Uncanny X-Force writer Rick Remender says he was once scheduled to take over the core X-Men title but changed his plans at the last minute, pivoting almost entirely to creator-owned work and leaving Marvel Comics behind.
Now, six years on, Remender has unveiled his pitch for the series on Twitter, as well as offering an explanation for his departure.
“Just found my entire 2 year X-bible plans from when I was going to take over the X books,” Remender said on Twitter. “Haven’t opened it since I quit in 2014. Was very Fantomex, Jean, and Professor X-orn centric. Big bad was Mastermind. Just couldn’t make myself do the mandated Inhumans story. c’est la vie.”
At the time, writer Brian Michael Bendis had been shepherding the X-Men line, departing in 2014 ahead of the 2014/15 Secret Wars crossover that altered Marvel Universe continuity and relaunched the entire Marvel slate. Jeff Lemire and Cullen Bunn subsequently took over as writers of Extraordinary X-Men and Uncanny X-Men, respectively, in 2015 as part of that relaunch.
Lemire’s Extraordinary core title culminated in Inhumans vs. X-Men, which involved the two groups doing battle over the Inhumans’ Terrigen Mists which were spreading across the Earth awakening new Inhumans and poisoning mutants.
Interestingly, in a subsequent tweet, Remender says he was “offered the X books again last year but declined,” explaining “Don’t imagine there’s a world where I’ll put myself through that again,” potentially indicating Remender was offered a place among the creators of the “Dawn of X” line.
Here’s Remender’s full pitch document:
Just found my entire 2 year X-bible plans from when I was going to take over the X books. Haven’t opened it since I quit in 2014. Was very Fantomex, Jean, and Professor X-orn centric. Big bad was Mastermind. Just couldn’t make myself do the mandated Inhumans story. c’est la vie pic.twitter.com/q122dxV8Yg
— Rick Remender (@Remender) March 24, 2020