Writer Zeb Wells discusses the ins and outs of his comic that taught us to love the weirdos.
It’s a good time to be a mutant.
That means iconic X-Men like Storm now stand shoulder-to-shoulder with former mutant terrorists like Mystique.
The cover of ‘Hellions’ #18.Marvel Comics
But there are some very weird characters who have done some very terrible things.
Those 18 issues tell a perfectly contained story with defined arcs for each of its strange characters.
EW talked to Wells about how he and his artist collaborators like Stephen Segovia made it work.
Krakoa finds a place even for the haters and losers in ‘Hellions,’ by Zeb Wells and Stephen Segovia.Marvel Comics
(Warning: As this interview goes on, more spoilers are discussed.
Nanny and Orphan-Maker are a great example.
They’ve always stuck out in my mind, because Orphan-Maker looks so cool.
Krakoa finds a place even for the haters and losers in ‘Hellions,’ by Zeb Wells and Carmen Carnero.Marvel Comics
So you’re like, ‘Oh, this is a badass character…
Wait, he’s a 9-year-old?
And he hangs out with this weird egg?
Kwannon makes her entrance in ‘Hellions’ #1, by Zeb Wells and Stephen Segovia.Stephen Segovia for Marvel Comics
“He’s always had a cool look to me,” Wells says of Greycrow.
“He looks dangerous and scary, and he’s done terrible things.
But now he has been offered this opportunity to move forward.
Mr. Sinister’s leadership style as seen in ‘Hellions,’ by Zeb Wells and Stephen Segovia.Stephen Segovia for Marvel Comics
So how do you move forward when you’ve done something terrible and you know it?”
Another of the Hellions doesn’t really seem to care about the terrible things they’ve done to others.
“He’s the most challenging one.
The Locus Vile arrive in ‘Hellions’ #6, by Zeb Wells and Carmen Carnero.Carmen Carnero for Marvel Comics
He’s the upper limit,” Wells says of Empath.
It kind of gets into the free will question at a certain point: Is it really his fault?
This is the creature that was put on the planet.
A data page explaining the Locus Vile from ‘Hellions’ #6, by Zeb Wells and Carmen Carnero.Carmen Carnero for Marvel Comics
This creature, with that power set, in this situation, this is what he becomes.
How does a fully evolved society deal with this?
I like having a character like Empath around to remind me there are no easy answers here."
Kwannon shows off what she can do in ‘Hellions,’ by Zeb Wells and Stephen Segovia.Stephen Segovia for Marvel Comics
That has analogues in real life, you know?
“If you’re looking for drama and tragedy, she’s a gold mine.
I wanted to plumb those depths!”
John Greycrow in ‘Hellions’ #1, by Zeb Wells and Stephen Segovia.Stephen Segovia for Marvel Comics
The boss you love to hate
The Hellions’ weirdness starts from the top.
Mr. Sinister is one of those former X-Men villains who has now been incorporated into Krakoa’s leadership.
Wells credits Hickman for coming up with the idea to make Sinister part of Hellions.
Kwannon can barely contain her rage in ‘Hellions’ #11, by Zeb Wells and Stephen Segovia,.Stephen Segovia for Marvel Comics
“I have to keep reminding myself that we’re not supposed to like him now!”
“He is a terrible, terrible, murderous person.
But then when you turn that murder dial up, you somehow make him even more engaging and funny.
Empath makes his move in ‘Hellions’ #15, by Zeb Wells and Roge Antonio.Roge Antonio for Marvel Comics
He’s so evil!
He’s been such a fantastic character to write.”
“He’s the worst version of Sinister.
Empath manipulates Havok in ‘Hellions’ #15, by Zeb Wells and Roge Antonio.Stephen Segovia for Marvel Comics
That was a hard question to ask, ‘What would Arakko’s version of this be?’
“I don’t feel likeHellionsbecameHellionsuntil I saw issue #1 with that page of Greycrow cleaning his gun.
“I don’t thinkHellionsisHellionswithout Stephen, and the Locus Vile isn’t the Locus Vile without Carmen.
Madelyne Pryor returns in ‘Hellions’ #18, by Zeb Wells and Ze Carlos.Ze Carlos for Marvel Comics
We had so many artists come in and put their thumbprint on it.”
Wells particularly credits Segovia with helping build Kwannon into one of the single most interesting X-Men active today.
When she’s not braining people with her psychic knife, Kwannon is struggling with some intense emotions.
Madelyne Pryor returns in ‘Hellions’ #18, by Zeb Wells and Ze Carlos.Ze Carlos for Marvel Comics
“Stephen’s Kwannon is iconic,” Wells says.
I can’t write that in dialogue.
That’s his own artistic intelligence being applied to creating a character.
You look at the face and you know she’s thinking of stuff that’s not on the page.
you’re free to see her history and her tragedy in her face.”
“It checked so many boxes that I liked,” Wells says.
They kind of get the shaft a lot.”
“Havok is of the most privileged member of the Hellions,” Wells notes.
Which I think is gross, and is meant to be gross.
“I love that she can give a voice to that and explore that.
I think it’s impossible to write that character without exploring that.
I’m excited about where Madeleyne Pryor goes from here.”
