Interview: Elliott Kalan Talks SPIDER-MAN & THE X-MEN Series

So X-Men are using Spider-Man to boost interest in the period that Wolverine, another staple breakout character, isn't around?

I see.....

My thoughts exactly.

This seems like one of the worst ideas ever if you ask me.

@tdk_1997: If I get this, I just hope its funny. Because that's the best I can hope for it.

Also the seemingly slapdash attention to Peter's going ons in ASM annoy me, as someone who likes tight continuity....

@laflux: I do hope that it's at least fun like Aaron's run on Wolverine & the X-Men but if it isn't then they are on my list with most disappointing titles out there.

Same here man.

Six issues? So it's a mini series and not an ongoing?

Is he going to teach with his mask on?
Really?

I mean, if Peter Parker reveals his secret identity to the X-Men and then becomes a teacher it makes much more sense. He has already been a teacher, he's a genius and he is also a superhero. Makes way more sense than Firestar for example.

Also, shall we expect an Spider-Man and his amazing friends-like issue?

13-year-old me would have loved this.

24 (almost 25)-year-old me isn't so sure about it.

If this is a mini I may but it.

@sovereign91001: I've been told it is an ongoing.

Cautiously optimistic about this. Will wait for reviews before I pick it up.

That's what it looks like to me

I think this speaks for me too.

Marvel Staff: "Okay, Wolverine is dead for the next six to eight months...we need another A lister to replace him and keep people interested in this title."

"How about Spider-Man? "

"He's not a mutant."

"So? He's A list."

"Okay, you talked me into it..Let's do it!"

#Houseofideas?

Basically Marvel needs Spidey to keep this comic selling so they just say "screw continuity" (not that continuity matters nowadays at marvel).

I don't want to start a Marvel vs DC thing (I read both) but if DC did something like this, there would have been 100 comments about how the New 52 sux and it ruined continuity. Well, Marvel messes up their continuity all the time, maybe they need a reboot.

30 yr old me will def check it out

The art is nice, but Storm, Doop, and Beast are close to my least favorite X-men. This will be an easy series to skip for me.

OMG! This makes perfect sense! Because isn't Peter Parker a teacher by profession? He taught at the high school he graduated from for a time, didn't he? With the sudden vacancy at the X-school, his resume certainly holds weight! I love this idea!

Amazing X-men #7 provided us with one of those...I personally enjoyed it and hope that maybe this series DOES lead into something like it...I miss the Spidey Team-up books (from Avenging Spider-man to Superior Spider-man Team-up) so if this series fills that gap...sign me up. Also, I would love to see an issue dedicated to a single guidance session between Spidey and Quentin...

I'm...actually looking forward to this. As long as it doesn't contradict what's happening in ASM or X-men during the time, I think it could be quite an enjoyable read, seeing Spider-Man interact off some of the X-Men and the students. I think they got the idea of this from a Wolverine and the X-Men issue where they were looking for a new teacher (it was the one where Storm was hired).

@brione: how is this screwing with continuity?

Elliot Kalan....hmmmm

a tv writer for a political show now writing comics....

a possible big title as well. Spider-Man + X-Men...

we will see how this works out, because on paper this sounds interesting enough

Not too sure about this. Maybe.

This wouldn't be his first student who was a mutant:

Why can't we name it Storm and The X-men . Lets push Storm as headmaster of this mutants academy and this will boost her popularity. Besides Storm is a mutant. Oh well Publisher just want to sell the books and name it Spider-man and The X-men.

I honestly don't see why people are getting upset. I mean I get that they're using him because he's A list, but Spider-Man's already filled the shoes for one team and was pretty good while he was there. Those unsure of who I'm talking about it was the Fantastic Four. He did a great job with them, and I don't doubt he'll make the series hilarious

lol I heard about this and was weirded out at first. My feeble human mind couldn't handle the awesomeness of this concept, then I read this article and I was okay. Thank you comicvine for enlightening me xD

Im down. It's the head writer of the Daily Show! I have to at least give it a chance. it sounds like it'll be a fun, light title.

And the downgrading of the X-brand continueth (~ _~)

Story-wise it doesn't make any sense. But, I guess financially it's all about having a character that can actually carry a title. Storm or Beast would've made more sense. But they can't sell books for sh!t.

idk about everyone else, but my skepticism is based on the writer tackling this, Elliott Kalan, is the former head writer for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, with well over 100 episodes under his belt.

im just trying to figure out how he would fit into Marvel stuff....where his strong point is politics
idk, we shall see what happens. at least we know it'll be funny

This is interesting. It should work since he teamed up with both mutants, Iceman and Firestar in the cartoon.

@danhimself said:

Did you read the article? Maybe if you read this it'll help you understand what I mean:

CV: How will this series tie into AMAZING SPIDER-MAN? Should we not worry too much about continuity?

EK: This falls somewhere between the cracks of current Spider-Man continuity. This is our current Spidey, fresh off his return from exile inside Doc Ock's persona, but we won't be concerning ourselves too much with what's going on in the main AMAZING book. Not that I'm going to do anything that contradicts what's happening there. But imagine that Spidey left his book for a week or so, and took a little working vacation in an X-Men title.

