For anyone trying to break into reading comic books, the long history of the medium may seem rather daunting. The X-MEN, for example, have existed since 1963. Their stories shaped the Marvel universe. While the new stories are fantastic, many people might not want to dig through over 8,000 pages of early work. Luckily, Marvel announced X-MEN GRAND DESIGN, a three-part series that retells these timeless stories for a new generation.

Putting the “Grand Design” in X-MEN GRAND DESIGN

X-MEN GRAND DESIGN is a distilled version of the most important moments of X-Men lore. Ed Piskor, the writer, artist, and letterer for this upcoming series, received an Eisner Award for his HIP HOP FAMILY TREE graphic novels. Ed Piskor hopes to breathe new life into this long-standing franchise. In regards to this book, Ed Piskor stated, “X-MEN: GRAND DESIGN is a tribute to everything comic book fans love about the X-Men.”

Ed Piskor’s retelling of the X-Men’s story will consist of six 40-page issues, split into three miniseries. X-MEN GRAND DESIGN, X-MEN GRAND DESIGN-SECOND GENESIS, and X-MEN GRAND DESIGN-X-TINCTION will focus on the team through its birth and biggest struggles. Fans will have a long wait to digest these issues. Marvel plans on releasing these issues over the next three years, starting on December 9 of this year.

The X-MEN have a long history in comic books, one that is both culturally relevant and highly entertaining. Ed Piskor’s style perfectly reflects the style seen in early X-Men runs, and he certainly has a deep respect and passion for the team. More importantly, this retelling may just be the perfect jumping on point for hesitant readers. With MARVEL LEGACY soon to release, it is no surprise that the company is seeking to rediscover its roots.