One of the most active comics threads in old-MW! We can continue our discussion of HoXPoX here.
New issue out today!
Hickman’s X-Men – Dawn of X
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I mean in terms of Hickman’s overall plotting. After the great setup of HoXPoX it feels like there’s a lot of fiddling around the edges at the moment – but some issues, like this one, do threaten to have a bigger impact on the overall story. So far though, all of these big developments have been left hanging and not really followed up on.
Its a shame as the F4 + FF volumes read really well in collection – it tells a good story.
I’ve just ordered most of the Avengers/New Avengers OHB volumes and I’m hoping the Avengers stuff all reads nicely (the Omnibuses are so $$$ and hard to find). I’m still on the fence about Secret Wars. I might just leave it at the time runs out close
Seeing how plot points are scattered about I can’t see how the X-men books will be readable in the same way, which is a shame. There’s likely an interesting story being told, but so hidden away.
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Empyre: X-Men #1 was a surprisingly good comic, folks. I know there are going to be a number of you who intend to skip this. Please don’t. It’s a great companion book to the main Hickman series, tying in as it does to earlier issues of that book. And, perfectly readable without any idea of what’s going on in the main Empyre book/ crossover. It’s also got a wickedly dry sense of humour about it and a couple of great puns. Worth checking out!
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Empyre: X-Men #1 was a surprisingly good comic, folks. I know there are going to be a number of you who intend to skip this. Please don’t. It’s a great companion book to the main Hickman series, tying in as it does to earlier issues of that book. And, perfectly readable without any idea of what’s going on in the main Empyre book/ crossover. It’s also got a wickedly dry sense of humour about it and a couple of great puns. Worth checking out!
I was just going to post almost exactly this same review. After finding the FCBD story a bit nothingy and disappointing, this was a real pleasant surprise.
There’s a real sense of fun and comicbook silliness to it, and I didn’t feel lost at all despite not following Empyre.
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Marvel Quietly Changes Racist X-Men Codename
https://www.cbr.com/marvel-x-men-greycrow-name-change/
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I picked up Giant-Size X-Men: Fantomex and X-Men: Empyre #2 this week and found it quite interesting that both are so indebted to Morrison’s New X-Men run.
Fantomex as a character is obviously rooted in that run but even so this was a more explicit return to the Morrison era than I expected, recontextualising one of Morrison’s stories with some new additions and backstory that cast it in a new light.
And the second issue of the X-Men Empyre tie-in book (which Hickman doesn’t seem to have co-written, unlike #1) was again a fun romp, despite taking place amid a battle with thousands of zombies in the ruins of Genosha. And the final page of the book homages a classic New X-Men image, one that was already homaged on one of the HoXPoX covers.
I guess it’s to be expected that Morrison’s run will still loom large, but I was kind of hoping for Hickman’s era to have struck out on its own by this point. Instead it feels like it’s still treading water a bit, without much in the way of Big Ideas like HoXPoX had. I hope it begins to coalesce soon.
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I wonder if it’s designed for treading water – it’s not Hickman telling a long story- its Hickman setting up for new X-men stories to be told?
And when the current situation gets old and boring – they move on to the next plateau – reboot and recycle ?1 user thanked author for this post.
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And when the current situation gets old and boring
Which it will do pretty fast if it keeps treading water without anything exciting happening.
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I wonder if it’s designed for treading water – it’s not Hickman telling a long story- its Hickman setting up for new X-men stories to be told?
And when the current situation gets old and boring – they move on to the next plateau – reboot and recycle ?I don’t know, HoXPoX definitely felt like it was setting up a big story that would have a through-line and (eventually) a conclusion.
But everything since then feels like fiddling around the edges of what was established in those minis. Like they were such a success that Marvel decided to drag it all out a lot longer than expected, and Hickman had to produce a year of filler.
It’s not all bad, and some is very good, it just deels a bit aimless – which is the opposite of HoXPoX.
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And when the current situation gets old and boring
Which it will do pretty fast if it keeps treading water without anything exciting happening.
10 Swords!!
ROM Spaceknight!!
Oh no, they killed Kitty!!!
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Beast has fucked up!
Magneto is good now.
Beast has fucked up again!
