Finally, the delayed “X of Swords” is just a few months away, and the teasers are here. On Friday afternoon, Marvel dropped PR on the crossover’s premiere team of villains, known as the Swordbearers of Arakko, along with solicits for the October X-lineup, and cover art that’s been drip fed to hungry fans over the last week.
This initial info drop is minimal at best, providing an image from Pepe Larraz of the Swordbearers with every name except for the leader’s. Marvel is explicitly cagey about her identity, writing “Arakko and its visitors are shrouded in mystery, and none more so than the group’s leader. While her identity remains classified, her story is sure to shock X-Men fans everywhere.”
For those who aren’t caught up with the “Dawn of X”, Arakko is, like Krakoa, a living island. Thus far all we know about it is that Apocalypse was once its ruler, and that he grooms a set of acolytes there (you may notice below that the ancient mutant’s first horseman is among the villains).
“X of Swords” is a linewide event that primarily spins out of Hickmans X-Men and Tini Howard’s Excalibur – but the 22-part crossover calls in the entire “Dawn of X” squad, including writers Jonathan Hickman, Tini Howard, Gerry Duggan, Benjamin Percy, Ed Brisson, Zeb Wells, Leah Williams, and Vita Ayala and artists Carmen Carnero, Pepe Larraz, R.B. Silva, Viktor Bogdanovic, Matteo Lolli, Mahmud Asrar, Phil Noto, and Rod Reis.
The Swordbearers of Arakko and X of Swords: Stasis #1 hits stores this September. Below, check out a pull press release from Marvel, along with solicits and covers for chapters 3-11 of the event, which hit shelves in October.
X OF SWORDS, the next great X-Men crossover, kicks off this September and rages on in October with Chapters 3-11. Over the last few days, the covers for the October chapters were unveiled, and fans got their first look at the X-Men’s newest foes in Pepe Larraz’s cover of X OF SWORDS: STASIS #1. This mysterious group of swordbearers come from the land of Arakko, and the X-Men will have to draw swords of their own to defend the new mutant nation of Krakoa. Arakko and its visitors are shrouded in mystery, and none more so than the group’s leader. While her identity remains classified, her story is sure to shock X-Men fans everywhere.
Spinning directly out of Jonathan Hickman’s X-MEN and Tini Howard’s EXCALIBUR, X OF SWORDS will be a massive mutant milestone that each X-Book will take part in. Every current X-Men writer— Jonathan Hickman, Tini Howard, Gerry Duggan, Benjamin Percy, Ed Brisson, Zeb Wells, Leah Williams, and Vita Ayala— have come together to craft a modern epic that will go down in X-Men history! Joined by incredible artists like Carmen Carnero, Pepe Larraz, R.B. Silva, Viktor Bogdanovic, Matteo Lolli, Mahmud Asrar, Phil Noto, and Rod Reis, the dramatic battles in store for the X-Men will be unforgettable.
See all of October’s covers by visiting marvel.com and prepare to meet these major new players in the X-Men mythos when X OF SWORDS begins in September!
WOLVERINE #6
Written by BENJAMIN PERCY
Art by VIKTOR BOGDANOVIC
Cover by ADAM KUBERT
X OF SWORDS, PART 3
Descent. Penance. A legendary power reclaimed.
X-FORCE #13
Written by BENJAMIN PERCY
Art by VIKTOR BOGDANOVIC
Cover by DUSTIN WEAVER
X OF SWORDS, PART 4
Stealth. The power within. The burden of knowledge.
MARAUDERS #13
Written by VITA AYALA
Art by MATTEO LOLLI
Cover by RUSSELL DAUTERMAN
X OF SWORDS, PART 5
A secret flight. A long journey. A Thief and a Queen.
HELLIONS #5
Written by ZEB WELLS
Art by CARMEN CARNERO
Cover by STEPHEN SEGOVIA
X OF SWORDS, PART 6
Desperation. Help from unexpected places. An advance into the unknown.
NEW MUTANTS #13
Written by ED BRISSON
Art by ROD REIS
Cover BY MIKE DEL MUNDO
X OF SWORDS, PART 7
Diligence. Discipline. A sword of the self.
CABLE #5
Written by GERRY DUGGAN
Art and Cover by PHIL NOTO
X OF SWORDS, PART 8
A hand held aloft. A mystery in the stars. An ace up the sleeve.
EXCALIBUR #13
Written by TINI HOWARD
Art by R.B. SILVA
Cover by MAHMUD ASRAR
X OF SWORDS, PART 9
Opposition. Despair. The dark night of the soul.
X-MEN #13
Written by JONATHAN HICKMAN
Art by MAHMUD ASRAR
Cover by LEINIL FRANCIS YU
X OF SWORDS, PART 10
Lessons. Longing. What has begun cannot be undone.
X OF SWORDS: STASIS #1
Written by TINI HOWARD & JONATHAN HICKMAN
Art by PEPE LARRAZ & MAHMUD ASRAR
Cover by PEPE LARRAZ
X OF SWORDS, PART 11
A ritual. A parliament. A game begins.