Chris Yost X-Position With Kingbreaker #2 Preview Art

Kingbreaker writer Chris Yost was in the X-Position hotseat this week.

He was asked about whether or not the Shi'ar can still track Rachel through the Deathmark, something Rachel fans have been speculating about for a while now.

Question: Also, will certain things be clarified in this series, such as Korvus' mysterious sword and Rachel's attachment to this unique (if not inferior) form of the Phoenix Force? Or Rachel's Deathmark on her back? Whatever the answers, you should be congratulated on the job you've done so far…

Yost: I cannot comment on this “Phoenix” stuff you talk of. I assume Rachel's Deathmark is still in place, and that's how the Shi'ar are chasing them across space. The Death Commandos have been hounding them since the end of “Emperor Vulcan.” The X-Jammers are on the run, they keep moving. Does hiding out by a power source like the M'Kraan crystal mess with the Deathmark signal? Maybe.

The article also includes some excellent preview art from X-Men: Kingbreaker #2 which features Rachel in a new X-Jacket.

War of Kings News Round-up for 12/20/08

Here's a run-down on this week's news about War of Kings.

My Cup O' Joe #36 has some preview art from Secret Invasion: War of Kings, along with some hype for the event (although, absolutely no mention of the Starjammers).


Marvel released a trailer for War of Kings, which shows some of the previously revealed covers and preview art. Rachel is shown on the Kingbreaker #2 cover, but that's it.


Marvel also has an interview with Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning (DnA) about the Inhumans and War of Kings, and Vulcan is mentioned (no Starjammers).


Newsarama has an interview with DnA about War of Kings, and the Starjammers and Kingbreaker are mentioned, but not entirely good news:

NRAMA: Since you have the Shi'Ar showing up, are you having to coordinate this with the X-Universe at all?

AL: Yes, we've been coordinating with the X-Men office, and we're actually coming out of the X-Men: Kingbreaker mini-series that's putting the pieces from their side of the story in place. It won't involved the X-Men directly, but we'll deal with the cosmic side of the X-Men, including Vulcan and the Shi'Ar and the Starjammers. Obviously, they're fundamentally tied up with the X-Men side of the universe, so we had to get permission and work closely with them. And previously, they weren't included because they were tied up with the X-books, so this was great for us. It's great fun to finally feel out that side of the cosmic universe that we hadn't dealt with as far as logical galactic players on that sort of scale.

NRAMA: With all of the stories that are setting up War of Kings, from Secret Invasion: Inhumans to X-Men: Kingbreaker to the stories in Nova and Guardians, is War of Kings something that a newcomer to the Marvel cosmic universe can understand with Issue #1? Or should they start with the Secret Invasion: War of Kings one-shot?

AL: Absolutely, they can pick up the Secret Invasion: War of Kings one-shot, because it really does set the scene. Obviously, when writing something like this, you'd like the readers to be engaged enough with the stories we're telling that they want to pick up every book. But we're realistic enough to realize that you can't burden someone with that, because you can actually alienate people. So if they want to pick up the Kingbreaker mini-series, they'll get an extra piece from that side of things. It's kind of supplemental reading that helps flesh out and round out the entire story. But it's not necessary.

Calling Kingbreaker "not necessary" isn't exactly promising... I can understand DnA wanting to do a self-contained story, but it's becoming more and more clear that this is really a Cosmic event and the Starjammers are minor, supplementary characters.

Rachel Super Hero Squad Figure

Unfortunately, it doesn't look like the Marvel Girl & Cyclops Super Hero Squad (Wave 11) figure set is going to make it to stores before Christmas. Although a few have shown up on eBay, barring Santa Claus delivering it to your home, it's probably not going to be under your tree for Christmas. :(

On a brighter note, here are pictures of the packaging:



Hopefully, the figure will be available in the next month or so.

Marvel March 2009 Solicitations

CBR has the advanced X-solicitations for March, including X-Men Kingbreaker:

X-MEN: KINGBREAKER #4 (of 4)
Written by CHRISTOPHER YOST
Penciled by DUSTIN WEAVER
Cover by BRANDON PETERSON
The road to the WAR OF KINGS is paved here! The X-Men cosmic event of the year ends with a bang as the X-Men and Starjammers face the collective might of the Shi’Ar Empire. It’s a family affair as Havok fights his brother Vulcan and Lilandra takes on her sister Deathbird. Can the X-Men and Starjammers dethrone the mad Emperor?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Kingbreaker #4 will be in stores on March 18.


