Next-X Comics : What is Next-X?

NextXComics.com is a fiction website dedicated to stories about new heroes and villains in the (possible) future of the Marvel Universe. On the web since Sept. 23rd 2000, the site initially started as a fan fiction site based on children of the X-Men, but has since expanded with newer stories having very little to no X-connection at all. The Next-X creators grew up loving Marvel Comics and this site serves as a means to express our creativity and our love for those great characters and stories... as well as giving us a home for own batch of mutant (and non-mutant) misfits. All Marvel characters featured in these stories are ™ and © Marvel Enteratinment Group and no profit is being made from this site and these works. All other characters are © their respective creators here at the site. To learn how you can get in on the fun, check out our submissions page.

The Way It All Began...

The entire world of Next-X and the Neo-X team in general were spawned thanks to a question by Pharaoh (Hellions/Psihawk Creator) on a message board of people waiting for the first X-Men movie to come out...

"well we know cable is the son of scott and jean (sort of), but if you could choose the next x-child who would be the parents and what power would the child have? example, if psylocke and the angel had a child his or her code-name would be psi-hawk, he or she would have wings made of pure psi-energy, limited telepathic power, and a born fighter. remember the child does not have to have the exact power as their parents but should have something in common with the parents example, nightcrawler, he's not a shapeshifter like his mom but they do share the same blue color."

Fans posted their own character ideas and it was supposed to stop there, but there were so many interesting characters and quite a few people interested in doing something with them, that the core creators voted on the favorites that came to comprise Neo-X. From there we were off and running. A few posts later Chris Daily (Pod) did some concept sketches and created the MSN board and eventually Version 1.0 of this site.

The Universe... Ultimate X-Men - A comprehensive guide to the X-Universe from 1963-2000.

The Next-X Universe is an alternate reality, which diverged from mainstream Marvel continuity during the ‘six month gap’ that preceded the re-launch of the X titles in X-Men #100 in the year 2000.

Everything you need to know about the X-Men up until that point in X-Continuity can be found in the Dorling Kindersley book, entitled Ultimate X-Men by Peter Sanderson (pictured right). You can buy this version from Amazon.co.uk, but unfortunately this version is unavailable from it's American counterpart, Amazon.com and you can only purchase the updated edition which includes more recent (irrelevant to Next-X) information as well. Still, you should be able to track down the original version in all good book shops and Comic/Sci-fi stores as well.

The current Next-X titles take place about thirty years in the future, but what has happened in the intervening years?

Shortly after the death of Cyclops in battle with Apocalypse,a virulent outbreak of the Legacy Virus killed thousands of mutants and humans, including a large number of earth’s super powered champions. In desperation at this ‘Great Culling’ the government turned to the X Men for help, and Professor Xavier returned to earth to lead the fight against the disease.

The X-Men discovered that the mad geneticist Mister Sinister was responsible for enhancing and releasing the virus, and during the ensuing confrontation Sinister was defeated, but at a terrible cost. Jean Grey was killed eradicating the virus.

Following Sinister’s arrest and Jean Grey’s sacrifice, public perception of mutants began to change. After what the media referred to as ‘The Phoenix Event’ Professor Xavier was invited to work with a government committee who set up more branches of his school across the country.

As Charles Xavier increasingly devoted his time to these Mutant Satellite Schools the X-Men disband. Kitty Pryde and Piotr Rasputin marry and return to his native Russia, where Kitty uses her scientific skills to lead a terraforming project in the Siberian wilderness. The Beast marries Trish Tilby. Jubilee leaves to pursue an acting career. Betsy Braddock and Warren Worthington marry, as do Rogue and Gambit who leave to start their own business, Magnificat Security. Sunspot becomes Black King of the Hellfire Club. Wolverine vanishes. Finally, Charles leaves for Shi’ar space to marry Lilandra.

The Avengers disband also, and Steve Rogers gives up his role as Captain America to run for office. His popularity is such that he is elected President of the United States and he remains so at the beginning of Next-X continuity. His tenure in the White House begins a new era of prosperity and expansion for the country as Puerto Rico and Mexico become part of the United States and he engages in diplomacy with Magneto’s Genosha. Technological advances enable the construction of an International Space Station named Rubicon, which will ultimately become home to three hundred thousand families.

Charles Xavier, rejuvenated by Shi’ar technology, returns to earth to train the next generation of mutants. His new team, Nexus, win a number of high profile battles including rescuing students of the Cassidy Satellite School from the mutant Chamber, formerly an ally and now leading a team of evil mutants under the name of Core. However Charles never establishes the same rapport with this team as he had with his X Men and resenting him the team disbands. Despondent, Charles again leaves for Shi’ar space, becoming involved in their war with the Phalanx.

Nearly thirty years after Scott Summers died defeating Apocalypse, and the United Nations handed Genosha to Magneto, there are signs that the world is not as safe as it had seemed. Core remains at large. The French mutant Tyrrany killed three hundred humans at a public concert, and a mysterious organization called Coercion begins to abduct mutants for genetic research. Betsy Braddock vanishes without a trace, leaving Warren to bring up their teenaged son alone. Now, as the Rubicon detects signs of Phalanx activity on the edges of the solar system, a new generation must rise to face the challenges of a new era...