CV: If Spider-Man’s going to be the guidance counselor, is it a full time gig? Is he going to commute to the school since he still has Parker Industries to worry about?

EK: As long as Spider-Man is working at the school he'll also be living there along with all the other teachers. Let's say he applied for a brief leave of absence from Parker Industries. If anything, the employees over there are used to the boss disappearing for days at a time. At least this means that off-panel the Parker Industries headquarters is getting a short rest from being attacked by Spider-Man's enemies

Kalan says this "falls somewhere between the cracks of current Spider-Man continuity." What a loaded statement that is. Also he says, "we won't be concerning ourselves too much with what's going on in the main AMAZING book." So basically he's saying that they wont be paying attention to current ASM continuity. And then he goes on to say, "As long as Spider-Man is working at the school he'll also be living there". Do you think that Spidey will be living at the school in ASM? No way.

So, I'll answer your question with a question: How is this NOT screwing with continuity?

I think am gonna love the series

@brione: How does this ruin continuity? Wolverine asks him to do it, he has teaching experience, he wouldn't be the first non mutant to hang with the X-Men, he will do it for awhile then be written out. Continuity intact. People give DC shit cause they have completely scrapped and rebooted their history twice.

: This falls somewhere between the cracks of current Spider-Man continuity. This is our current Spidey, fresh off his return from exile inside Doc Ock's persona, but we won't be concerning ourselves too much with what's going on in the main AMAZING book. Not that I'm going to do anything that contradicts what's happening there. But imagine that Spidey left his book for a week or so, and took a little working vacation in an X-Men title.

This translates to "We just made the story up,and don't care for where it fits"

"Let's say....."
"Imagine that....."

these are all ignorance sentences.....

Personally this looks like it could be a lot of fun in the same way the first run of Wolverine and the X-Men was. I'm in til I'm not lol.

@illmatic4177: Dude, read comment #32 that I wrote to @danhimselfand maybe you'll get it.

@punyparker: You get what I'm saying. At least someone else does.

People are trying to like it.
If you see it objectively you're gonna be confused.

"cracks of current Spidey continuity...." what cracks?!.....the current Spidey book was a whole arc,till yesterday's issue,that ended the arc!....what crack?!!!.....where?!...

Wolverine's DEAD,but the book needed to keep existing and selling......the big money load's missing,what should we do?...oh i know,throw in the other big money load,till the other one "feels better",and returns to it.....
Hypocritical interview.....not his fault,but he said it.

I remember back in the day when Marvel announced Spidey was joining the X-Men as an April fools joke. I was too young to realize that it was a joke, and I was sooooo excited. Now it's actually happening and written by Elliott Kalan! I'm in.

I guess Spider-Man is really done being a loner.

@skinnyatlas said:

This wouldn't be his first student who was a mutant:

Plus he was a subsitute teacher before. No doubt he'll be good at this

Like LOOOOONG ago dude.......
Nowadays he can't take a dump without the Avengers showing up.

@stmichalofwilson said:

@skinnyatlas said:

This wouldn't be his first student who was a mutant:

Plus he was a subsitute teacher before. No doubt he'll be good at this

Great issue,great writing,great art.

I'm not gonna lie, this has me pretty x-cited (I've always wanted to write that...). I've still been playing catchup with the current x-titles, but I'm going to try this one out from the start. The possibility for a brief team up with Iceman and Firestar is too good to be true!

@g_man: Okay, thanks for the information.

A popular character dies...then another popular takes its place.

@skinnyatlas said:

This wouldn't be his first student who was a mutant:

I'm not up to date on what happened to Hope Summers after A vs. X, but I do hope she's in the story as well. I really liked the relationship between the two a lot and it is said that Spider-Man is the destined teacher of the mutant messiah (not sure where it says that but I know it was said).

I don't like that they are being so dismissive of continuity, but I could get past it. I just really wish they would've capitalized on the potential this group had with Quentin and Idie and Evan and Eye-Boy and that group instead of still focusing so much on the adults at the school.

Need some more cheese in the comments here, to go with all the whine.

Shut up, this will be great.

if i get flagged then i just get flagged. why are u guy whining? it hasn't come out yet. spidey is always popping up in other books. he is their flagship 'comic book' character. this is nothing new. most of the stuff with spidey in it is pretty good...except civil war. anwyways, lets give this a try before we complain. i bet it will be great.

Spidey and Jubes(Jubilee) will be the stuff of legend. It would be like Spidey interacting with a Asian tomboy version of himself who would no doubt maybe look up to him like a idol and Spidey would encourage her vampire momness and teach her the ways of being a wisecracking loner but one with great responsibility.

Kurt and Peter would be the next dynamic duo after Johnny and him, I mean they are practically brothers who are separated from birth, they would solve the worlds depression together as the premeer jokers and full o happy pill heroes of the marvel U, maybe alongside Iceman.

Emma and Peter is also another Gem, if they meet. It's like meeting Jonah as a British Bitch of dry wit and constant ego, Spidey would have a field day of snark with her and would probably have Frost end up developing a crush.

But for the book, I looking forward to how Spidey straightens up Jerkass Quire and Frat boy extraordinaire Hellion.