Psylocke: Ninja #4 Variant Covers by Inhyuk Lee & C.F. Villa

Psylocke: Ninja #2 Art

Psylocke: Ninja #2 Spoilers

Spoilers: Continuing her assault on the Chaste’s stronghold, Psylocke advances with singular focus, suppressing intrusive sensory impressions that surface unbidden in her mind—images, scents, fragments of songs. Acting in pursuit of vengeance on behalf of the Hand following Elektra Natchios’ betrayal, she engages the Chaste—Flame, Wing, Shaft, Claw, and Star—in direct combat. Though aware of her telepathic abilities and capacity to deceive or disorient, Psylocke admits a preference for the immediate effects of hand-to-hand confrontation, taking satisfaction in physical engagement despite the power of her mind.

Overpowering the Chaste through disciplined force, Psylocke defeats Stone by fusing physical and spiritual attacks, glancing herself within her own scattered psychic-energy assault and detonating it at close range. With the remaining defenders incapacitated, she advances toward the healing pool where Elektra lies under Palm’s care, declaring that nothing now stands in her way. As Psylocke prepares to eliminate her target, Palm recognizes her not as a willing aggressor, but as a victim—warning that the Hand of the Beast may still have “a finger or two” in her heart.

Before Psylocke can complete her mission, Elektra rises—fully animated by the Beast’s influence—and turns on Palm, driving her clawed hand into the healer’s abdomen and fatally wounding her. As Elektra declares her intent to reclaim what was stolen, the two engage directly. Recognizing she cannot match Elektra physically, Psylocke resolves to rely on her mental powers—not scattered, but targeted—forming a focused totality and manifesting a psychic knife, which she drives into Elektra’s brain, deep into the neural pathways that record memory.

For a moment, the two become linked—“a circuit”—as Psylocke witnesses Elektra’s life: her lover Daredevil, her father, his loss, and the rage that followed as she fell deeper into darkness under the Beast’s influence. As the ancient presence retreats from Elektra’s soul, Psylocke and Elektra are violently repelled—like magnets of the same polarity—and the circuit breaks. Aided by Palm’s chi and Psylocke’s surgical psychic strike, Elektra is freed from the Beast’s influence, regaining consciousness beside Palm’s dying body.

Elsewhere, Psylocke reels from psychic feedback as fragments of identity surface. Intercepted by Matsu’o Tsurayaba, she is pressed to reveal her true name and questioned as to whether she is Kwannon. Psylocke responds by identifying herself as Elizabeth Braddock—Betsy. Realizing she retains memories of her former life, Matsu’o concludes that she is not yet his beloved. Declaring that Psylocke must remain alive if he is to retrieve Kwannon’s spirit, he resolves that Betsy Braddock must remain of use to the Hand.

In the days that follow, the Chaste gather to honor Palm with funeral rites, acknowledging Psylocke’s role in cleansing Elektra’s mind—though they concede that such freedom will not change Elektra’s nature, nor extinguish the anger that has grown within her since her father’s death. In Shinjuku City, Elektra resurfaces within the criminal underworld, vowing that if Psylocke is seen anywhere—above or below—she will be found.

Elsewhere, at the Hand’s private island laboratory in the South China Sea, Matsu’o returns empty-handed and is informed that Psylocke will be assigned a new mission—and a new name—in service of the Hand’s interests in Hong Kong. As he is led to a containment chamber where Psylocke lies suspended in a tank, Matsu’o subjects Betsy to further brainwashing in preparation for her next mission.

Psylocke: Ninja #2 Preview

Psylocke: Ninja #2
Written by: Tim Seeley
Art by: Nico Leon, Dono Sánchez-Almara
Cover by: Derrick Chew

The Story:
ELEKTRA MUST DIE! The Hand has given Psylocke a brutal order: kill Elektra! Will Psylocke be able to resist the Hand’s control? And even if she can, how will she evade Elektra’s wrath?!

Release Date: February 25, 2026

X-Men: Outback #1 Cover by Russell Dauterman

In the late ’80s, Chris Claremont and Marc Silvestri packed up the X-Men and dropped them straight into the Australian desert. The result was the legendary Outback Era, a wild stretch of Uncanny X-Men where Storm, Wolverine, Rogue, Colossus, Dazzler, Havok, Psylocke, and Longshot operated in secret while the world believed they were dead. It was intense. It was dramatic. It was sun-scorched mutant mayhem.

