X-Men ’97, the upcoming sequel series to the X-Men: The Animated Series, is receiving a 4-issue series prequel comic before its official debut. The comic will be written by Steve Foxe and features art by the talented Salva Espin, in what’s expected to be a highly anticipated decades-awaited sequel in the making.
“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!” said Foxe regarding his excitement in getting to write a comic lead-in to the animated series sequel. “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.”
Since Chris Claremont’s original run in the 1980s, the X-Men hit legendary status breaking records in sales and ranking as Marvel’s most popular comics leading well up to the ’90s. It was a run that became a face of both a generation, and even, the highlight of Marvel’s company brand at the time. Following this, the X-Men animated series based on these comics came to hit that same zenith of popularity. This time, for 90s children’s animation — which keep in mind, was booming at the height of what was happening with Disney.
Between X-Men and the original Batman: The Animated Series, both franchises came to redefine what’s possible with comics and their influence on children, planting the seeds of a Millenial generation’s interests and building customers who were ready to see real movies once IP such as Spider-Man and X-Men debuted. Inevitably, leading into the MCU as it all started here.
You can read more about this upcoming comic in Marvel’s official press release below.
New York, NY— December 21, 2023 — The X-Men are back – and the ‘90s have never looked better! Announced today on Marvel.com, Marvel Comics is launching an X-MEN ’97 comic series in March 2024.
Leading up to Marvel Studios’ X-Men ’97, coming soon to Disney+, the X-MEN ’97 comic is a 4-issue series created in close collaboration with the showrunners, and will serve as a companion story to the television show. The series is written by Steve Foxe (Dead X-Men, Dark X-Men) with art by Salva Espín.
In this official prelude, discover what Storm, Jubilee, Wolverine and the rest of the beloved ’90s X-Men cast have been up to in the time before their return! Startling revelations here lead directly into the hotly anticipated new series – fans won’t want to miss out!
On writing the series, Steve Foxe told Marvel.com, “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!” Foxe continued, “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 #1 (OF 4)
Written by STEVE FOXE
Art by SALVA ESPÍN
Cover by TODD NAUCK
On Sale 3/27
