Liu Leads "X-23" to Self Discovery

Sorry for the recent lack of updates, I've been very busy with my personal stuff, but the amazing interview with miss Liu is worth giving real life a break) It's so awesome that I've decided not to quote anything for you, you really should read everything, so here's the link with the answers of Marjorie and a nice preview of the upcoming issue!

Marvel Solicitations February 2011

X-23 #6
Written by MARJORIE LIU
Penciled by WILL CONRAD
Cover by KALMAN ANDRASOFSZKY
Is Miss Sinister the most dangerous enemy X-23 has ever encountered or the closest thing to a friend she has right now? X-23 is about to find out, as just when things couldn't get worse, they do.
32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$2.99

DAKEN: DARK WOLVERINE #6
Written by MARJORIE LIU & DANIEL WAY
Pencils & Cover by GIUSEPPE CAMUNCOLI
Daken's plans to undermine the criminal underworld of Madipoor are falling into place!  But will the most dangerous men and women in the world simply topple where they stand -- or will Daken find the tables turned...and his neck in a noose?
32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$2.99

 



X-MEN LEGACY #245
Written by MIKE CAREY
Penciled by CLAY MANN
Cover by LEINIL YU
Fantastic Four Anniversary Variant by PAOLO RIVERA
“AGE OF X” PART ONE!
In a world where the X-Men never existed and mutantkind has been hunted to extinction, the few remaining mutants band together to make their last stand. Who are they? And just how far will they go to survive? The AGE OF X starts here!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99

Marvel VS. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds by Alvin Lee

Hellion takes part in Age of X!

Behold the new Marvel teaser of an upcoming event!

AGE OF X: ALPHA #1 (NOV100514)
AGE OF X: ALPHA #1 COIPEL VARIANT (NOV100515)
Written by MIKE CAREY
Pencils by PAUL DAVIDSON & MORE
Cover by CHRIS BACHALO
Variant Cover by OLIVIER COIPEL
Rated A …$3.99
FOC – 1/3/11, On-Sale – 1/26/11

Marvel Solicitations January 2011

AGE OF X: ALPHA #1
Written by MIKE CAREY
Pencils by TBD
Cover by CHRIS BACHALO
Variant Cover by OLIVIER COIPEL
Mutantkind’s final war starts here.
If you don’t know which side you’re on, check your DNA.
32 PGS./Rated A …$3.99

 
X-23 #5
Written by MARJORIE LIU
Penciled by WILL CONRAD
Cover by KALMAN ANDRASOFSZKY
X-23’s search for her soul continues! What does Mr. Sinister have to do with Laura’s past…and how is MISS SINISTER trying to influence her future? Caught between a dead man and a dangerous woman, Laura must decide what she’s willing to sacrifice for answers. GUEST-STARRING GAMBIT!
32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$2.99

DAKEN: DARK WOLVERINE #5
Written by MARJORIE LIU
Pencils & Cover by GIUSEPPE CAMUNCOLI
AN ALL-NEW STORYLINE STARTS HERE! Daken is going to prove to the world he’s the best there is at what he does, one country at a time…and he’s starting with MADRIPOOR!
32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$2.99


WOLVERINE #5
Written by JASON AARON
Penciled by RENATO GUEDES
Cover by JAE LEE
There's a riot going on down below! As hell explodes around him, Logan confronts the last person in the world he ever thought he'd have to face again. Plus Sabretooth! And Ghost Riders! And demonic action galore! Don't miss this shocking finale to the sold-out saga of "Wolverine Goes to Hell."
40 PGS./Parental Advisory …$3.99

UNCANNY X-FORCE #4
Written by RICK REMENDER
Penciled by JEROME OPEÑA
Cover by ESAD RIBIC
“THE APOCALYPSE SOLUTION,” PART FOUR
It all comes down to this! To stop him from bending all reality to his will X-Force must kill Apocalypse. But at a terrible cost. The final set piece: lovers positioned against each other, old friendships irreparably shattered, and the future of the Marvel Universe forever twisted. The story X-fans will be discussing for years to come, the conclusion that will change one character evermore!
32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$3.99

X-Force X-23 Fine Art Statue

Thanks to threeclawseach for this info! 

