howling Commandos?

[Perseus]

"She knows stuff." Everytime I read it in the comic, I smile and just adore the character a ton. She along with Madrox was my favorite thing during Messiah Complex. I'm on board for this.

[Police-dude]

Originally Posted by s*p rules

So did all this happen before or after Layla was recruited for, and turned down a position with, Fury's new Howling Commandos?

before as it says in the intro of that story, "6 months ago" - issue 13 of Mighty Avengers

[Corpulent1]

Wait, what? I thought Layla turned down the Howling Commandos gig and then went to the future after that.

Originally Posted by xdemon

Pun intentional?

Hahaha, alas, I'm not that clever. I didn't even make that connection.

[LuisMa316]

Originally Posted by Police-dude

before as it says in the intro of that story, 6 months ago

Well, technically it's after since she's in the future.

[OfTheMasses]

So when are they going to get back to the second timeline from Messiah Complex? It's really irritating that no-one is mentioning that.

[cpahl2000]

Since House of M, Layla is one of my favourite characters. She´s full of potential and very original indeed. I´m looking forward to reading her special and learn more about the Summer rebellion as well as about her. Valentine´s art is another excellent point, I think he should be the X-Factor regular artist, his style is clean and realistic, which has been part of the series since the begining and he´s perfect.

I hope Layle returns from the future and brings more stuff with her.

[johnny.blaze]

I hope this explains how Layla appeared and was recruited by Fury just recently in Mighty Avengers

[Corpulent1]

She wasn't recruited, and she appeared 6 months prior to the present-day stuff in that Mighty Avengers issue--i.e., before getting shuffled off to the future by Messiah Complex.