Today I’ve got something really special for you, with a Track of Words exclusive in which I can reveal the next book in Aconyte’s growing range of Marvel prose novels – First Team by Robbie MacNiven, the latest instalment in the Marvel: Xavier’s Institute series. I’ve been a fan of Robbie’s writing ever since I reviewed his first Warhammer 40,000 short story (check out that review here) back in 2015, and I had a lot of fun reading his first novel for Aconyte – The Doom of Fallowhearth – so I can’t wait to see how he gets on with this X-Men novel! It’s due to be published in ebook and as a US paperback on the 2nd February 2021, with the UK paperback following on the 4th March.
If you haven’t come across the Xavier’s Institute series before, it’s a new range of novels “featuring the New Charles Xavier School for Mutants and its students, the latest recruits to the ranks of the world-famous X-Men”. The first book in the series is Liberty & Justice For All by Carrie Harris, which is out now in ebook and US paperback, with the UK paperback due on the 10th December.
The cover for First Team hasn’t yet been finalised so we’ll have to wait a little longer to see that, but in the meantime I’m delighted to reveal the book’s synopsis, and ask Robbie a few quick questions about it. Without further ado, let’s take a look at the synopsis:
Marvel’s mutant heroes return when a remarkable student rushes to save his family but ends up in a whole heap of trouble, in this gripping Xavier’s Institute novel.
Victor Borkowski – aka Anole – has adjusted well to life at Xavier’s Institute, gaining control over his reptilian mutant powers and the respect of his fellow students. However, when he discovers that his parents have been kidnapped by anti-mutant extremists, the Purifiers, Victor’s discipline and trust in the X-Men is strained to breaking point. Setting out alone in defiance of his instructors, he’s quickly in serious trouble. It isn’t just the fanatical Purifiers threatening his family, there’s a villainous scientist waiting to get hold of Victor himself. Maybe he can’t do this by himself after all…
As if that hasn’t piqued your interest enough, I spoke to Robbie to get the lowdown on what it’s like working on X-Men fiction, and what we can expect from First Team.
ToW: First of all, congratulations on the new book! How does it feel to have written your second novel for Aconyte, and your first Marvel prose novel?
Robbie MacNiven: Thank you! It feels amazing, and surreal. If you’d told me even a few years ago that I would get to write an X-Men novel for Marvel I genuinely wouldn’t have believed you. It’s a real privilege to be allowed to tell stories in this setting and with these characters. To say they’re iconic is an understatement.
ToW: Tell us a bit about what the X-Men mean to you, and why you wanted to write this novel.
RM: Like a lot of 90s kids, I literally grew up with the X-Men (that cartoon series!), so landing a prose novel with them is a dream come true. This particular story, about a band of younger heroes coming together to fight back when no one else can or will, seemed like the right one to tell. Ultimately, it’s a story about hope, and that chimes well with the wider themes that have run through the background of the X-Men franchise.
ToW: You’ve chosen to write about Anole, who’s something of a fan-favourite among the X-Men. What appealed to you about this particular character?
RM: I can see why he’s a fan favourite! I enjoy the fact that he’s a bit of a scamp. Lovable is a description that’s often overused for these types of characters, but I think he really is. There’s a lot more going on with him though, a lot more depth to someone who was, at the very start, only intended as a throwaway figure.
As one of the first openly gay heroes in the setting, he represents a big step forward in creating a broader, more relatable set of characters. X-Men often have troubled backstories, so I also enjoyed the fact that Anole grew up with a loving and supportive family. This let me explore new dynamics with other characters while still showing that even in his ostensibly settled upbringing, things weren’t always easy. I think he’s got a lot going on as a character, and I hope I’ve done him justice.
Art by Skottie Young
ToW: The Xavier’s Institute series seems to be focusing on younger characters coming into their powers and discovering found families – with that in mind, what sort of tone and style can we expect from First Team?
RM: This particular story really does focus in on the Institute and the concept of family – what it means to not have one, or to have one, lose one, and find another. It’s about belonging, about home, and about acceptance. And if that sounds all a bit high-minded, there’s also lots of punching, shooting, explosions and conflagrations too! School’s out for Anole and his friends, and things start getting pretty deadly pretty early on.
ToW: Lastly, you’ve got one more sentence to describe First Team and why readers should be excited about it – go!
RM: If you like vicious clashes between superheroes-in-training, robed and masked zealots and mysterious corporations, occurring all the way from rural Illinois to the heights of Manhattan, then this one’s for you!
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So there you have it. Thanks so much to Robbie for taking the time to chat to me about First Team, and thanks as well to Aconyte for the exclusive! Keep an eye on the Aconyte website for more details of this cool new novel, and its cover once that’s available – I can’t wait to see it, and then to get my hands on a copy of the book. Here’s a quick reminder of the publication dates:
- 2nd February 2021 – global ebook and US paperback
- 4th March 2021 – UK paperback
Pre-order First Team from Amazon*
In the meantime, if you’d like to know more about the Xavier’s Institute series then check out my Rapid Fire interview with Carrie Harris about the first novel – Liberty & Justice For All.
See also: all the reviews and interviews with Robbie MacNiven on Track of Words
I would love to hear what you think about this article, and what you’re most looking forward to about First Team, so do let me know in the comments below, or find me on Twitter.
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©Marvel 2020