Comic Books

X-Men Monday #318 – Ethan S. Parker and Griffin Sheridan Talk ‘Marvel Zombies: Red Band’

Plus, an eXclusive look at ‘Marvel Zombies: Red Band’ #3!

October 31, 2025

Welcome, X-Fans, to another uncanny — and especially spooky — edition of X-Men Monday at AIPT!

And Happy Halloween!

In the past, we’ve celebrated this holiday by reflecting on the time the X-Men met Frankenstein with former X-Men Senior Editor Jordan D. White and discussing the Halloween-themed Generation X #22 with writer Steve Foxe. However, this year, I almost had nothing planned — until this past weekend when I caught up on the first two issues of Marvel Zombies: Red Band, written by Ethan S. Parker and Griffin Sheridan, illustrated by Jan Bazaldua, colored by Erick Arciniega, lettered by VC’s Travis Lanham, and edited by our old pal Jordan and Assistant Editor Emerald Bensadoun.

Courtesy of Marvel Comics

It was a blast to read — and the second issue was Jean Grey-heavy! The weekend quickly shifted to one of heavy deliberation. It’s Sunday morning, and Halloween is just five days away. Do I dare ask rising — and Eisner-nominated — comic creators Ethan S. Parker and Griffin Sheridan if they’d be willing to stop by X-Men Monday on such short notice? I mean, they co-host the IDEAS DON’T BLEED podcast — alongside friend of X-Men Monday, Matthew Rosenberg — which I consider to be one of the best current comics podcasts, so it’d be an honor to have them thanks to this miraculous Jean loophole. And… Jean’s legion of passionate fans are a core X-Men Monday constituency — I must keep them fed with burning suns!

Anyway, this story’s getting too tense, even for Halloween, so I’ll cut to the ending: Ethan and Griffin made the time because they’re awesome, and now we all get to celebrate Halloween together. Let’s see what they have to say about Marvel Zombies: Red Band, Jean and her amazing friends, and what comes next.

Courtesy of Marvel Comics

AIPT: Ethan, Griffin, welcome to a special — and spooky — Halloween edition of X-Men Monday! You’re two issues into Marvel Zombies: Red Band and it’s been a gory blast so far. I think I’m enjoying it so much because — and I mean this as a compliment — it reminds me of playing with my action figures when I was younger. That feeling of taking established characters, pulling from canonical events, and then smashing them together in wild new ways. So, what’s it like getting to dump out the Marvel toy box and play across Marvel event history on only your second Marvel comic?

Griffin Sheridan: The toy box metaphor is very apt for this book. Honestly? It’s been quite the double-edged sword. On the one hand, it is quite daunting. Each issue is not only trying to synthesize a sprawling, multi-issue event into 20 pages, but also trying to make those events all work in a single coherent story… oh, and everyone is zombies.

And on the other hand, we get to play around in our own take on all the biggest moments in Marvel history. We are so incredibly stoked to be doing that.

Courtesy of Marvel Comics

Ethan S. Parker: Thanks for the kind words! Like Grif said, this is one of the most challenging projects we’ve ever faced, specifically because it’s so huge and sprawling. The more toys you get to play with, the more justice you have to try and do to each of them. But if we ever get too stressed out, we just have to step back and remind ourselves that we’re getting to write so many of our favorite characters in fiction. The Enforcers in particular, obviously.

AIPT: Obviously! Now, the X-Men — and specifically, Jean Grey — feature prominently in Marvel Zombies: Red Band #2. More than most X-characters, Jean is often dead when some of Marvel’s most iconic events are happening, so it was great to see her in your version of Secret Wars. What made you want to write Marvel Girl as the last survivor of the X-Men?

Griffin: Without getting into too many spoilers… Jean was a really easy pick because of the nature of this specific Zombies book. We’re starting in the Silver Age, and when you look at those earliest issues of X-Men, Jean is the new kid on the block. She has just found this new home for herself where she is accepted and safe. So naturally, we wanted to rip all that away ASAP.

Courtesy of Marvel Comics

Ethan: Exactly. Plus, Jean is so crucial to the overall Marvel mythos. She and Spider-Man have this gravitational pull, where they often sort of demand that the narrative of the overall Marvel Universe revolve around them in one way or another. We had to sift through so many ideas to find our story in this book, and it quickly became apparent that Peter Parker, Jean Grey, and Jessica Jones, in particular, gave us a really interesting viewpoint into these insane events.

