Next month, Marvel Comics will release an official prelude comic series to the upcoming Marvel Animation series, X-Men '97, ahead of the show's long-awaited Disney+ premiere on March 20.
Written by Steve Foxe and drawn by Salva Espín, the X-Men '97 comic was dreamed up in collaboration with the showrunners and will reveal what Cyclops, Jean Grey, Storm, Jubilee and the rest of the beloved X-Men cast have been up to in the time before their return.
As a result, we'll get a head start at all the mutant drama, shocking developments, and exciting character introductions ahead of the hotly anticipated new series.
Thanks to Toonado.com, we have a new look at a handful of pages from the first issue. That's not much to go on, we know, but this might just be enough to sell you on the comic. As you'll see below, Magneto is terrorising the city until he's interrupted by an optic blast from Cyclops.
The Master of Magnetism then turns to find Wolverine, Storm, Jubilee, and Bishop waiting for him, prompting Logan to leap into action, only to be sent packing by the villain (luckily, he's caught by Storm). We also catch sight of a clash between Cyclops and Wolverine outside the Danger Room, another fight (this time with some heavily armed goons), and Storm showing Jubilee her new look.
Talking about writing the series, Foxe previously said, "There's a very good chance I wouldn't be writing comics today if not for the impact X-Men: The Animated Series had on me as a kid--heck, the voice actors from the show are still the voices I hear when I read the comics today!"
"Getting to reunite with my X-Men '92: House of XCII collaborator Salva Espín on this official prelude to X-Men '97 has felt like a bucket-list project a lifetime in the making, and Beau [DeMayo] and the rest of the '97 team gave us a fantastic runway to come up with our own original tale that feeds right into what viewers will get to experience in the new season."
X-Men'97 revisits the iconic era of the 1990s as The X-Men, a band of mutants who use their uncanny gifts to protect a world that hates and fears them, are challenged like never before, forced to face a dangerous and unexpected new future.
Have a look at this X-Men '97 #1 preview below and keep checking back here for more on this, and the TV show, as we have it.
X-MEN '97 #1 (OF 4)
Written by STEVE FOXE
Art by SALVA ESPÍN
Cover by TODD NAUCK
Variant Cover by RUSSELL DAUTERMAN
On Sale 3/27