AIPT!: Steve Foxe was up for answering a few X-Fan questions about Dark X-Men #1 and what comes next (even in the distant future). Steve’s always so thoughtful with his answers, so you’re in for a treat. Let’s get started.
AIPT: Finally, it’s become something of an X-Men Monday tradition for you to tease X-projects on the distant horizon (Dark X-Men was teased in December 2022 and then again in March 2023). SO, for all the curious — and patient — Betsy Braddock and Rachel Summers fans hungry for information, what can you say about this juicy nugget from Gerry Duggan’s X page?
Steve: Gerry who? Sorry, I have no idea what this is referring to.
I kid, I kid, though Gerry did tease this PRETTY early compared to publishing plans. What I can say is that neither character appears in Dark X-Men, though I am writing both… and not in the same place. (They are NOT splitting up, so don’t start harassing me!)
I’d guess we have a few months still before I can say anything more concretely here — and a few X-surprises BEFORE then that no one’s going to guess, like my chance to finally write one of my lifetime favorites and a story involving a character I got asked about quite a bit last winter…
“For so long, my life has been out of control. Chaos and serendipity, wrapped in insanity. I have suffered, I have lost. Not just my life, but my very soul, my self. But no more. Now I know who I am.” – Elizabeth ‘Betsy’ Braddock, daughter of Otherworld, mutant, telepath, telekinetic, defender of the realm and, above all, X-Man.
35 comments:
Meh another mid writer apparently going to write Betsy next. Why can't Kieron Gillen write her again ugh
Dark X- men felt better than anything TH wrote with Betsy, so at least it's an upgrade. Also, his X-Men 92 issues weren't bad.
Mixed feelings. He's not a consolidated writer, which means Betsy will be on sidebooks again and not part of the main books. However, he's better than TH, so we shall see.
Okay I trust you guys opinion and will keep an open mind.
So, if he's writing Betsy but she's not in Dark X-Men, I wonder where she'll be instead. And whether she'll be a proper character in this project or just a cameo. But hey, at least she won't be completely forgotten as she seemed to be outside of TH's books (I recently read the A.X.E. event, which I found surprisingly good, and it was sad that Betsy didn't appear in it at all, while Psylocke/Kwannon had some pretty cool action moments).
As for Betsy and Rachel still being a couple but not appearing in the same story, that shouldn't be a problem; being a couple doesn't mean that they need to do EVERYTHING together. Scott and Jean were in separate teams during the 1990s Blue/Gold era, and Rogue has even been with the AVENGERS while Gambit was only with the X-Men. And considering how many people complained about their pairing feeling forced, maybe giving each of them some individual space could help people to warm up to them (if not as a couple, at least as individual X-Women).
I definitely prefer Betsy & Warren, but I feel like Jean would have been a better fit for Betsy seeing their interaction in Dissasembled vs Rachel.
I'm just not feeling her and Rachel and definitely would love to see them in separate books.
I'm hoping he somehow also gets Betsy to drop the CB mantle and give it back to Brian.
Glad to hear some Betsy news finally.
I guess any couple can work as long as the writer can make them work. For instance, pairing Betsy with Sabretooth (even if he wasn't the same Sabretooth that almost killed her, instead being a heroic version from another universe) was an awful idea on paper - but, while Claremont's Exiles run was far from great, I consider that he managed to make this couple work (it helped that they didn't instantaneously become romantically involved, with Betsy instead being suspicious and even hostile towards AoA-Sabretooth for several issues while he tried to gain her trust, then they slowly became friends and only afterwards started becoming romantically involved). Same goes with Betsy and Fantomex in Remender's UXF run; many people here may hate Fantomex and want him as far away from her as possible, but it's hard to deny that this couple had amazing chemistry during that run.
So, I guess it is possible to make her current relationship with Rachel work. TH failed hard at that, but another writer with a different approach could make it work (whether the next writers in charge of these characters will achieve this goal or fail is something that remains to be seen, of course).
As for Betsy dropping the CB mantle, that could be nice (not just for Betsy, but also for Brian, as the poor lad lost the mantle that was his ever since he was created), but I'm not sure if Marvel's current editors are interested in doing that. Let's hope they do (or, if they don't, that they at least rework her design and role as CB to make them feel more meaningful and interesting).
I haven't been here in months but I would love to see Betsy back as Psylocke and I still love Kwannon (she's got a good thing going on with Uncanny Avengers right now). Betsy with her butterflies back would be great and being the kiss ass British mutant she is (I mean she still got martial arts techniques). Kwannon should be a dragon, change her signature color that's not purple related plus a new code name. I hope she does drop the CB mantle and return it back to Brian.
