A more frightful take on the X-Men franchise could be coming soon from one iconic comic creator. The story of the mutants has always been one of Marvel Comics' most harrowing, but a statement from a fan-favorite creator hints that they want to make things even darker for the beloved superheroes.
As Bleeding Cool reports, horror comic writer James Tynion IV was at Thought Bubble Comic Art Festival where he shared a stage with Jazzlyn Stone and Christian Ward. While speaking, Tynion brought up his credits on several X-Men related titles and expressed a desire to do more.
There are X-Men stories that exist in my head; I hold them close to my chest, I still have Batman stories I didn't get to… in emergency break glass. I have a handful of superhero stories ready and waiting when I need to. But yes, the X-Men are incredible for horror; just look at the Brood; they are basically xenomorphs. What I love about the X-Men is you can tell any type of superhero story with those characters…. so yes, I would definitely do a horror X-Men comic.
Tynion was asked if he would write X-Men as a horror comic and revealed he had already come up with several ideas, but admitted that the X-Men are perfect for horror. He even cited the Brood, likening them to the Xenomorphs from Alien, affirming that his X-Men story would be rooted in horror.
James Tynion IV Wants to Make an X-Men Horror Story
He's Right on the Money, X-Men are Perfect for Horror
Over the last decade and a half, James Tynion IV has made a name for himself in the comic book sphere. Several of Tynion's earlier works were under Marvel, specifically X-Men-related books like Death of Wolverine: Logan's Legacy #5 and Amazing X-Men #13. He also worked on DC titles like Batman and Robin Eternal and Red Hood and the Outlaws before later taking on the Dark Knight's main titles, Detective Comics and Batman. Despite his exclusivity contract with DC Comics, James Tynion IV left in 2021 to focus on his creator-owned work.
After moving to Substack where he published material like Blue Book and The Oddly Pedestrian Life of Christopher Chaos, Tynion founded his Tiny Onion imprint at Dark Horse Comics, which reprinted his previously exclusive material and published new titles under Tynion's guidance. Tynion also made a name for himself with his horror-focused books, most notably Something is Killing the Children, which is still ongoing and has had several one-shot spinoffs. Tynion also contributed to The Devil's Cut, an anthology published under the creator-owned startup DSTLRY.
X-Men and Marvel Comics Are Ready for a True Horror Take on the Franchise
James Tynion IV Could Do Marvel's Red Band Branding Justice
Horror comics are hot right now and Marvel Comics couldn't ask for a better writer to pump new life into the X-Men than Tynion. Not to mention, Marvel just launched it's 'Red Band' branding this year, allowing for stories that feature material a bit more mature than its usual books. That could give a creative mind like Tynion to make something truly unique that stands out in X-Men history. While there's no official word yet, it seems like James Tynion IV really wants to do this and the X-Men could really benefit from a horror book.
