X-men Supreme Issue 163: Crimes Against Inhumanity Part 2 is LIVE!

When I started the X-men Supreme fanfiction series back in 2010, I did so with the intent on either avoiding some of the mistakes I’d seen in the X-men comics over the years or improving on certain concepts that I thought had been negated. Being a lifelong X-men fan myself, there are no shortage of things that I didn’t care for in the comics. Issues like the relationship between Wolverine and Jean Grey, the way Charles Xavier became paralyzed, and the handling of characters like Madelyn Pryor had always bothered me. I’ve done my best to use those elements in X-men Supreme and make them better.

I understand that it’s debatable on how successful I’ve been in those efforts. I’ve heard from those who’ve said X-men Supreme fixed major problems with certain characters. People really seem to like how I handled the Phoenix Saga in this fanfiction series, as well as how I turned Toad into a more menacing villain in X-men Supreme Volume 6: Liberation Decimation. Not every effort has been a success, though. Some readers didn’t care for how I’ve handled Mystique, especially after the events of X-men Supreme Issue 120: Sinister Revelations. Others have had concerns about the direction I’ve taken characters like Psylocke, Gambit, and Rogue.

Most of those concerns haven’t been all that outrageous and I don’t think I’ve driven too many readers away with how I’ve handled the more sensitive details in this fanfiction series. However, I imagine that hasn’t made X-men fans any less anxious in finding out that Romulus is now a major player in X-men Supreme. I’ve been planning to bring him into this fanfiction series since X-men Supreme Volume 5: Dark Truths. As soon as I mapped out his story, I knew I was taking a chance. X-men fans, especially Wolverine fans, have some pretty strong opinions on this character. That’s why I’m being especially careful with the ongoing Crimes Against Inhumanity arc.

In the X-men comics, Romulus was one of those characters who seemed to exist solely to complicate Wolverine’s already-complicated history. I didn’t really care for him, personally. He always seemed like a background character or a plot device for Wolverine and the much more interesting Daken. His role with Wolverine always seemed so contrived and shallow. Add a bland and generic personality on top of it and he’s a character that X-men fans rightly resent.

I wanted to avoid that in X-men Supreme. This fanfiction series already took bold chances, turning Toad of all characters into a menacing villain who nearly defeated the X-men in the Natural Disorder arc. For Romulus, I knew I needed to take even more chances. Some of those have already played out. Beyond the revelation that Romulus is Wolverine’s father, I made him a prominent influence in Wolverine’s life, including the parts he doesn’t remember.

In that sense, he’s similar to the X-men comics. However, his connection runs much deeper in X-men Supreme. Romulus is already the visionary behind White Cell, an organization unique to this fanfiction series that has been influencing the X-men since X-men Supreme Volume 2: War Powers. Through him, White Cell played a part setting the stage for the division between the X-men that occurred in X-men Supreme Issue 148: New Divide. That made the X-men, Wolverine, and the world as a whole vulnerable. Now, he’s ready to exploit that vulnerability and he’s going to use the legacy of Weapon X to do it.

More than anything else, the Crimes Against Inhumanity arc will establish Romulus as someone poised to exploit Wolverine’s legacy and the legacy of Weapon X. In doing so, he’s poised to reveal the weaknesses that have been brewing since the divide between Charles Xavier’s X-men and Cyclops’ X-Force. It’ll establish him as the kind of menace he never got to be in the X-men comics and while it may not salvage his character there, it’ll ensure he leaves an undeniable mark on this fanfiction series.

X-men Supreme Issue 163: Crimes Against Inhumanity Part 2

I understand that I’m still taking a big chance, using controversial character like Romulus in X-men Supreme. It’s a chance I’m willing to take, though. It’s a chance I have to take if I’m going to make this fanfiction series as awesome as I want it to be. Much like Romulus, there’s all sorts of untapped potential. I don’t want leave any of that potential behind. That’s why it’s so critical that I continue to receive feedback for X-men Supreme. If you have a chance, please post your comments directly in this or other issues. Also, you can contact me directly. Either way is fine and I’m always happy to chat. Until next time, take care and best wishes. Xcelsior!

Jack