X-Men Unlimited Infinity #136 Spoilers

Spoilers: Shatterstar teleports Rictor, Thunderbird, Mirage, and Captain Britain to Nova Roma. Betsy notes that Selene's defenses have created a psychic dead zone around Nova Roma, making telepathic contact with X-Corps Island difficult. Mirage recalls how Nova Roma's citizens suffered at the hands of Doctor Barrington recently, emphasizing the need to stop Selene once and for all. Mirage mentions that Magma will soon play her part in the war against Selene.

Meanwhile, amidst the Amazon jungle, the X-Corps encounters an invisible barrier. Betsy identifies it as magic, noting that the Externals are skilled in ancient ways. Rictor raises the earth to gain a better vantage point, revealing that Selene has shielded the entire city of Nova Roma under a dome. Thunderbird considers punching the dome, and Shatterstar suggests blindly teleporting inside, but suddenly the dome opens for them. A blast of fire is launched directly at the X-Corps, and Rictor shields the team by knocking them back to the ground. Absalom and Nicodemus appear, challenging the X-Corps to a fierce battle. Saul intervenes, urging his comrades to calm down, as it will serve him well to unleash the beast within him once again, transforming into a dragon.

Geoffrey Thorne's Q&A on X-Force -- Round 4

Geoffrey Thorne, the creative force behind the upcoming X-Force run debuting in July, revisited the CBR Forums to engage with fans and answer their burning questions.

Have you drawn inspiration from Rachel's earlier days in Alan Davis' Excalibur run for your take on her character in X-Force?

Thorne: Assume I've read (and own) 98% of all X-related material ever printed. And that includes John Byrne's bootleg. Also, assume I'm not paying homage to or emulating any previous version or arc. Further, assume I LOVE Alan Davis's work.

Is there a possibility of seeing Rachel interact with her brother and X-Force founder, Cable, in your upcoming run?

Thorne: I never say "no" to using cool characters, but I wouldn't count on Cable showing up any time soon.

Will X-Force follow a similar release schedule to Uncanny X-Men and X-Men, with 18 issues in its first year and possibly double shipping?

Thorne: With what I'm making Marcus draw already, I shudder to think what his reaction would be to having to draw EIGHTEEN issues in 12 months. How Gail and David Marquez are even doing that...? Yikes, man.

Can we expect the character design sheets for the team to be released?

Thorne: This far out, I doubt it. I'm certainly not allowed to.

Any chance we'll see Hellion make appearances in your X-Force series?

Thorne: I hate to break hearts, but not in the near future. But there are a bunch of other X-Books dropping so it's not unlikely he can show up in one of them.

Will Sage's past be explored in your run, and what are your thoughts on her real name not being Tessa?

Thorne: As far as I'm concerned, Tessa is her real name. Time will definitely be spent on Tessa.

Can you provide any teases about Forge's dynamic with the strong female characters in the team?

Thorne: Forge is... not a nice man. A good man? Absolutely. Nice? Not even close.

Will any character experience a sudden change towards villainy, similar to Beast's heel turn in Ben Percy's run?

Thorne: I write heroes. I have no interest in turning them into monsters. But there are heroes and there are heroes.

Will Rachel's chronal abilities and her identity as Askani still be a focus in your X-Force series, considering her development in recent years?

Thorne: Hmm. Them Phoenix girls got a lot of juice, that's for sure. Rachel's powerset and its effects are something we will definitely be exploring. Saying more constitutes a spoiler. PSIONICS are a weird breed, even compared to other mutants.

Was your Forge-led book pitch in 2020 intended to tie into the Krakoa era, or was it more era-agnostic?

Thorne: Era-agnostic. ALL my pitches have to be independent of whatever's currently going on in a given universe because I am, like everyone else, a minimum of three months behind whatever's going on in the ongoing story. Usually more than three.

Does Surge still rely on her gauntlets to control her powers, or has she overcome that need?

Thorne: She still needs them.

I'm somewhat worried about the creative direction, as it appears to be incorporating elements introduced by Tini Howard, which many feel negatively impacted characters like Betsy, Rachel, and others. How do you address these concerns?

Thorne: The canon is the canon but this is a FRESH start. Whether you loved or hated any previous run on the title, one thing I can promise is this book will not be any of those books. Oddly enough, just like real human beings, writers are not interchangeable. We're presenting our own show, not duplicating somebody else's.

Will Forge continue to address real-world issues such as housing crises, poverty, and climate change as he did pre-Fall of X?

Thorne: New mission. New team. New obstacles. New villains. Many, many new dangers. Issue #1 will tell you what you need to know. Once again, there will be no spoilers. You'll have to actually read it to find out.

What made Surge stand out among the available Academy X crew for inclusion in your X-Force team?

