Knights of X#1 Variant Cover by David Lopez

Variant Covers Featuring Psylocke

X-Men #6 Art

X-Men #5 Art

X-Men #6 Advanced Preview

X-Men #5 Preview

X-Men #5

Writer: BrianWood

Art by: David Lopez

Cover by: Arthur Adams

Variant by: Terry Dodson

Lego Variant by: Leonell Castellani

Sketch Lego Variant Also Available

• Battle Of The Atom Part 3!

• The X-Men and Future X-Men pursue young Scott and Jean.

• Not all the X-Men agree that the All-New X-Men should be sent back.

• The cracks in the new all-female X-Men cast start to show.

Making Battle of the Atom Plans with Brian Wood

Marvel.com: When Marvel.com spoke to Jason Aaron about X-Men: Battle of the Atom earlier this week, he discussed the creative opportunity it presents the three writers working on Battle of the Atom, noting, "...you get to play with those [characters] that you don’t play with on a monthly basis. This stuff is all outlined, we do a lot of phone calls, we had a retreat. Everything kind of goes through editor Nick Lowe, so we have a road map for this entire story. Fun little things still happen. It’s still fun when you’re going along and someone throws something down that someone picks up." In a collaborative dynamic such as Battle of the Atom, how much do you relish working with Bendis' and Aaron's characters that you don't normally "play with on a monthly basis"?

Brian Wood: To me, the best part about all of this is working with Jason and Brian, something I've not really done before. The characters, sure, but that's not the big draw for me. This is my first real collaborative event, and I respect both of those guys' work, so I enjoyed seeing and learning how one of these things gets put together. As I answer these questions, I'm finished writing the event, I'm all done, so I can look back and recognize it was a wild ride, a bit hairy at times with all the moving parts and I can really understand the work involved. I don't think any editor works as hard as a Marvel editor organizing an event like this. And this was a small one!

Marvel.com: How critical is it to you, in a creative situation like this where you are writing installments of a larger event, to strike a balance between advancing the action of the event plot while also servicing the evolving dynamics of the X-Men series that you are still in the early stages of developing?

Brian Wood: My editor and I were both careful to make sure that "our" characters had moments to shine in the issues of the adjectiveless title. This event has a cast of dozens—and dozens—so it was tricky, but crucial. We had to make sure that we slipped in the character moments and the small advances specific to that time. So: critical yes, not easy, yes, but I think we did it. It's also worth noting that this is only two issues we're talking about here, a pretty brief detour all things considered.

Marvel.com: X-MEN #4 featured some great scenes of Jubilee reflecting upon her past. Was one of the reasons you pursued this angle was to serve as a juxtaposition for X-MEN #5 and #6 where the team, including Jubilee, sees a glimpse of what could be their potential future?

Brian Wood: We saw the need for a one-shot story for #4 well before the actual event story was formed. So we approached it with different goals; less about the event and more of a "what can we do with this space that's both standalone but feels vital?" I wanted a Jubilee story, and I think it made sense to have a Jubilee/Logan story since they are close but haven't been together in a comic for a while. Logan enables me to talk about Jubilee's past a little, and he's someone she can open up to. Pure character moments, not related to the event in a direct way.

Marvel.com: Do you have an opportunity for some interaction between Rachel Grey and young Jean Grey in your Battle of the Atom issues?

Brian Wood: Absolutely; both from me and the other writers.

Marvel.com: Can you elaborate on how the events connected to BOTA prompt the "cracks in the new all-female X-Men cast" to start to show? The team is made up of people of firm convictions and passions, so it should surprise no one that the potential for ever-increasing tension was there all along.

Brian Wood: Well, we've started that already in the first arc, when Rachel and Storm find themselves at odds over the decision involving Karima, Storm taking the practical route and Rachel the emotional one. I should remind people that this grouping isn't an official team in the pre-meditated sense; they came together to help Jubilee, so there's no clear hierarchy of leadership or defined roles. So they have to work it out if they want to stay together. I think that they think they have team potential, but maybe aren't there just yet.

There's also some significant "cracks" within the event story itself, which I am a little hesitant to detail in advance.

Marvel.com: Artist David Lopez joined the X-Men for a three-issue stint starting with X-MEN #4. A few months back you spoke with Marvel.com about David, noting: "I love David's work and it clicks just right with my words." How reassuring is it to have that kind of rapport with an artist, knowing you can trust Lopez to craft the visual storytelling that best serves your writing?

Brian Wood: It's the reason why I always try and work with past collaborators when I can, especially on creator-owned work. The creative team learns each other, their quirks and ticks and likes and dislikes, and if you already know these things, you can really hit the ground running; makes everything smoother, faster. 

Marvel.com: Judging by the solicitation text for X-MEN #6—"Rachel Grey is the only X-Man qualified to defeat the mystery opponents"—it is clear that Rachel steps into the spotlight at this stage of the BOTA event. Your whole X-MEN cast is a collection of heavy hitters, no doubt. But when juggling the power dynamics of such a gathering of characters, what appeals to you in utilizing someone like Rachel in your cast? 

Brian Wood: The story dictated it, really; there are crucial points in the story where it's really a telepath's time to shine, and there are enemies with special resonance to Rachel, so she steps up. Trying not to give too much away!

Marvel.com: Speaking of your X-MEN cast, we have already discussed Jubilee and Rachel, but are there certain other characters that really get some nice moments in the spotlight of your issues amidst all of the ongoing intense action?

