Warren Ellis continued that trend I feel, to the extent of the scene where Brian and Meggan watch the post-Onslaught mourning for the Avengers, FF, et al on TV, and muse that the hysterical reaction in the States is unlike anything that the British would have for their heroes.

Superhumans of any sort have never been the polarising force they are in the States, so whilst they've never been as adored as the Avengers, they've never been as hated as the X-Men, and they're quite happy with that.

(It was a touch ironic that that discussion camejust a year before the media-hyped furore over the death of Diana, Princess of Wales)