The deadly mutant is mission-ready, scouting out her target before a precision strike. Standing ever alert, X-23 wears her current X-Force uniform complete with skin-tight suit (that leaves her midriff bare), belt, bracelet and intricately-laced boots. Laura's trademark weapons, her claws, are unsheathed; two stand out from each hand while a solitary spur extends from her left foot. The ultra smooth adamantium blades stand out in stark contrast to the intricate sculpting and texture of her body, complete with musculature and clothing effects. The expert tracker comes with two heads so you can display her as you prefer: wearing her mask and a teeth-baring grin or sans mask and a more serene look on her face!Sculpted by Erick Sosa, X-23 stands approximately 11 inches tall (1/6 scale) perched atop a New York City building rooftop. Catch her now, because she is just the first in a new X-Force series bringing your favorite mutants to life!
$159.99
Available May, 2011

Interview with Nich Lowe

Enjoy some outtakes from an interview with Nick Lowe that I found interesting! There is also a most beautiful cover of "X-23 #5" featuring Gambit who Laura already appeared killing vampires with in the "X-Men #3"! And the lamest, most idiotic explanation of why Elixir is not on the team and can't heal Hellion's hands and Karma's foot that appear to be the proof that Second Coming was badass. Lame. WTF??

"Uncanny X-Force" was amazing – easily the best X-book right now! Rick Remender mentioned that his X-Force team was already chosen when he was attached to the book. So why did you pick these characters? I'm especially interested in why Psylocke was chosen, but it's always a pleasure to read a good-written Betsy.
That's an easy question. Axel loves Psylocke – plain and simple. He just loves her. So that's pretty much why she's there. As for the rest, we knew that Warpath, X-23 and Wolfsbane weren't going to be signing up for such a team again, and we wanted to formulate a cast that would get people talking. Seems like it worked.

Elixir's powers make him an important character who could potentially help human/mutant relations. Which X-book will be getting him and will his knowledge about Hope obtained in "Messiah War" ever be acknowledged?
Right now, Elixir is on the lam. You won't be seeing him particularly soon, but I imagine that he is on a quest to eat at every McDonalds in the world and then heal himself from the damage that such a quest would cause. It's similar to the quest that I'm on, only without the healing powers.

Age of X Teaser

 

What we see here is a cover of a comic book named "Age of X: Alpha". Little is known about an event called Age of X that is coming in January. Most of the characters are already pretty easy to place, the only problem for me is the woman in the front who looks like Rogue from "X-Men Evolution" to me and the person in the background who OBVIOUSLY is not Jean Grey but is placed like that so we would think it's her. Again. Plus, if a woman on the right is Emma Frost, right?

CBR TV @ NYCC: Marjorie Liu

Writer Marjorie Liu visited the CBR TV Tiki Lounge to discuss crossover between her novel and comic book fans, her collaborations with writer Daniel Way, the introduction of Gambit to "X-23," writing a college paper on the X-Men and more.

X-Men #4 Advance Preview

X-MEN #4
Written by VICTOR GISCHLER
Penciled by PACO MEDINA
Cover by ADI GRANOV
Variant Cover by PACO MEDINA
Vampire Variant by MIKE MAYHEW
Marvel is pleased to present your first look at X-Men #4, the next issue in the hottest new series of the year from the acclaimed creative team of Victor Gischler and Paco Medina! In San Francisco, a legion of undead warriors lies in wait for the order of their leader, Xarus, to attack Utopia. It is under the threat of impending annihilation that the X-Men turn to their unlikeliest ally, the recently resurrected Dracula. But one of their number, the powerful mutant Wolverine, has been claimed by a vampire bite and may prove to be Xarus’ ace in the hole. Can the X-Men survive the Curse Of The Mutants? Find out in X-Men #4! Rated T+ …$3.99
On-Sale – 10/13/10