Thorne: I liked Nori. I liked all the NEW XMEN ACADEMY kids. The thing I like about her is she is a grappler, not a hider. Her response to trouble is to punch it in the mouth. Yeah, she had some bigotry issues to work out but those were, I think, the result of ignorance rather than malice. (Yes, there's a difference.) And then Krakoa happened and we're on the other side of all that. I thought it would be good to check in with Nori to see how she's grappling with all that.

Will Forge's invention of Surge's power control gauntlets come into play in the story, perhaps with an upgrade?

Thorne: I would say Forge is always giving folks helpful gadgets.

Can we expect any connective tissue with other X-books in your series, such as specific characters or storylines?

Thorne: There's some. But, in the case of X-Force, it won't be obvious.

Who is Tank, and how do they fit into the X-Force team?

Thorne: I'm not disclosing Tank's identity until it's right for the story. Even if somebody guesses right.

Can you offer any hints about the villains we can expect to see in your X-Force series? Will they be new or classic villains?

Thorne: No hints, but I generally try to do two things in corporate comics fiction: 1) Access the rich and amazing lore of the universe I'm being allowed to play in. 2) Keep Moving Forward. I am not a fan of nostalgia. The vibe is "Warriors" (Imagine Dragons song used to promote the League of Legends 2014 World Championship).

With Betsy as Captain Britain, there are numerous story threads available to explore, correct?

Thorne: My name is Geoffrey Thorne and I endorse this observation.

Would you lean more towards the characterization of Betsy Braddock as written by Chris Claremont, Rick Remender, and Cullen Bunn, as opposed to her portrayal during the Krakoa era?

Thorne: Alas, I am not those men. All I can promise or provide is the From the Ashes era Betsy.

Did you originally pitch the idea for this X-Force series back in 2020?

Thorne: Nope. I've been thinking about it since 2020. It was conceived and pitched early this year without knowing anything about what would happen after Krakoa or how Krakoa would end.

X-Corps Assemble in X-Men Unlimited Infinity Comic #140 Cover

X-Solicits for July 2024

X-Force #1 Geoffrey Thorne (W) • Marcus To (A) Cover by: Stephen Segovia Foil Variant Cover by: David Nakayama Forge Variant Cover by: Clayton Crain Forge Virgin Variant Cover by: Clayton Crain Stormbreakers Variant Cover by: Chris Allen Variant Cover by: Tony Daniel Variant Cover by: Mahmud Asrar Variant Cover by: Skottie Young Logo Variant Cover Also Available A NEW PATH FORGED! The world is fractured. Forge uses his powers of invention to devise the only fix: an all-new, all-different X-Force! Forge leads a custom-made, handpicked team of mutants – Rachel Summers, Betsy Braddock, Sage, Surge and introducing Tank – in off-the-books missions so dire, so integral to the fate of the Marvel Universe, there’s no time to stop for permission! As Forge detects increasing threats across the planet, he will recruit a specialist for each target – first up: that regenerating degenerate, Deadpool! Be here for an X-Force like you’ve never seen them before, stick around to see who joins, who lives, who dies and uncover the mystery of Forge’s discovery!

X-Force #1 Covers Without Trade Dress

Regular Cover: Art by Stephen Segovia & Colors by Bryan Valenza

Variant Cover: Art by Tony Daniel & Colors by Marcelo Maiolo

Variant Cover: Art by Mahmud Asrar & Colors by Matt Wilson

'X-Force' #1 Variant Covers Send Marvel's New Mutant Strike Team into Action

Variant Cover by TONY DANIEL

Variant Cover by MAHMUD ASRAR

Variant Cover by CLAYTON CRAIN

Variant Cover by DAVID NAKAYAMA

Fall of the Hose of X #5 Variant Cover by Miguel Mercado

X-Men Unlimited Infinity #135 Spoilers & Art

Spoilers: In a dynamic battle, Sunspot and Solem overpower Gideon, leaving him defeated on the ground. Despite Gideon's resilience and warning of his ability to rebuild, Sunspot cunningly exploits the situation by seizing Gideon's fortune with the assistance of Sebastian Shaw, who gleefully betrays Selene. Meanwhile, Solem confronts Sunspot with the option of decapitating Gideon, leading to a revelation about the Externals' mutant-tracking software, which operates on a dead man's switch. Gideon offers critical information to Sunspot in exchange for his freedom, but Solem severs his hand to prevent further manipulation. As Gideon questions the team's ability to thwart Selene's plans, Sunspot, accompanied by Shatterstar and Trinary, departs, leaving behind a tense atmosphere of impending confrontation.

