"X-ManHunt": Eight-Part X-Crossover Kicks Off This March

Marvel.com: X-ManHunt, the next milestone X-Men crossover, arrives in March! Bringing the current ongoing X-titles together for the first time this era, X-ManHunt will have chapters in Uncanny X-Men, NYX, Storm, X-Men, X-Factor, and X-Force along with a tie-in issue of Exceptional X-Men, before concluding in X-ManHunt Omega, a double-sized finale one-shot.

The saga kicks off when Professor X breaks out of Graymalkin Prison, sowing division and discord among the different mutant factions. For his crimes against humanity at the end of the Krakoan Age, Charles Xavier remains a heavily-guarded inmate at a mutant detention center built at his former school, a cruel punishment he was willing to accept—until now!

Driven by mysterious new purpose, Professor X frees himself from captivity to undertake a mission of personal significance. He has no time to lose as a telepathic virus wreaks havoc on his mind—and those around him!

The hunt for the most dangerous mutant in the world begins, and Professor X desperately calls on his X-Men. Some are ready to forgive. Others are not. And while his once loyal followers clash to decide his fate, the X-Men’s founder will be forced to reckon with his tarnished legacy once and for all!

"We’ve mostly been keeping the various groups of X-characters separated from one another as we set up the post-Krakoa landscape," Executive Editor Tom Brevoort explained. "But it feels like now is the right time to send them crashing into one another. And who better to instigate this situation than the disgraced Professor X, who has intimate connections with almost all of our key players?" 

	Uncanny X-Men #11 Written by Gail Simone Art by Javier Garrón Cover by David Marquez On Sale 3/5 X-MANHUNT PART ONE! At the end of the Orchis War, Charles Xavier surrendered himself to the authorities and allowed himself to be imprisoned in Graymalkin Prison! But now something has spurred him into action, into escaping his incarceration and embarking on a mad scramble across the nation!  What has caused Professor X to go on the run? And will his assorted pupils move to protect him, recapture him or kill him? The answer, of course, is all of the above. In this opening chapter, Rogue and her team of X-Men are forced to ally with their worst enemy in order to betray their most trusted friend!
	NYX #9 Written by Collin Kelly & Jackson Lanzing Art by Francesco Mortarino Cover by Sara Pichelli On Sale 3/5 X-MANHUNT PART TWO! Charles Xavier is on the run, and his first stop is New York – but there are plenty of mutants in the city who want nothing to do with the most recent master plan of the disgraced Professor X! Will the return of their dearly departed mentor bolster the burgeoning community that calls itself NYX or tear everything they’ve built apart? What does Xavier want from the city? What is he willing to do to get what he wants? And – perhaps most alarmingly of all – who else is waiting in the wings to strike?!
	Storm #6 Written by Murewa Ayodele Art by Lucas Werneck Cover by Mateus Manhanini On Sale 3/5 X-MANHUNT PART THREE! Fugitive Charles Xavier seeks refuge in Storm Sanctuary, Storm’s floating home in Atlanta City, and the (Alaskan) X-Men take notice. Will Storm and the X-Men join forces with Professor X to prevent his return to prison by any means necessary, or will they fall victim to opposing views that will send X-Men against X-Men in a bloody brawl to the death? And making his From the Ashes debut is the unstoppable devourer, the blue-skinned Zulu titan… Maggott!
	X-Men #13 Written by Jed MacKay Art by Netho Diaz Cover by Ryan Stegman On Sale 3/12 X-MANHUNT PART FOUR! The X-Men have caught up with their erstwhile mentor Charles Xavier on his mad scramble across the country. But they aren’t the only ones who’ve found him!
	X-Factor #8 Written by Mark Russell Art by Bob Quinn Cover by Greg Land On Sale 3/12  X-MANHUNT PART FIVE! Charles Xavier has escaped from prison, and X-Factor must track him down! But how will the X-Men react to X-Factor hunting their founder? And what will happen when Havok and Cyclops collide?!
	X-Force #9 Written by Geoffrey Thorne Art by Marcus To Cover by Stephen Segovia On Sale 3/19  X-MANHUNT PART SIX! Sage and Professor X go way back, to another war and another time. But now, in his hour of most desperate need, will Sage use her talents to aid Professor X’s quest…or put a stop to his manic mission? The penultimate chapter of X-MANHUNT brings X-Force into the fray!
	Exceptional X-Men #7 Written by Eve L. Ewing Art and Cover by Carmen Carnero On Sale 3/19 X-MANHUNT - COLLATERAL DAMAGE! With Charles Xavier on the run, Emma Frost and Kitty Pryde reckon with their own dreams and fears for the future of mutantkind. Axo feels pushed away from the team and pulled closer and closer to charismatic technologist Sheldon Xenos. But is Xenos who he claims to be? (Spoiler: He is not!)
	X-ManHunt Omega #1 Written by Gail Simone & Murewa Ayodele Art and Cover by Gleb Melnikov On Sale 3/26 X-MANHUNT FINALE! X-MANHUNT concludes as Professor X reaches his destination, and his assorted pursuers, friend and foe alike, catch up with him! Alliances will be battle-tested, the blades of betrayals will cut deep with poisoned tips, and when the dust finally settles, Charles Xavier will have to make a tectonic-shifting choice with the fate of all mutantkind in the balance. The world is about to change. This time around, everyone is wide awake.

