Forever People

The X-Men are reborn: Kieron Gillen, Al Ewing and Si Spurrier on life after Jonathan Hickman for Marvel’s mutants

WITH JONATHAN Hickman relinquishing his role as Head of X after the recently concluded Inferno, a new era has now dawned for the Merry Mutants. With writer Kieron Gillen stating that he was persuaded to return to the Children of the Atom a decade after his run on Uncanny X-Men by the prospect of penning “a high-level action/political book,” it is spearheaded by Immortal X-Men, which concentrates on the Quiet Council of Krakoa.

“Part of the Krakoan age is a rejection of what the mutants describe as human thinking,” says Gillen, who is joined by artist Lucas Wernick. “Immortal X-Men is about what Krakoa is on the highest level, and where we see the big decisions play out, which is huge. However, it also reflects the other books, because Krakoa is made up of all the aspects the other books are exploring. We’re in this together, as that’s the X-way.”

Following on from the divisive events of The Trial Of Magneto, Gillen is telling each issue from the perspective of a different participant of the Quiet Council. “I’m focusing on the members who don’t have duties elsewhere, the ones which are least distracted from the game of thrones,” he explains. “As such, I’d say Xavier, Emma Frost, Sinister, Destiny, Mystique and Exodus are the ones we focus on the most. The first issue starts with Magneto stepping down, but that empty space will be filled, and they’re important too.”