Marvel Solicitations December 2010

X-23 #4
Written by MARJORIE LIU
Penciled by WILL CONRAD
Cover by LEINIL FRANCIS YU
Variant Cover by MARKO DJURDJEVIC
The open road can be a dangerous place for a teenage girl...unless you're X-23.  Leaving the X-Men is no heartbreak, not when the answers X-23 seeks about herself are out in the world.  But her questions will lead her down a path more dangerous than any she's ever encountered, one that ties directly into the past of another orphan: Remy Le Beau, aka GAMBIT.
32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$2.99 
Wait... Earrings??


HEROIC AGE: X-MEN #1
Written by VARIOUS
Cover by JAE LEE
As mutantkind begins to pull back from the brink of extinction, Steve Rogers joins the fight! Appraising the state of mutants today, Steve assesses the X-Men, X-Factor, the New Mutants, the Five Lights and more from the mutant community! This 64-page Heroic Age files book also includes considerations for the humans who have sympathized with the mutant condition and takes aim at the worst of anti-mutant bigotry! See the world of mutants from Steve Rogers' vantage point, featuring everyone from Apocalypse to X-23!
64 PGS./Handbook/Rated T+ …$3.99 

Interview with Marjorie Liu

I'm very sorry for the recent lack of news - I visited Croatia with my friends to spend the rest of the holidays on the sea. =) Now I'm back, so here's a new interview with Ms. Liu about Laura and also an amazing preview of the issue #1!

How much story time passes between the end of the recent "Second Coming" event, where Wolverine told her that she would no longer be part of X-Force, and "X-23" #1? Where is Laura physically and emotionally when the series begins?
Not a huge amount of time at all. She's messed up, honestly. She doesn't know where her place is anymore. While she was part of X-Force, her life was defined by "the mission." There was a job to do, and she did it. She was a good soldier.
But - what people love in war, they fear in peace. Or if they don't fear it, they don't understand it. And that's Laura's situation. She was great to have around when times were bad, but now that the world is settling down, well, what do you do with her? How do you treat her? Do you pat her on the back and say, "Okay, go be a kid now?" That's ridiculous. Except, that is what some of the X-Men try to do. Others who have had traumatic childhoods know better. She's not just a kid. She'll never be just a kid. She's a child soldier. That's a very unique psychology.
Of course, one can argue that all the kids on Utopia are child soldiers - but not like her. It's like comparing the students of an upscale military academy to the children of Sierra Leone who are forced into armies and then subjected to fear, brutality, and psychological manipulation to achieve absolute obedience. Those kids are dehumanized. The entire world is dehumanized, for them.
And now Laura is out of that army. How do you recover from that? How do you recover, when even your friends are afraid of you?

In terms of plot and theme, what is the opening arc of "X-23" about? I understand there's some connection to the current story arc in Jason Aaron and Renato Guedes' recently launched "Wolverine" series, which has the title character's soul trapped in hell while sinister forces inhabit his body, but I assume there's more to "X-23" than simply tying in with that.
It's about Laura coming to terms with this new life she's got. She doesn't see it as a second chance, because that implies that the first part of her life was a failure, and she doesn't feel that way. It was just life, and now she had to figure out a different way to live. She needs to learn who she is outside of the army, away from all these adults who used her. But - to tie in with the Hellverine arc - we've got the Devil tempting her back into that old life of death and war, which does hold a certain comforting appeal. Laura needs to make a choice. Does she go back to what she knows - or does she have the courage to go forward into the unknown?

Who are some of the major supporting players readers will see throughout the opening arc of "X-23?"
Laura's relationship with Hellion will be explored, but she also finds a caring figure in Storm - and in one other well-known X-Man who will play a very important role in her life (and in the second story arc, which starts with issue #4).