Fans have loved that era for decades. Now it finally gets a new chapter.

This June, writer Steve Orlando and artist Stephen Segovia return to the Outback in X-Men: Outback, a five-issue limited series featuring covers by Russell Dauterman. The creative team is diving back into the dusty headquarters where the X-Men protected humanity from the shadows and barely kept themselves from imploding along the way.

The series explores why the team chose the Outback as their base, how simmering tensions nearly shattered the group, and which familiar foe threatens to expose their greatest secret. Expect big personalities, high-stakes action, and the kind of interpersonal fireworks that made this era unforgettable.

For Orlando, the project is personal. The Outback was his entry point into the X-Men, discovered through flea markets and spinner racks. The bold costumes, raw emotion, and sense of reinvention left a mark that never faded. Now he gets to tell stories in the very era that made him a lifelong fan.

Segovia brings the grit and energy, while Dauterman sets the tone with striking covers that channel the spirit of late ’80s mutant chaos. Readers can look forward to classic faces, new dangers, unexpected connections, and a few romantic complications that feel right at home in this period.

If you ever wanted more stories from the days when the X-Men were presumed dead but more alive than ever, your ticket back to the desert arrives this June.

X-MEN: OUTBACK #1 (OF 5)

Written by STEVE ORLANDO

Art by STEPHEN SEGOVIA

Cover by RUSSELL DAUTERMAN

On Sale 6/24

Marvel Returns the X-Men and Psylocke to Australia With 'X-Men Outback' in June

BleedingCool: Announced at ComicsPRO by Marvel's David Gabriel is the news that the next Marvel retro series will be X-Men: Outback, returning to the time after the Fall Of The Mutants when the X-Men hid in the Australian outback and discovered the teleporting Aboriginal mutant, Gateway. And Steve Orlando and Stephen Segovia will be returning the mutants down under.

David Gabriel says, "Steve gave me some notes this morning to tell you what's happening in this book. You are going to see the first time that Sabertooth appeared in the Australian outback. You're gonna discover a secret branch of the Rasputin family bloodline. You're gonna meet the new character, the God Of The Rivers. And he's going to be introducing the all-new Australian version of the Morlocks, and he's also bringing the first appearance of a new character, Cliffhanger."

The X-Men Outback period ran from 1988 to 1990 in Uncanny X-Men during Chris Claremont's long run as writer. The X-Men had appeared to sacrifice themselves and die while battling the demonic entity known as the Adversary in Dallas. The world believed the team was gone forever. In reality, the goddess Roma resurrected them and magically transported the survivors to a remote, abandoned mining town in the Australian Outback. This gave the team a fresh start: they were presumed dead, allowing them to operate in secrecy without the constant scrutiny or attacks that came with their old Westchester mansion base. The X-Men took over the high-tech headquarters of the Reavers, a gang of vicious, cybernetically enhanced mercenaries and thieves who were originally tied to the Hellfire Club. The town, called Cooterman's Creek, looked like a dusty ghost town on the surface but hid advanced computer systems and defenses. Roma's magic made the base invisible to machines, spells, and detection, giving the team true anonymity. The team included Storm, Wolverine, Rogue, Psyclocke, Colossus, Havok, Dazzler, Longshot, and saw Gateway and Jubillee join the team. It lasted only about 20-plus issues, but it introduced lasting concepts like Genosha and showcased a more mature, world-weary X-Men.

Psylocke: Ninja #5 Solicitation

Psylocke: Ninja #5 (Of 5)

Tim Seeley (W) • Nico Leon (A)

Cover by: Derrick Chew

Versus Elektra Variant Cover by: Inhyuk Lee

Variant Cover by: Gerald Parel

• Psylocke and Elektra must put aside their differences to save Jubilee from the Snakeroot Clan!

• But can these two murderous assassins overcome their bloodlust and fulfill their heroic destinies?

• And will Psylocke’s past with the Hand come back to bite her…or to help her?

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Psylocke: Ninja #3 Variant Cover by Taurin Clarke

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Take Action: Let Marvel Know You Want More Betsy Braddock

With the strong momentum from the success of Psylocke: Ninja #1, now is the perfect time for fans to make their voices heard! 

