Ed Brubaker, Peter David, Chris Yost & Others Talk X-Men: Messiah Complex

Today we bring you live coverage of a Marvel Comics conference call discussing X-Men: Messiah Complex, featuring writers: Ed Brubaker, Peter David, Chris Yost, Craig Kyle, and Mike Carey.

- This will be the biggest event to hit the X-Universe in the last decade, the biggest global change to hit the X-Men in the last 15 years.

- At the end of "House of M" 98% of the mutants lost their powers and no new people have been born with mutant powers. Starting with this story the first child since House of M is born with Mutant Powers and so the hunt is on to discover who it is.

- There is a leap of faith with everyone involved as to whether this child will be a savior or the harbinger of the apocalypse.

- This event will have a 90's X-Men feel, but the purpose of this crossover will be very clear. It won't just be a crossover to be a crossover.

- It will have a simple through-line that anyone will be able to understand. The story will appeal to long-time X-Men fans, but also allow people who never read X-Men before to jump on.

- The X-Men that comes out of "Messiah Complex" will be more interesting then the X-Men who enter into it.

- The story will have a beginning, middle and an end. They have been planning this story out over the last 2 years.

- Some villians from "New X-Men" will have a large role in this story, like the Purifiers who feel they are doing the work of God.

- Peter David who was around during those 90's cross-over really loves the energy that comes out of this story. You look at what happened before, and make the next logical step. It gets them vested into the story and then you surprise them. You have to give people reason to suspend their disbelief. Tell a story where people are fighting for their very life and yet there is that ray of hope.

- Q&A with the press begins.

- How does this cross-over differs from those of the 90’s?

Peter David - Back then you would be in the middle of story and then have to put everything on the back-burner for the next cross-over. It was very easy to get distracted, as Peter says, "It's like having sex while 1800 people are screaming at you". With this crossover, it is a story that truly fits in with the current storylines that have been told. When they met to discuss this story, they looked at where they had been, so they could tell a story with a solid foundation of where they are going...

- How will this story be accessable to new readers?

Basically if there is a character that you don't know, by the time the story is done you will know who they are.

- Are we looking at major thematic changes to come out of this story, or will it be more along the lines of line-up changes?

This literally changes every book. Major shake-up in their cast and not every book will continue after this story. According to Peter the story will have a major impact on Madrox's character, which will cause a massive shift in the dynamics for X-Factor.

- How will the cross-over work, will it be numbered? Do you have to read all the titles to understand the story?

The chapters will be clearly marked for each issue, and every issue will have a re-cap page to bring you up-to-date. That being said it is really all one continuous story. X-Factor plays a major role and will be playing more a detective role in the story.

- Who came up with the title is "Messiah Complex"? Jim McCann.

- Will there be any 50/50 variant covers or true variant covers? It will be ratio covers.

- What four groups are characters broken up into to find the new mutant baby? Save the baby, control the baby, kill the baby, eat the baby (wink, wink).

- Conference ends.


Here is a breakdown of the tie-in issues for October & November 2007:

X-MEN: MESSIAH COMPLEX ONE-SHOT
Written by ED BRUBAKER
Penciled by MARC SILVESTRI
50/50 Cover by DAVID FINCH
50/50 Variant Cover by MARC SILVESTRI

The biggest event to hit the X-Men in ten years is here! Superstars Ed Brubaker (UNCANNY X-MEN, CAPTAIN AMERICA) and Marc Silvestri (UNCANNY X-MEN, NEW X-MEN) bring you the first chapter of the story that fans will be talking about for years. Just when it looked like there was no possibility of a future for mutants, hope arrives. But the X-Men aren’t there to meet it—The Marauders and Purifiers beat them to it. Now the race is on to get the first new mutant since HOUSE OF M! The story that begins here continues through all the X-Men books. Don’t miss it!
48 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

UNCANNY X-MEN #492
Written by ED BRUBAKER
Penciled by BILLY TAN
Cover by DAVID FINCH
Variant Cover by MARC SILVESTRI

MESSIAH COMPLEX – PART 2 of 13
The biggest mutant event in a decade continues here! Following the Messiah Complex one-shot, the X-Men scramble to search for the missing mutant newborn. But they’ll need to tackle the Acolytes before they get any answers.

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99


X-FACTOR #25
Written by PETER DAVID
Penciled by SCOT EATON
Cover by DAVID FINCH
Variant Cover by J. SCOTT CAMPBELL

MESSIAH COMPLEX – PART 3 of 13
X-Factor Investigations joins the search for the missing mutant baby! Rictor infiltrates the Purifiers’ church in hopes of learning what they know about the kidnapping, but the secrets he uncovers surpass his wildest nightmares. Meanwhile, Madrox and Layla visit Forge and learn the terrible truth about the future of mutantkind.

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99


NEW X-MEN #44
Written by CHRISTOPHER YOST & CRAIG KYLE
Penciled by HUMBERTO RAMOS
Cover by DAVID FINCH
Variant Cover by J.SCOTT CAMPBELL

MESSIAH COMLPEX – PART 4 of 13
The New X-Men have been ordered to remain at the mansion while the more experienced teams search for the abducted mutant baby. But the last generation of mutants isn’t content on the sidelines, launching a sneak attack on the Purifiers instead. But have they confronted an enemy that’s out of their league?

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99


X-MEN #205
Written by MIKE CAREY
Penciled by CHRIS BACHALO
Cover by DAVID FINCH
Variant Cover by J.SCOTT CAMPBELL

MESSIAH COMPLEX – PART 5 of 13
The X-Men versus the Marauders! A rematch of the unforgettable fight from X-Men #200. But will the battle turn in favor of the X-Men this time? Not if Sinister can help it. Layla and Madrox continue their mission to uncover the truth of mutant extinction, friends become foes to the X-Men at the worst time possible, and whereabouts of the baby are revealed at last.

32 PGS./Rated A …$2.99

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