Joss Whedon - "Astonishing X-Men" Comic Book - Astonishingly Lost In Space

Joss Whedon’s final X-Men story will leave one mutant stranded in the stars...but who ?

“There were two things that X-Men were great for : the psychology of a superhero team and big-ass science fiction,” said Astonishing X-Men scribe Joss Whedon at the beginning of the mutant flagship’s second year. While Whedon and artist John Cassiday’s “Torn” arc running from Astonishing #13-#18 delivered on the psychology aspect of the series, the upcoming “Unstoppable” (which begins with Wednesday’s issue #19) covers the big-ass sci fi with plenty of changes to come.

In particular, the ending of “Torn” dropped a massive tease for the team’s space-faring adventure. After the X-Men were pulled into space to confront the people of X-villain Ord’s home planet of Breakworld, the Xavier Institute’s young mutant precog Blindfold noted aloud that not all of the team would make it back. With Astonishing X-Men #19 dropping in stores this week, Wizard Universe dipped into our Joss Whedon archives for a clue as to which X-Man might not make it back.

WOLVERINE

The little hairy guy with the big metal claws is without a doubt the biggest icon of the entire X-franchise, but would Whedon be willing to take Logan out of the picture for a long time ? “I will have a Wolverine-free ‘X’ book,” laughed the creator at the prospect of dropping the character from the series. “In fact, that’s what it will be called. ‘No Wolverine.’ It will sell like hotcakes because no one has ever seen such a concept before.”

And while the idea of a “No Wolverine” X-Men comic has in fact become a reality with the current runs of writers Ed Brubaker and Mike Carey, we still don’t buy Marvel sending their No. 1 cover boy into the far reaches for very long. Unless both of his monthly titles start carrying subplots where Wolvie takes an interest in NASA, don’t count on it. ODDS : 1,000 to 1

EMMA FROST

After nearly destroying the team with a psychic-induced version of the Hellfire Club in “Torn,” the former White Queen may finally be on the outs with her X-Mansion family. However, nobody needs the X-Men around to keep her on track more than Frost. “Emma wants to believe in [Xavier’s] dream, but she hasn’t exactly been the most idealistic person,” explained Whedon.

With the mean-spirited tactics of the team’s most recent addition making Emma a primo guest star in books from New X-Men to Civil War, we’re doubting that Marvel is willing to give up such an intriguing piece of the franchise. ODDS : 500 to 1

CYCLOPS

The X-Men’s stalwart leader and resident repressed widower has had a tough time in Whedon’s hands to date, being driven to the brink of insanity by his own lover only to rebound with bizarre new control of his optic blasts. At this point, Scott Summers may be looking for a chance to prove himself on a new stage. “Scott was picked to be a leader,” explained the writer. “I think that even after all of these years, he’s still learning that he’s a natural leader.”

To top it off, Cyclops’ strained relationship with the X-Men’s leader Professor X is begging for resolution, and the Prof just happens to be floating through the cosmos himself in the pages of Uncanny X-Men these days. “I think that he’s always believed in what Professor X was doing and would never turn his back on him for more than like two issues,” said Whedon of Cyclops’ longstanding dedication to the space shuttle-stealing headmaster, making us think a reunion is in the offing. ODDS : 100 to 1

KITTY PRYDE

No doubt about it, Whedon’s love of the X-Men’s phasing female holds no bounds. So would he really put his readers through the pain of losing Kitty so shortly after she was reintroduced ? “My favorite is Kitty Pryde, and that’s because she was the audience proxy in a way that no hero had been before,” gushed Whedon. “She joined when she was my age and grew up while she was still a kid, and it was my greatest fantasy ever.”

With a Kitty Pryde who mixes her sweetheart charm with a tough-as-nails fighting style, we’ve learned that Whedon’s version of the character is excitingly unpredictable. So while we’re hoping the writer leaves Kitty open for future appearances, we can never be sure. ODDS : 50 to 1

BEAST

Picking a page from Grant Morrison’s New X-Men playbook, Whedon’s take on the X-Men’s brainy Beast has seen the character constantly grappling with his animal nature in the face of his desire to fit in. “Hank, too, interests me a lot,” said Whedon of the depth in the character. “He’s wicked smart, and he’s the Beast !”

Could Hank McCoy’s ultimate happiness be found on a planet full of giant blue cat people ? OK, maybe that’s pushing it too far, but the chances of this hero fitting in somewhere that’s not Earth makes too much sense to be ignored. ODDS : 20 to 1

LOCKHEED

After years of being an occasional sight gag for moments when the X-Men got too dour, the little purple dragon was revealed to be a little purple traitor, selling the secrets of the X-Men to intergalactic watchdog agency S.W.O.R.D. While Lockheed being the only X-Man to stay in space would be something of a cop-out, we have to think that he’s never coming back to the mansion once the team discovers his deceit. ODDS : 10 to 1

COLOSSUS

Whedon has spelled it out in no uncertain terms : Ord and the people of Breakworld want Colossus dead. The Russian mutant whose miraculous return from the dead provided the biggest shocker of Astonishing’s first year is apparently fated to be the cause of Breakworld’s certain doom. But does that mean Colossus’ doom is equally certain ?

“The reveal of Colossus is one of my favorite things I’ve ever been a part of,” said Whedon of the twist he and Cassaday used to send fanboys into a frenzy. At this point, taking away the character would be a move certain to cement their run as one of the biggest and best in X-history. ODDS : 5 to 1