Before anyone panics over Yost saying Betsy “won’t be going by the name Psylocke here,” remember that she is specifically called Psylocke in the solicitation, and Marvel previously confirmed directly to The Beat’s Samantha Puc that “Betsy is Psylocke in Maximum X-Men.” So there is clearly an in-story reason for this deliberate vagueness, and we will only find out what it is when Maximum X-Men #1 comes out. Meanwhile, have fun!
AIPT: Welcome to X-Men Monday, Christopher! A team of X-Men filling the gap left by the Avengers in a post-Armageddon world. What can you share about how this concept and your involvement came about?
Christopher Yost: Tom Brevoort reached out to me, looking for a take on a new action-focused book coming out of Armageddon, and I jumped at the chance. I grew up with the X-Men, I’ve written any number of X-books over the years, and the idea of X-Men taking on Avengers villains is nothing but fun. We talked about various villains, but landed on Annihilus as the first threat the Max team would take on. But nothing’s ever simple for the X-Men, so an invasion from the Negative Zone becomes much more complicated by the end of issue 2.
AIPT: From Storm leading to Betsy Braddock back in action (and apparently going by Psylocke again) to Justice joining the X-Men — this team has fans talking. How did you go about assembling your Maximum X-Men, and what has you most excited about this particular group and their dynamics?
Christopher: I wanted a team that looked and felt like Chris Claremont and Jim Lee’s X-Men run, even to the point of leaning into the blue-and-yellow uniforms for most of the cast.
Assembling an X-team is always fun, but we wanted big names with big powers, and of course it’s a shared sandbox, so I always look to be respectful of what the other X-writers are doing and who they’re using. There’s a little crossover here and there, but we’re more like an event book than ongoing drama. Although we are ongoing, to be clear. But characters like Storm, Wolverine, Colossus, Betsy (who won’t be going by the name Psylocke here)… they just scream X-MEN.
AIPT: Firestar and Justice’s journey throughout Kurt Busiek and George Pérez’s Avengers was a highlight of the run. What can you tease about Vance settling into this team and fighting alongside the likes of Wolverine, Colossus, and Bishop?
Christopher: I love Firestar and Vance, and have used them both in either New Warriors books or an X-title in the past. Sometimes it’s good to have characters you aren’t sharing so you can mess with them a little more. Firestar’s had a rocky road, and this is the start of her journey back into the light. Vance doesn’t really want to be an X-Man, but sees the need. He’s a hero through and through; he can’t HELP but be a hero. And of course, we’re going to make him regret that.
AIPT: We’ve had Avengers-like X-teams before, such as the Uncanny Avengers. What, in your opinion, makes the Maximum X-Men unique from what we’ve seen before?
Christopher: This isn’t a merging of teams; this isn’t the Unity squad. This is the X-Men stepping up to do the job when the Avengers can’t. One of my favorite moments of all time is during the ’80s Secret Wars, when the X-Men take on Galactus while the Avengers are dealing with the various super-villains. Did they get stomped on? Sure. But they stepped up. This is going to be a lot like that. They’re HEROES, first and foremost. This isn’t them fighting for survival; this isn’t them fighting each other… this is the X-Men protecting a world that hates and fears them.
AIPT: You mentioned Annihilus… what can you share about the types of adversaries the Maximum X-Men will be facing off against?
Christopher: Annihilus kicks us off, alongside a slew of Negative Zone baddies. But there’s a new villain we’re introducing called RETRIBUTION who is going to flip everything upside down. And after that… I’m not allowed to say. But we’re elevating someone to a THANOS/Infinity Gauntlet level threat.
AIPT: Finally, it’s early days still, but how excited are you to be working with Tony S. Daniel on this series?
Christopher: I could not be happier to work with Tony. I’ve been a fan forever and am so excited to see his pages come in! He’s never done Wolverine before! He’s never drawn Spider-Man before! He’s excited to dig into this, so I’m throwing everything I can at him. We’ve got big stuff cooking, and he’s crushing it.
“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.
