X-Position: Wood Explores Jubilee & More in "X-Men"

CBR: With "X-Men" finally launched and off to the races, Brian Wood joined X-Position to answer your questions about his work on both his new ongoing series and "Ultimate Comics X-Men," Jubilee's power set, his desire to create a new "Generation X" series and more.

In "Ultimate Comics X-Men," I thought the Phoenix force left Jean Grey. How did she pull that effect at the end of the last story arc? Will the Mothervine/Psylocke thing ever be revealed as well?

Brian Wood: The Mothervine/Psylocke thing is as explained in my title as it's ever going to get. Mothervine was a big part of the "Ultimate Wolverine" miniseries, which you may or may not have read. I'm not sure if editorial has more plans to explore it or not. I'm already wrapping up the end chapters of the "World War X" arc.

Note: It was revealed in Ultimate Comics X-Men #28 that "Psylocke" was an impersonator connected to the Mothervine Project. Nothing further was explained.

Ultimate Comics X-Men #27 Art

Ultimate Comics X-Men #27 Spoilers

Spoilers: The 12-hour grace period the US Army gave to mutants is running out. The mutant resistance is ready to fight the soldiers when the time comes. The sentient seed somehow disturbs the Army's heat signature devices, which prompts the General to order their soldiers to take Utopia down. Jean Grey meets Psylocke in the woods and finds out the war is all her doing. Psylocke uses her telepathy to attack Jean and orders Farbird to return home. Jean reacts and hits her. Meanwhile, soldiers and mutants fight each other. Psylocke reveals to Jean that she's been working to take down Kitty and Utopia since day one, and every move (bombings, defects, double cross, shot) was her doing. Jean senses that she's not the real Psylocke. Elsewhere, the soldiers manage to sieze the mutants. Back to the psychics, Jean summons Farbird, who attacks Psylocke and defeats her. Farbird reveals he didn't fall for Psylocke's impression of Jean and didn't return home. Jean isn't able to find out who or what Psylocke is, she only detects the word 'mothervine'. With Psylocke taken down, her control over Jimmy Hudon breaks and he comes to his senses, not wanting to fight any longer. However Rogue orders the sentient seed to attack the US Army.

Ultimate Comics X-Men #26 Art

Ultimate Comics X-Men #26 Spoilers

Spoilers: Psylocke gives Kitty's gun back to Jimmy and says he owns her. General Ross and his army are ready to seize Utopia. Ross tells Kitty that her deal with Captain America has been declared null and void and that Utopia, its inhabits and everything they created has been transferred back to the US. The mutants have 12 hours to leave the place and will be taken into custody. Meanwhile, Psylocke influences Jimmy telepathically to do as she orders and says that in all this time he's the one she enjoyed using the most. A sniper from the US army fires a bullet straight to Kitty's head. Ross saves Kitty and orders stage two to begin. Elsewhere, Psylocke arranges a meeting between Jimmy and Mach Two and telepathically influences both to make a deal. Mach Two's outcasts will join Kitty's mutants against the human forces. Kitty addresses all mutants, saying that they should meet aggression with resistance, not violence. Jean Grey decides to help Kitty cement her victory so after all is said and done she may bring them into the fold united under Tian. Little does Jean know that Psylocke is spying on her...

Ultimate Comics X-Men #26 Preview

Ultimate Comics X-Men #26

Writer: Brian Wood

Art by: Mahmud Asrar

Cover by: Dave Johnson

“NATURAL RESOURCES” CONTINUES!

• Fortress Utopia!

• The Mutant Nation is Under Siege! And General Ross is leading the charge!

• Can Kitty and Mach Two work together for the good of mutantkind?!

• Jimmy Hudson prepares for war!