We’ve added a simple button below that lets you send a pre-written email directly to the X-Office and Marvel editors with just one click.

We strongly encourage you to personalize your message by adding your favorite image of Betsy Braddock in the email as well — visuals can help grab attention and show just how passionate and engaged her fanbase is.

Let’s take advantage of this moment and show Marvel that there is real, active demand to see Betsy Braddock back in the main X-books where she belongs. 💜

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Psylocke: Ninja #1 Becomes Marvel’s Top-Selling Comic of the Week

Bleeding Cool: Psylocke: Ninja #1 was the best-selling Marvel comic of the week, ranking just behind DC’s Absolute Batman Annual 2025 on the Bleeding Cool Weekly Bestseller List. Alongside Rogue and X-Men, Psylocke: Ninja #1 helped place three X-books among the week’s top ten.

The Bleeding Cool Bestseller List is based on actual in-store sales data from over a hundred comic shops, primarily in North America and the UK, collected via ComicHub. The chart reflects what readers actually purchased from Wednesday through Saturday, rather than publisher orders.

Strong demand has also led to second printings, scheduled for March 4, including:

• A second printing cover by Artgerm
• A 1:25 variant cover by Dike Ruan

The quick move to second printings confirms Psylocke: Ninja #1 as one of Marvel’s standout launches of the season.

2nd Printing Variants:

Psylocke: Ninja #4 Solicitation

Psylocke: Ninja #4 (Of 5)

Tim Seeley (W) • Nico Leon (A)

Cover by: Derrick Chew

Versus Elektra Variant Cover by: Inhyuk Lee

Psylocke Variant Cover by: C.F. Villa

Psylocke Virgin Variant Cover by: C.F. Villa

• Danger comes for Psylocke from every angle!

• How will Psylocke survive when both Elektra and the Snakeroot Clan attack?

• And how can she protect Jubilee, when she lands in the crosshairs of Psylocke’s enemies?

Psylocke: Ninja #1 Art

Psylocke: Ninja #1 Spoilers

Spoilers: Fearing the inevitable slaughter of the X-Men at the hands of the cyborg Reavers, Psylocke uses her telepathic powers to push her teammates into the Siege Perilous, a mystical artifact that offers the possibility of a new life. Choosing rebirth over death, she follows them through the portal herself, hoping to escape an existence shaped by the expectations of others. She emerges on the shores of Okinawa, Japan, where she is discovered by local fishermen. Mentally disoriented, Psylocke’s thoughts begin to project directly into their minds: she speaks first in English, then in Japanese, and finally in Uchinaaguchi—the nearly forgotten native language of the islands. Realizing she is a mutant, the fishermen decide to turn her over to the criminal organization that controls the island: the Hand.

Meanwhile, on an island in the South China Sea, within a Hand fortress, Matsu’o Tsurayaba—a high-ranking member of the organization—recounts his most recent assignment from the Jonin. His target had been the crime lord Nyoirin Henecha, who employed Kwannon, Matsu’o’s lover, as his personal assassin. Neither Matsu’o nor Kwannon was willing to yield, and the mission culminated in a brutal confrontation. Matsu’o is now haunted by Kwannon’s death, having watched her fall from a cliff during their battle. Seeing an opportunity to “save” the woman he loved, Matsu’o proposes a dark plan to the Jonin. Initially rejected, the Jonin later reconsiders and ultimately agrees. The Hand intends to transplant Psylocke’s powerful telepathic mind into Kwannon’s physically perfect but brain-dead body, creating a loyal “masterpiece”: a psychic ninja engineered to serve the Hand’s interests and capable of standing against American superheroes. The Jonin warns Matsu’o that remnants of Kwannon’s original self may surface within Psylocke’s discarded body during the process—and that if Matsu’o fails, the resulting being will be used as collateral.

Some time later, in the snowy mountains of northern Japan, the transformed Psylocke trains relentlessly, demonstrating her new lethality by charging a bear and hurling it away with a single devastating kick. Declaring that she has scouted the region and is ready, she prepares for her final test of loyalty. Matsu’o leads her to a temple perched atop a sheer cliff, where she is ordered to eliminate the Hand’s greatest enemies: the Chaste, a mystical martial arts order that once allied with the Hand before turning against them. Matsu’o warns her that the Chaste possess something stolen from the Hand—something Psylocke must not recover, but utterly destroy.

