X-Men Writer Reveals Drama That Almost Scrapped Marvel’s Latest Hit: ‘I Was Pretty Pissed Off’

Weapon X-Men is set to debut next year, uniting iconic characters like Wolverine, Deadpool, and Cable in a thrilling new series. In a recent newsletter, writer Joe Casey shared insights into the tumultuous journey leading to this series, revealing how it almost didn’t happen due to an internal mix-up at Marvel.

In his newsletter, “Joe Casey Writes,” he candidly discusses the birth of Weapon X-Men, illustrated by Chris Cross. In the first installment of a two-part series titled “Weapon X-Men Origins,” Casey recounts a pivotal lunch with fellow X-Men writer Gerry Duggan, which inspired him to pitch the concept to then-X-Editor Jordan White.

Comic book cover: a group of X-Men, including Wolverine, leaps down.

While brainstorming various ideas, Casey stumbled upon the name “Weapon X-Men,”a title surprisingly unclaimed until that moment. He reflects:

Here was a name — a potential brand — that seemed so perfect and so obvious, I couldn’t f***ing believe that no one else in the past fifty years (since the term “Weapon X” was first created as a vital component of Wolverine’s backstory) hadn’t thought of it. But no one had. Until me.

Every writer friend I told about it… well, you could practically hear their hand slap their forehead over the phone. It was a minor mic drop moment. After all, we all know how difficult it is to come up with these kinds of ideas. When one of us does, the rest of us can’t help but acknowledge the minor victory.

The Uncertain Fate of Weapon X-Men

Behind-the-Scenes Drama Unveiled by Joe Casey

Comic book cover: a team of X-Men including Wolverine and Deadpool in action.

After submitting his pitch, enthusiasm ran high as White initially expressed support, suggesting everything was on track. However, the situation soon took a confusing turn. In the second part of “Weapon X-Men Origins,” Casey details a significant shift in the editorial management of the X-Office, as new X-Men editor Tom Brevoort took charge. Despite these changes, Casey remained optimistic about the prospects for Weapon X-Men.

Eventually, Casey learned that another series with the same name, spearheaded by the creative team of Christos Gage and Yıldıray Çınar, was slated for release. This revelation understandably frustrated Casey as he noted:

I’ll admit, I was pretty pissed off. Here I was, all full of myself, patting myself on the back for thinking of a name that had never been used before. Hadn’t even been thought of before. Not by Claremont. Not by Morrison. Not by Liefeld. Not by Hickman. Not by anyone. And it clearly had some commercial value. Needless to say, any and all manner of conspiracy theory raced through my brain.

With the title seemingly snatched away before the project could even begin, it appeared that Casey’s Weapon X-Men might become yet another unrealized concept lost in comic book history.

A Stellar Team-Up of Mutant Heroes

A Nostalgic Tribute by Joe Casey and Chris Cross

Comic book page: Wolverine looks down at an injured person.

Addressing the unexpected complications, Casey reached out to Brevoort for clarification, who provided insights into what transpired:

I won’t go into too much detail here, because I suppose it’s probably Tom’s story to tell… but the long and short of it is as follows: The mini-series in question had a different title originally. Tom wanted that title as part of his upcoming relaunch and informed the editor involved that they should simply find a new title for their mini-series. Without Tom’s knowledge (or Jordan White’s, for all I know), the WEAPON X-MEN title was lifted from my pitch and haphazardly slapped onto the mini-series. Even the writer of said mini-series (an amazingly standup guy, btw) didn’t even know what had happened (or where the title had originally come from).

It’s fascinating that Casey’s pitch almost fell victim to title confusion, yet he and Brevoort agreed to proceed with his original concept, reclaiming the Weapon X-Men title despite its prior use.

Fans can look forward to experiencing Weapon X-Men when it officially hits comic shops on February 19, 2025, delivering its much-anticipated narrative filled with iconic characters and thrilling storylines.

For more insights, visit Joe Casey’s Substack for Part One and Part Two.

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