The unfortunate truth is that after 36 years of publication, whether we like it or not, Uncanny X-Men is coming to an end.

Marvel, Relaunch-Holics

Unlike the majority of other big titles from Marvel, Uncanny X-Men hasn't been cancelled, rebooted and renumbered. At least, not yet. Marvel began a trend for relaunching & renumbering way back in 1996. Back then, the Avengers, Fantastic Four, Captain America & Iron Man were all victims of Heroes Reborn. Subsequently all titles were cancelled & relaunched yet again to "Return" the heroes back in the mainstream Marvel Universe. As the years went on, those relaunched titles were slowly renumbered as if they had never been cancelled. In the last year, many of those titles are began to fall once again.

The various Avengers titles were all cancelled at the end of Siege and relaunched from issue #1. Captain America has been relaunched from issue #1. The name "Man Without Fear" has been passed to the Black Panther, enabling Daredevil to be relaunched from issue #1. Following the death of the Human Torch, the Fantastic Four was cancelled and although it hasn't relaunched, it has been replaced by a new title called "FF" (the "Future Foundation" that rather unimaginatively shares the initials of the "Fantastic Four"). My money is on Amazing Spider-Man being the next target.

Although they haven't taken the axe to all their titles and relaunched a massive company-wide "reboot", Marvel established a precedent of starting from scrap over 15 years ago. Therefore it makes me wonder why the X-Men have been immune to this relaunching addition of Marvel's for so long?

What Are The X-Options?

So what will replace Uncanny X-Men?

It's pretty clear that something will replace it. Aside from the gradual relaunches that Marvel has been sneaking out lately, Uncanny X-Men is the "flagship" title of a whole franchise. One of, if not the largest comic book franchises to have been seen in the last 30 years! Therefore I remain confident that something certainly will fill the big, empty, clown-sized shoes left by Uncanny X-Men. So far we have very little information about what will happen to the rest of the X-Titles, but there is no doubt that all the other titles are peripheral to Uncanny X-Men. Aside from a period of 3 years, Uncanny X-Men has been the parent title of the whole X-Men franchise. It was only when the franchise was placed in the hands of Grant Morrison, that the main core focus of the X-Men shifted to New X-Men. With one notable exception, all the other titles are currently effected by events that happen in Uncanny X-Men; including (but not exclusive to) the New Mutants, Uncanny X-Force, X-Men, X-Men: Legacy & Astonishing X-Men.

Right now, we don't have a lot of information to go on. Due to promotional material from a few months ago, we do know that this is meant to be "MMXI: The Year Of The Mutant". Does this mean that all the other main titles are going to be cancelled, remodelled & relaunched like the Avengers titles were during the Heroic Age? Is it possible that one of the other titles is going to step up to fulfill the role of "flagship title", as New X-Men did in 2001? Will a brand spanking new title launch akin to FF? If so... what will it be called?

Uncanny Adjectives?

Despite calling themselves the "House of Ideas", Marvel is pretty unimaginative when it comes to naming new titles. The X-Men are no exception. For instance, there has been two separate titles called "New X-Men" (Grant Morrison's New X-Men & the "Academy X" New X-Men). Two different "X-Men Forever" (a 2001 in-continuity mini series called X-Men Forever & Chris Claremont's re-imagined alternate reality X-Men Forever), in fact there's three if you count X-Men Forever 2. Two Dark X-Men volumes came in quick succession due to the Dark Reign! Not to mention the three Astonishing X-Men titles (the first Astonishing X-Men being in the Age of Apocalypse, followed by a three-issue mini series called Astonishing X-Men in 1999 & of course the current ongoing title created by Joss Whedon, Astonishing X-Men). Strangely there hasn't been another X-Treme X-Men, but that might only be a matter of time...

It would almost seem that the "House Of Ideas" have grown a little too used to recycling ideas, especially when it comes to the X-Men. It's possible that we could have a whole new title launching in Uncanny X-Men's place (Strange X-Men? Mysterious X-Men? Secret X-Men? Fantastic X-Men? Mighty X-Men?), or we could see another "Amazing X-Men" replace Uncanny X-Men, instead.

Or perhaps they'll simply repackage the whole title and relaunch it as "Uncanny X-Men #1". After all, the're never been an Uncanny X-Men #1 as the very first issue way back in 1963 was simply called "X-Men".

