Marvel.com: Kitty Pryde, Betsy Braddock, and America Chavez race against time itself to save Jean Grey and the X-Men in this epic Multiversal adventure reimagining Marvel origin stories: "What If... Kitty Pryde Stole the Phoenix Force?"
So many worlds, so little time. Infinite possibilities, creating infinite realities. Long have I watched generations of mutants live in a world shaped by Jean Grey's legacy. But what if . . . that legacy was cut tragically short, dooming the world to a future without the X-Men? What if . . . a watcher must do more than watch?
The year is 1990: The X-Men all perished more than a decade ago, and Kitty Pryde is no hero. Emma Frost rescued Kitty from an obscure existence as a mere rebellious teen kicked out of boarding school, terrified of ever being discovered as a mutant. After growing up under the tutelage of the White Queen, Kitty is an apex predator of a superior species, yet she lives alone in a tiny, rundown apartment, preferring isolation to a knife in the back. What is her alternative? The world is what it is.
But sometimes Kitty isn’t so sure of that. Sometimes it feels like she phases right out of her own life. Breathe in: She’s suddenly surrounded by friends she’s never known, living out events that never happened. Breathe out: It’s all back to normal. Kitty always shoves these flashes down, until someone from that other life finds her. This familiar stranger, Betsy Braddock, is a rambling confirmation that something is wrong with their world.
Betsy has a wild theory and if it’s right, Kitty's only shot at changing the present is to free-fall into the past. The girls follow a tenuous psychic trail back to Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters in its glory days and embed themselves with the X-Men. There they discover that the inflection point that will unravel their future revolves around a certain omega-level mutant, destined to become the Phoenix. But little do Kitty and Betsy know, they’re not alone in their search.
The year is 1975: Jean Grey has weeks left to live. The Whisperer is coming. He has recruited an ally and accounted for every foreseeable variable. He will leave nothing to chance. He will lead this reality to its Doom.
About the Author
Rebecca Podos is the Lambda Literary Award-winning author of YA and Adult novels. Homegrown Magic, her adult fantasy debut co-written with Jamie Pacton, is their latest.
What If... Kitty Pryde Stole the Phoenix Force? will be released on October, 14, 2025 and is available for pre-order everywhere books are sold.
“For so long, my life has been out of control. Chaos and serendipity, wrapped in insanity. I have suffered, I have lost. Not just my life, but my very soul, my self. But no more. Now I know who I am.” – Elizabeth ‘Betsy’ Braddock, daughter of Otherworld, mutant, telepath, telekinetic, defender of the realm and, above all, X-Man.
8 comments:
I’m intrigued by this plot. Am I reading this correctly? They’re going to do this in real years versus comic book years?
Not a bad premise, but a story involving time travel to the past and the Phoenix Force (and with CB Betsy) seems to fit better with Rachel than with Kitty.
This cover sucks. You can barely make out who the characters are.
oh, so it's a novel. I'm intrigued, I'll get it
@Rahsaan first great observation about Betsy's outfit with her previous X-Uniform in the comment below.
I definitely didn't catch that lol. I'm glad they used the Butterfly now but still kinda like visually like the X.
2nd I'll probably feel stupid for not understanding this, but what do you mean real years vs comic years? In terms of this story?
Thanks :)
@X-Man, I think he's talking about the fact that in 1991 the X-Men were active, and we had the Blue and Gold teams, but not in this story that will take place in 1990.
In 1976 Jean became Phoenix and this story will take place in 1975, before this event.
A combination of real and comic book years.
@Rahsaan, Correct me if I'm wrong!
Hi, gentlemen. What I mean is the in comic years, it hasn’t been almost 50 years since the Phoenix Saga (followed by the Dark Phoenix Saga), but in real time years that we live, it has been. If this author is actually having Jean be a full grown adult in her 20s (or at least in her late teens) during the 70s, then I presume in the author’s same continuity the Jean of today would be close to or 70 years old.
This trio makes sense on paper. In terms of multiversal/alternate universe/timeline travel. America can open portals to different realities or just teleport in the same world & is one of a kind in the Marvel verse. Betsy's now got many versions of herself in different realities cause the Corps & her TP. Kate's been established has being able to phase her mind back in time with the help of telepaths.
Only thing is if the author can pull this off in an intriguing way? Can't remember the last X-novel I read. Last decade or so it's been nothing but Avengers novels & solos getting published.
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