As the loyal Psylocke begins her ascent up the cliff, she ruthlessly suppresses intrusive thoughts tied to her former British identity, dismissing memories of her past life as meaningless debris. Yet fragments still surface: the image of throwing a snowball at a blond British boy, or the sensation of a cooing newborn clinging to her chest. Despite these lingering psychic echoes, she accepts her new role and forbids herself from probing deeper into her true history. Watching from afar, Matsu’o observes his creation with pride, convinced he has forged the ultimate loyal assassin.

Within the Chaste’s fortress, members Stone and Palm reflect on how close the world once came to falling to the Hand. Palm, whose training focuses on healing arts, speaks of tending to a particular “patient.” Psylocke infiltrates the stronghold with cold efficiency, scaling frozen cliffs and swiftly defeating Stone. She is then confronted by other members of the Chaste—Flame, Wing, Shaft, Claw, and Star. Palm retreats to her patient, whom she must protect while continuing the healing process. Psylocke’s true target is finally revealed: Elektra Natchios, lying unconscious and defenseless within a healing pool.

Psylocke: Ninja #1 Variant Cover by God Tail

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Psylocke: Ninja #2 Variant Covers by Rickie Yagawa and Inhyuk Lee

Psylocke: Ninja #1 Preview

Psylocke: Ninja #1

Writer: Tim Seeley

Art by: Nico Leon

Cover by: Derrick Chew

The Story:

BETSY BRADDOCK: MUTANT, X-MAN…NINJA! Flashback to a time when Psylocke was reborn into the ultimate killing machine. What sacrifice did Betsy make to save the X-Men? Why did the Hand choose Psylocke to be their weapon? And what does it have to do with their former assassin…Elektra?! Discover the answers to these questions and more in a lost story from the X-Men’s past!

In Stores: January 21, 2026

X-Men Monday #325 – Tom Brevoort Talks Betsy Braddock's Complicated Status

AIPT!: This week’s X-Men Monday returns in a big way, welcoming Marvel’s own X-architect, Tom Brevoort, for a wide-ranging conversation on the past, present, and future of the X-Men.

AIPT: Betsy Braddock will turn 50 in 2026. While the Psylocke: Ninja flashback miniseries is appreciated, her absence from the Shadows of Tomorrow teaser is concerning. Will Betsy eventually have a place in present-day stories?

Tom: Betsy turns 50 along with Captain Britain, so we’ll definitely be doing something for Captain Britain’s 50th, and Betsy will definitely be a part of that. Beyond that, it’s kind of wait and see.

I like Betsy Braddock. But Betsy Braddock is hard and kind of a messy situation.

Everybody was well-intentioned throughout all of her storytelling, but that whole thing is a mess. And in coming to the table where it was set when I got here, I made what, to me, felt like the only choice I could make at that point, which is, Kwannon is Psylocke, that’s the state of play. That’s what we’re going to commit to. Psylocke is Kwannon, and she’s in X-Men. Betsy is Captain Britain, she’s with Rachel Summers, and she’ll be in X-Force. 

And X-Force ran its course, but it’s not as simple as just putting Betsy in the other book, or the name is really hers, and the Psylocke history is really hers. It kind of is, but 30, 40, 50 years later, here’s where we are now. 

And the other problem is, even among the Betsy fans, when you actually listen to what they say, they’re all over the road, too. We want her back, but we want her back in this iteration, and we want her back, but not like this. So even they’re trying to figure out what’s the right thing for the character and the story. What’s the story that somebody walks into my office, shows up in my email, or calls me on the phone and pitches me about Betsy Braddock that makes me go, “That’s a great story. I want to see that. I want to make that.” There’s no point in just bringing her back into a book if she’s going to be furniture.

So it’s kind of all of that, which again, is cold comfort and no comfort to people who love that character or any of the characters that haven’t gotten as much spotlight as we’d like. Over the churn of history, every character gets their day or gets their moment. So it’s not that there isn’t a genuine effort, it’s just that the genuine effort isn’t necessarily dedicated to just that one character, but to all the characters that people like or have ideas with.