If this is partly due to the events of Schism, then I think Uncanny X-men will split into two new titles which could be a good thing if it makes the titles more focused.

I really don’t like this unnecessary number changing and it’s becoming all the more common place which is getting tiresome. I really had no idea that Uncanny hadn’t fallen fowl to this kind of thing before especially in the 90’s, makes this event all the sadder.

  My guess, "X-Men, We Need More of Your Money Now"

@MrUnknown: Not a bad idea, I can picture that happening... But then, do we really need five X-Men titles?

And what would you call them both?

I really really hope that Schism will divide the team and re-create.... 
THE BLUE AND GOLD TEAMS SAFJSDFKBANFJNASVKAFKJHBSFVALKJVSJNFS. 
 
 
Jus sayin.

Well done piece, XK.

Is there any title out there now simply called "X-Men"?

@ComicMan24 said:

Is there any title out there now simply called "X-Men"?

Yes. That's the one people refer to when they say "Adjectiveless"

Hopefully they'll actually have a defined roster for the book that actually comes to take its place.

@fesak: Ack of course, I'd forgotten the double consecutive numbers when they renumbered it... I'm still convinced they'll do it to Spidey again.

@Omega Ray Jay: No, I can't say I like it either. It also seems like bad timing to me, to cancel it when riding on a high from the new movie... and just days after DC announced a company-wide relaunch/reboot.

@ComicMan24: Ta da!

I really really hope that Schism will divide the team and re-create.... THE BLUE AND GOLD TEAMS SAFJSDFKBANFJNASVKAFKJHBSFVALKJVSJNFS.   Jus sayin.

They don't really need a new title.  They'll cancel Astonishing too, that team would be split anyway.
Then we have:  Wolverines team: X-Force and Cyclops team: Adj.less

Hopefully they'll actually have a defined roster for the book that actually comes to take its place.

@fesak said:

They don't really need a new title. They'll cancel Astonishing too, that team would be split anyway.Then we have: Wolverines team: X-Force and Cyclops team: Adj.less

Do they ever 'need' to publish new titles? That's how we ended up with "Adj.less"... This is Marvel; quantity over quality ;)

God, I hope they do cancel Astonishing. It's been an albatross hanging round their neck for years now.

@Baddamdog said:

I really really hope that Schism will divide the team and re-create.... THE BLUE AND GOLD TEAMS SAFJSDFKBANFJNASVKAFKJHBSFVALKJVSJNFS. Jus sayin.

Maybe. But less unified. I still doubt it'll last long... but I'm worried about who is in the centre of the Greg Land cover.

I agree with the notion that this book will likely relaunch into two series (not including Uncanny X-Force).
I think the Schism event is larger than just a disagreement between Wolverine and Cyclops, and many
current factors seem to indicate Magneto to go in his direction as well.

Nice blog :) 
 
Maybe, in the same vein as the F4/FF, they won't be called the X-Men anymore?

Why are people still saying that Astonishing operates out of continuity? FFS, only 2 issues of it's new era have come out and it's already getting criticized, just wait and you'll all see !

I don't see Astonishing as Out Of Continuity, but I do see it as a separate entity.  It's pretty pointless to have a book running for the sake of it.  I was a vanity project to begin with, enticing famous writers that wouldn't normally have a chance to work on an X-Men book.  However, it's difficult to place the adventures of Astonishing in chronological order with the rest of the X-Men timelines... and the current creative teams would be better suited to a regular ongoing, instead of filling in for the lack of Whedon or Ellis.  I honestly think they should have axed that X-Men title instead.

I love MrUnknown's "Humpty X-Men" & "Dumpty X-Men".  I think I'll opt for "Tweedle Dum X-Men" & "Tweedle Dee X-Men" ;)

I'd have X-Men starring Wolverine and Storm as co-leaders, as well as Pixie, X-23, Beast, Kitty, Colossus, Deadpool and Warren and the mutants belonging to the hippy/loser equation, and have it written by Aaron and intended for standard X-fare; continuing the plot threads from Uncanny.
 
Then I'd have X-Corps written by Paul Jenkins starring Cyclops, Emma Frost, Magneto, Professor X, Hellion, Psylocke and Fantomex. This would be the spiritual successor to X-Force and New X-Men (by Morrison) and be written with more mature audiences in mind.
 