Magneto has turned evil!
Beast did something cool!
Magneto is good again!
Beast fucked up the cool thing!
Xavier can’t walk!
Beast fucks Magneto!
Xavier can walk again!
Magneto fucks back!
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Oh no, they killed Kitty!!!
Again?
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Oh no, they killed Kitty!!!
You bastards!
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Beast fucks Magneto!
Why would you put that mental image in my head?
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Why would you put that mental image in my head?
I blame Beast.
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Beast fucks Magneto!
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I don’t know how much of this is Hickman’s doing but he is not telling a story. He seems to be jumping around from Event to event or telling single issue stories like the Giant Size X Men stories.
My big question is did he have to tread water while he was waiting for Empyre and X of Swords? Was the treading water made more obvious and discouraging because of the pandemic which delayed EVERYTHING.
Imo, one of the big reasons the rollout of the X men lost its luster is the fact that one of the prime books (Excalibur) was given to a writer I don’t like. I really liked the concept of X force and Marauders and the creators on those books followed through on the premise but that is 2 out of 6(?) books.
If they really wanted to get back to basics they should have only done a few books. The X men, again imo, did best with a couple books situated inside the Marvel universe rather than having their own X-universe.
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I think the pandemic delays definitely didn’t help, but either way I think the problem would be the same: it’s the standard Marvel trap of hitting on a big success and immediately milking it for all it’s worth, rather than nurturing it and letting it to continue to be its own thing.
It’s gone from the tight twelve issues of HoXPoX – where you really felt like there was a plan, some intriguing and challenging ideas, and rich real-world relevance – to a sprawling mess of barely-related stories built around a ‘core’ that seems to consist of Hickman’s endless noodling on single-issue stories that may or may not ever go anywhere. And now we have a big crossover to throw everything off even further.
It feels like there will be some interesting behind-the-scenes stories to tell about this era at some point in the future.
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So, I have been catching up to the X-line, as I had a couple of complicated months.
Can anyone tell me if I am missing something (including tomorrow’s issues) ?
- House of X 1-6
- Powers of X 1-6
- X-Men 1-10
- Marauders 1-11
- New Mutants 1-11
- Excalibur 1-11
- X-Force 1-11
- Fallen Angels 1-6
- Giant-Size X-Men:
- Jean Grey & Emma Frost 1
- Magneto 1
- Nightcrawler 1
- Fantomex 1
- Wolverine 1-4
- Cable 1-3
- Hellions 1-2
- X-Factor 1
- Empyre: X-Men 1- 4
- X-Men- Fantastic Four 1-4
- FCBD X-Men & Dark Ages 1
- Others
- The First Horsemen in Marvel #1000
- Sinister sequence in Incoming! #1
- Race in Marvel’s Voices #1 (first appearance of Children of the Atom)
Anything missing? Counting Deadpool #6 with him visiting Krakoa as a nice extra.
Catching up before the big crossover. As for new titles, as far as I know there is only Children of the Atom (hasn’t been resolicited yet) and kind of the upcoming Juggernaut mini.
As guest appareances go there is also the framing sequence in Savage Avengers #0 (Dr. Strange in Krakoa to recruit Magick for Savage Avengers) and saw that Wolverine, as expected, is running around everywhere, like in Ghost Rider and the Fantastic Four tie-ins issues of Empyre, but that’s business as usual.
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Do yourself a favour and don’t read
Fallen Angels 1-6It has zero impact or consequences on the line overall and is a terrible portrayal of supporting cast members who act out of character.
I own all 6 issues and it is frankly impossible to finish reading.
I don’t say these things out of spite but sadness at how disappointing the series is
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it’s technically a must read
I am living proof to the contrary.
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So it’s technically a must read regardless of quality.
Pull quote for the back cover.
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(Exaclibur is) a must read… Quality
-Mark Abnett
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Do yourself a favour and don’t read
Fallen Angels 1-6It has zero impact or consequences on the line overall and is a terrible portrayal of supporting cast members who act out of character.
I own all 6 issues and it is frankly impossible to finish reading.
