Great works of literature are often considered so for the way they strain the boundaries of their definition, expand the traditions of their genre and annihilate the expectations of their textual environment. For instance, prior to William Shakespeare’s writing of Hamlet, the typical revenge tragedy consisted of a protagonist following a guided path to vengeance; however, Shakespeare shattered this tradition by placing psychological complexities and obstacles in the mind of the revenger. Another example is the ever controversial Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, in which Mark Twain offers readers an adventurous work of children’s fiction that is filled with satire, racial stereotyping and a very unsatisfactory reward for the young hero.

In the super hero genre, it is often Alan Moore’s Watchmen and the dark presentation of comic book heroes therein that is credited for altering the standard of heroic qualities and expectations found in modern comic books. However, long before the Rorschach, Doctor Manhattan and the Comedian began adjusted morality in the selfless environment of super heroes, Chris Claremont and his X-Men stories began expanding the super hero genre like never before and in ways that are still being incorporated into the entire X-Men franchise.

From 1976 to1991, Chris Claremont’s X-Men expanded the traditions of super hero genre by thrilling, enthralling and inspiring readers with adventures in far off galaxies, savage lands, mythical realms and occasionally even the streets of New York City in order to save the world (and often themselves), all while battling issues of diversity, racism, subculture, acceptance and religion. Moreover, Claremont’s creation of significant female characters such as Kitty Pryde and Rogue, as well as the development of Marvel’s quintessential anti-hero, Wolverine, has brought his work a wide range of readers, male and female, from all lifestyles. With each issue of the Uncanny X-Men, Claremont’s blending of high adventure, controversy, conflict and character in contemporary environments constantly expanded the super hero genre by methodically evolving the X-books socially and scientifically, always creating a new and, most importantly, relative status quo for the mutant population of the Marvel Universe.

In 2008, Chris Claremont once again began pushing the boundaries of the comic book genre with the creation of Genext, a five-issue comic book series formed around the unique concept of characters that have aged in real-time. In contrast to other alternate timeline or dimension stories, the unity of Genext is rooted in Claremont’s own 17 year development of the X-Men; meaning that, to the old school X-fan, Genext can easily retcon nearly two decades of controversial changes to one of Marvel’s most celebrated eras. Also, bearing in mind that characters involved in the history of Genext (Rogue, Emma Frost, Shadowcat, Gambit, Mister Sinister, Mystique, to name a few) are either the creation or co-creation of Chris Claremont, one can easily accept that Genext provides what the writer had originally intended for the future of his X-Men and beyond.

For these reasons Genext pushes the boundaries of the typical “what if” story or comic book retcon; but this is only one of the genre bursting elements in Genext. A look at story structure and a comparison to past generations of heroes shows that the characters and tone of Genext could suggest the beginning of a whole new hero ideology.

Within the characterization of Genext lies the suggestion that Claremont is replacing the common cliché of “these are not your father’s super heroes,” with a new theory of “these are your father’s super heroes… only better.” The first step in this process is the daring elimination of the mysterious and violent “man with no name” anti-hero (such as Wolverine or Rorschach). This isn’t to say that there isn’t secrecy (and even some claws) within the cast of Genext; the difference is that the archetypical “man with no name” characteristics of independence, reluctance and moral ambiguity are replaced with a yearning for hope, togetherness and understanding. The absence of the traditional anti-hero is most certainly no accident, as the most mysterious of the group, a brilliant young girl with a knack for leadership, goes by the allegorical codename of No-Name, as if to suggest an intentional elimination of the overused anti-hero characteristics.

Secondly, unlike the usual teen-themed or second generation super hero comic book such as the Teen Titans, Genext is motivated without rebellious attitudes and overbearing expectations. The young cast of Genext is given a choice on how, or how not, to answer the call to adventure, and with this choice the group seems to recognize the necessity of training and education no matter if they plan to be super heroes or not. In this regard, the point of Genext is not about convincing the next generation of super-powered youths that with great power comes great responsibility, but rather giving them the freedom to define it.

What’s more, although the focus of Genext is on the young characters, the children and grand children of the X-Men and others in the Marvel Universe, the fact that the abilities of these young mutants draw from heredity rather than originality suggests that the book is as much about the parent as it is the child. Genetics may have given them their powers, but their way of thinking is born of the actions and decisions of their ancestors. Along with being able to control the weather or turn to metal, these new heroes also tend to demonstrate the ability to think first and act second. This culminates into one of the most powerful genre bursting aspects of Genext because this is where the book demonstrates the start a new kind of hero ideology that does not include the aggressive nature and moral ambiguity that makes today’s heroes “not your father’s super heroes.”

