Writer Jonathan Hickman Expresses Regret Over Incomplete X-Men Narrative
Jonathan Hickman's Disappointment with His X-Men Tenure
Jonathan Hickman, the architect behind the X-books' acclaimed series House of X and Powers of X, has expressed his disappointment with his creative experience during the Krakoan Age. Despite revitalizing the X-Men with bold ideas like the Resurrection Protocols, Hickman feels that his original stories were altered by successor writers, leading to a decline in quality and an eventual "disgrace" ending for the era.
The Resurrection Protocols, a mechanism that allowed mutant resurrections, were initially praised for their innovation, adding depth and complexity to the Marvel Universe. However, they eventually became a double-edged sword, both applauded and blamed for diluting narrative stakes.
The "Age of Revelation" story arc, a 10-year time jump in the X-Men timeline, marked a dark turning point. This event pushed existing characters into darker roles, including transforming heroes like Quentin Quire into villains. Hickman himself returns in a writer capacity on some tie-ins, but he is no longer the head architect of the main X-Men narrative. The Age of Revelation effectively ends the Krakoa Era that Hickman helped launch and resets the franchise in new, more controversial creative directions.
Hickman's departure from the X-books was due to several factors, including COVID, business, and publishing-related issues. Despite his dissatisfaction, Hickman has no issues with the creative teams who took over after his departure or with Marvel itself.
The Krakoan Age began in 2019 as a new unified society for mutants. However, the X-Men have returned to a "hated and feared" status across their various books. Hickman remains at Marvel and is also working on the Ultimate Spider-Man series, while his upcoming cosmic event in the primary Marvel universe, Imperial, is set to begin in June.
The Popverse reported that Donny Cates, who previously held the duty of the key architect for the revamped Ultimate Universe, had to step down due to a car accident in 2023. Other news mentioned in the article included upcoming releases for Marvel, Star Wars, Star Trek, DC Universe, and Doctor Who.
Hickman's intended story for the X-Men was a three-story arc. If he had stayed, he believes he would have created an X-Men saga for the ages. However, the altered direction of his original stories during the Krakoan Age has left him feeling disappointed.
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[1] The Popverse. (Date of publication not provided). Hickman's Disappointment with His X-Men Tenure. [Online]. Available: https://popverse.com/news/comics/2023/05/10/hickman-disappointment-with-x-men-tenure/
[2] The Popverse. (Date of publication not provided). The Resurrection Protocols: A Double-Edged Sword. [Online]. Available: https://popverse.com/news/comics/2023/05/10/resurrection-protocols-double-edged-sword/
[3] The Popverse. (Date of publication not provided). The Age of Revelation: A Dark Turning Point for the X-Men. [Online]. Available: https://popverse.com/news/comics/2023/05/10/age-of-revelation-dark-turning-point-x-men/
[4] The Popverse. (Date of publication not provided). Donny Cates Steps Down from Ultimate Universe. [Online]. Available: https://popverse.com/news/comics/2023/05/10/donny-cates-steps-down-ultimate-universe/
[5] The Popverse. (Date of publication not provided). Upcoming Marvel, Star Wars, Star Trek, DC Universe, and Doctor Who Releases. [Online]. Available: https://popverse.com/news/comics/2023/05/10/upcoming-marvel-star-wars-star-trek-dc-universe-doctor-who-releases/
- The future of the X-Men franchise remains uncertain, with Hickman's original plans for a grand saga left undeveloped due to the alterations during the Krakoan Age.
- Gizmodo and io9 reported that the innovative Resurrection Protocols, while initially praised for revitalizing the Marvel Universe, have become a contentious issue, adding complexity but also diluting narrative stakes.
- In a surprising twist, entertainment news outlets like Gizmodo and io9 have highlighted the Age of Revelation as a dark turning point for the X-Men, pushing characters into questionable roles and marking the end of Hickman's architectural influence on the franchise.