I don’t say these things out of spite but sadness at how disappointing the series is
Oh, too late for that, I read all six before taking the break. There was one small hint of it in Hellions 1 :p
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(Exaclibur is) a must read… Quality
-Mark Abnett
Always reminds me of this.
https://www.stewartlee.co.uk/written_for_money/a-mighty-wind/
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So, Wolverine peed in Magneto’s helmet:
https://comicbook.com/comics/amp/news/marvel-xmen-wolverine-4-pees-pisses-magneto-helmet/
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okay, so I read Excalibur 11 and then had to go back and re-read Excaliburs 9 and 10 as I was completely lost.
Spoilerssssss.
apologies I forget what the tags are its been too long.
What was the point of issue 10? Absolutely nothing. I fail to see how an issue dedicated to Jamie’s spin-off reality adds any value at all to the storyline. A whole issue.
What is the point?
Yes yes “keep reading” but there isn’t a hint at what the payoff could be.
4 new captain Britains from alternate universes. All attacking the omniverse in issue 12 from different angles maybe?
But it’s just not that interesting. Gambit stealing a gem (obviously the high lord Candra’s) is something but that’s probably being reserved for X of Swords EDIT: this happened in issue 11.
Again this series feels like its treading water without adding much.
Issue 10 could have been summed up in 2 pages.
I don’t need to see an alternate reality Betsy & Rachel Summers have a bonding moment.
They aren’t real so who gives a toss.
This is verging on Chuck Austen levels of dreg,
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This is verging on Chuck Austen levels of dreg,
There’s your pull quote for the back of TBP.
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So, Wolverine peed in Magneto’s helmet:
More interesting than anything coming out of DC FanDome today.
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Starting to get the sense I’m better off stopping at Hox / PoX and not continuing the story – getting the sense Marvel looked at the success and just decided a flood of X-books was the logical continuation.
I’ll keep the X of Swords pre-order active because I expect the price to soar but 50-50 on it now.
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Yeah everything post-HoXPoX is a big step down.
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I am enjoying Cable.
I hated the idea of kid cable but Gerry Duggan sending him off Fighting Spaceknights whilst dating all 5 cuckoos. Brilliant.
Also a b Story with old man Cable has put me at ease1 user thanked author for this post.
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… getting the sense Marvel looked at the success and just decided a flood of X-books was the logical continuation.
I think that is exactly what happened. I’m not loving Hickman’s X-Men, but if it was the only book (or close to it) I’d be far more inclined to view it favourably. The association with a multitude of other books that I don’t buy, with interweaving storylines, annoys me immensely. X of Swords is make or break for me. I’m strictly only reading my regular books (X-Men and Wolverine) plus the three main specials (for Laraz’s gorgeous artwork if nothing else). Last chance saloon.
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“Very Huge” Storm story coming in 2021 from X-Men line
https://www.gamesradar.com/very-huge-storm-story-coming-in-2021-from-x-men-line/
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“Very Huge” Storm story coming in 2021 from X-Men line
https://www.gamesradar.com/very-huge-storm-story-coming-in-2021-from-x-men-line/
is she getting randomly married again?
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Finished off X-Men Empyre, and although it was an entertaining mini overall, the fourth and final issue (written by Hickman again, after being absent since #1) feels like quite a jarring break from the rest of the mini that largely does its own thing and only ties up the earlier loose ends in a fairly perfunctory way. Still, there are some nice scenes, especially the one that revolves around the X-Men’s resurrections and the potential for multiple versions of a character to exist.
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I tend to agree. I was pleasantly surprised with the mini overall. The total kitchen sink list of creators worried me going in, but I thought they held it together pretty well, and told an entertaining if entirely forgettable story. I think the first issue was the highlight though, which the following issues didn’t really match up to.
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I tend to agree. I was pleasantly surprised with the mini overall. The total kitchen sink list of creators worried me going in, but I thought they held it together pretty well, and told an entertaining if entirely forgettable story. I think the first issue was the highlight though, which the following issues didn’t really match up to.
The bit at the end of Magik in her Darkchylde form ranting at everyone until she changed back was pretty funny though.
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SPOILER, JERRY!
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STORM is one of the SUMMERS BROTHERS?!
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There were some formatting glitches in that post that broke the thread, so I’ve tried to edit them out. Hope I didn’t take anything out that I shouldn’t have!
