Welcome, X-fans, to another incredible edition of X-Men on Monday at AIPT!
If you’re far behind on comic book news, you’re probably wondering why the X-Men column is covering a new series of West Coast Avengers. Because Firestar, the former New Warrior and Avenger who X-fans voted to be Krakoa’s second X-Men team, is part of the team! So after the fall of X, Iron Man basically became an X-Men character, right?
(Please don’t answer that.)
Anyway, West Coast Avengers, which will be released on November 27, 2024, is also written by Jerry Duggan, who is always so welcoming when it comes to these parts. See what Jerry has to say about Iron Man and War Machine’s new team, Firestar’s role in it, and more.
Provided by Marvel Comics
AIPT: Welcome to Monday’s X-Men, Jerry! Before we get into the West Coast Avengers, I recently found the first Hellfire Gala hardcover book at a good price and I have to add it to my bookshelf. there was. I had so much fun revisiting those stories – featuring some of your biggest Krakoan swings. So here’s my question. Do you think your time at Krakoa changed the way you create comics in any way?
Jerry Duggan: Good question, no, I think it was the culmination of a great learning experience. I think learning how to write for different artists is the most important thing we can do as writers. I learned how to do it with Deadpool a few years ago at the Hellfire Gala. When people look back at these comics, they forget. Manga is copyrighted by the artist. Even though we were printing comics like a runaway freight train, we were printing 18 comics a year. They weren’t read that way. It was because of the way we produced the comics. Most were out of order. But each artist delivered a precise pitch that they knew would crush a home run every time.
Provided by Marvel Comics
Tony Moore and Scott Koblish/Mateo Lolli/Mike Hawthron serve as the backbone and play the trading arc. That experience came in handy at the gala. We gave the artists the prompts they needed and got out of their way. It was fun to have them drive. When I saw the cosplay before the actual comic was printed, I knew this was going to be a timeless comic.
By the way, I could be wrong, but the title “Immortal” comes from a conference early in the pandemic where we discussed the “Immortal X-Men comics” that were always being read and always being read. I think so. Talk about how they worked and why they worked. It was an honor to work with the X-Men. I will always cherish this experience, and I will never get tired of signing autographs.
AIPT: It’s always good to look back at the era of First Krakoa, but let’s also take a look back at the West Coast Avengers. Was your run on Invincible Iron Man always intended to lead to this spinoff series? If not, how did your involvement with this series come about?
Jerry: Alana Smith was considering bringing it back. And I wrote 20 issues of Iron Man, and I actually managed to land that issue without using a single idea from my Iron Man folder of story ideas on my computer. I took over this book and had some new ideas for Feilong, Emma, the Stark Sentinels, the Mark Null and Mark Mysterium, and the Sentinel Buster, but none of them made me think about these characters. It wasn’t the result of 10 years of tracking ideas. — So there’s plenty of Tony left in the tank.
Provided by Marvel Comics
We’re grateful that while Spencer Ackerman is having great success with his main book, he can hopefully find a place to work in more blue-chip areas. When the West Coast Avengers emerged from Alana, I said I had the perfect torch pass, and I think I was right. When I was a kid, I loved how stories organically connected to a larger story, and I think I wanted more of that from Marvel.
AIPT: Given that Storm is now an Avenger, a lot of X-fans are probably reading Jed McKay’s The Avengers. How are the West Coast Avengers different?
Jerry: The West Coast Avengers will have their own identity. It’s a barely functioning team. This is a great idea for Rhodey. The shortened version is “Work Release Avengers”. Will the Avengers be able to quickly rehabilitate Black Hat? A new villain joining the team is the perfect test case for Tony and Rhodey.
Provided by Marvel Comics
AIPT: Today is X-Men Monday, so we have to talk about Firestar. At the previous Hellfire Gala, Jean Gray ensured that Angelica would play a key role in defeating Orchis during the Fall of X. However, she is not part of either Cyclops’ team or Rogue’s X-Men team. Where will Firestar’s head be when revisiting her post-Krakoa?
Jerry: If I said that, there would probably be more news articles mocking this. And I want it to be surprising. This is an excellent introduction to the characters in West Coast Avengers. One of the better page-turners of the recent 616 comics.
Provided by Marvel Comics
You don’t need to have read the latest Krakoan comics to understand the situation she’s in, but if you have… This is a new trajectory of fertility for those who were sent to war and survived. .