How important is setting to the overall opening story? Where does the opening story take place?
It takes place on Utopia and in the personal hell of Laura's mind, which will feel like another world entirely.

You mentioned in past interviews that much of this series is going to be Laura, on her own, exploring the world. Are there any locales you're dying to take her to? Say, some of Wolverine's favorite stomping grounds like Madripoor or the Savage Land?
I would love to take her to Madripoor. You'll definitely see her in China (I have this vision of her tromping all over the Great Wall, which I can't seem to shake), and she'll be heading back to New York City. Really, she can go anywhere she wants. And she will.


It seems like Daken and Laura have a lot in common and a lot of issues with each other. They met once before in the Utopia crossover. With you writing "X-23" and co-writing "Daken: Dark Wolverine," is there any chance we could see them run in to each other again in the near future?
Yes. Absolutely, yes. Readers have been clamoring to see Daken and X-23 go head-to-head, and we gave a taste of that in the recently released "Wolverine: Road to Hell." We wanted to hint at what the crossover will be about - but even that doesn't give a real sense of the rich, intense storyline that we're planning. These two have very different views of the world, but at the same time, they are very much of the man they're made from: Wolverine. Working with and against each other may bring out parts of their personalities that they don't expect.

---

But will X-23 truly be "on her own?" That's what Katja S. (that would be me)) was wondering, at lea.
Marjorie, you've said in the past that you didn't want Laura's story to solely focus on her romantic relationship with Hellion. Being a huge fan of these two characters, I was curious how you plan on dealing with this, or if you plan on mentioning this relationship at all?
Liu: Oh, yes. The first arc deals, in part, with Laura's relationship with Hellion. I've stated in the past that I'm not interested in exploring her role as a girlfriend - and that's still the case - but their ties to one another will be examined within these first three issues. After that, they part ways - at least for a little while. It won't be forced, I promise you. It should feel like a very natural result of what happens in issue #3.

Will either Daken or X-23 be doing any dating in their upcoming series?
Liu: Daken always has it going on with the ladies (and men), but I don't know if that counts as dating; although, he's going to come very close in issue #2. As for X-23, she'll be forming some deep and lasting bonds - but again, I don't think that's the same thing as going out on a date.
2) When Wolverine goes to hell, will it affect Daken and X-23 on an emotional level? Will they know about it (and will they care)?
Liu: Yes, to X-23. It's going to affect her in more ways than one.
3) In X-23 and Daken's new series, can we expect the two to go up against villains we've seen before? Or are you creating brand new baddies for these books?

Liu: You'll see Laura going up against an established female villain in her second arc (hint: it's not Kimura). I don't plan on creating any new characters, to be honest. I think the Marvel universe already has tons of great villains without adding another one to the mix.

4) Laura has never really had any formal education. How does this impact her in her life? Do you think she'd even be capable of sitting through any kind of class? And how old is she - would she be in high school or college?
Liu: That's a good question. Laura is a highly intelligent young woman with a wealth of life experience that very few could ever hope to match. That, in itself, has been an incredible education. Is she book smart? Well, she could be. She was raised in a lab, after all - meant to be a weapon - and as such, one would assume that she was taught strategy, languages, history and culture - all the things a good living weapon would need to know in order to assess a situation, adapt, blend in, etc.
I never felt that X-23 was meant to be a blunt force object. On the other hand, I don't see her ever sitting down in a formal high school setting. That doesn't mean, however, that she won't try to educate herself. The two are very different things - and an interesting side of her to explore.

New X-23 Statue is being made as we speak

Oh my! This is absolutely stunning! Thanks to the user let's do this for this amazing news. It made my day and I hope it will also make you, readers, a little happier)

Unlimited Highlights: X-23

Read and enjoy the story of X-23 from the very beginning!

