X-Men: Outback #5 Art

X-Men: Outback #5 Spoilers

Spoilers: Master Molto introduces Cliffhanger as the star of Murder Television, broadcasting her attacks on Earth alongside the Execution Producers. Her abilities allow her to recall every detail of the previous twenty-four hours, access older memories through mental archives, and glimpse events seconds before they happen. Meanwhile, Dazzler performs under a false identity at an Australian bar, accompanied by Longshot and Rogue. Frustrated by life in hiding, Alison loses her temper when patrons accuse her of being an inferior imitation of Dazzler. Outside, her argument with Longshot is interrupted by Psylocke, who telepathically alerts them to an attack from Mojoworld. Gateway arrives to transport them to Tristan da Cunha, where the other X-Men are already defending the isolated community against Cliffhanger’s squad.

Dazzler absorbs the surrounding sound and asks Psylocke to warn everyone before she unleashes a powerful burst of light. Betsy broadcasts a telepathic warning to the team and the residents, telling them to shield their eyes and take cover. Longshot then recognizes Cliffhanger, a former lover and fellow rebel he believed had died in a burning transport. She calls herself his former wife, although he explains that they only planned to marry if they survived their rebellion. Cliffhanger accuses him of abandoning her, while Longshot insists that others had to drag him from the flames and knock him unconscious to stop his rescue attempt. She claims that Mojo saved her and Molto gave her a new career, but Longshot suspects that her memories have been altered. Rejecting his pleas, she shoots him.

With Longshot wounded, Dazzler attacks Cliffhanger while Rogue tends to him. Psylocke points out that the X-Men cannot be filmed, and Storm confirms that their presence disrupts the enemy’s technology. Cliffhanger nevertheless remains a threat to their secret and proves difficult to defeat, using her recall and anticipation to counter their attacks. She wounds Rogue with a mojonium dart and taunts Dazzler about her career, her insecurities, and her feelings for Longshot. While Colossus and Wolverine protect the residents, Psylocke probes the Execution Producers and discovers that they possess little independent thought. Their minds are keyed to Cliffhanger, functioning almost as extensions of her own. Storm concludes that the connection must be severed, while Longshot warns Rogue that every moment of combat gives Cliffhanger more information to use against them.

Rogue finally intervenes by grabbing Cliffhanger and absorbing her powers, enduring a painful feedback mechanism designed to make the contact lethal. Through the connection, she discovers that Cliffhanger does not have amnesia: an implanted converter box is altering her morals. Despite the device’s resistance, Rogue tears it free, restoring Cliffhanger’s personality and causing the Execution Producers to collapse. Reunited with Longshot, Cliffhanger admits that she remembers everyone she has hurt and struggles with what she has become. Longshot reassures her that Molto forced her actions, but both acknowledge that they are no longer the people they once were. Searching her mental archives, she recalls information about Molto’s travel schedule and decides to confront him.

Cliffhanger thanks Rogue for risking her life and declines Longshot’s offer to accompany her, explaining that she must discover who she is on her own. She promises to protect the X-Men’s secret, blows a farewell kiss that leaves Longshot, Rogue, and Dazzler wondering whom she intended it for, and teleports away to pursue Molto. Back at their Outback home, the team relaxes together while Madelyne and Havok joke about Longshot’s complicated romantic history. Dazzler thanks Rogue for saving her, although neither is ready to abandon their rivalry. Watching them, Longshot reflects that the team has done more than endure its hidden existence: they have traveled across the world, saved lives, and acted on their own terms. To him, the X-Men have been living all along.

X-Men: Outback #5 Preview

X-Men: Outback #5
Writer: Steve Orlando
Art by: Stephen Segovia
Cover by: Russell Dauterman

The Story:
The world believes the X-Men are dead, but all Mojo knows is that he’s lost his meal ticket!
Desperate, Mojo debuts a new ratings smash… the Murder Video Channel!
Can the X-Men stop the murderous mayhem without revealing themselves?
And how can Longshot explain that Cliffhanger, Mojo’s Murder Video star… is his ex?!

