X-Men: The Animated Series arrived on our screens way back in 1992 and ran for a total of 76 episodes. The show was a hit and delivered a near-perfect take on the mutant team that still resonates with comic book fans today.
We're not exactly shocked that Marvel Studios is revisiting this animated reality in the upcoming Disney+ series X-Men '97, with the majority of the original cast back to pick up where the classic series left off.
As we first reported on Toonado.com, Hasbro has shared a new wave of Marvel Legends action figures which offer our best look yet at Cyclops, Jean Grey, Nightcrawler, the heroic Magneto (who will step up to lead the X-Men in Professor X's absence), and the evil Goblin Queen and The X-Cutioner.
Each figure was also accompanied by a brief character description offering additional details about each of them:
Cyclops - The consistent and determined leader of the X-Men, Cyclops has the mutant ability to emit powerful red beams of energy from his eyes.
Jean Grey - Jean Grey is a powerful telepath and telekinetic mutant who has faced cosmic entities and world-shattering events in stride. Endlessly empathetic, she serves as the heart of the X-Men.
Nightcrawler - Despite his good heart and gentle nature, swashbuckling teleporter Nightcrawler is often demonized for his physical mutations, including his indigo fur and a prehensile tail.
Magneto - With Professor Charles Xavier gone, Magneto — the self-proclaimed Master of Magnetism — reinvents himself as he tries to carry forward his oldest friend’s dream.
Goblin Queen - A Jean Grey doppelgänger who shakes the X-Men to their core, Goblin Queen becomes a fierce enemy of the X-Men after her mind is corrupted by Mister Sinister.
The X-Cutioner - A mercenary and weapons specialist with high-tech, homemade tactical gear, Carl Denti — A.K.A. The X-Cutioner – is determined to make mutants pay for their perceived wrongdoings toward humankind.
The X-Men will eventually be rebooted for live-action, of course, and X-Men '97 seems like a great way to familiarise many fans with the team before they join the MCU. After all, Fox's movies are quickly becoming a distant memory and, outside of a few exceptions, are best off forgotten.
You can take a closer look at this new wave of X-Men '97 figures, including the heroic Magneto and Mister Sinister's villainous allies, in the Instagram posts below.