Vote for Betsy Braddock and X-Force in AIPT's 2024 X-Men Monday Survey

This is your chance to let X-Men Monday at AIPT know what you loved this year — and maybe, just maybe, the X-Office will take notice of the results. Cast your vote for Captain Britain as your favorite X-character and X-Force as your favorite ongoing X-series here. The survey closes on Sunday, December 8, 2024, so don't miss your chance!

X-Force Holds Steady in November Sales Rankings

In the November sales rankings based on ComicHub POS data, X-Force secured the #34 spot, a steady position compared to October’s #32. Its consistency reinforces its status as the best-selling spin-off title from Wave 1.

The data, collected over a four-week period from November 3 to November 30, 2024, reflects consumer purchases at comic shops worldwide.

Geoffrey Thorne Talks La Diabla Plus X-Force #7 Preview Art

ComicBook spoke to Geoffrey Thorne about adding a new villain to the X-Men mythos, someone else pulling La Diabla’s strings, how La Diabla has been watching X-Force since the very first issue, and his future plans for Tank. ComicBook can also exclusively reveal interior pages for X-Force #7, which feature La Diabla taking an interest in Betsy Braddock and Rachel Summers.

ComicBook: La Diabla seems like the perfect foil for Forge since she deals in alchemy and Forge is all about science. Walk us through her creation and what La Diabla is hoping to achieve with these fractures?

Geoffrey Thorne: La Diabla is formidable and very much designed to give both Forge and Sage fits. I wanted to put some new villains with new agendas and new powersets into the mix and La Diabla is just the first. As X-Force learns more about her, so will the audience but she is absolutely not to be trifled with or underestimated.

As for the rest, “spoilers,” is all I can say.

La Diabla says she “met a boy” who is later teased when she makes her exit after attacking Forge and Sage. What can you tell us about this mystery person and their connection to Forge?

I can’t tell you anything except La Diabla is not her own boss. She’s the Darth Vader to an Emperor we haven’t yet met. Or… have we?

Issue #6 ends with Betsy and Rachel suffering an attack from La Diabla while they’re in the middle of one of their psychic sessions. Why has La Diabla switched her focus to these two? And how will she test their relationship going forward?

La Diabla’s beef is with all of X-Force (with Forge getting special focus for some reason). She’s been monitoring them AT LEAST since Issue #1 and she’s had it up to here with their shenanigans.

Tank has been the wild card of X-Force so far. What do you have planned for the bruiser in upcoming issues?

Oh, quite a lot, I suspect.

X-Force #6 Art

X-Force #6 Spoilers

Spoilers: After Surge’s death and Sage’s departure, the remaining X-Force members—Forge, Betsy Braddock, Rachel Summers, and Tank—spent the next month sealing fractures across the globe, including those in the Mariana Trench, Numidia, and Tibet. Aboard the X-Jet, Forge remains haunted by Surge’s death. Seeking clarity, he activates his virtual reality program featuring holographic simulations of Storm and Mystique. “Storm” tries to reassure him that he is not a bad man, while “Mystique” taunts him, insisting the X-Force members are just expendable pawns in his larger schemes.