In Stores: October 21, 2026

X-Men: Outback #4 Art

X-Men: Outback #4 Spoilers

Spoilers: At sunrise in Cooterman’s Creek, Bushranger arrives seeking the X-Men’s help, recognizing them through her ability to see mutant auras. She protects the Never Never, a hidden community of mutants who cannot safely blend into human society. The Lava Men have abducted her people, and their ruler, King Basallo, plans to extract their mutant genes to strengthen his own kind. Bushranger was killed during the attack, but her powers allow her to survive as long as someone still believes in her. Havok immediately supports the rescue, while Psylocke tells Storm that Bushranger shows no signs of deception. Madelyne Pryor insists on joining the mission, frustrated at always remaining behind because she has no powers. With Havok’s support, Storm agrees, and Madelyne equips herself with Reaver weapons while Wolverine stays to guard the base.

Bushranger leads the team through the deserted Never Never and into the tunnels beneath it, explaining that the community’s protective mirage could not conceal them from an underground attack. Along the way, Madelyne confides in Havok about her recurring nightmares of fire and her suspicions about Bushranger’s interest in him. They soon confront Basallo, who claims that sacrificing the mutants fulfills his duty to his people and the Mother Core. When he refuses to release the prisoners, the X-Men attack, with Madelyne fighting alongside them. Basallo unleashes a cloud of ash that blinds the team while allowing his soldiers to move freely. Psylocke counters by locating the Lava Men telepathically, linking their minds with her own, and sharing that awareness with Dazzler and Longshot. Surrounded by Betsy’s psychic butterflies, her teammates can target their enemies without seeing them. Storm then disperses the ash with her winds.

Bushranger confronts Basallo directly, enduring his burning touch as she fights him. When the king launches another attack, Havok pushes her to safety and takes the blast himself. Madelyne rushes to Alex’s side, while Bushranger continues battling Basallo, eventually taking his staff and turning it against him. The king boasts that his people cannot be killed, but Storm demonstrates that the molten metal within their bodies conducts electricity. She threatens to unleash far greater voltage unless he frees the mutants and leaves the Never Never alone, while Bushranger promises to pursue the Lava Men relentlessly if they refuse. Although his guards remain willing to fight, Basallo finally chooses to spare them further suffering and orders the prisoners released.

After the rescue, Madelyne confronts Bushranger for failing to check on Havok, but Bushranger explains that his aura already told her he was safe. She introduces Mirror, whose powers conceal their community, before affectionately reuniting with her longtime partner, Buckland. Madelyne realizes that she has misread Bushranger’s interest in Alex: Bushranger perceives beauty through mutant auras and finds Buckland beautiful regardless of his unusual appearance. Bushranger thanks Madelyne for helping without special powers, suggesting that more people like her might make hiding unnecessary. She also promises that her community will protect the secret of the X-Men’s survival, grateful that the team put the captives’ safety before its own secrecy. When she says they did not have to risk themselves, Storm firmly disagrees.

Meanwhile, in the Mojoverse, Master Molto presents Mojo with footage of a new kill squad, the Execution Producers, murdering civilians to musical accompaniment. His Murder Video Channel is ready, but Mojo decides that the killers alone are not enough: the program needs a recognizable star. Confident that he knows the perfect lead, Mojo prepares to contact someone from Longshot’s little black book.

X-Men: Outback #4 Preview

X-Men: Outback #4
Writer: Steve Orlando
Art by: Roi Mercado
Cover by: Russell Dauterman

The Story:

The Morlocks of the Outback are in trouble — and only the X-Men can help! Havok and Madelyne Pryor must help the Morlocks of Australia escape from the Lava Men! Can even Havok withstand the heat? Will these X-Men be able to establish a truce between the Lava Men and the Morlocks before Maddie’s fiery visions of the future come true?