AIPT: In “The Dark Phoenix Saga,” when Jean lifted Cyclops’ visor to see his eyes, Scott was understandably nervous that his optic blasts would blow Jean’s head off. Does the opening scene in Marvel Zombies: Red Band #2 prove that Scott really should have been more concerned about Jean blowing his head off?

Courtesy of Marvel Comics

Griffin: I feel like, as the Marvel Universe continues to grow each and every year, some people can forget how powerful Jean Grey really is. And since we are promoting a Red Band book, I find it totally appropriate to add: She is not to be fucked with.

Ethan: All these heroes are constantly having to fight with kid gloves on. The world of Marvel Zombies gives us a look at what it’s like when the gloves come off. Sorry, Scott!

Courtesy of Marvel Comics

AIPT: It’s so much fun seeing Jean, Spider-Man, Jewel, Captain America, and others interacting in the early days of their superhero careers. What considerations went into selecting the main cast of your story?

Griffin: All sorts of things went into deciding on the cast. Some were just clear picks like Jean, like Spidey. Some were necessary because of their roles in the events we are reduxing, some were because we wanted to subvert their roles in those events. And, of course, some were just because we love those characters.

Courtesy of Marvel Comics

Ethan: Right. Those were tough decisions to make. Of course, you’ve gotta find room to include your favorites (the Teen Brigade), but the priority with these Life Story-style books ends up being finding the characters who best highlight the similarities and differences between this world and the 616. Jessica Jones still being in the Jewel costume, whatever the hell is going on with Ultron… Those were the sorts of things that helped us find this universe.

AIPT: Artist Jan Bazaldua perfectly blends classic superhero artwork with bloody visuals. How has it been collaborating with Jan on this series — and how do you balance the story with the need to mix in those Red Band elements for Jan to illustrate?

Ethan: Jan is unbelievable. We’ve been fans of her work since she was paired with Brian Michael Bendis on his final Miles Morales series, so we were blown away when we found out we’d be on this wild ride together. Despite us throwing all of Marvel history at her and so many characters, she knocks it all out of the park with absolutely insane speed and efficiency. As for the blood and guts, anybody who has ever read our work before knows we’re always looking to rip a character in half or turn them into a pink mist. We’ll find any excuse. Scene’s over? Pink mist. The real challenge is remembering to leave enough characters alive so we can have drama and all that.

Courtesy of Marvel Comics

Griffin: Jan has such a distinct style, we are seriously spoiled to have her on this project with us. In a book like this, there’s really no shortage of trying to give Jan fun stuff to draw, it’s more so been about deciding what was the best fun stuff. Even with the freedom Red Band allots us, we are still trying to find a balance, like Ethan is alluding to. If it was all violence, all the time, it wouldn’t carry much weight. But when there is violence, we have Jan take it to the limit. And she does, every time.

AIPT: Based on Marvel Zombies: Red Band’s cliffhanger, I’m going to assume we’ll see Jean — or Phoenix — again. What can you tease about what comes next in this series?

Griffin: We were just talking about how powerful Jean is, but Phoenix is a whole other story. One can only imagine what sort of havoc she could bring down upon the zombies… or worse…

Ethan: You can never get too comfortable with this book. You blink, and you’re in a new era of Marvel history. So much carnage happens between the issues, time marches on. So, in terms of teases, I’ll just say, never assume you know what’s coming. This is a universe where things will just keep getting more insane and more unpredictable.

Courtesy of Marvel Comics

AIPT: I wouldn’t have it any other way! Finally, as it’s Halloween, do each of you have a go-to piece of horror media you turn to every Halloween to celebrate the holiday?

Griffin: Raimi’s Evil Dead Trilogy. One of them will make its way on every year, if not all three. The second two films in particular are an important touchstone for, not just our horror work, but everything Ethan and I write, I feel. Raimi does a tonal tightrope walk in those films that I’m constantly chasing.

Courtesy of IMDb

Ethan: He beat me to it. Raimi is crucial. The remake is also required viewing, however.

Griffin: (Seconded.)

AIPT: On that note, thank you, Ethan and Griffin, for stopping by this impromptu X-Men Monday Halloween party!

Fortunately for you, X-Fans, there are no tricks at X-Men Monday — just treats! So here’s an eXclusive, eXtra early preview of Marvel Zombies: Red Band #3 (on sale November 26, 2025), courtesy of our friends at Marvel!