Meanwhile, Sage infiltrates Forge’s Aerie in Texas and hacks into his virtual reality. She expresses lingering resentment toward Forge but reveals that she has spent the past few days analyzing data from the fractures they’ve encountered. She’s discovered a common link: Dr. Corazon Estrada, a scholar specializing in quantum physics and alchemy, was present at each fracture site—Japan, Wakanda, Cambodia—just days before they occurred. The twist? Dr. Estrada supposedly died in a car accident five years ago. Sage and Forge deduce that Estrada faked her death and has now resurfaced, tied to these fractures.

At that moment, Corazon Estrada hacks into Forge’s simulation, identifying herself as "La Diabla." Displeased with their interference, she takes control of Forge’s simulations, pitting “Storm” and “Mystique” against Forge and Sage. Sage manages to purge “Mystique” from the system, enraging La Diabla, who retaliates by forcefully ejecting Sage from the simulation. “Storm” turns on Forge, forcing him to confront his guilt over Surge’s death. Accepting his role in the tragedy, Forge shuts down the virtual reality, purging La Diabla from the system. Before disappearing, she ominously warns that the game isn’t over.

Forge awakens on the X-Jet and urgently alerts Tank that they are under attack. Meanwhile, Betsy and Rachel, who had been meditating together with their powers synchronized, appear to be trapped in a catatonic psychic trance.

X-Force #6 Preview

X-Force #6

Writer: Geoffrey Thorne

Art by: Jim Towe

Cover by: Stephen Segovia

The Story: FORGE REUNITES WITH STORM AND MYSTIQUE! The mysterious forces circling X-FORCE since issue #1 begin to come into focus…the fractures were just the beginning! Meanwhile, for all of the pain he's endured, losing STORM may be the biggest regret of FORGE's life. But as Forge reunites with ORORO and MYSTIQUE, this "love triangle" might break more than just a few hearts! Action. Love lost. New foes. Shock surprises. X-FORCE has it all!

In Stores: December 4, 2024

Geoffrey Thorne Talks Betsy Braddock

The Comics Cube with Duy Tano: You’ve mentioned earlier that we have a lot to look forward to regarding Betsy Braddock. Can you give us a preview of what we can expect?

Geoffrey Thorne: I love Betsy. Once issue #5 is done, it culminates in a death and someone leaving the team. We've introduced a few threads—like who the hell Tank is, why Forge is concealing his thoughts from his own allies, and why Rachel needs [Betsy’s] boost to flex. All of that is going to start getting explained or at least addressed in the next five issues.

I like Captain Britain because I’ve liked Betsy for years. I think there’s a lot of potential in her character because she’s secondary, unlike mainstays like Scott, Jean, Logan, Rogue, and the rest. I enjoy those [secondary] characters because you can do more with them. I think there’s a space Betsy can occupy, and I might be the one to figure out what that is. She needs to be unique. We need to resolve this Captain Britain thing. Whether I get to do it or not, it needs to be resolved.

X-Force #8 Solicit for February 2025

X-Force #8
Geoffrey Thorne (W) • Marcus To (A)
Cover by Stephen Segovia
La Diabla Variant Cover by Jay Anacleto
La Diabla Virgin Variant Cover by Jay Anacleto
Animated-Style Variant Cover by Mark Brooks
Animated-Style Virgin Variant Cover by Mark Brooks
Colossal Repercussions!

Can X-FORCE survive a fight with…COLOSSUS?! The mysterious LA DIABLA has X-FORCE on the ropes, and she’s brought some unexpected allies! PLUS – what does FORGE’s ANALOG device have to do with the FRACTURES threatening the planet…and La Diabla’s designs?! The season’s most surprising X-book packs a few more turns…

X-Force Sales Surge in October 2024

According to ComicHub's October 2024 sales rankings, X-Force climbed from #51 in September to #32 in October. These rankings, which track consumer purchases at over 3,000 comic stores worldwide, cover sales from October 6 to November 2. X-Force #4’s early release on October 9 meant that all four weeks of October sales were counted, contributing to the book’s jump in the rankings.

X-Force #5 Art

X-Force #5 Spoilers

Spoilers: Tempest (Alternate Storm) reacts sharply upon seeing Forge, as her own Forge abandoned her with a child. She orders her Avengers to attack X-Force. Betsy and Rachel quickly read their minds, realizing they’re from another universe, and devise a plan to stop them. Betsy amplifies Rachel’s powers, complete with her signature butterfly effect, and Rachel pretends to be the Phoenix—a figure these Avengers revere in their own reality. Once both teams reach an understanding, the Avengers explain that their Nuklo destroyed their Man-Thing, destabilizing ley lines that began releasing destructive energies, devastating cities and killing hundreds in their world.

