So many of you are aware that while I read many comics from multiple companies, Marvel is predominantly where it's at for me, and the X-Men have always been my first love.
Now it kills me to see that they no longer seem to get the quality attention they deserve. The cold hard fact is, they need a shot in the arm right now. I think Fraction is doing just fine and Uncanny has been a great read for quite a while, and some of the crossovers in recent years have been brilliant, especially Second Coming.
X-Force and X-Factor have also been quality reads, I think there is just core book that is hurting the team. X-Men:Legacy. It pains me to say this because Mike Carey's run on Lucifer, and his current run on The Unwritten is nothing less than amazing, but when it comes to the X-Men, he's gotta go. I see the ads for the net big "event" in the X-verse,
and I am worried. Gambit is holding a gun? WTF?!?! I'm assuming this is almost ann Age of Apocalypse type storyline (it damn well BETTER be, I mean LOOK AT WARPATH?!!?!) but still.......
Carey has had YEARS to do something with the book, and IMO he has failed miserably. It seems like when the book first took the subheading "Legacy" he was either under instruction, or made the decision to turn it into a nostalgic rehash of past events in X history. The problem was, he simply retold stories we'd all read before!!?!?
When he began his recent arc with Rogue taking some of the younger mutants out to discover the world and search for the five mutant spikes I thought maybe he'd be onto something fresh, and he started very well in India, but Magneto and Rogue have been done to death and he hasn't captured the reader with these new characters the way Kyle and Yost did with theirs not so long ago.
I have come to the conclusion that his themes and style of writing just isn't suited to an A list book.
SO
How do you solve a problem like the X-Men?
Well on this occasion, I believe the answer is in the title. Legacy.
If we look at what has been occurring in the X-verse for the last few years the glaring theme is offense. Cyclops has become a proactive leader, who attacks first, talks second. He has grown from a timid, skinny young boy to a take no prisoners General and it has resulted in an interesting time for the team. The formation of what was\is essentially a team of killers in X-Force, is the greatest example of his new attitude, but there have been many examples in recent time.
I think that it's time for that character progression to take the next step. I think Cyclops needs to become the X Men's greatest villain. Not just for one story arc. Not just for a year or two. Forever. He needs to be made into a bigger threat than Magneto ever was. There are so many ways this could be done, so many avenues to take it but in the pursuit of great storylines I think it needs to happen.
The easiest way to do it at this point would be for a) the rest of the X-Men to find out about X-Force (some already know) causing a fracture in the team that sees many leave and Cyclops turn Utopia into a ramped up brotherhood of evil mutants (but much like Magneto, Scott thinks he is doing what's best for his people).
Scott's hardline approach taken to the next level will make him a borderline villain by default and it already seems like the next logical step of his development. I think his edgier persona started around the time of Jean's last death so maybe write that into his decline, I just want to see them do it and have the guts to keep it that way. If you go back and look at some other comic history you'll see it is actually a common theme. We have Sinestro leaving the GLC to become a zealot, Magneto and Xavier starting out with the best of intentions, even Richards and Doom were childhood friends (sort of). To see Scott take Xavier's dream and twist it further than Magneto ever could, to take everything he ever learned as a hero, the master tactician he's become, and have it used against the X Men, would bring readers back to the fold I think, and open up the window for so many stories.
Which side would Wolverine fall on? Would Alex and the Starjammers return to stop his brother? Who steps up to lead the "good" X-Men? Are they on the run? It goes on and on.
I don't think Carey is the best to handle this. I think it would need to be a grittier writer, but also someone with chops.
Ennis? TOO gritty
Remender? Maybe?
Brian K Vaughan if he can be lured back to comics on a larger scale?
But really, I think Jason Aaron is the man here. He'd do it in a way the would suit the dark future the X-Men would be faced with.
I'd love to hear others thoughts on this and if you managed to read all of this and not switch off, a) you deserve a medal and b) thankyou, I would love to hear your thoughts.
The X-men need, no DESERVE, better than what they are getting on Legacy right now, I'd love to hear what others think.
True, True 