Brian Wood: Psylocke, of course, with her expanding arsenal of telekinetic medieval weaponry, that's always fun. Bling!, sort of to my surprise, is sticking around as a close friend to Jubilee; that wasn't in the original plans but sometimes as you write, things just seem to make sense. So good for Bling!, getting some extra screen time. I just wrote a fun battle moment with Rogue. And Shogo—he may surprise you.

Marvel.com: As a writer and as a reader and a fan, what’s got you most excited about this event?

Brian Wood: I think events get a bad rap for all sorts of reasons, but people always buy them anyway. I think events can create situations that can't happen in a book's regular story, and that right there makes it appealing. Events can show you new things, and in this case, there [are] a lot of new things going on. There's this whole extra layer of story in BOTA that hasn't even been hinted at yet. 

X-Men #4 Art

First Look at X-Men #5: Battle of the Atom

X-Men #4 Preview

X-Men #4

Writer: Brian Wood

Art by: David Lopez

Cover by: Terry Dodson

Variant Cover by: Sara Pichelli

• After the game-changing events of PRIMER, the women of the X-Men must contemplate the future of their makeshift team.

• Are the X-women ready for the BATTLE OF THE ATOM that’s right around the corner?

• Meanwhile: Jubilee may still look like a kid, but she finds herself burdened with some very adult responsibilities. What kind of plans can a mutant vampire teen mom make for her own future?

 

David Lopez & Terry Dodson Rejoin the X-Men

Marvel: Debuting on May 29, Brian Wood's X-MEN has already gotten fans talking and readers ready for the team's next stage of evolution.

The team consists of heavy-hitters Storm, Psylocke, Kitty Pryde, Rogue, Rachel Grey and Jubilee, a roster that's being brought to life in the opening arc by artist Olivier Coipel.

X-MEN #4 adds artist David Lopez to the title's creative team. Last year he provided pulse-pounding pencils to Wood's dynamic run on X-MEN and he’s also contributed to NEW MUTANTS as well as WOLVERINE AND THE X-MEN. Following Lopez in the rotation will be UNCANNY X-MEN stalwart Terry Dodson.

We spoke with Wood about the action-packed artistic future of X-MEN.

Marvel.com: Brian, David Lopez previously collaborated with you on last year's X-MEN series. Was he a shoe-in for inclusion from the get go?

Brian Wood: I think it was always the plan and everyone's intention to bring David in as soon as possible. Certainly for me it was. I love David's work and it clicks just right with my words.

Marvel.com: Both Olivier and David are phenomenal artists who excel at drawing character emotion and action. But what makes them different? Is David's arc a story best suited for David Lopez, and how so?

Brian Wood: I always try and tailor the script to the strengths of the artist, so yeah, I'll have that in mind when I come up with ideas and write the actual scripts for David, just like I did for Olivier, and everyone else I work with. As far as what makes them different—I mean, I generally dislike comparing artists like that, but they are both proven, solid, amazing X-Men artists.

Marvel.com: Your previous run on X-MEN contained equal parts personal drama and high action. Will a similar balance be played out in David's new issues, or will it be heavier on one side?

Brian Wood: Well, ideally, we'll find the right mix. Action and drama is basically what the X-Men is as a concept. But this new series, this is designed to be a very action-heavy book, so what you'll probably see, comparing it to last year's X-MEN, is bigger, badder, and seriously amped up action alongside the drama and the interpersonal stuff. David's up to the task, I know he is!

Marvel.com: When picking artists for X-MEN, what has to be considered? Is there a unifying trait that Olivier, Terry and David all have?

Brian Wood: Being great? [Laughs] That's the most honest answer. Put together like that, this is a dream team. I missed working with Terry way back in 1999 when I came onto GENERATION X just as he was moving off it, and so I'm happy to finally get the chance to work with him.

Marvel.com: Is there one character in particular that each artist seems to have gravitated towards? Does one of their takes on one of the X-Men stand out as particularly exciting?

Brian Wood: It's hard for me to say since it all looks solid to me. I know from talking to Olivier at C2E2 recently that he feels pretty strongly about Storm, and I know David draws a killer Storm from working with him last year. Personally, I'm a big Jubilee fan so she's who I'm looking out for the most. Oh, also, Rogue! In my stories, I'm amping her up a bit, making her a total brawler, and I love how Olivier's drawn her in all these action scenes.

X-Men #37 Preview

X-Men #37

Written by: Brian Wood

Art and Cover by: David Lopez

The Story:

• Meet the last living Proto-Mutant!

• The Storm-Cyclops divide widens as the team starts to unravel

• Colossus has his own agenda…will he leave the team

to pursue it?

In Stores: October 10, 2012

X-Men #36 Art

X-Men #33 Art

X-Men #33 Preview

X-Men #33

Written by: Brian Wood

Art by: David Lopez

Cover by: Jorge Molina

The Story: 

• The history of the Proto Mutants is revealed!

• Mr. Grey makes his move against the X-Men…and it’s not what any of them are expecting!

• Colossus makes a decision that could endanger the entire team.

• Storm’s field agents are kidnapped and a weapon of the X-Men’s making goes missing.

X-Men #32 Art

X-Men #32 Preview

X-Men #32

Written by: Brian Wood

Pencils by: David Lopez

Cover by: Jorge Molina

The Story:

• Learn the secret origin of the proto-mutants.

• How long can Storm keep Cyclops from taking control of her team?

In Stores: July 18, 2012