Ultimate Comics X-Men #25 Spoilers & Art

Spoilers: Jean Grey visits Utopia pretending to seek asylum. She uses telepathy to prevent Kitty from recognizing her. Elsewhere, Warpath tells Mach Two he and Shola had made a deal with Jimmy. It seems that Jimmy doesn’t agree with Kitty’s pacifist ways and will resort to killing if needed in order to protect Utopia. For such, he wanted to make sure he could count on Mach Two and her gang. Nomi is upset Warpath acted on the behalf of all of them and orders Psylocke to hit him and Shola. While pretending to be a new mutant, Jean Grey studies Kitty and Utopia and how it all works. Psylocke tells Warpath that he should support Mach Two, implying that while she’s at the top being a figurehead, they both can look at the big picture and act. Meanwhile, the US army receives order to act against the mutants. Operation Natural Resources is a go.

Ultimate Comics X-Men #24 Spoilers & Art

 

Spoilers: Now -- Utopia falls apart. Kitty, Storm, Rogue, Blackheat, James Hudson are cornered by the police and the military.

Two weeks earlier -- The sentient seed has turned Utopia’s infertile soil into a tropical forest. Magma has raised the earth, providing a natural border defense and microclimates. Storm is now able to command the weather. The wildlife also has returned. New mutants have been coming to live at Utopia as well. Kitty suspects Mach Two and her followers are still inside Utopia, but nobody is able to track them. Her suspicious proves to be right as Warpath and Psylocke are only a few miles away. Betsy reveals she’s using her powers to prevent James from tracking them. Warpath is impressed and thinks she should be in charge. Psylocke acts shady and says she’d rather have the target on Mach Two’s back, as it leaves her free to infiltrate the base of soldiers near Utopia’s borders. Meanwhile, Farbird is running an aerial recon of Utopia on behalf of Karen Grant, but can’t spot anything due to the trees. Karen decides to visit Utopia by herself and wants to be addressed as Jean Grey again. Elsewhere, the American Government decides to attack mutants politically, claiming that they are property of the US. James meets with Warpath to discuss some kind of proposal.

Mutants Are "Natural Resources" In Wood's "Ultimate Comics X-Men"

CBR: In March, you kick off a new arc titled "Natural Resources." What exactly is it about?

Brian Wood: The mutants are privatized by the government. Literally, they are declared a resource and property and are denied their human rights. An attempt is made to round them up and, presumably, create things like the sentient seed as a government program. Very similar to the way a government may privatize an oil company. They figure, we made mutants, so we own them. The US needs to rebuild itself, and fast, following "Divided We Fall." They need to regain their world superpower status. That's about all I can tease up-front. We'll also see some progress on the Mach Two storyline, and some answers to the questions readers have about Psylocke.

Ultimate Comics X-Men #22 Spoilers & Art

Spoilers by Plawsky: After Kitty's announcement of the seed, the world is in uproar; stocks are down, corporations are angry; and third world nations are desperate for their hunger cure. Husk shows up to the mutant camp in Utopia. Kitty meets with her, upset about how she left the group when she killed five mutants. Husk claims to have been brainwashed, but is now cured, and tells of other mutants who are making their way to Utopia. Bobby is excited to see Paige, and they reunite. On the Utopia perimeter, Jimmy and Tony Stark set up surveillance equipment. An unknown F-22 flies at them, but Tony jumps in his armor and makes quick work of the plane. Upon interrogation, the pilot reveals nothing. By Tony's suggestion, they let him go. Kitty addresses the mutants, saying they need to put aside their differences and stand as a nation united. During her speech, the greenhouse blows up, seemingly destroying the seed. This drives the group apart again, and Mach 2's group, including Psylocke, Warpath and few others, leaves the camp; Bobby and Husk join them. It's revealed that Kitty and Tony blew it up to keep the seed hidden for now, but they still have some. In DC, an unidentified group meets to discuss how to take down the mutants.

