WEAPON X-MEN ORIGINS 001
How we got here...
PART ONE OF TWO
Like I said in a previous installment, it was a bit of a journey to get us to the point where the upcoming WEAPON X-MEN series is an actual thing that you’ll be able to skip on down to your LCS and purchase in February. I figured I’d relate the story to you, the loyal readers of this newsletter (although I’ll probably be telling a version of this story in whatever press that I do to promote the series, but I doubt I’ll ever go quite this deep anywhere else).
So… it all started during a lunch with Gerry Duggan in the spring of 2023. I’ve known Gerry for a few years now. He’s a really good egg. Whenever we hang out, we tend to shoot the shit and have a few laughs taking the piss out of our chosen industry and sharing our experiences as writers in the ever-shifting landscape of entertainment media.
In the spirit of catching up, Gerry related how they were reaching the final act of the latest era of the X-Men family of titles (of which he was, essentially, the head writer). I countered with the fact that I was currently dipping my feet back into mainstream comicbook waters (on projects that, to this day, have yet to be announced). So, hearing that, Gerry suggested I get in touch with (then) X-editor, Jordan White. The idea being, at that point, there were no post-Krakoa plans in place whatsoever. Things were still wide open. So I figured, “Why not?”
At that time, I didn’t know Jordan at all. In all my years in the industry, we’d never crossed paths. So Gerry graciously made the e-mail introduction. Jordan was immediately welcoming and suggested if I had any ideas about the X-Men to send them to him.
But here’s the thing… I hadn’t really thought about the X-Men in almost two decades. I didn’t have any ideas, at first. So I started thinking… analyzing… formulating… workshopping…
My first idea was an attempt at something classically commercial. But it turned out to be more classic than commercial. Jordan was politely intrigued, but even I knew it probably wasn’t going to fly (although some of my thinking on that first idea will probably see the light of day in another big project, not yet announced).
So it was back to the drawing board (so to speak). I considered what parts of the current X-mythos were still actually connecting with the general public. What were the topline concepts and/or characters that might’ve existed -- and even excelled -- outside of the traditional X-bubble? Luckily, the films were there to provide necessary intel. Some films have worked better than others. The most recent successes… the Logan film… the two Deadpool films… the Deadpool & Wolverine film (at that point, still over a year away from release in theaters)… were fairly good -- if not painfully obvious -- indicators of what was considered commercial. Given that, and given my lifelong love for superhero team books, my thoughts started moving in that direction, trying to come up with something that would best take advantage of all of the available data.
And then it struck me, like one of Storm’s lightning bolts, right through the center of my brain --
-- “Weapon X-Men”!
Imagine the moment, from the standpoint of someone who makes up shit for a living. And, at the best of times, makes up shit that you hope will sell. Especially when you’re writing for hire, working with a big publisher or a studio, commercialism is key. And here was a name -- a potential brand -- that seemed so perfect and so obvious, I couldn’t f***ing believe that no one else in the past fifty years (since the term “Weapon X” was first created as a vital component of Wolverine’s backstory) hadn’t thought of it. But no one had. Until me.
Every writer friend I told about it… well, you could practically hear their hand slap their forehead over the phone. It was a minor mic drop moment. After all, we all know how difficult it is to come up with these kinds of ideas. When one of us does, the rest of us can’t help but acknowledge the minor victory.
I wrote up a quick pitch, fired if off to Jordan, and a couple of months later, we met in person at the fabled San Diego Comic-Con to discuss it. Needless to say, Jordan was into it. I mean, of course he was. Who wouldn’t be? We shook hands, both of us intent on getting the ball rolling on this series as soon as we got home from SDCC.
About a week later, I checked in with Jordan, who informed me that he’d discussed my WEAPON X-MEN pitch with Marvel EiC, C.B. Cebulski, and that he was into it. Again, no surprise. It looked like we were full speed ahead.
Then things got weird.
Literally the following Monday, I heard from Jordan again. Apparently, things had changed. He couldn’t say how they’d changed, only that plans that had been in place the week before were no longer on solid ground…
What the f**k…?!
Don’t worry… we’ll pick this back up with Part Two after the next installment of “RecolleXtions”.
Joe Casey
USA