Edited to add: Marvel.com has added the War of King information:

WAR OF KINGS # 1
The Story: In the aftermath of the Secret Invasion, Black Bolt has led the Inhumans on a shockingly savage path to restore their strength and security. But that path has brought them into direct confrontation with the Shi’Ar Empire – and their mad ruler Vulcan! Who will get in the first strike? Who will fall on the bloody battlefield? Who will rule? The Imperial Guard, the Starjammers, the Inhuman Royal Family and more of your favorite sci-fi characters are locked on a collision course…and it all starts here! Join the acclaimed team
of Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning (NOVA) and Paul Pelletier (GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY) for a pivotal turning point in Marvel’s
cosmic history!
Rated T+ …$3.99

In Stores: Mar 4, 2009

Also, Marvel's Hotline also has an audio interview with Chris Yost about Kingbreaker.

Marvel War of Kings News Roundup for 12/12/08

Marvel's War of Kings is just around the corner, and the editors writers and artist have been making the interview rounds to give some hints about the story. Unfortunately, so far no specific news about Rachel's role has yet been revealed.

SciFi.com has an exclusive look at War of Kings cover, including one that features Rachel and the rest of the Starjammers. Marvel's March solicitations should be out next week, so there should be high quality versions available then.

Editor Bill Rosemann has this to say to SciFi about Marvel War of Kings, "In Secret Invasion, The Skrulls thought they could get away with kidnapping and replacing the Inhumans’ king. They thought wrong. Black Bolt, one of Marvel's most powerful heroes, is back on his throne. Woe to those who have wronged his family. Enter War of Kings, as Black Bolt and the Inhumans look to secure their rightful place in the stars--only to find that the mighty Shi'Ar empire has different plans."

It also lists that artists Paul Pelletier, Bong Dazo, Brad Walker, Wellinton Alves and Andrea DiVito will be involved and the first issue of War of Kings will be out in March. A free comic, War of Kings saga, will be out in January to catch-up new readers unfamiliar with the stories and characters.


Marvel has an interview with Paul Pelletier, who will be drawing the Secret Invasion: War of Kings one-shot and the War of Kings limited series. Nothing specifically Rachel or Starjammers related, but it does have some preview art from SI: WoK.


Last week, Marvel interviewed War of Kings writers Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning.


On a side note, it's really starting to annoy me how marginalized the Starjammers seem in War of Kings. It's very clear that The Inhumans are the stars of the heroes side, followed by the Guardians and Nova, with the Starjammers off to the side. I understand that there's over 30 main characters in WoK, but why bring back the Inhumans

Sigh....

It's such a shame that Rachel is being wasted in this, when she could be in the Cable/X-Force cross-over Messiah War instead.

X-Men Kingbreaker #1 Full Preview

Comics Continuum has posted a 8 page preview of X-Men Kingbreaker #1.

Rachel is featured on the 8th page (the previously released page with Rachel, only now with words).

Rachel is in X-Men Noir #1… sort of

An alternate version of Rachel appears in the back-up short story in X-Men Noir #1, which came out on Wednesday. X-Men Noir, written by Wolverine First Class writer Fred Van Lente, is a re-envisioned X-Men in a noir, crime drama universe.

During the main (comic format) story, a story in a sci-fi pulp fiction magazine, The Sentinels, is referenced. The story is written by Dr. Bolivar Trask, as a highly renowned anthropologist, and is his vision of the future where people have evolved to have superpowers and protect the rights of normal people who worship them. The short story (in paragraph format) is included at the back of the comic.

The Sentinels story (which is Chapter 1: Days of Future Past) centers on a Sentinel, Nimrod, and his love interest and fellow Sentinel, Rachel. It’s a very different Rachel, but it’s an interesting re-envisioned Days of Future Past type of story in pulp fiction format. Instead of Sentinels hunting mutants, they hunt down Inadequates, also called "muties". The next chapter of the story, "Mutant Massacre" will be in the next issue.

It’s not quite Rachel Summers, but similar to Hound Rachel.