AIPT: Firestar is a fan-chosen character for your X-Men team – and you’re still writing her! What made you want to add her to the cast of West Coast Avengers? ?
Jerry: It’s a great time to feature a character that we sent directly to hell. And what we’re doing with her is probably more amazing than what we’re doing with Ultron.
Courtesy of Marvel Comics and CBR
AIPT: Well, now that you mention it, in addition to Firestar, we have Iron Man and War Machine, Spider-Woman, a reformed Ultron, and a new character named Blue Bolt, who is clearly the biggest annoyance in the Marvel Universe. Is it safe to expect team dynamics to be messy?
Jerry: Well, Blue Bolt is the name Tony made him use as an Avenger. By issue two, we learn that his villain’s name is Killerwatt. The name on his suspended driver’s license is Tommy Watt. Blue Bolt has a name he hates…and a job he hates…but he might be good at it. The story of Ultron we tell is truly compelling. We’re excited for everyone to experience it.
Provided by Marvel Comics
AIPT: You’re a West Coast writer. Why not write about superheroes in a corner of the forest for a change of pace?
Jerry: Of course you can’t put all your Avengers eggs in one basket. Tony buys Santa Monica Airport. This airport will be closed in a year or two, but it’s still a pretty fun home base for the Avengers. The sky looks like a Grand Theft Auto loading screen, with armor and car hangers, and the Avengers quarters are really nice, expensive Airstream trailers. I’m the type of movie star who enjoys blockbusters.
AIPT: What can you share about the visuals for West Coast Avengers, courtesy of artist Danny Kim?
Jerry: What a talent. He has all the ingredients you need in a book like this: action, character acting, and the ability to sell a joke. And I rarely cook without fear. Danny is a consummate artist. It’s his book.
Courtesy of Marvel Comics and CBR
AIPT: Finally…Tony Stark and Emma Frost. A minute has passed since their marriage ended. But in those quiet moments…which of the two is thinking more deeply about the other?
Jerry: Oh, Tony, for sure. I’m glad the romance worked. I thought everyone involved crushed it.
Provided by Marvel Comics
AIPT: Finally, for readers who haven’t read any of your work since Krakoan, what else should they read and pay attention to besides West Coast Avengers?
Jerry: We have a new image collaboration with Garry Brown, who is currently raving about a piece called Falling in Love on the Path to Hell, about a samurai and a cowboy who meet in purgatory and begin an epic romance. That’s wonderful.
In addition, a new photo book called “Timing/Luck” has been released by Image. I will take you to some interesting rooms and some cool streets. If you’re an X-fan, you can actually see shots of the birth of several moments, such as Al Ewing discussing SWORD after the planet-sized X-Men are approved. Most people forget I have a camera. Those are my favorite shots.
AIPT: And in case you missed it, X-fans Jerry and I actually had an in-depth discussion about timing and luck in 2022 X-Men Monday #173.
Provided by Image Comics
As for Falling in Love on the Path to Hell, X fans who love action and relationship drama in equal measure need to meet their new favorite couple, Asami and MacRaith. Did I mention beheadings? There are a lot of them too. I had a chance to check out Falling in Love on the Path to Hell #6 early (on sale November 27, 2024), so if you’ve been following the series, you might want to check out Jerry and Garry’s previous episodes. Get ready for the sexiest issue. (And I’m not just talking about Cauldron.) If you’ve missed the series so far, a $9.99 trade paperback collecting the first four issues will be released on January 8, 2025 .
Thank you, Jerry, for stopping by Monday’s X-Men! X-Fans, please remember that West Coast Avengers #1 will be released on November 27, 2024. As an exclusive to this week’s X-Men Monday, we have a preview page for Danny Kim in issue #1…
Provided by Marvel Comics
Provided by Marvel Comics
Provided by Marvel Comics
Provided by Marvel Comics
And here’s an exclusive first look at artist Ben Harvey’s February 2025 West Coast Avengers #4 cover.
Provided by Marvel Comics
Coming soon to X-Men Monday: Author David Pepose makes his X-Men Monday debut to discuss the upcoming miniseries “Cable: Love and Chrome.” Click here to submit your question to David by November 12, 2024.
Provided by Marvel Comics
And next X-Men Monday will mark the milestone 275th episode. Tom Brevoort, the conductor of X, is back.
Until next time, have a special time, X-fans!
