Comic Book News & Resources

By Ben Morse

He may not be a teacher by trade, but writer Christos Gage has put a lot of stock in making sure the young would-be-heroes of the Marvel Universe get the education they need before venturing out into the dangerous field of saving the world. 

X-MEN LEGACY #261 preview art by David Baldeon

Gage has spent the past two years helping Earth’s Mightiest guide a damaged group of super-powered teens in AVENGERS ACADEMY—recently joined by artist Tom Grummett—but added further to his portfolio earlier this month when he and artist David Baldeon enrolled in the Jean Grey School as the new creative team for X-MEN LEGACY. Though both titles take place in a school setting and feature veteran heroes training their hopeful successors, the tone between the two varies at a core level.

“Being an Avenger is a choice, being an X-Man is almost part and parcel of being a mutant,” contends Gage. “That wasn’t always the case, but now that there are so few mutants left, that’s how it is. So for the X-Men, it’s more about ‘This is the hand we’ve been dealt—what’s the best way to approach life?’ [where] with the Avengers it’s much more the traditional super hero philosophy of ‘Let’s use our talents to serve mankind.’ Not that the X-Men don’t care about that, but it’s just one part of a whole. 

“Being an Avenger is a part time thing, and when you’re not doing that, you’re being a billionaire industrialist or whatever. Being an X-Man is a full-time job.”

Accordingly, these two differing philosophies inform the way the different teams steer their protégés, and in turn the way Gage views his charges and the institutions at which they matriculate.

“The Jean Grey School is very specifically teaching mutants, so they specialize in things like mutant history and mutant literature,” he explains. “They’re also trying to make sure their students learn how to do a variety of things in life besides combat; that’s their whole point, in contrast to Cyclops’ approach. 

AVENGERS ACADEMY #26 black and white preview art by Tom Grummett

“At Avengers Academy, there is more emphasis on being a hero and how to use your powers for good. They still teach things like math and literature, but the goal is to be a hero like the Avengers, whereas at the Grey School, the point is you could be a chef or a wedding planner and it’s as legitimate as being an X-Man.”

While the focus in X-MEN LEGACY lies more with the faculty than the students, Gage has formed some opinions on the Grey School trainees and how they contrast to his Avengers Academy stalwarts. 

“I do think the Grey School kids feel more like they’re part of a community [while] the AA kids can feel isolated,” the writer notes. “The original Academy students have that question hanging over them [of] will they go down the villainous path Norman Osborn started them on or become heroes. Although some of the Grey School kids have that too, like Broo and Genesis.”

In addition to that ever-looming potential fork in the road, the cast of AVENGERS ACADEMY currently have their hands full with the energy-leeching Hybrid, unleashed on the school by a time-travelling version of class leader Reptil whose motivations have still yet to be fully revealed. 

“I do think there is some parallel between Hybrid, who always totally embraced evil, and future Reptil, who compromised his ideals over times, but ended up on the same time,” Gage points out.

X-MEN LEGACY #261 preview art by David Baldeon

Over in LEGACY, the core team will come up against classic X-Men foes like Exodus and Mimic as well as the extremely powerful Weapon Omega, but Gage has great excitement about spending time with and expanding his cast even when they’re not fighting bad guys. 

“Rogue is one of the Marvel characters who has grown and evolved the most over the years, and the nature of her powers makes her a great window into other characters,” he says. “I’m also reading up on Chamber right now [and] he’s a cool character, [plus] Gambit, Frenzy and the Guthrie siblings. We won’t be focusing as much on the students in LEGACY as [Jason Aaron will in WOLVERINE AND THE X-MEN], but when the time comes I always seem to gravitate toward Rockslide and Glob Herman. They’re just such cool visuals!”

Looking to the future, while the Jean Grey School may be in Westchester and the Avengers Academy recently relocated to California, Gage promises an upcoming event will bring the two together as they each come up against a surprising threat: 

“Each other! Or in a greater sense, Avengers Vs. X-Men. Both books will be a big part of that.”

X-MEN LEGACY #261 hits stores next week on Wednesday, January 25, while AVENGERS ACADEMY #25 follows on February 1.