Only the former is likely however, as the X-Franchise has been run into the ground and possesses all the sophistication of a Stephanie Meyer novel.

I'm betting that they take it to a whole new book. The only one that would make sense to me would be X-Men or Legacy and X-Men is not that good and they would have already used that #1 that people would go crazy for. Legacy isn't a big name well not to me and I don't see them letting the main book. X-Force and New Mutants are side teams and shouldn't be carrying the main roster. Astonishing just sucks and isn't going to be the main title.

Technically "Uncanny X-Men" has never had a #1. You said it yourself. This title went from being called X-Men to Uncanny X-Men mid series. It would- technically -be a landmark issue since there has never been a number one for that adjective.

If you think about it, Marvel has always been smart about their sales (maybe not their adjectives but selling a book is easy for them). When something big happens in the movie business they immediately launch #1s and min-series. Iron Man movies came out and Invincible Iron Man turned #500, Thor movie came out and Mighty Thor #1 appeared, Captain America is getting ready to come out and a new Captain America series is out. X-Men: First Class came out and what did Marvel do? Well there was the subtle launch of X-Men Giant Size #1 beginning the "First to Last" story arc which showcases the actual First Class. Yet, I am sure that was easily overlooked... so what is the strategy here? The most likely move is either launch a new shiny #1 or make sure that the Adjective-less X-Men book becomes the prominent book in the X-Universe.

Of course I am saying all of this with the lack of knowledge of what Schism will do to split up the X-Men.

I think they should just apologize for the announcement and continue to publish Uncanny X-Men. I just don't trust that they can do anything interesting by canceling this title. Maybe if they had someone amazing like Geoff Johns or Grant Morrison (who both seem to be busy with DC) on the title, there could be a fantastic renaissance. Heck, Joss Whedon had a hell of a renaissance with Astonishing, but I just can't see good coming of this.

umm maybe THE CANNY X MEN

I think it will represent the schism between groups of X-Men, sort of be like there was no adjectiveless Avengers book after disassembled. There was New Avengers, Mighty Avengers even Dark Avengers but we didn't get the Avengers back until the Heroic Age.
 
Also I think the team needs to split into more than just two. I hope it's not just Wolverine on one side and Cyclops on the other. Magneto and Xavier should be a third side and maybe come up with something for Rogue to do. Basically for every X-Men book there should be a different team and a different loyalty.

Honestly How dare they bring us a new X-men (Vol. 3) and then cancel Uncanny.  Travesty...its almost like they ALREADY relaunched it right under our noses and we didn't realize...

Not a fan of this announcement, but I assume Schism has something to do with it. In the wake of the movie as well, I think it may be a new Uncanny X-Men and possibly a Brotherhood series (X-Men: Brotherhood), I hope not.

I'm waiting for this to blow over before jumping into X-Men, so I hope they do whatever it is they're intending very well.

God, I hope they do cancel Astonishing. It's been an albatross hanging round their neck for years now.

My biggest annoyance is that they don't use Volume numbers.  For years up to at least the early 90s they had Vol 1 in front of all their titles.  Now they removed volume and it becomes hard for people like me to properly track issue numbers in my personal database.  If it wasn't for Comic Vine I'd be going mad! 

I've always understood that Uncanny was the "flagship" title, but it never really manage to stand up to the quality of other X-Titles.  It felt like more of a necessity to buy at times.  I.e. when Brubaker took over "Uncanny" and Carey "Adjectiveless", I think there was no question that the latter was far better.  I'm guessing that was true when the latter was launched too and Morrison's "New X-Men".  Personally for me, Uncanny being canceled is really more of a sentimental thing because as you've said it's one of the only titles that has survived the numerous revamps and it has been a cool demonstration of the X-Men's popularity as a franchise. 
 
Having said that, I've had to leave comics for about a year 'cause I can't really afford them anymore, and the other day, I had some money, and the only title I bought was Uncanny (five issues), and I did enjoy it.  Thoroughly actually.  I think it serves as a helpful tool for the franchise because it does help ease people into the X-Universe, let them get to grips with the basics before getting to the down-right-and-dirty-good-stuff, so I'm contemplating if the universe will now be as accessible as it was without the title.