Welcome, X-Fans, to another uncanny edition of X-Men Monday at AIPT!
Since debuting in 1980’s Uncanny X-Men #129, Emma Frost has worn many hats: Headmistress of Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters, member of the X-Men, part of Krakoa’s Quiet Council, and so on. But before she cemented herself as one of mutantkind’s premier champions, Emma was the White Queen of the Hellfire Club. This June, readers will have a chance to revisit that period in Emma Frost: The White Queen, a five-issue limited series from writer Amy Chu and artist Andrea Di Vito.
Ahead of the mini-series’ release, Amy’s here to let X-Fans know what they can expect from this retro Emma adventure. Let’s see what she has to say.
Courtesy of Marvel Comics
AIPT: Welcome to X-Men Monday, Amy! You’ve mentioned you’ve always wanted to write Emma Frost — and especially “BAD” Emma. As a writer, what is it about the character you find so appealing?
Amy Chu: I find it’s more interesting to write “bad” and “flawed” characters. I can do a lot more with Rick than say, Morty. I love writing smart characters smart, Poison Ivy for example, or strong characters strong, like Red Sonja. Emma is a lot more complicated, and I feel like she deserves to be fully explored.
AIPT: For readers who are just learning about Emma Frost: The White Queen, what’s your elevator pitch for this five-issue limited series?
Amy: It’s a straight-up action thriller in the vein of Succession or No Way Out (if you’re old enough to remember this movie!) This is pre-diamond mutation, pre-heroic Emma Frost, the Hellfire Club’s most powerful mutant telepath in the Hellfire Club, a global mutant secret society in the finest James Bond sense. Someone is trying to take her out, and she has to travel around the world to the various clubs to find out who. In the process, she may have to reluctantly make a friend or two, and you will get to see the Hellfire Club as you never have before. How does that sound?
Courtesy of Marvel Comics
AIPT: I can’t speak for the readers, but you had me at Succession. Obviously, you can’t have a comic without visuals, so how has it been collaborating with artist Andrea Di Vito on the mini-series?
Amy: It’s been a crazy blast working together so far. I love Andrea’s past work, but he’s really swinging for the fences on this series. Every page that comes in is more and better than I could dream of. He’s already drawn 353 people in the first issue. I swear, I didn’t put them in the script!
Courtesy of Marvel Comics
AIPT: Let’s dig into some X-Fan questions. First up, X-Fan Alex is curious how you would describe the tone of this book and would you consider it to be a reintroduction to Emma for new and existing readers?
Amy: Themes are important to me, but I am also very much of a Red Sonja/Blade Runner/Aliens/John Wick sort of fan. I always try to write for both old and new readers as much as I can without too much exposition. You be the judge. There will be some Easter eggs for the older fans, of course. I don’t think I’m trying to reinvent Emma here, but because I can see into her future, I can bring a more, shall we say, nuanced perspective to her portrayal.
AIPT: On that note, X-Fan Gamma Snow says Emma is obviously a hero now, but she has a long history of doing some pretty unpleasant things. How do you thread the needle of exploring that without making the character irredeemable?
Amy: Come on now, no one’s ever irredeemable these days… we’ve all done good stuff and bad stuff, I think, for various reasons. I do think like Poison Ivy, Emma has her own moral compass. Don’t worry, I don’t have her murder any pets if that’s what you’re wondering. And let’s not forget her soft spot for teaching the next generation of mutants the way of the world.
Courtesy of Marvel Comics
AIPT: Another great segue! X-Fan Jojo is a teacher and personally feels this part of Emma’s identity isn’t always explored enough. But what’s something about Emma you wanted to ‘tap into’ with this mini-series that maybe hasn’t received a lot of attention?
Amy: Her desire to be a teacher/mentor and to protect her students is an important aspect of her identity in the story, and perhaps her biggest Achilles heel. I teach at the School of Visual Arts and the Kubert School, so I believe it’s what makes her most relatable, at least to your average non-sociopath.
AIPT: As AIPT has its roots in the Boston region, I think I’m legally obligated to ask this next question. X-Fan LeeLee saw somewhere that you’re from Boston — just like Emma. With that in mind, do you intend to explore Emma’s roots as a Bostonian?
Amy: I was born in Boston like Emma, but unlike her, I was raised in the Midwest with a perfectly fine public school education. I think Emma’s roots have already been explored in other series, but I do reference her private school upbringing. For example, she did learn fencing, which I find useful…
Courtesy of Marvel Comics
AIPT: X-Fan Mai says the Hellfire Club is a vast organization with many members. How did you approach introducing new facets and characters into the organization? And anything you can share about those “new baddies” you’ve teased?
Amy: I think the Hellfire Club and the Inner Circle have always been underappreciated and underexplored. I mean, what’s their initiation process, their dues structure? Who takes the meeting minutes? How do the human and mutant relationships play out? I did make it a priority to bring in some new baddies on an international level. Call it my own DEI initiative. If anything, we really need a whole Hellfire Club series…
AIPT: Finally, X-Fan Kyle N is curious to learn if you have a favorite Emma Frost story.
Amy: I confess, I’m partial to parts of Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely’s characterization of Emma in New X-Men. There are some panels that are so, so good.
AIPT: Hard to disagree there. But on that note, thanks for stopping by X-Men Monday, Amy!
X-Fans, remember to pick up Emma Frost: The White Queen #1 when it goes on sale June 18, 2025. Here are a few eXclusive, unlettered pages from the first issue by artist and inker Andrea Di Vito and color artist Antonio Fabela.
Courtesy of Marvel Comics
Courtesy of Marvel Comics
Courtesy of Marvel Comics
But wait, there’s more! We can eXclusively reveal artist Joshua Swaby’s variant cover for Emma Frost: The White Queen #1…
Courtesy of Marvel Comics
And our final eXclusive, artist Joelle Jones’ variant cover to Emma Frost: The White Queen #1!
Courtesy of Marvel Comics
In the next edition of X-Men Monday: Author and cartoonist Jeffrey Brown makes his X-Men Monday debut to discuss The Uncanny X-Men: Days of Future Fun. And as the book goes on sale tomorrow, we’ll also run our conversation tomorrow as an eXtra Tuesday treat! So be sure to return tomorrow for that.
Courtesy of Chronicle Books
Until then, X-Fans, stay exceptional!
In this edition of X-Men Monday, writer Amy Chu discusses her upcoming ‘Emma Frost: The White Queen” limited series. Read More