As the 616 Man-Thing begins to reform, Sage deduces that Nuklo’s next target is another dimensional nexus. Forge theorizes that Nuklo is attempting to link three dimensional points to permanently keep the dimensional rifts open. Running analytics, Sage predicts Nuklo’s heading toward a nexus point in Quebec, Canada, which Loki originally opened years ago (in X-Men/Alpha Flight #1-2, 1985). Meanwhile, creatures are emerging from these portals to attack various regions on Earth.

Upon arriving in Quebec, X-Force and Tempest’s Avengers join forces, battling their way through monsters to reach the nexus. Just as Nuklo is about to open it, Storm and Iron Knight (James Rhodes) decide to attack him directly, knowing he’s vulnerable to electricity. Nuklo retaliates, apparently killing Tempest and Iron Knight. Realizing she may be the key to sealing the rift, Surge prepares to intervene, despite Sage warning her that the power required will be too much for her to endure. Forge charges Surge, who accepts her fate, acknowledging that some choices must be made for the greater good. She unleashes her power, vanquishing Nuklo, but the immense energy consumes her, resulting in her ultimate sacrifice. Forge accepts this outcome as necessary, but Sage confronts him, accusing him of sacrificing Surge and quits the team.

X-Force #5 Preview

X-Force #5

Writer: Geoffrey Thorne

Art by: Marcus To

Cover by: Mahmud Asrar

The Story: A DEATH ON THE TEAM?! Attacked from all sides, with a team member's DEATH in the offing, and struggling to accomplish their mission, X-Force fights to seal the latest and worst Fracture Node threatening the Earth. Can X-Force pull through, or will they fracture and doom the world? The most surprising X-book of the season is just heating up — if you haven't been reading it, now is the time to JUMP ABOARD!

In Stores: November 6, 2024

X-Force #7 Variant Cover by Saowee

Psylocke Sketch by Marcus To at NYCC'24

X-Force #7 Variant Cover by Marcus To

X-Force #3 Maintains Steady Performance in September Sales Rankings

In the sales rankings based on Comic Store POS data from September 1 to October 5, 2024, X-Force #3 landed at #51. Released on September 25, it had only one week of tracked sales but managed to maintain stable performance, following X-Force #2's #50 ranking from the previous month. This consistency highlights the steady interest in the series, even with limited time in the sales window. These rankings reflect consumer sales tracked through ComicHub across stores worldwide.

X-Force #4 Art

X-Force #4 Spoilers

Spoilers: With X-Force out of commission, Tank takes it upon himself to face Nuklo alone. When a mysterious symbol appears, Nuklo simply vanishes. The members of X-Force regain consciousness and find the Temple of the Dragon's Breath materialized in front of them. Forge declares they've failed, but the fracture is ongoing, so there's still a chance to prevent it. Betsy gets frustrated with the vagueness in Forge’s words. Sage steps in to explain what the temple is. Forge mentions that something is interfering with the analog, and Betsy insists that he open his mind so she can understand better, which he refuses. Meanwhile, Surge inspects the temple and confirms it’s empty.

X-Force enters the temple and finds the Well of All Things—a pinprick-sized portal intersecting multiple dimensions that manifests on Earth in Cambodia. Tank notices the same symbol that teleported Nuklo drawn on the temple wall. Forge checks the analog, and the fracture in Cambodia seems to move along a line toward the Everglades in Florida. X-Force deduces that what happened in Phnom Penh is now happening in Florida, a six-hour flight away. Betsy assures them that she can teleport everyone there, since Otherworld touches all dimensional nexuses, and both the Well of All Things and the Everglades are such nexuses. Betsy dons her Captain Britain armor and opens a portal, leading them into Otherworld. Rachel and Betsy discuss the hope that "she" (likely Saturnyne) won't notice they’ve entered Otherworld. Betsy urges them to march into the forest, where she opens another portal from Otherworld to the Everglades.