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Al Ewing Takes Mutantkind Beyond the Stars in ‘S.W.O.R.D.’
https://www.marvel.com/articles/comics/al-ewing-takes-mutantkind-beyond-the-stars-in-s-w-o-r-d
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Abigail Brand and Manifold were recently seen in Empyre Aftermath Avengers where Hulkling and Wiccan get married. Brand slugs Captain Marvel, storms out of the party and then she and Manifold are seen in the future standing over Hulkling’s beaten body. Brand hit Carol because she was furious at Captain Marvel over her neglect of Alpha Flight.
Is this a step towards Avengers and Mutants fighting again?
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It was a fairly straightforward issue, with Stan Lee’s typical bombast and Jack Kirby’s dynamic layouts. What didn’t you understand?
X-MEN (1963) #12
The uncanny origin of Professor X and the unstoppable menace of the Juggernaut! Cain Marko is one of the X-Men’s most formidable foes – and even, over the years, an occasional ally – but what is his connection to Charles Xavier? And what is the secret of his incredible power? The X-Mansion has some of the strongest fortifications and deadliest defenses around, but even they are barely slowing the Juggernaut down as he advances implacably towards his goal: revenge! As Professor X reveals his hidden past and his greatest shame, the teenage mutants known as the X-Men gird for battle but can they find a way to stop the unstoppable?
Oh, wait, this is the Hickman thread….
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Hickman is enough of a long-term planner that I can see him paying off something set up in 1963.
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Nightcrawler
I know nothing about this crossover, and little about the current X-Men, but how you can have a book centred around swords and not give one to Nightcrawler is beyond me.
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battle but
A warriors ass.
Brought about by over-indulging that warrior’s drink, prune juice.
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X of Swords: Creation (part 01 of 22) was pretty great. It’s a massive 50+ page issue, co-written by Hickman and Howard, with artwork from Pepe Larraz and Marye Gracia. It follows directly on from X-Men #12, but is a lot more straightforward and easy to comprehend.
The scope of the story is pretty epic, with a full on invasion of the world at stake. For those of you thinking that X-Men has played it safe and small scale since the end of House/ Powers of X, this blows everything up again. There’s a fun and eclectic mix of characters, with some great little beats peppered throughout. The artwork is gorgeous, if a little dark.
Honestly I read this book hoping that I wouldn’t enjoy it too much. I was looking to use this crossover as an excuse to drop the mutant books. But, it was better than I expected and so I’ll stay on board for a little longer. I’m only going to be buying the three X of Swords specials, and my two regular books (X-Men and Wolverine). I hope that I can still follow what’s going on without the other 14(!) parts.
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X of Swords: Creation (part 01 of 22) was pretty great. It’s a massive 50+ page issue, co-written by Hickman and Howard, with artwork from Pepe Larraz and Marye Gracia. It follows directly on from X-Men #12, but is a lot more straightforward and easy to comprehend.
The scope of the story is pretty epic, with a full on invasion of the world at stake. For those of you thinking that X-Men has played it safe and small scale since the end of House/ Powers of X, this blows everything up again. There’s a fun and eclectic mix of characters, with some great little beats peppered throughout. The artwork is gorgeous, if a little dark.
Honestly I read this book hoping that I wouldn’t enjoy it too much. I was looking to use this crossover as an excuse to drop the mutant books. But, it was better than I expected and so I’ll stay on board for a little longer. I’m only going to be buying the three X of Swords specials, and my two regular books (X-Men and Wolverine). I hope that I can still follow what’s going on without the other 14(!) parts.
I read this book on friday after downing four beers ina very quick succession and I didn’t understand shit.
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Well at least they’ve got a cover quote for the HC.
I read …book… beers ina very … shit.
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https://www.cbr.com/x-of-swords-x-men-blades/
After reading the above article, it reminded me of Fred Saberhagen’s Book of Swords. I read that series when I was young and loved them all. He really had a tight, imo, history with this universe with extensive backstory and generations involved with the swords.
