It's been 30 years since the classic X-Men event Age of Apocalypse rewrote mutant history with an alt-reality ruled by Apocalypse. To celebrate the milestone, writer Jeph Loeb, one of the architects of the original event, is returning to the world of AoA for a story that brings a new team of X-Men out of the dystopian reality and into the Marvel Universe proper.
Working with artist Simone Di Meo, who handles everything from pencils to colors himself, Loeb is telling a new Age of Apocalypse tale that he's had in mind since the original event ended that seems to involve a conflict between the AoA X-Men and their mainstream Marvel counterparts.
Newsarama spoke with Loeb about his return to Age of Apocalypse and his plans for returning to the venerable story decades later. Along the way, we've also got some interior pages by Simone di Meo, as well as covers by Di Meo, legendary X-Men artist Art Adams, and original Age of Apocalypse artist turned Darksiders video game co-creator Joe Madureira.
Newsarama: Jeph, did you ever imagine you'd be returning to the Age of Apocalypse all these years later?
Jeph Loeb: LOL! Of course not! I have to give credit where credit is due - first, to Scott Lobdell who built the AoA universe and gave me the chance - as a rookie in the X-Men office - to play in it. All the good ideas were his, I was lucky enough to play with them.
Then, thirty years later, Marvel editor in chief CB Cebulski called out of the blue and asked if I wanted to come back to the X-Men. We talked for a while about how AOA ended and how I had something else in mind.
Next thing I knew I was on the phone with X-Men group editor Tom Brevoort talking about what X-Men of Apocalypse could be after all this time. So it was a lot of steps to get me back into this world.
How has your perspective on the concept changed over the years?
Loeb: This was a story I had always wanted to tell, but it required what I pitched as "making it count." It had to affect continuity, which (let's be fair) AOA when it flipped back to Xavier's Timeline... Other than Nate "X-MAN" was now here, had not affected the then current continuity. Our hope - our plan - is that this time it will.
X-Men of Apocalypse brings back some of the most popular characters of the original story. Who have you connected with this time around? Have your favorites changed?
Loeb: It was more like a lot of reconnecting. I loved Scott and Joe Madureira's creation of Creed and Wild Child; I get to play with X-Man and Forge again and that relationship; Blink and Morph are so much fun and still very real - and Gambit is the heart of the team which is different from the first time around.
X-Men of Apocalypse deals with a threat that could "doom" the world. What can you tell us about what this team is up against?
Loeb: Ah, that would be telling - but it becomes very clear in X-MEN OF APOCALYPSE #1 - out in November! (Unabashed plug!)
You're working with Simone Di Meo on X-Men of Apocalypse. What makes him the perfect collaborator for a story like this?
Loeb: I'm so fortunate to be working with Simone on this. He is pencilling, inking AND coloring the stories which elevates everything I write. When I first saw his artwork, it reminded me so much of how Joe Mad changed the look of Marvel comics (Joe really came into his own on AOA - 30 years ago).
So when Simone signed on, I called Joe to see if he would do the covers and he asked who was drawing the book - and I assumed that Joe hadn't been keeping up with comics because he's like a billionaire video games creator now. But, he drew first blood when he said "It better not be Simone Di Meo - because that guy is too good for comics - I want him for games!" Sorry, Joe - get in line! (laughs).
Actually it's why Joe agreed to do the variant covers - to help more people see what Simone is capable of!
X-Men of Apocalypse marks 30 years since the original story. Did you have any idea at the start that the concept would have the impact it's had? How does this comic continue that legacy?
Loeb: I'm incredibly grateful to the fans, new readers, old readers who have discovered and rediscovered a different take on an amazing/astonishing group of characters - the all new, all different X-Men! This time - it counts! Thank you all!
Check out our picks for the best X-Men stories of all time, Age of Apocalypse included.
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