The Age of Apocalypse took X-Men fans by storm in the mid-'90s. The line-wide event that presented a wildly different world for the X-Men thanks to the inadvertent death of Charles Xavier almost instantly became one of the most iconic eras in X-Men history. Now, with the Krakoan era in full swing, readers are being invited back to the Age of Apocalypse courtesy of Jordan Blum in the pages of X-Men Unlimited.

The catalyst for the Age of Apocalypse comes from a lack of Professor X, so what happens when the X-Men's leader is transported to that world? Perhaps more importantly, what does it mean for a man to have achieved his ultimate dream? These are some of the questions Blum is interested in exploring with this arc in X-Men Unlimited. CBR had the opportunity to chat with Blum about the ongoing story and the prospect of jumping back into the Age of Apocalypse.

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X-Men Unlimited #62 Xavier

CBR: X-Men Unlimited is an exciting format that's different from a standard comic. What's the process like writing a vertical scrolling story?

Jordan Blum: You have to replace a lot of the dramatic storytelling tools like page turns or splash pages with new ones. Information is now revealed top to bottom, balloons are often read first before revealing the art, etc. I was lucky enough to cut my teeth on the Spider-Bots Infinity Comics, so applying that to X-Men was easy. Always write towards the strengths of the medium, and in doing so, the format opens up all these new ways for the artist to expand upon sequential art.

The Age of Apocalypse is one of the most iconic eras for the X-Men. Have you always wanted to write something in that setting?

I remember being 10 or 11 and reading about all the X-Books being canceled in Wizard Magazine. Back then, we weren't as marketing savvy, and I was devastated. Then I remember them releasing this little ashcan that teased the future of the X-Men, eventually revealing the cover to X-Men: Alpha with all the new redesigns. I was immediately all in on the entire Age of Apocalypse crossover.

It was so fun to see your favorite heroes and villains reimagined in this hopeless alternate reality... because, let's be honest, the X-Men function best in hopeless situations. Friends were enemies, villains were heroes -- everything you knew was suddenly different, and fans of X-Men continuity were immensely rewarded. I remember the story being so tight -- the art was done by all the heavy hitters at the time and the stakes felt so dire. I couldn't miss an issue, and of course, I had to have all the toys! To this day, it's one of the most beloved Marvel crossovers. I've even referenced it in TV writers' rooms -- it's a storytelling standard!

This arc finds an organic way to transition from the current status quo on Krakoa to the Age of Apocalypse. What was it like finding that bridge between eras?

A lot has happened in X-Men comics since the original AoA crossover in 1995. I wanted to see how a lot of those new stories and characters would be reflected in this mirrored universe. Obviously, Krakoa has been the biggest thing to happen to the X-Men in years, so I wanted to pull a lot from that. I'm hoping this story will be like a good concert. We'll play some of the AoA's greatest hits but also introduce you to a lot of new "songs" you'll hopefully love.

Age of Apocalypse is notable for its lack of Charles Xavier, yet you've made him the center of this arc. What is the inspiration behind that?

To me, Krakoa is about Xavier adjusting his dream and creating a mutant utopia. On the other hand, Age of Apocalypse is the ultimate mutant dystopia. They weirdly complement each other, especially regarding Xavier. It was our editor Jordan White's idea to do an It's A Wonderful Life with Charles in the Age of Apocalypse, and it's brilliant. Charles is the most important character we've never seen in the AoA because his accidental death created it. That world is a perfect nightmare for Krakoa's founder and his slightly large ego. We've also only recently seen Xavier as the big behind-the-scenes founder of Krakoa. We haven't really had the chance to check in with him and explore his humanity. What makes Xavier tick? Especially after he seemingly accomplished all his goals.

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X-Men Unlimited #62 Cyclops

Krakoa is now a beautiful inverse to the grim future for mutantkind that Age of Apocalypse presented. How much does that drive the narrative here?

Charles has been seemingly living the good life on Krakoa. He's the leader of a united mutantkind. His days are spent making huge decisions and running a nation. It was fun to take all that away, to strip him down and drop him into a place where his powers (both literal and figurative) are diminished. He has to roll up his sleeves and get his hands dirty in a way we haven't seen in quite some time.

The first issue of this arc opens with Charles Xavier frustrated and lonely in his day-to-day life on Krakoa. Could you talk a bit about that?

To do a proper It's A Wonderful Life Christmas story, you need your main character in a low place, questioning their worth and existence. On paper, Charles is riding high. He accomplished the impossible and built this haven for mutants, uniting them. His dreams have finally been realized, but you hear all the time of lottery winners experiencing depression or winner's remorse. Charles has always been a leader and a teacher. He's always been needed. I thought it might be interesting to explore what would happen if he wasn't. He led mutants to the promised land. Mutant culture and society are growing, moving on without him. He should be proud, but he feels useless. On top of that, he's haunted by loneliness. He, Moira, and Magneto founded Krakoa, but Charles is the only one left standing. Moira defected, and Magneto is dead. His friends are gone. This personal crisis was what we needed to properly explore a world without him and, hopefully, who he'll be if he survives this journey.

Age of Apocalypse being an alternate timeline setting opens up a lot of doors creatively. What about that is most exciting to you?

I don't want to spoil too much, but it gives you the chance to explore the nature vs. nurture of these characters. Some remain who they are at their core, while others change dramatically due to the circumstances of this universe. It's the perfect backdrop to investigate who Charles Xavier is today after all these years of stories. What makes him tick, what challenges him, what scares him, [and] who is he when he's in the most dire of situations? Xavier is a character I've always loved. He's noble but flawed. He's not simply the beloved "grandpa" of the X-Men. He's a guy who has done a ton of questionable things and hurt a lot of people in the process. The Age of Apocalypse allows him to confront these "ghosts" that continue to haunt him and try to make peace with the tough decisions he's made along the way.

Do you have anything else you'd like to say to the X-Fans reading this?

Sometimes Xavier falls to the background, so I hope this story reminds people about his complexities and the potential of new stories to explore with him as a character. I also hope we honor the original AoA and people get the same feeling I got flipping through that X-Men: Alpha in 1995. Oh, and to all the Rusty Collins fans, all two of you, you're welcome.

X-Men Unlimited #62 and #63 are available now on Marvel Unlimited.