Ultimate Comics X-Men #21 Spoilers & Art

Spoilers: Tony Stark holds a press conference so Kitty can introduce the sentient seed to the world as a gift from mutantkind to humans. Some think it can end word hunger and consolidate the peach between both races, while others are suspicious of its effect. Mysterious businesses meet and decide the seed works against their interests. They want to get rid of the remaining mutants. On the following day, Stark warns Kitty that she may be prepared for backlash both from humans and mutants themselves. Kitty says she’s not interested in fighting anymore. Meanwhile, Blackheath is upset that Kitty is taking all the credit for the seed. Storm argues that it’s just Stark using her to make the mutants look good.  In Tian, Liz and Derek say that the mutants are impressed by Kitty’s accomplishment. Karen tells them not to fall for the hype as Utopia will never last. In Utopia, Mach Two, Psylocke and Warpath plot against Kitty. Psylocke says she has the right person to use so they can discredit Kitty. At night, mercenary killers invade Utopia and shoot at the mutants, who fight back, much to Kitty’s annoyance. Stark warns them that if someone hired them to send a message, things will get much worse.

Ultimate Comics X-Men #21 Preview

Ultimate Comics X-Men #21

Writer: Brian Wood & Nathan Edmondson

Art by: Carlo Barberi

Cover by: Michael Ryan

The Story:

• Reservation X Continues!

• Guest-starring the IRON PATRIOT!

• What is the Sentient Seed and why does everyone want it?

Ultimate Comics X-Men #20 Spoilers & Art

Spoilers: Mach Two talks to Warpath about how she’s going to use the gun they stole from Kitty to take her down, however Kitty knows they stole the gun. Jimmy reveals to Kitty that she needs to keep everyone within 5 miles, beyond that, the land is tainted with radiation. Meanwhile, Blackheath has created mutated seeds, which will grow and adapt despite the inhospitable environment. Elsewhere, Psylocke telepathically influences Rogue to doubt Kitty’s competence as a leader. Days later, Iron Man visits Utopia upon Kitty’s request to check on these super seeds as Kitty wants to make business with him. Tony Stark is interested in them and will announce his new acquisition to the world. Tony warns Kitty that people will attack the reservation in order to capture the seed; therefore, he lends Iron Patriot to protect the mutants. At night, Mach Two uses her power from afar to point the gun at Kitty. The gun then targets Jimmy, who had slept with Kitty.

 

X-Position: Brian Wood's Ultimate X-Men

CBR: This week, "Ultimate Comics X-Men" writer Brian Wood joins X-Position to shed some light on the direction of the Ultimate Universe's X-Men answers reader questions about everything from whether fan-favorite characters will appear to the challenges of writing in the Ultimate U.

 Ben has a very detailed question about Psylocke. Very detailed.

I know there was some minor controversy regarding Psylocke showing up in "Ultimate X-Men" #19 without any explanation after she died during "Ultimatum," but whatever the reasons for her resurrection are, I was confused by her characterization. Betsy, or Colonel Braddock as she was introduced in the Ultimate universe, was an adult woman who was an agent for the British Intelligence Service, worked undercover for Xavier and then fully joined the X-Men, working alongside the likes of Storm. Now all of the sudden, she shows up in Reservation X, voting for a fourteen year old kid she doesn't even know to lead her and betrays her former allies along the way. It's like a whole different character. Why would Betsy do that? What are her motivations?

Brian Wood: Maybe it is a whole different character? Suffice to say, this will be addressed, I won't just drop that on you guys and let it ride.

Ultimate Comics X-Men #19 Spoilers & Art

Spoilers: President Captain America offered the mutants two options: a cure that erased the mutant gene and a plot of land for those who chose to keep their powers. Thousands took the cure. Now only twenty mutants remain: Rogue, Kitty, Iceman, Storm, Armor, Blackheath, Network, Micromax, Warpath, Mach Two, Magma, Psylocke, Shola Inkosi, Jimmy Hudson, Zero, and five others. If they cross the border, they will be killed. Mach 2 is upset with the land they were given and doesn’t want to live there. Kitty assures them that was the best the President could give them and that they should stay and build something bigger for them. A vote to decide who leads them takes place, and Kitty ends up winning. Despite their disagreements, the mutants are forced to work together for the following days, even though it seems Mach Two is up to something. Meanwhile, Karen Grant is working for SEAR and monitoring Kitty Pryde’s every step.

