Updated News on the Don't Leave Rachel In Space Campaign

It seems like our little campaign has gotten the attention of the X-Office.

Uncanny X-Men Editor Nick Lowe had this to say, "We value [Rachel] as a character and we�ve got big plans for her. We just can�t talk about them yet."

Let's all just hope that those "big plans" includes her returning to earth and continuing to appear in X-books.

Pre-emptive Strike: Don't Leave Rachel In Space

This contains spoiler speculations about the final two issues of the Shi'ar arc and Rachel's fate.

Brubaker and the Uncanny Editors have teased since the beginning of the Rise & Fall of the Shi'ar Empire arc that many of the characters would not be returning home.

The solicitation for Uncanny X-Men 487 says that half of the team will not be returning home. Already from the information released about the next arc and other crossovers like World War Hulk, we know Nightcrawler, Professor Xavier and Warpath are safe. That means the half of the team that doesn't return is Rachel, Havok and Polaris, and possibly Darwin (although Brubaker said that we would see more of Darwin at Wizard World).

Reports from Ed Brubaker's appearance at Wizard World Los Angeles have made this news more alarming. There are no plans for a Starjammers series. According to a report on CBR, Brubaker told fans at the X-Men Panel that the characters that say behind would go into character limbo and would be a dangling plot that someone could pick up in a few years. There will not be a spinoff or sequel detailing that happens to them.

A Rachel fan that spoke to Brubaker was under the impression that it was a foregone conclusion that Rachel will remain in space.

There is no proof that that is true. However, we can either choice to act now before the issue has been finished or wait until it is too late to make a difference in May.

Coming up this summer will be several crossover events that would be amazing to see Rachel involved in and those lead-up to the major X-Event in November. Rachel needs to be apart of these events and not back in character limbo!

Several months ago, Mike Carey said he was interested in writing Rachel and reuniting Rachel and Cable (Nathan Summers):

From Livewire: "Yes, I like Rachel a lot. I haven't heard that rumour but I do know that not all of that team are coming home. I'd love to write Rachel..."

He also posted on his blog that "Marvel Girl is a great character and interacts very interestingly with Cable." and "Askani - I can promise you that some of your wishes will be granted. (re: interaction between Cable and Rachel) And I agree 100% about the Cable/Rachel interaction."

So, it looks like there are two options: Rachel stranded in space for the next few years or Mike Carey getting to do the Cable/Rachel interaction he wants to do.

That's why a pre-emptive strike is necessary. Before Uncanny X-Men 486 comes out and everything is set in stone, Rachel fans need to take action. Rachel needs to come home and Mike Carey needs to be allowed to write Rachel and Nathan together:

You can email the X-Editors at officex@marvel.com

And write to them at:

X-Mail
c/o Marvel Comics
417 5th Ave
NY, NY 10016

Write and email as often as you can! Fans need to rally together and make sure that the editors don't let Rachel go into character limbo! Rachel needs to go to Mike Carey's X-Men! He wants to use her. Why should she be left in space when a writer wants to use her and reunite her with her family?

June Marvel Solicitation for Uncanny X-Men

CBR has posted the X-Men solicitations for June, including the description for the first post-Shi'ar issue of Uncanny.

SPOILER WARNING! This includes spoilers for the end of the Shi'Ar arc and potentially very bad news for Rachel:

UNCANNY X-MEN #487
Written by ED BRUBAKER
Pencils and Cover by SALVADOR LARROCA
THE EXTREMISTS Part 1 (of 5)!

The X-Men are back from space! Well, half of them, anyway. The team is shattered, broken and separated. The group that has returned to earth is finding it much worse than how they left it-- especially underground. Attacks in the Morlock Tunnels immediately grab the X-Men's attention. What do these attacks have to do with the future of the mutant race? Maybe special guest-star Storm can get to the bottom of all this! 32 PGS./Rated T+ ...$2.99

Update On the Marvel Girl Action Figure

Wizard has posted a picture of the final version of the Marvel Girl action figure from Hasbro's Marvel Legends series.

Upcoming Brubaker Convention Appearances

Uncanny X-Men writer Ed Brubaker will be appearing at several conventions in the next few weeks.

Brubaker will be appearing at Wizard World Los Angeles on March 16th and 17th. On Saturday, there will be an X-Men panel featuring Brubaker and New X-Men writers Chris Yost and Craig Kyle.

He will also be appearing at the Emerald City Comicon in Seattle Washington on March 31st-April 1st.

If any Rachel fans attend, please let Ed Brubaker know how much you support Rachel!

Rachel on the X-Men 200 Cover

Wizard has posted the colossal cover for X-Men #200 drawn by David Finch, which includes every member of the X-Men. Rachel is between Gambit and Havok, wearing her old costume.

X-Men #200 is due out in June.

Uncanny X-Men 484 Preview

Pop Culture Shock has posted a six page preview of UXM 484. Rachel appears on the sixth page. UXM 484 is due out on March 7th.