Marvel's upcoming X-Men event, "X of Swords," is a staggering 24 issues long. Marvel announced the "X of Swords" event at the C2E2 comic convention's X-Men panel, unveiling a single image of multiple X-Men wielding various swords. According to Marvel, the plot will see ten mutants wield legendary swords and leap to the defense of the island nation of Krakoa. Plot details are sparse, but a cover image alludes to an ancient battle in which Apocalypse saved the world. It's safe to assume it will also introduce Apocalypse's First Horsemen.
The comic book industry has faced a torrid time since C2E2, with the coronavirus pandemic bringing distribution screeching to a halt. Little by little, though, publishers are pushing it back to a semblance of normality. Fans have been eagerly awaiting news of "X of Swords," to see whether or not the event would be slimmed down in light of the pandemic and an anticipated economic downtown. Now, Marvel has officially confirmed that won't be the case.
Marvel Comics has officially confirmed "X of Swords" will kick off in September, running for three months. What's more, far from reduced, it's actually increased - although some of the issues have shuffled around. Here's the full reading list:
- Prelude - Excalibur #12
- Prelude - X-Men #12
- Chapter 01 - X of Swords: Creation #1
- Chapter 02 - X-Factor #4
- Chapter 03 - Wolverine #6
- Chapter 04 - X-Force #13
- Chapter 05 - Marauders #13
- Chapter 06 - Hellions #5
- Chapter 07 - New Mutants #13
- Chapter 08 - Cable #5
- Chapter 09 - Excalibur #13
- Chapter 10 - X-Men #13
- Chapter 11 - X of Swords: Stasis #1
- Chapter 12 - X-Men #14
- Chapter 13 - Marauders #14
- Chapter 14 - Marauders #15
- Chapter 15 - Excalibur #14
- Chapter 16 - Wolverine #7
- Chapter 17 - X-Force #14
- Chapter 18 - Hellions #6
- Chapter 19 - Cable #6
- Chapter 20 - Excalibur #15
- Chapter 21 - X-Men #15
- Chapter 22 - X of Swords: Destruction #1
In general, Marvel has two different approaches to crossover events. In the first, they tell the main story in a central miniseries, and tie-in issues flesh out the details. In the second - which is more common to the X-Men range - creative teams work together, with normal stories suspended in favor of continuing the event. There are, however, some major issues with this approach. Only the best writers can actually navigate these effectively, because the event frequently sidetracks the ongoing story arc. Meanwhile, because of their length, these kind of events tend to be pretty expensive for readers. In this case, assuming a cover price of $3.99 an issue, X-Men fans will need to cash out just under $100 over three months in order to follow the whole story. Three of these books are one-shots, so they're likely to have a higher cover price as well. This is clearly the most expensive time to be an X-Men fan in years.
It's difficult to say whether this a wise move on Marvel's part. The coronavirus pandemic, and its associated lockdowns, are triggering a pronounced economic downturn. That sadly means, by September, readers are likely to have a lot less disposable income. This is most certainly an expensive time to follow the X-Men books.
Source: Marvel Comics
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