In Stores: September 16, 2026

X-Men: Outback #3 Art

X-Men: Outback #3 Spoilers

Spoilers: In the Mojoverse, Master Molto attempts to convince Mojo to approve his proposed new program, Murder Television, promising an even more brutal form of entertainment for his audience. Meanwhile, an older threat begins moving against the X-Men in Australia. Long ago, in the microscopic realm of Sub-Atomica, the Lich Duke Yaga Dyara conquered the wandering mystic Grishka, a secret member of the Rasputin bloodline. With his dying breath, Grishka cursed the Duke, promising that one day he would fall to a Rasputin. In the present, Betsy Braddock finds Piotr Rasputin painting alone in the Australian wilderness and recognizes that he is struggling with the weight of his family name, Illyana’s fate, Mikhail, and the recent rebirth that has left him questioning his place in the world. Betsy understands that burden intimately and urges him not to let his family history define him. Their conversation is interrupted when she is struck by an overwhelming empathic surge of fear and hatred. Yaga Dyara arrives with the undead Rotwave, declaring that he has come for Rasputin blood, and Piotr immediately puts himself between the monsters and Betsy.

As Piotr is overwhelmed and dragged away, Psylocke desperately sends a psychic call to the other X-Men. Yaga Dyara reveals that he knows exactly who Piotr is: a cousin of Grishka and part of the bloodline destined to destroy him. He intends to eliminate every remaining Rasputin, including Illyana. Storm, Wolverine, Rogue, Havok, Dazzler and Longshot answer Betsy’s call and attack the Rotwave, but Betsy remains focused on Piotr, calling his name again and again until she can barely detect his consciousness beneath the darkness surrounding him. Unable to reach him physically, she enters his mind. There she finds Piotr retreating into fatalism, wondering whether the Rasputin bloodline itself is cursed and whether everything should simply end with him. Betsy refuses to let him surrender. She tells him that even if every Rasputin before him were gone, he would still have a family—the people outside fighting for him, including her. She reminds him that Illyana would never have allowed him to give up and finally asks whether he is really going to make his friends fight for him alone. Her words reach him, and Piotr’s anger and will return with explosive force.

Colossus tears himself free and confronts Yaga Dyara while the rest of the X-Men battle the spreading Rotwave. Betsy continues operating on several fronts at once. While maintaining her psychic connection to Piotr, she penetrates what remains of the Rotwave creatures’ minds and gives them a new command: devour your own. The undead are forced to turn on one another, dramatically weakening the Duke’s army. Yaga Dyara nevertheless proves powerful enough to rot and wither even Colossus’s armored body, boasting that he will destroy the Rasputin line and tear Illyana apart after Piotr. At the moment when Piotr seems closest to death, the spirit of Grishka appears. Grishka reveals that Yaga Dyara lied about having exterminated the entire family: Grishka alone fell to him, while the Rasputin line survived. He provides Piotr with the words of a spell, explaining that the dead can empower it but only the living can banish the Duke. Piotr recites the incantation, and the combined power of the living Rasputin and his dead ancestor opens a microscopic gateway that drags Yaga Dyara, his warriors and the Rotwave back to their own realm and seals the passage behind them.

Grishka remains just long enough to heal Piotr’s ravaged flesh, telling his cousin that healing his heart will have to be Piotr’s own work, before disappearing like a shooting star. Betsy stays close to Piotr afterward, and their earlier conversation becomes much more personal. Back where he had been painting, Piotr considers whether the damage caused by the attack might become part of the artwork rather than something to erase. Betsy applies the same idea to his family: one miraculous relative cannot wash the Rasputins’ history clean, but Piotr can change what the name means through the man he chooses to be. When Piotr observes that she seems to believe in him, Betsy admits that she saw something beautiful when she was inside his mind. He then turns the question back on her and asks what she found there—whether he is a friend, a lover, or something caught between the two—and who exactly she was trying to save when she threw herself into his pain. Betsy cannot give the relationship a simple name but admits that she could not allow his suffering to continue and that he has become someone she cannot imagine being without. Neither is ready to risk pushing things further, so they agree not to let that uncertainty change what they already mean to one another. Betsy makes him promise that the next time he paints, he will put people into his world; when Piotr suggests perhaps beginning with her, she happily accepts the deal.

