Marvel Chronology Project

Preview for X:FC2 16 is up @ http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page ... disp=table, and the recap page confirms that it's the last issue of the ongoing, but there's the previously-announced Giant Size X-Men: First Class next month, and (according to the recap page) a miniseries due to start in February.

Once GSX:FC is out the way, probably a good time to take stock of everything to date then, between X:FC, X:FCS, X:FC2 and GSX:FC, and see how it all shakes out...

Somebody wrote:

Once GSX:FC is out the way, probably a good time to take stock of everything to date then, between X:FC, X:FCS, X:FC2 and GSX:FC, and see how it all shakes out...

Agreed.

Paul Bourcier wrote:Somebody wrote:

Once GSX:FC is out the way, probably a good time to take stock of everything to date then, between X:FC, X:FCS, X:FC2 and GSX:FC, and see how it all shakes out...

Agreed.

Please yes let's do so.

X:FC2 16 is sometime post-FF@ 3 because Torch calls Reed his brother-in-law which means after UX 18 for Iceman. Since Zelda doesn't react like she's been caught cheating when Bobby catches her with Johnny, it's probably before their date in UX 19.

Other characters who appear besides the X-Men, FF and Spider-Man: Beetle, Scorpion and Gwen Stacy. Not sure where it would fit for them or the FF.

Any problem with Iceman revealing his identity to the Torch in X:FC2 16?

Not that I can think of. Off the top of my head, I can't think of any time Torch called Iceman Bobby since so, like Johnny says here: "Yea... that doesn't really mean anything to me. No offense." Probably a "What's your name again...?" situation.

metaldragon, if you're thinking of placing X:FC2 16 between UX 18 and 19, you may want to place it after X:FC2 1, which you also have between UX 18 and 19. In X:FC2 1, Xavier notes that it's been a while since the X-Men have met the FF. Bobby's team-up with Johnny may make more sense after Jean's team-up with Sue.

Paul Bourcier wrote:metaldragon, if you're thinking of placing X:FC2 16 between UX 18 and 19, you may want to place it after X:FC2 1, which you also have between UX 18 and 19. In X:FC2 1, Xavier notes that it's been a while since the X-Men have met the FF. Bobby's team-up with Johnny may make more sense after Jean's team-up with Sue.

That sounds alright for me. I guess that helps the FF placement too then. How about the Spidey characters?

Just some links for reference:

X-Men: First Class - Archive 78
X-Men: First Class canon? (locked, last post June 2007)
X-Men: First Class Special 1 (locked, last post June 2007)
Placement of X-Men: First Class (locked, last post Sep 2007)
X-Men: First Class v2 #4 (last post Oct 2007)
X-Men: First Class v2 #5 (last post Mar 2008)
X-Men: First Class v2 #6-8/9 & 11 (last post May 2008)
X-Men: First Class v2 #10 (last post Apr 2008)
X-Men: First Class v2 #12-15 (last post Aug 2008)

And finally (for now), the preview for GSX:FC - http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page ... disp=table

It all appears to be linked by the first-page framing sequence, so all bar the reprint get bunched together.

Okay, first to get it out the way, the cover and indicia titles for this don't agree. The cover says "Giant-Sized X-Men First Class #1", the indicia "X-Men: First Class Giant-Size Special No. 1". I'll continue referring to GSX:FC 1 for simplicity.

Second, GSX:FC 1/4 (written and drawn by Roger Langridge, and counting the framing sequence as story 1) is clearly non-canon. It's a black and white "L'il Charlie Xavier" story, where he's bald and powered as a kid. And kills people.

Third, as for the rest of the issue, as I said it's all bundled together, and takes place after X:FC2 15 (footnoted as such, as Cyclops and Beast use the Wizard's flying saucer, left behind in that issue). Also, it takes place at the end of a semester, as all but Beast are meant to be getting ready for exams (Beast being the star student who gets a bye).

Fourth, the miniseries starting in February appears to be four issues long [the ad shows a long piece of art that splits obviously into four sections to foreground (#1) Beast & Angel, (#2) Jean, (#3) Cyclops and (#4) Iceman. The background works in Xavier and pretty much every significant guest star in the whole series, ranging from Dr Strange to Nick Fury, via the Sentinels, Dragon Man, Wanda and Gorilla Man. Plus Magneto. It looks great]. The title? X-Men: First Class - Finals.

Fifth, the last page of actual story reveals that the "Agent Baker" who met with Xavier & Beast on the first page is a Skrull sleeper, and some Skrulls on a - presumably cloaked - ship above muse that "The actual takeover is many years away, but the Secret Invasion of Earth has begin."

Does this mean that all of Agent Baker's appearances are after New Avengers: Illuminati vol. 2 1 (which is after Avengers vol. 1 97)? Or is "Secret Invasion" just a coincidental turn of phrase by the Skrulls. The less we have to worry about Bendis chronology in all this the better.

His only other appearance is in X:FC2 13.

Elsewhere, there's short interview with Jeff Parker here - http://talkingwithtim.com/wordpress/200 ... rst-class/

There's not much detail, but it confirms that he's still very much writing it as in-continuity (he says he's "always a bit hemmed in by what came later").

Checking - someone, in the comments to Paul O'Brien's blog, said that the Handbook HC updates have been fully referencing X:FC and W:FC in the entries for the relevant characters. Has anyone *got* the HCs to check?

Urf.

-Jeph!