(Editor’s Note: The full interview can be listened to on the AIPT Comics Podcast Episode 350.)
When Gail Simone took on Uncanny X-Men and its follow-up, Unbreakable X-Men, she wasn’t out to shock readers with death or destruction — she wanted to make them feel.
“When I was first asked to do the book,” Simone said during a recent-ish Zoom call. “One of the things that Tom Brevoort said to me is that he really wants this book to break people’s hearts. He didn’t mean piss people off or kill the character. He meant really get people emotionally involved. I was like, ‘Oh, yeah, I love to do that. I love to manipulate people’s emotions.'”
That emotional honesty defines Simone’s approach. Her Uncanny X-Men run blended nostalgia, heartbreak, and humor. It’s the same qualities that carry into Unbreakable X-Men, which Simone calls a story about “light at the end of the tunnel.”
“I didn’t want to write a book about hate,” Simone said. “I wanted it to be about hope. Together, they’re strong. Together, they’re going to see that light at the end of the tunnel.”
The Heart of the Team
Simone’s Uncanny issues reconnected fans with the essence of the mutants’ enduring metaphor, outsiders who survive and find family in one another.
“I think that in this world, we all feel like we have something in us that’s different, that doesn’t fit in,” Simone said. “The X-Men should touch that in people and give them a home while they’re reading — to feel like they are part of this community.”
That sense of connection extends to her character work. Simone doesn’t see characters as archetypes, but as people on a “spectrum.”
Simone added, “They have strengths here and weaknesses there… things that affect them differently than others. I try really hard to make the characters three-dimensional and different. Particularly with female characters, because historically there’s been a lack of this. Strength doesn’t mean the same thing every time—it can mean empathy, endurance, or creativity.”
Unbreakable X-Men #2 cover. Courtesy of Marvel.
Rogue, Gambit, and The Beauty of Belonging
Speaking of strong characters, Simone’s affection for Rogue and Gambit is impossible to miss within these latest stories.
“I really wanted to show that we could have a married couple that were happy,” Simone said. “We see a lot of stories where they break up the relationships or the marriages. I wanted it to feel authentic. I wanted there to be some heat, some humor, all of it.”
Her goal was to portray a “healthy-ish relationship, even under duress,” something she feels readers rarely get to see.
“I think that was something I really wanted to strive for,” Simone said. “Because we don’t all get to see that in our lives, so showing it matters.”
Working with series artist David Marquez has only deepened that sense of intimacy.
“He draws the sexiest Wolverine,” Simone said with a laugh. “He’s badass, but he’s super sexy. And the relationship between Rogue and Gambit is beautiful… He just makes the book so much better.”
A panel from Uncanny X-Men #1. Courtesy of Marvel.
Building The “Unbreakable”
The title Unbreakable X-Men wasn’t Simone’s invention, but she immediately saw the challenge it posed.
“Tom came up with it, but it was my job to make it make sense,” Simone said. “And that’s the whole point of the X-Men anyway. You can test them, bring them down, do whatever — but they’ll always come back together.”
That resilience defines both the story and also the larger creative process.
“When I sit down to write a book, especially a team book like this, it’s really important that I know what breaks these characters’ hearts,” Simone said. “Once I figure that out, I can write them.”
Simone’s vision for Unbreakable is intimate, focused less on grand crossover spectacle and more on small, human moments.
“I wanted to keep it close to Haven House and reflect what that meant for just this little group,” Simone said. “Focus on that more than the larger universe.”
Sexy Wolverine from Uncanny X-Men #14. Courtesy of Marvel.
“I Like The Bizarre”
Simone’s love for comics’ weird potential shines throughout her run. When she first pitched a story for Unbreakable, she admits that it “was just so bizarre compared to some of the other things.”
Simone added, “But I like comics for that — for that experimentation. We can do bizarre things, touch on current issues, but exaggerate them. That’s how you use the medium to its best benefit. I like the bizarre, and I like to surprise people.”
And she certainly does — from unexpected mutant pairings to charming details like Gambit’s feline fan club.
“It’s so cute and awesome,” Simone said with a laugh.
A Lifelong Dream Fulfilled
For Simone, X-Men isn’t just another project; it’s as near and dear as an old friend.
“When I was growing up, especially during my college years, X-Men was practically the only comic I was reading,” Simone said. “Whenever you’re asked to do something that was such a huge part of your life, it feels like an honor and also like, ‘Oh my gosh, what am I doing here?’”
But that humility doesn’t stop her from delivering with passion.
“I have to stay focused on each book as if it’s my favorite project ever while I’m working on it,” Simone said. “That’s how I put all my energy into it. I think it’s about respecting the reader — never talking down to them, never underestimating them. Especially with X-Men, that’s so important.”
What’s Next
Even with all that’s happened so far, Simone teases that Uncanny X-Men has plenty left in store.
“After Unbreakable, Dave Marquez is back on the book and we’re bringing in some characters you might not expect,” Simone said. “We’re using some very cool characters from Marvel’s history that fit right in with the horror theme of this book.”
For Simone, it all circles back to those tent-poles of hope, heart, and community — the true unbreakable core of the X-Men.
“Together they make a really strong, unbreakable thing,” Simone said. “If you need one of them to lift you up, great — they will. If you need one to lead, they will. That’s what makes them heroes.”
For even more X-Men action, check out our weekly X-Men Monday column!
You must be logged in to post a comment.