The Twelve Swords of Power
The plot of the entire series revolves around finding, acquiring, stealing, using, and eventually destroying twelve Swords of Power, each with a unique, magical ability and is powerful enough to affect the mythological gods that exist within the series. All of the swords are introduced in general terms by a poem, but it is only over the course of the series that the specific effects, conditions, and loopholes are discovered for each sword.Has anyone else read those books?
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I read the latest batch of Hickman X-Men issues (Giant Size Storm, X-Men #12 and X Of Swords: Creation) last night and it’s cemented my decision to finally drop the X-Men titles.
We’re now a year on from the end of HoXPoX and all of the intrigue and potential that was set up in that story has been left pretty much untouched since then, bar one or two standalone issues (like the Davos summit one) that have picked at some of the threads without really advancing anything.
Where’s that same sense of danger and tension between the X-Men and the rest of the world that permeated those issues? Where’s the clever structuring and plotting to keep us guessing and hooked into the story? Where’s the examination of mutants as a cultural and economic force pitted against the rest of humanity? Where’s Moira?
I’ve got sick of waiting on Hickman to actually deal with any of the interesting stuff that HoXPoX set up, as his X-books seem more intent on endlessly spinning their wheels and now ploughing into a giant crossover about a load of mystical fantasy guff that I don’t give two shits about.
It feels like all the potential of those early issues has been wasted. Everyone talks about Hickman’s genius being in his long-form storytelling, but all I can see is someone who knows how to make a story very long.
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Have you read East of West, Dave? For my money I think it’s by far Hickman’s best work. Although if Black Monday Murders ever finishes I think that could be a contender too.
On the topic of X-Men, I tend to agree. It’s difficult to love. There are moments of brilliance, but a lot of mediocrity. I’m tempted to drop it too, but structurally it reminds me of the Avengers books near Infinity. That period was also quite meandering too, but things kicked into high gear afterwards and didn’t really let up until the end. I’m hoping that we’ll see something similar here.
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Have you read East of West, Dave? For my money I think it’s by far Hickman’s best work.
No, but I’ll put it on my list. Thanks.
I have tried with Hickman many times, first with Secret Warriors (which wasn’t much cop), then I read the first half of his Fantastic Four and fell off at that point, then got a couple of trades into his Avengers run and didn’t pursue it, and also tried his non-superhero stuff like Nightly News (which was ok but I didn’t like the dense text-heavy infodump style).
With his long-form stuff I just find he spends too long pissing about with irrelevant/boring filler material and I haven’t got infinite patience for that kind of thing, especially when it’s generally quite emotionally cold (so you have to keep interest in the book’s ideas or there isn’t really a hook to keep going).
My favourite thing I’ve read by him is that time-travel pilot one, Red Wing, which was nice and tight and short and self-contained.
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it reminds me of the Avengers books near Infinity
The same thing occurred to me. Xmen 15 gave me hints that things are going to hit the fan soon. My thought is that there is going to be a divide between the Quiet Council led by Xavier and the X men led by Cyclops. SPOILER Cyke and Jean go to help the mutants in X of Swords and the Quiet council votes them out leaving only Kitty and Kurt as heroes on the council. the Rest are all villains or “reformed” villains like Mags and Emma.
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I read the TPB collecting the 5 Giant-Size X-Men issues. The stories are okay, the best is probably the Alan Davis one with Nightcrawler, but man does it go nowhere. They don’t even really put pieces into play to be explored at a later date, instead they mostly hint at pieces. In Magneto’s issue he builds a mansion on an island for Emma Frost. Why? So she can “invite” people to it. That’s all we get.
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Why? So she can “invite” people to it. That’s all we get.
And you probably won’t get to see what happened next since pornhub removed all user uploaded content.
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Bravo, Anders, bravo1 user thanked author for this post.
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Current structure is:
- House of X / Powers of X
- Dawn of X
- X of Swords
- Reign of X
What does the last mean? No idea yet. With OHCs for both 1 and 3, much has been wondered about Dawn of X. Near Mint Condition just revealed that Excalibur and Marauders are getting volume 1 OHCs in August 2021. Likely with others to follow, but how they collect the far newer titles that have nowhere near 12 issues remains unclear.
You mean the next crossover is “dawn of X”? followed by those others?
X of Swords sounds like ass… also, I thought it was alreasy out…
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