Brian Michael Bendis to Leave X-Men after Uncanny X-Men # 600

Marvel architect and writer Brian Michael Bendis has officially announced that he will be leaving the X-Men books after Uncanny X-Men # 600 around April-May.

There’s no controversy as to why he’s leaving the books (All New X-Men and Uncanny X-Men) other than to work on other Marvel projects. He was candid enough and sarcastic enough to say this during the CBR interview:

“So that’s it. I’d like you to open this article by saying the reason I’m leaving the X-Men is Marvel is killing them all, or turning them all into Inhumans, and either I got on board with the program or I was out! So I’m out! Because I WILL NOT ALLOW THE TRAVESTY OF WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN TO THE X-MEN DURING “SECRET WARS,” where you find out they were all Magneto’s children the whole time and that Magneto was the first Inhuman! I didn’t want to be part of all it. So I’m excusing myself.

[Laughs] No matter what we say in this article, there will be conspiracy theories. Reactions of, “AH HA! HERE IT COMES!” There’s a lot of conspiracy about the X-Men, for some readers. No matter what I say, there’s going to be a part of the audience here who will think that this is part of whatever it is they think Marvel is trying to do to the X-Men.

That’s not the case. I know my departure is not going to help the paranoid people who think the X-Men’s days at Marvel are numbered. That’s not what this means. I know you’re not going to believe me, but I wish you would. If you knew me on a personal level, you would know that I don’t fib. This is because I’ve done my X-Men, and there are these other things that I want to do more. I would love to do both, but I can’t do both. I’ve already done the X-Men now, so I want to do this other thing before I die.”

You can read the entire interview plus some juicy details on Bendis’ departure HERE