This new ideology begins with consideration to Claremont’s previous works such as The New Mutants and the Kitty Pryde and Wolverine limited series, which prove that the writer is well versed in the story structure known as the monomyth or hero journey, as well as the bildungsroman. Genext, too, follows the steps of the monomyth, but Claremont makes changes within each step in order to give Genext an original edge. Viewed in this way, Genext’s genre expansion begins immediately in the debut five-issue series as the plot starts out following the standard guidelines of the monomyth but then quickly alters the steps in a unique fashion.

For example, the initial step of the monomyth relies on the hero being drawn by chance into a relationship with forces that are not rightly understood, but Genext breaks this rule because the heroes have a general understanding of the world they are being drawn into. This is not to say that the characters are fully aware of the exact details of their ancestry but rather that each is aware that they are the product of a mostly demystified world of heroes and villains. This difference gives each character a chance to choose their place in that world rather than be drawn into it.

Another aspect of the monomyth that Claremont dares to alter is the “supernatural aid.” In the typical second part of the monomyth, the hero encounters a protective figure who provides special tools and advice for the adventure; for instance, Huck Finn has Jim, Dante has Virgil and Neo has Morpheus: all of whom encourage or justify the call to adventure in one way or another. In the debut series of Genext, the guides take the form of former X-Men who are now the teachers at Xavier’s Institute; only their tragic past prevents them from encouraging the next generation of X-Men. Instead, these teachers work to train and protect but with the conviction that the world no longer needs X-Men.

The second Genext story arc is where Claremont’s changes to the steps of the monomyth solidify the idea that “these are your father’s super heroes… but only better.” Genext: United #1 picks up immediately where the first series leaves off: the young team is recuperating on the devastated island nation of Genosha, where they have just rescued their team mate, No-Name, from the group known as Shadow X. If the team’s adventure in the first series represents the “crossing of the threshold” portion of the monomyth, in which the hero must cross the threshold between the world he is familiar with and that which he is not, then Genext: United #1 finalizes this step as the team faces the “threshold guardian,” an entity that works to keep all within the protective confines but must be encountered in order to enter the new zone of experiences. In Genext: United #1, that “threshold guardian” is original X-Man, Doctor Henry McCoy, the Beast, and his advice to the Genext is atypical of what one would expect from guardian looking to keep his students within the “protective confines.”

As a “threshold guardian” McCoy breaks tradition by giving the children a choice of whether or not to continue adventuring when he proposes the ultimatum of: “You want to be heroes, you can’t be students. You want to be students, then being heroes will have to wait…. the lives of heroes have consequences.” This is an interesting turn of events that is indicative of the new ideology that Claremont is suggesting with the book. McCoy neither trying to keep his students within the “protective confines” nor forcing them into adventure, meaning that the students have nothing to rebel against or hide behind. This freedom to adventure is quite a different beginning to the hero journey than other characters such as the Punisher or Luke Skywalker have experienced.

At last, McCoy finalizes the theme of “these are your father’s super heroes… only better,” by making a comparison between the Genext heroes and his own time spent as an original X-Man: “You’re just following our lead, doing pretty much what the original X-Men did all those years ago. But that’s the thing with history—when it shows you a path, it also gives you the opportunity to make a choice. With us, things just seemed to happen… and now, it’s your turn.” As this statement proves a fundamental link to the original “strangest teens of all” and their heroic principles, it also sets Genext apart from their “all-new, all-different” ancestors who were brought in and trained for a specific purpose.

If Claremont is truly following the monomyth to create a new hero ideology, then the next step for the young heroes will solidify the difference between Genext and their “all-new, all-different” predecessors. This final step of the “call to adventure” places the heroes in the “belly of the whale,” where, rather than passing a threshold, the heroes will pass into a new zone by means of rebirth. In issue #1 of Genext: United, the young heroes enter the “belly of the whale” by agreeing to help Sati, a mysterious hero from India who is battling the demon-goddess, Kalima. The young heroes, as well as Doctor McCoy, make no haste in answering the call, but as McCoy has clearly stated, the students must decide whether to be students or to be heroes.