The team arrives in Hart Home, Florida, where they find monsters attacking civilians. Rachel senses Nuklo nearby. Sage detects around 100 dimensional rifts opening in the area. Surge tracks Nuklo, who is heading toward the swamp. X-Force reaches the swamp and pools their powers to attack Nuklo, while more rifts open up. Out of the swamp emerges the powerful Man-Thing. Betsy assures the team that Man-Thing, as the guardian of the nexus and protector of dimensional crossroads, sees Nuklo as a threat. While X-Force is busy fighting Nuklo, another Nuklo appears, this one battling Man-Thing. The two Nuklos merge, forming a larger, more powerful Nuklo. Despite his strength, Man-Thing struggles against him. Just as X-Force seems to be out of options, a bolt of lightning strikes Nuklo. It comes from an alternate Storm, who arrives with her Avengers—a team of alternate versions of Thor, Iron Man, Black Panther, and Captain America. Storm warns them that X-Force's incursion into their territory ends now.

Geoffrey Thorne Talks X-Force

In a recent podcast interview with Traversing the Stars, X-Force writer Geoffrey Thorne elaborated on how the team funds its operations, revealing that several of its members are incredibly wealthy. Forge is "crazy rich—Tony Stark rich. He had an entire plaza in Texas that was like his personal Avengers Mansion or Stark Industries headquarters, complete with holographic floors and floating robot assistants." Forge's inventions and patents have made him very wealthy. He now owns an estate in Montana while retaining his original Texas headquarters.

Elizabeth Braddock (Betsy) is another affluent character in the series. "She’s a peer of the realm, meaning she comes from British nobility. They have estates in Essex and London, and even a lighthouse in Cornwall. She’s definitely wealthy."

Additionally, Sage is "also secretly rich." She's been siphoning money from people who "don’t deserve it" and stacking up cash in multiple bank accounts around the world. With these characters' wealth, X-Force doesn't face financial limitations.

Thorne also discussed Betsy Braddock's powers as Captain Britain and how they've evolved. In terms of Captain Britain and Askani, both are telepaths and telekinetics, each with their own power signatures. For Captain Britain, formerly Psylocke, the butterfly effect that accompanied her telepathy has been retained, though it now mutates depending on her mood and the situation. These visual cues help demonstrate what they can do.

Betsy Braddock’s journey as Captain Britain has been interesting. Initially, she was primarily a telepath with developing telekinetic powers. Through a series of unusual events, she took on the mantle of Captain Britain, a role her brother once held. As Captain Britain, Betsy’s powers now blend magic with her telepathy and telekinesis. She wields a construct shield and sword, and can also perform psychic blasts.

However, creating these constructs requires her to channel the totality of her psionic power, limiting her ability to use other abilities simultaneously. When she’s wielding the constructs, she’s fully engaged in combat. Ironically, it may be more dangerous for her enemies when the constructs aren't visible, as that’s when her full psionic potential is available.

Thorne shared his thoughts on writing Betsy Braddock, particularly after the significant changes she's undergone during the Krakoan era. He expressed a growing fascination with the character, even to the point of considering pitching a solo book for her. While he doesn't have the time or bandwidth for it yet, he finds her compelling because she uniquely combines magic with her mutant abilities—a distinction shared only with characters like Magik and, to some extent, Scarlet Witch.

Captain Britain’s role is magical in nature, appointed to a position in Otherworld, a realm that blends both magic and science. However, Thorne clarified that Betsy doesn’t wield magic in the same way as Doctor Strange, for example. As Captain Britain, she’s more of a magical champion, capable of performing the tasks associated with that mantle. She isn't casting spells like a sorcerer but instead operates almost as if she herself is a magical object. Whoever holds the title of Captain Britain embodies this magical essence.

What Thorne finds particularly intriguing is how Betsy’s magical responsibilities mix with her mutant powers, which are inherently natural and science-based in the Marvel Universe. Mutants have powers by their very nature, and reconciling that with her magical role adds a unique layer to her character.

X-Force #4 Preview

X-Force #4

Writer: Geoffrey Thorne

Art by: Marcus To

Cover by: Stephen Segovia

The Story: The Nexus of All Realities is in danger – meaning if X-FORCE can’t seal this Fracture Node, they’ve got more to worry about than just one ol’ Earth! What extradimensional forces stand ready to take down FORGE’s team? And the Nexus’ guardian, the MAN-THING – is he friend or foe?

In Stores: October 9, 2024

X-Force #5 Betsy Braddock Variant by Clayton Crain