Advance X-Men Solicitations November 2010

DAKEN: DARK WOLVERINE #3
Written by MARJORIE LIU & DANIEL WAY
Pencils and Cover by GIUSEPPE CAMUNCOLI
EMPIRE: ACT I, Part 3 (of 3) Daken has shown in the past that he's willing to do absolutely anything to accomplish his goals, but DYING? That seems a bit extreme. However, impossible as it may seem, there are things in life that you can only accomplish after death. Just ask Wolverine.
32 pages, $2.99
 

  X-23 #3
Written by MARJORIE LIU
Penciled by WILL CONRAD Cover by DANNI SHINYA LUO
Cast adrift, and hunted by those she once considered friends, X-23 is forced to confront the Devil himself to save her soul. If she even has a soul...
32 pages, $2.99


  




X-MEN: TO SERVE AND PROTECT #1
Written by CHRIS YOST, JOSHUA HALE FIALKOV, & MORE
Penciled by VARIOUS
Cover by NICK BRADSHAW
We're knee-deep in the Heroic Age and the X-Men are smack-dab in the center of the Marvel Universe! Yost returns to the X-Books to tell a story that pits two fan-favorite X-Men up against a major Spider-Man villain in a four-part story that will run through each issue of this multi-story extravaganza! Who are these X-Men and why are they wearing disguises? Also in this issue, Fantomex and Batroc fight over a stolen diamond, and more!
40 pages, $3.99

Interview with Marjorie Liu

Enjoy a nice interview with the best-selling writer of the ongoing series we all are waiting for.


Marjorie, let's start off by talking about X-23. You've written the character before, but how will you be approaching her in the new ongoing series?

Marjorie Liu: Who is X-23? That's the core question, and my plan is to treat this series as the journey of a damaged but hopeful girl who has done some terrible things in her life-and been abused in horrible ways - but who is determined not to let that define her. 

X-23 a very interesting character in that regard. At first, she cut herself off from emotions, but now she's experiencing them more and more. What about her do you think appeals to the fans?

Marjorie Liu: I can't speak to what appeals to most fans, but as I'm a fan, I'll explain what I love about her. X-23 has been through hell. She was created for one purpose, and she is fantastic at it. She is a born killer. But despite the fact that she was raised in a lab and taught nothing about compassion or mercy, she nonetheless possesses those qualities. She's not cruel. She has the heart of a good person. More importantly, she wants to be a good person. And it's that desire, that hunger to defy fate and be more than what she was supposed to be that makes her such a wonderful character. She never gives up. She never backs down. 

What can you say about your plans for the series as a whole? Will the title be featuring appearances by the other X-Men?

Marjorie Liu: As I said earlier, this is a journey of self-discovery; a chance for X-23 to be on her own. She's young, she thinks she knows a lot, and sometimes she does. But she knows more about the world than she does about herself.You'll be seeing some X-Men. I won't tease who, quite yet, but I'll say that they're favorites of mine - real, hardcore favorites - so that's a clue right there if you're familiar with me. The villains will be awful, really horrible and will definitely leave X-23 feeling outmatched. She faces off with the Devil in the first arc, and in the second, the villain is a woman. Not Kimura. Someone worse. 

In regards to the X-Men, you mentioned there are characters you really like and really want to write. Do you plan on having them as a sort of supporting cast in the book?

Marjorie Liu: I can think of two X-Men in particular who will be part of her supporting cast, and several who will put in brief appearances. Do I love writing them? You bet. And both are characters who have never interacted much with X-23, but who share a great deal in common with her - on an emotional level, that is. I'm keeping their identities under wrap at the moment, simply because I'm still hammering out their roles in her ongoing story.

 In previous stories featuring the character, it was sort of established that she has romantic feelings for Julian Keller, aka Hellion, who was injured in Second Coming. Is this something you'll be addressing in your series?

