The X-Men and the Inhumans have spent the better part of the previous year at each others' throats. After former king Black Bolt exploded a Terrigen bomb inside Earth’s atmosphere, new Inhumans have cropped up across the globe. But the cloud, which brings life to the Kree-seeded clan, is also poisonous if not deadly to mutants everywhere. As X-Man Beast (Hank McCoy) races to find a cure, events spiral towards an inevitable war for survival in Inhumans vs. X-Men, as the near-disastrous events of Death of X had already primed the engines of war. No matter the costs for both teams, though, hope springs eternal.
Next year, each classic team will find rebirth and renewal during Marvel’s ResurreXion relaunch – including brand new titles delving into the further adventures of the Royals, Secret Warriors, Black Bolt, and their latest catchall comic, Inhumans Prime.
In a Screen Rant exclusive, Marvel editors Wil Moss and Charles Beacham opened up to us about the exciting events unfolding this spring across the "Inhumans-verse." The latest chapter of the Terrigen-laced (or not, depending) saga kicks off with a one-shot, written by Al Ewing (Ultimates) with art by Ryan Sook (Unworthy Thor). Designed to introduce curious fans to the amazing world of the Stan Lee and Jack Kirby-created extended family, Marvel's wordsmiths promise plenty of action for greenhorns and longtime fans alike, as well as a lot of favorite characters dropping by (and get a first look at the cover below!):
Can you give fans a rundown, in general, as to what Inhumans Prime entails – what sort of stories and which direction will the book head in?
CHARLES BEACHAM: It's really what sets the landscape for the Inhumans Universe going forward. As we were putting together these books and talking to the creative teams, it was really amazing how organically these stories came together and we were able to come up with an overall mission and how these things tie together and went off on their own, into their own, to be able to explore there different corners of the Marvel Universe. So this Inhumans Prime one shot is setting up that story and showing where the Royals are and what's happening for them as they decide to go off on this adventure: where these other Inhumans are; why they have this need to form this team together. Kind of sets up Black Bolt's new status quo and teases where we're going to find him when his book starts. Just setting the landscape, laying the groundwork for what things are going to look like in April and May and going forward.
You described Prime as an “Inhumans Primer” – do you think people will gravitate towards it initially? How will it initiate people who are coming into the fold unfamiliar with these classic Jack Kirby and Stan Lee characters?
WIL MOSS: Yeah, the Prime one shot that Al Ewing and Ryan Sook are cooking up is designed to be just that - an introduction for people who aren't familiar with the characters and kind of a hook for people who are already into the characters. It's designed to definitely appeal to people who haven't been reading the books and have heard things on the TV show and are curious. It's a great way of meeting everybody before we launch these books.
Will there be inter-title crossovers, such as between the Royals, Secret Warriors, Black Bolt, coming out of Prime?
WIL MOSS: Well, they all kind of start from the same spot and then go off and do their own thing for a while. But then there will definitely be some connective tissue between all of them but there's not going to be...each book is going to get a chance to stand on its own two legs before there's really any kind of story across all three you've got to pick up or anything like that. We're going to be doing its own thing for each one of the books.
CHARLES BEACHAM: Like Wil said, they all kind of pick up at the end if IvX and then Inhumans Prime is kind of the kick-off that starts all of these things, and we get to see the fallout and where these characters are going to go. You'll definitely want to check that out. It's going to be really awesome.
Are there going to be any more 'Nuhumans' popping up in Inhumans Prime or any of the other titles?
WIL MOSS: The big thing with IvX was a battle over Terrigen. So we don't want to tip our hand of IvX...The Inhumans, that's one of the great things about them, there's always going to be new characters. So one way or the other, there's going to be new characters, new weird stories to explore with this world. But, as far as the specifics, we'll just have to wait and see.
As one of the most recent recipients of an Inhumans-based solo series, how big of role will Karnak play in the saga – naturally he'll be in Secret Warriors – but also in Prime and the other books?
WIL MOSS: Well, he's in the second scene of Prime. We waste no time having some fun with Karnak in the Prime one shot. Karnak's right there. We'll be exploring some interesting things about Karnak in the Secret Warriors book. It's a question of, "Why is he not with the Royals?" That's something that kind of a mystery. What is that's made it that he's left here still on Earth? Is it by choice? Is it not by choice? What's he hoping to accomplish by helping these kids out? It's something that's going to push Karnak in ways that will be new for him and interesting.
CHARLES BEACHAM: Without giving away too much, and adding to what Wil said: Karnak is going to be who Karnak is. We're going to, as we do in Marvel comics, he's going to grow but he's still going to have that same personality, that same grit that he's always had. So one of the fun things about this book that we're going to see is: how does that relationship with the beginner characters build, and what is it that made them have to go to him or him come to them, and how are they going to work together and grow together throughout the story? It's definitely going to really be a fun dynamic, I can promise you that.
For people are just getting into the Inhumans, or who've only read a little bit of it, how will Prime serve up the characters? Also, what sets these new story arcs apart from what we've seen in the past?
CHARLES BEACHAM: Prime is going to be this great kick-off that's going to provide a little taste of what all three are going to be like. That's something that all three have going for them. They're each kind of distinct from the other one and they're not really like any book you've seen before. The Royals book is going to feature a lot of the characters you know but in a situation and a setting that's totally different. It's like Mad Max in space, to a degree. We've got this Black Bolt book that's, I don't even know, to call it just a prison book is underselling it. It's something that's almost a new genre we're creating right there. The Secret Warriors book is just going to be a really excellent superhero team book. It's going to be in the mold of Claremont and Byrne on X-Men, Perez and Wolfman's Teen Titans. It's something that's going to be swinging for the fences in terms of being a really great, fun, adventurous team book.
Next spring's Inhumans Prime will have a lot to offer fans of all ages and Terrigen-exposure levels. Even casual viewers and readers should find someone relatable within it, whether it's a familiar face like Black Bolt or Ms. Marvel, or just an exciting tale explores the nature of the Inhumans (and why they leave Earth), how their king winds up in space jail, and why the Secret Warriors reform. Each title explores a different facet of the extended Inhuman family, and Prime sets events in motion, which could change the nature of being Inhuman.
Of course, part of the intrigue will be watching each distinct series expand and connect back up again. In addition, finding out which non-Inhumans characters will join the fray, as well as where their adventures will take them and what it all means to the evolving shape of the Marvel Universe is the truly exciting part of Prime. Check out our full interview, as well as several exclusives which go into greater detail about the rise of the "Inhuman-verse" this spring, and what's in store for the Inhumans.
Next: Exclusive: Where the Inhumans Fit Into Marvel’s Future
Inhumans Prime arrives as part Marvel's ResurreXion in spring of 2017.
Black Bolt designs by Christian Ward.
Source: Marvel