The X-Men have been through plenty of shakeups, and the Krakoan Age felt like a breath of fresh air when it started in 2019. Beginning with writer Jonathan Hickman and artists Pepe Larraz and R.B. Silva’s House of X and Powers of X, the mutants established their newest unified society that promised to better things for their people after years of being beaten down. But Hickman, whose previous Marvel tenure established him as a long-term writer, exited with the Inferno miniseries in 2022, and Krakoa’s story continued without him.
In a recent episode of the Off-Panel podcast, Hickman looked back on his time leading the charge at the X-books. By now, he considers it “the most disappointing creative experience” of his comics career, largely owing to him not getting to finish his intended story. Back when he first pitched his plans to Marvel, he’d unveiled the entire three-story arc. As he tells it, he was “very clear” about the overall point he wanted to make, and teased those who heard the full pitch knew it was a “real bummer” things didn’t pan out.
Hickman claimed his departure wasn’t so much one thing as it was several factors, ranging from COVID to business and publishing-related issues. Had he stayed, he’s certain he would’ve made an X-Men saga for the ages, but he also stressed he’s got no issue with the creative teams who stepped up after his leaving, or Marvel itself. “It’s on me to tell the story that I’m supposed to tell, period,” he continued. “I don’t have any negative feelings about any other stuff outside of me not bringing it home, and I don’t think I’ll ever talk about it, because it’s shitty.”
The Krakoan Age officially ended in 2024, and the X-Men have since gone back to the “hated and feared” ways of the past across their various books. But the impact of the island-nation still hovers over the current mutant crop, and the run is getting one last farewell with a new Hellfire Gala one-shot in July. As for Hickman, he remains at Marvel, mainly as a key architect for the revamped Ultimate Universe—a duty he took over from Thor writer Donny Cates following his car accident in 2023—and writing Ultimate Spider-Man. He’s also got an upcoming cosmic event in the primary Marvel universe, Imperial, which is set to begin in June.
[via The Popverse]
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