On X-Corps Island, Trinary and Wiz-Kid use Gideon's DNA to access the Externals' mutant-tracking software, contemplating erasing it to hinder Selene's plans. Layla Miller warns of potential consequences if Selene discovers the disruption to her supply chain, emphasizing the need for swift action. Observing from above, Betsy, Dani, and John recognize the urgency to confront the Externals directly, signaling a shift towards proactive engagement. As tensions escalate and plans unfold, the team braces for the impending clash with Selene and her allies, setting the stage for a high-stakes showdown.

Geoffrey Thorne's Q&A on X-Force -- Round 3

Geoffrey Thorne returned to the CBR Forums once again for another round of Q&A about X-Force. Check out his insightful answers below.

Have you been keeping track of Surge's recent appearances here and there?

Thorne: I tracked Nori. She did some stuff in one of the Krakoa books and in that recent Bishop book but, for the most part, people haven't really used her or most of the NEW X–MEN ACADEMY "kids." As with all the characters I take on, I have plans for Nori that may not be readily apparent (on purpose).

Will you be pulling guest stars primarily from the X-Men books, or can we expect some guests from the greater Marvel Universe? How long will the guest characters be joining the team on average, a single issue, a story arc?

Thorne: That is an overstatement. There will be a few guest stars, here and there, but it's not like we'll be trotting them in and out constantly or even frequently. The team is static after issue 1 with guests showing up as needed. It is absolutely not a "guest star of the month" book. This is not Marvel Team-Up or anything like it.

Will Loa join the team?

Thorne: I also love Loa. Sadly, she doesn't fit into this first arc.

Was this initially an X-treme X-Men pitch with Sage, Rachel, and Betsy traveling all around?

Thorne: Nope. All things begin and end with Forge. And Sage. I don't pitch books by title. I pitch stories and let the company decide where they fit. This book has nothing to do with X-Treme X-Men. It's its own animal altogether. You know what happens when you assume.

Betsy has co-led X-Force many times, likely due to her pragmatism and her judgment skills. The incredible Remender run orbited around her, she co-led her own team with Storm, and was second in command to Cable and then Magneto when his Uncanny X-Men were more like X-Force during Bunn’s run. Will she have a similar role this time?

Thorne: Lady Braddock has a pretty full plate when she enters the story. Quite full. The leadership of this X-Force isn't really set up the way it has been for other versions of the team. Forge is the leader for reasons that will become clear in issue #1.

I know that your run will be nothing like Remender’s run, but I’d love to know your thoughts about his Uncanny X-Force.

Thorne: I make it a policy of never discussing my fan feelings on prior creative runs on a book I'm currently doing. That said, I've enjoyed nearly all of Mr. Remender's work since his FEAR AGENT days.

Forge is the longest-running X-Man who has never canonically had his real name revealed. Can we finally get that now that he’s a headliner of a book?

Thorne: I've noticed this too. Forge has used aliases over the years and we've never been told if any of them are really him. Will we find out this time around? Stay tuned, True Believers.

Is this going to be more akin to the original X-Force concept of striking problems before they become a problem or more black ops stuff?

Thorne: Short answer? Yes. But don't take too much from that. THIS X-Force's mission is different and, maybe, much weirder. I write heroes. I don't do nostalgia. X-Force didn't start as a murder squad. This isn't a continuation of the most recent iteration because Krakoa is no longer a controlling influence. Not in that way. This is a new deck with a new deal. This is not a copy or continuation of previous versions of X-Force. New leader. New mission. New solutions.

How does Rachel feel about her tattoos. They're on the cover, but she hasn't had them visible in some time. What do they represent to her in his mind?

Thorne: I doubt very much that Rachel is happy about the tattoos and why they are present at all is part of the story. One of the things I always liked about the X-Books (when they're good) is they're about the characters' internal conflicts just as much as they are about the plots and the fights. All of the characters in this book are carrying major baggage that will influence their interactions and even why they are on the team. The loss of Krakoa is a real thing and its shadow is long. The betrayal of Charles Xavier is a real thing. As is her relationship with Betsy. While this will absolutely not be some ponderous exploration of each character's inner life, those inner lives govern their actions in a very real way for each of them and, in some cases, at great cost. I can't ANSWER these questions here but I promise they have been considered and the answers are part of the story already.

Dead X-Men #4 Preview

Dead X-Men #4

Writer: Steve Foxe

Art by: Vincenzo Carratu, Bernard Chang, David Baldeon

The Story: Everything ends! Prodigy, Dazzler, Frenzy, Cannonball and Jubilee have gone farther and have risked more than any X-Men team before. Now, at the end of everything, the final fate of Krakoa rests on these five mutants. Will the Dead X-Men save the seed of the future…or kill it before it can even be planted? Rated T+

In Shops: Apr 17, 2024