Marjorie Liu: You know I'm not really interested in exploring X-23's role as a girlfriend. Julian will be part of the book, in a limited way, but X-23 is on a journey that will be taking her away from almost everyone she knows. She needs to come to terms with her own identity before she can really give herself over to a healthy relationship, which sounds like a cliché, I know, but seriously, it's so true.
What does artist Will Conrad bring to the table for this title? What about his art style do you like?

Marjorie Liu: I love everything about his style. There's a visceral quality that is rich and hard, and full of careful detail that brings each panel to life. He's got great movement in his pencils, and man, his work in this first issue has been stunning. Absolutely chilling. John Rauch is on colors, and that's just badass.

As a last question, we've got an X-23 series, Daken and also Wolverine-how long until the Crazy Clawed Crossover?

Marjorie Liu: Well, I can promise blood, that's for sure. And there will be a Daken/X-23 crossover. It's already in the works.

X-Force: Sex and Violence #2 Preview

COVER BY: Gabriele Dell'Otto
WRITER: Craig Kyle & Christopher Yost
PENCILS: Gabriele Dell'Otto
LETTERED BY: Neurotic Cartoonist, Inc
THE STORY:
WARNING: This issue lives up to the title. Not for the squeamish or easily embarrassed, wink wink. Wolverine finds out why the Assassins Guild is after Domino, and it's a funny story. Well, Domino thinks it is. But Logan is grumpy and doesn't see the humor in it, probably due to the fact that Dom's actions have put a half dozen of the worlds deadliest assassins on their trail. And then things get complicated. Ahhh, romance. Parental Advisory
PRICE: 3.99
IN STORES: August 11, 2010

X-Solicitations October 2010

X-23 #2
Written by MARJORIE LIU
Penciled by WILL CONRAD
Cover by DANNI SHINYA LUO
Vampire Variant by MIKE MAYHEW
X-23 has never been a normal teenager, but with a demonic Wolverine on the loose, her dreams of becoming that normal teen seem less possible than ever.  When the images this imposter Wolverine has been filling her head with become real, who can she turn to? And where is the real Wolverine in all of this? Find out as the series you’ve been waiting for continues!

Marco Djurdjevic's X-Men poster + Yost/Kyle Interview

Marco Djurdjevic's X-Men poster released at San Diego Comic-Con 2010 is a thing of absolute beauty which will be divided in separated parts over several X-Books. It's very cool that Laura is one of the biggest characters on the whole picture! And she's still wearing her X-Force uniform. An interview with Kyle Yost and Craig Kyle is also included.

 

The Interview

X-23 #1 Advanced Preview

 

X-23 #1 (JUL100635)
X-23 #1 DJURDJEVIC VARIANT (JUL100636)
X-23 #1 DELL’OTTO VARIANT (JUL100637)
X-23 #1 WOMEN OF MARVEL VARIANT (JUL100509)
Written by MARJORIE LIU
Penciled by WILL CONRAD
Cover by DANNI SHINYA LUO
Variant Cover by MARKO DJURDJEVIC
Variant Cover by GABRIELE DELL'OTTO
Women of Marvel Variant by JELENA KEVIC-DJURDJEVIC
Parental Advisory …$3.99
FOC – 8/26/10, On-Sale – 9/15/10

X-Force: Sex and Violence #1 Preview Lettered

X-FORCE: SEX AND VIOLENCE #1 (of 3)
Written by CRAIG KYLE and CHRIS YOST
Pencils and Cover by GABRIELE DELL’OTTO
Just when you thought it was over, we pull you back in—it’s the X-Force story everyone’s been talking about, finally delivered! Wolverine and Domino have always had a special relationship, but everything goes upside down when the Assassins Guild puts out a hit on our gun wielding bombshell. Why do they want her dead? And more importantly, how many people have to die before Wolverine and Domino can spend some quality time together? Get ready for the sexiest blood-soaked ride Craig Kyle and Chris Yost have ever delivered as they join forces with international superstar Gabriele Dell'otto to offer up their final X-Force story! Parental Advisory $3.99
On Sale July 14 2010