Recap 2025 • Betsy Braddock/Captain Britain

Recap 2025 • If 2024 was a year of recovery and renewed confidence for Betsy Braddock, 2025 began with a rare sense of momentum and creative clarity. The year opened at full speed with the continuation of X-Force, written by Geoffrey Thorne and illustrated by Marcus To. In particular, X-Force #7 stood out as a genuine love letter to the character: Betsy was firmly in control of her narrative and her powers, while also celebrating her visual legacy by revisiting iconic looks such as the classic pink jumpsuit and the Outback-era armor. As the series progressed, a growing consensus formed among fans that Thorne was delivering Betsy’s strongest characterization in years—confident, articulate, and emotionally grounded.

Unfortunately, that momentum was short-lived. What was originally planned as a 15-issue run was abruptly cut to ten, with X-Force cancelled and wrapped up prematurely. From that point on, Betsy Braddock all but vanished from the X-Men line, reduced to occasional, inconsequential cameos and largely ignored by the broader narrative. She played no meaningful role in the early-year crossover X-Manhunt and in the Hellfire Vigil, and was entirely absent from the year-ending event Age of Revelation. In the end, 2025 proved to be a lean and frustrating year for Betsy, with only four full-fledged appearances and little sense of editorial commitment to her place in the X-Men universe.

As we look back on 2025, let’s revisit Betsy’s most memorable moments, explore the evolution of her character, and celebrate her continuing legacy in the X-Men universe. Happy New Year to all her fans—here’s to an exciting future ahead!

REMINDER: Email the X-Office at officex@marvel.com and the Avengers Office at mheroes@marvel.com and ask for Betsy Braddock's return to comic books.

REMINDER: Send your questions to Tom Brevoort at AIPT!'s X-Monday and ask about Betsy's whereabouts in the present-day stories. CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT QUESTIONS.

JANUARY
	X-Force #7 • “The Devil in Heaven” Betsy confronts La Diabla within a psychic battlefield, steps up as the key defender of Rachel during a dangerous power surge, reclaims iconic aspects of her past, and decisively resolves the team’s first major crisis of the year.
FEBRUARY
	Psylocke #4 • “A Deadly Display” [Hallucination] Betsy appears as a hallucinatory projection created by the Taxonomist, embodying Kwannon’s insecurities about identity and legacy, and weaponizing their shared Psylocke history as psychological torment.
	X-Force #8 • “The Devil's Lesson” Betsy faces La Diabla’s escalating assault head-on, protects the team from her alchemy, counters psychological provocation with resolve, and unleashes overwhelming psychic force to turn the tide of battle alongside X-Force.
MARCH
	Psylocke #5 • “Hostile Hospitality” [Hallucination] Betsy haunts the narrative through disturbing hallucinations tied to the Taxonomist’s fixation, as his plan to forcibly reunite her with Kwannon exposes how their shared past continues to manifest as psychological trauma.
	X-Force #9 • “X-Manhunt, Chapter Six: The Shapley Value” Betsy identifies La Diabla as the true threat, engages her directly despite being outmatched, supports Forge with a powerful psionic boost, and ultimately falls alongside X-Force as La Diabla turns the battle decisively in her favor.
	X-Manhunt Omega #1 • “X-Manhunt Finale: Dreams End” [Flashback] Betsy appears in a flashback to X-Force #6, shown actively sealing global reality fractures alongside the team, including a major operation in the Mariana Trench.
APRIL
	X-Force #10 • “The X-equation” Betsy confronts La Diabla directly in the final showdown, rejects her manipulation outright, asserts complete mastery over her psychic power, and decisively defeats her—bringing the X-Force era to a definitive close by leaving the team.
	X-Force #10 • “Beginning Now” [Flashback] During Cable’s reflection on the many incarnations of X-Force he has shaped over time, Betsy appears among the team’s past lineups, reaffirming her place in the unit’s evolving legacy.
JULY
	X-Men: Hellfire Vigil #1 • “Hellfire Vigil” Betsy Braddock attends the Hellfire Vigil alongside Rachel Summers, standing in quiet solidarity as mutantkind mourns the fall of Krakoa and reflects on what was lost.
	Avengers Academy: Marvel's Voices Infinity Comic #53 • “Dropping the Gloves” [Flashback] Marcus Wetherell recalls how his mother, reporter Manoli Wetherell, was present during the Outback X-Men’s battle against the Adversary in Dallas, indirectly spotlighting Betsy’s role in that historic confrontation.