Krakoa: In Pictures

A Warm Place With No Memories

What a year the last month has been. In work, in life. In every way. The peaks were high, and the valleys quite low. There’s been so many times I wanted to sit down and write a newsletter, but life got in the way.

I have hope the light at the end of the tunnel is the warm rays of a distant star, and not a locomotive.

Soon, I will join a very exclusive club…a former X-Men writer. Honestly, the notion was more difficult to grasp than turning fifty, which I also managed not long ago.

I should feel old. Worn out.

But I don’t.

I feel alive.

Lots of new roads to travel, but before we stomp on the gas…let’s glance in the rearview.

The X-Men changed my life. Several times.

I began thinking about the X-Men in 1984, whether I was holding a comic or not. I knew exactly which week of the month Uncanny came out, and I knew I had to get to a spinner rack before it sold out. To say it loomed large in my mind would be an understatement.

Now 40 years later I’ve just wrapped up my last X-Men collaboration with Al & Kieron. For the anniversary we’re joined by a murderer’s row of talent that Marvel will be telling you about soon — including Walt Simonson. Readers of this newsletter will know how special that is for me.

I first heard Jonathan’s story in 2018 and I loved it from the jump. I got to be the first fan of House/Powers. It will always be one of my favorite comics. I wrote a document called “X-Men: Buccaneers” on the plane ride home. It’s a terrible title, but it contained the foundation of what would later become Marauders. It is a lesson in making sure you’re writing when the sparks are flying. Spark is light, and light is worth chasing whatever your discipline. Capture it. Some sentences are worth more than others. Some sentences become a single panel…some become entire books. Before long the writers and editors were meeting again to discuss what would follow the two miniseries. These were very fun and productive meetings.

Jonathan & Jordan sending the final issue of PoX over lunch on the last day of or our second retreat.

Steve Foxe (mid right) on the street during our second Krakoa retreat. He would join us later and do stellar work. He’s got a tale called Heir Of Apocalypse this summer that you’ll want to pick up.

Neurons firing. “What if…” becoming story. This is when Al began his transit into X.

Chicago, February 2019.

We laid a lot of track in this short retreat. It’s the place Planet Size X-Men and the first Gala were solidified and approved. X Of Swords would largely get reforged later, but that was because…

…the virus was inbound. The pandemic was in full swing, but it wouldn’t be official until 48 hours after this photo.

And then the world ground to a halt.

And we still thrived.

Kieron photographed pre-Krakoa at Thought Bubble.

Jonathan disappeared in the flames of Inferno, Kieron returned to X-Men along with new writers, artists and editors. And before long we were back in NYC post-pandemic.

Torunn in from the cold.

This week’s pro-tip is to write for these fellas.

My son Declan took this shot of Zeb on the Pentax 67, a medium format film camera.

We resurrected a lot of characters on Krakoa, but was there a more smashing success than bringing Zeb back? The guy was absolutely gassed before Hellions. Now he writes Amazing Spider-Man comics and Deadpool films. You’re welcome, buddy. Ben Percy was there from the start, too.

Ben got two series to issue fifty. I doubt he’s thinking about that in this shot, but we should. What an amazing feat. If you’re ever at a show with Ben and want to thank him - but him a steak.

Si & Al. Later that night after last call, they banished some kind of shit wizard from the 17th century that appeared in SoHo.

The next two recent post-Krakoa street portraits I quite like, not just because I love the subjects but because I started to click with a new 35mm glass. Trying to master new disciplines keeps us young…and despite the gray, I feel young.

It’s unusual in modern comics to enjoy a long run that ends with the words THE END. I’ve been privileged to type those two magic words several times, and it’s always wonderfully bittersweet. What a joy it was to collaborate with so many wonderful editors, writers, artists, Tom Muller, CB Cebulski and everyone in the bullpen that helped make the comics, collections, omnibuses and actual freaking Hellfire Galas that we hope you enjoyed. X-MEN 35 is actually the 700th issue of X-Men since Stan & Jack kicked things off back in 1963. What an honor it is exit the stage on this giant size comic. It’s also got a great story from Mr. Claremont, and a preview of the next big thing for the Merry Mutants. X-Men 700 is on sale June 5th. See you on the island one last time.

GD

Los Angeles

May 4, 2024