Is Ultimate Psylocke Alive?

Yes! Brian Wood, Ultimate Comics X-Men writer, says so!

When a fan tweeted that Ultimate Psylocke was dead, Brian Wood replied that she was not and could be seen in the preview pages of Ultimate Comics X-Men #19.

Apparently Marvel told him Ultimate Betsy was available to use even though her death was confirmed in Ultimate X-Men: Requiem. Click here to read her obituary!

Weird, huh? Ultimate Comics X-Men #19 is on sale on November 28.

Kirkman's X-Men Part 3: The End Of The World Revisited

Throughout the first three weeks of January, Tim Callahan from CBR has been reading, and thinking, and writing about Robert Kirkman’s multi-year run on “Ultimate X-Men.” Here's an excerpt that mentions Ultimate Psylocke and her relationship with Bishop.

(...)
No matter how many times Bishop has starred in a series (with his name on it or otherwise), he still hasn’t gotten a personality that has stuck. Kirkman’s Ultimate Bishop is almost immediately recognizable as a character, though. As more than a costume and an attitude. Kirkman gives him a history – he married Psylocke in the future, and she died in a catastrophe, and when he meets the teenage Psylocke in the present day, he’s protective of her, which she, in her teenage way, sees as particularly creepy – and a voice. He’s the patient mentor from the future. Militant, stern, but supportive. And he works with the young mutants to speed up the development of their powers, not through artificial enhancements, but through coaching. Through building confidence in his pupils.

The X-Men have historically been based in a school, but Bishop, in Kirkman’s run, is one of the few characters who has been shown to do much effective teaching.

The school concept is central to Kirkman’s run, though, at least, it seemed to be in the moments after Xavier “died.” Kirkman plays the old “the X-Men are now disbanded” card, but his version of that sequence of events leads to some interesting explorations of the facets of mutantdom.

Basically, after the “Cable” arc – after Xavier is missing but assumed dead – Scott Summers focuses on the school and disbands the superhero team. Bishop reforms the X-Men, slowly (but in Kirkman’s accelerated “Ultimate X-Men” pace slowly to him is still a few issues faster than what you’re likely to see in most superhero comics today), with members like Storm, Wolverine, Dazzler (Kirkman’s Ultimate Dazzler is pretty effective, actually, as a character in the comic, and as a member of the team), Psylocke, Angel, and Pyro (and Ultimate Pyro is even more interesting than Dazzler, with his lightweight intellect and severe burns and good intentions). Meanwhile, we have Nightcrawler as new leader of the mostly-hideous and socially-outcast Morlocks, and we have a long-haired Stryfe, stirring up trouble with the Mutant Liberation Front.
(...)

Ultimate X-Men: Requiem

Ultimate X-Men: Requiem

Reeling from their unfathomable losses, the X-Men have returned home to honor the fallen and somehow gather strenght for what lies ahead. Jean Grey, Rogue, Iceman and Kitty say goodbye to their loved ones, pay homage to their memory and try to figure out what happens next.

Ultimatum: Psylocke's Fate

Ultimatum #5, the final chapter of the Ultimatum saga, was released today. Even though Ultimate Psylocke's fate was left up in the air in Ultimate X-Men #99 and most of us assumed she had survived the massacre at the Institute, we now have confirmation of her death. There's a whole obituary section on the back of Ultimatum #5, and Ultimate Betsy is among the casualties. Boo!

Death Count: Angel, Beast, Blob, Cannonball, Captain Britain and the European Initiative, Cipher, Cyclops, Daredevil, Dazzler, Detonator, Forge, Dr. Emma Frost, Hardrive, Juggernaut, Longshot, Lorelei, Madrox, Magneto, Nightcrawler, Polaris, Psylocke, Yellowjacket, Wasp, Dr. Franklin Storm, Dr. Stephen Strange, Sunspot, Syndicate, Thor, Toad, Doom, Wolverine, Prof. Charles Xavier

MIA: Firestar, Havok, Spider-Man

Ultimate X-Men #99 Art