The entire how the X-Men line failed to keep the momentum going, the mastermind behind it all has a simple, disappointing explanation.

The comic industry was legitimately shocked when Marvel established a nation, revealed mutant abilities had conquered death, and resurrected dead heroes and villains overnight. Shrinking the once massive and cluttered X line of comics down to just two flagship titles, Magneto's claim that mutants were now Marvel's "new gods" was hard to dispute. So instead of keeping their flagship spot, why did the X-Men line simply return to its old, confused chaos of dozens of 'lesser' comics? Writer Jonathan Hickman has finally spelled it all out perfectly.

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Speaking on the "the most disappointing creative experience that I've had," as he was unable to execute the full story as originally planned.

When asked about the creative challenge that comes with overseeing an event like the "Dawn of X" initiative that began with House of X and Powers of X, Hickman spoke candidly. Not only about the challenge of setting up a new story that other creators can then help spread to other books, but the sheer number of books that the X line of Marvel Comics needs to put on store shelves:

"You can't steer 14 books. It's an island unto itself, you know? A terrible analogy, I apologize. It has so much gravitational weight. 25% of the books we're doing are X-Men books, 25% of the money we're making is on these X-Men books. We have to make as much money next year as we did this year, and actually they would like us to make a little bit more.

"That office has to keep producing that level of revenue, and that number of titles... When you're talking about the X line of books, it's just so massive. You can't focus it... it's so, so big."

Those X-Men fans who were reading the Dawn of X know that Hickman isn't exaggerating, either. While it seemed Marvel had realized there were just too many X-Men comics to read, and simplified their relaunch with just a handful of core titles, it didn't last long. The "Dawn of X" soon gave way to the "Way of X" and "Destiny of X," launching more new series, mini-series, and crossovers every month. By 2022, the X-Men line had grown to offer readers more parallel stories than ever before:

• X-Men
• X-Force
• X-Factor
• X-Corp
• Way of X
• Knights of X
• Legion of X
• Wolverine
• X Lives of Wolverine
• X Deaths of Wolverine
• Rogue & Gambit
• Cable
• Sabretooth
• Sabretooth & The Exiles
• Bishop: War College
• Children of the Atom
• Marauders
• Excalibur
• Hellions
• New Mutants
• Fallen Angels
• Immortal X-Men
• S.W.O.R.D.
• Inferno
• X-Men: The Trial of Magneto

While this incomplete collection of books didn't all run concurrently, the impression given was the same problematic one as before: if you want to knowing where to start reading X-Men comics, what to read in which order, and which book is most to your taste, getting a clear direction for even casual X-Men comic fans was practically impossible. But as Hickman notes, more books equal more revenue, which is a simple equation for the publishing office.

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This explanation, while straightforward, is also incredibly limiting. As Hickman puts it, a 'quantity over quality' approach is the major reason why strong X-Men stories or eras are an increasingly difficult challenge. And as much as we would like to say that it might only reflect on Hickman's own time on the line, the same issues were present beforehand, becoming the very reason a revitalizing relaunch was so desperately needed. But for the record, Hickman also knows what the alternative could look like:

"The only solution to that is for Marvel to produce a more diverse line of comics. That's kind of what we're trying to do on the other side. If we can get 4 really, really good titles that do well on their own, and we do 4 more a couple years later, you don't need 10 Avengers books, and 14 X-Men books."

It might be too much to hope for one or two flagship X-Men comics to sell the same as a dozen currently, especially if expected to bring in 25% of Marvel's comic sales. But if four could achieve that task, then the possibilities of a clear, well-directed, and readable-in-its-entirety narrative become far more feasible. Will Marvel attempt to make that a reality, or continue in their strategy of 'more is more'?

Only time will tell. But for the sake of the X-Men, and the hope of seeing more iconic, headline-grabbing storylines get the spotlight they deserve, we hope Hickman's solution is given a fair shot. The publisher may never be able to recreate the stakes and status of its Krakoa reboot, but it can at least learn from its mistakes.

Source: Off- Podcast