💤
Berchel is boring as a couple. Then again, everyone was boring individually in the Captain Britain/Excalibur books these last few years, so maybe another writer could make them interesting and make them make sense as a pairing. At this point, I kinda just want this Betsy run to be a bad dream.
I hope she go back to be Psylocke (in Kwannon's body).
@spark And what would you have done with poor Kwannon? Go back to her death or to the retcon or being trapped in Betsy’s mind as a silent passenger?
She does not need to go back to Kwannons body that would be very weird and with Krakoa around wouldn't make sense since it could easily be reversed. She could take the codename Psylocke again and Kwannon create her own identity (girl doesn't even have a full name still)
@randy, I think you meant to reply to spark? I have never felt she should inhabit Kwannon long-term.
No I just wanted to add your comment sorry if it came off as if I was addressing your directly 😅
@randy, ah! Got it. 😝 I thought naybe you misread and thought I made the comment about wanting her back in Kwannon’s body. 😆
@Randybear, @Rahsaan, I agree 100%. Betsy should get the Psylocke name back and Kwannon finally knowing her true identity rather back as Revanche or a new code name. I don't want Kwannon exiled into nothing, heck I would love seeing these two in a mini-series someday.
@spark Dust never in a zillion years would I wish let alone think of Betsy reentering the Asian body. It is beyond body horror, identity dysphoric, body dysmorphic, identity appropriating and lazy type of writing in order for Betsy to gain ninja skills and features instead of conquering them on her own.
In Exiles the alternate Ogun trained Betsy rigorously and forged her into an assassin weapon along the lines of Kate Pryde. If that was the case from the get go in the Acts of Vengeance no Kwannon would be added to the Psylocke equation therefore zero body swap drama and code name ping pong.
@Renegade X Betsy can't sustain a Marvel existence without her Psylocke identity for the reason it is far deep integrated to her introduction to the X-Men.
Kwannon is an afterthought, a doppelganger and stand in for Betsy clearly seen in the way writers make her operate, use Betsy's powers and memories. A new identity in the form of code name is key to help differentiate Kwannon in the minds of Marvel talent because the black hair by itself hasn't helped so far.
Did any of you guys see this fanfic series? I haven't read it yet, but just from the art I feel like this is "my Betsy". The art for Tini's books were mostly good, but I always felt Betsy came off as "kiddish". The mannerisms here is more in line with who I see Betsy as.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CwywkdosovJ/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
@X, thanks! This looks dope! Bets looks self-assured/grown/strong/sexy af! And i love that she has voluminous hairstyling which was always her thing and which we almost never saw in the Tini books.
Why can’t Office X take notes?
Also, she and Rachel have zero chemistry as a couple and should part as friends.
@Rahsaan no problem. I agree with everything you said. This is the Betsy they could be writing/drawing and definitely agree with her and Rachel parting as friends.
@X-Man wow, that is truly amazing, the writing, the art, wow.
Fantastic fanfic! It actually looks more "official" than several official comic books from Marvel or DC.
Agreed @Renegade X. They did a great job.
I agree @Fsaker. It is definitely nice to have something while Betsy is on hiatus in comics.
The fact it is arguably better written & drawn is even more a fantastic surprise.
Marvel needs to snatch the writer and artist up imo.
We have gripes with Tini’s writing, but Steve Orlando’s is next level bad. I could only get through his Marauders, and now this mess:
https://weirdsciencemarvelcomics.com/2023/08/02/astonishing-iceman-1-review/
Yes, his writing is even worse. Marauders was also horrible. I wonder when Marvel will finally wake up, and give good writers a chance. Howard ans Orlando have been given too many opportunities.
FYI Gang:
https://aiptcomics.com/2023/10/03/x-men-monday-x-m-a-jordan-d-white-nycc/
Keep your feet on Jordan’s neck (respectfully of course) and flood this inbox with Betsy questions showing the character needs to change for the better post Captain Britain era.
Dang, it said it no longer taking any questions when I tried to do it. I was gonna say I wanted Dissasembled Betsy back or even send him a link to that awesome fan-fiction they are currently doing lol.
I didn't bother emailing they don't like suggestions they just like to tell readers they're wrong lol
As long as Jordan is still sitting around doing nothing we won't see Betsy do anything interesting. I feel it's too late the character is so boring now and writers are just going to follow TH lead on how to write her.
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