Hours later, Madelyne Pryor sits with Havok and admits that she feels useless beside the X-Men because she spent the crisis watching from the monitors while Colossus nearly died. Havok tells her that not everyone contributes in the same way and that simply remaining with the team and helping however she can still matters. He admits that he looks to her for strength, but Madelyne is frightened by how much others may depend on her while she continues to struggle with nightmares and the lingering terror surrounding her own past. Havok understands the feeling more than he initially lets on: beneath his reassurance, he confesses that sometimes he feels as though he is only barely holding himself together.

X-Men: Outback #3 Teaser

Find out what really happened between Psylocke and Colossus in the Australian Outback in tomorrow’s X-Men: Outback #3—and what the issue reveals about the complicated bond that had been quietly developing between Betsy Braddock and Piotr Rasputin.

X-Men: Outback #3 Preview

X-Men: Outback #3
Writer: Steve Orlando
Art by: Stephen Segovia & Roi Mercado
Cover by: Russell Dauterman

The Story:
Lying low in the Australian Outback, the X-Men have seemed to find peace — that is until the ancient necromancer YAGA DYARA arrives from the Quantum Realm seeking to end Colossus’ Rasputin bloodline for good.
How can Piotr and his comrades succeed against this sorcerer’s cosmic threat?
Will Yaga’s undead magic stamp out the Rasputin line for good?

In Stores: August 26, 2026

X-Men: Outback #4 Variant Cover by Kendrick Lim

X-Men: Outback #2 Art

X-Men: Outback #2 Spoilers

Spoilers: With the X-Men believed to be dead, Mojo scolds Major Domo for failing to find a suitable replacement capable of maintaining their ratings. Among the possible new programs is a pitch from Molto for a channel called Murder Television, which would broadcast footage of Earth’s most sensational murders.

In the Australian Outback, Colossus opens up to Psylocke about feeling as though he is mourning his own life. Although the X-Men survived their apparent deaths, they must now remain hidden from the world, leaving him trapped in a strange state of post-rebirth isolation. Betsy comforts him and admits that she has insecurities of her own. She fears that she may be a liability to the team, which is why she has become so dependent on wearing her armor.

Meanwhile, Storm, Wolverine, Longshot, Dazzler, and Rogue enjoy a cookout together. Longshot appears to be having a great time, while Dazzler and Rogue finally seem to be getting along better.

Back in Cooterman’s Creek, Madelyne Pryor is struggling emotionally after seeing Cyclops and Jean Grey together on television. She becomes increasingly obsessed with gaining access to the Reavers’ computer system, much to Havok’s concern. After uncovering a section of heavily obfuscated code, Madelyne accidentally activates the Reavers’ security protocol and releases Godshredder, an advanced technological soldier designed as their final line of defense.

While the X-Men sleep, Godshredder releases a swarm of microscopic drones that they unknowingly inhale. The drones successfully take control of most of the team, but Wolverine detects his before it can fully subdue him. Under Godshredder’s control, the other X-Men surround Logan and prepare to attack.

Wolverine escapes into the Outback, pursued by his mind-controlled teammates. Determined not to seriously injure his friends, he initially fights without using his claws. He takes them down one by one, beginning with Dazzler and Longshot before defeating Havok. Storm proves to be one of his most dangerous opponents, but Logan eventually overcomes her as well. When Psylocke attacks, he overwhelms her telepathically by flooding her mind with his berserker rage.

Against Rogue, Wolverine deliberately uses his claws because she can absorb his healing factor and recover from the wounds. Colossus is the final X-Man left standing, and his armored form makes him nearly impossible for Logan to hurt. Wolverine provokes him into charging headfirst, causing the two of them to collide. Both are injured by the impact, but only Logan can heal quickly enough to continue fighting.

Godshredder then confronts Wolverine personally. Their battle is brutal and bloody, with Godshredder burning the flesh from Logan’s arms until only the adamantium-coated bones remain. During the fight, Godshredder reveals that the man inside the armor was once one of the Hellfire Club guards Wolverine mutilated during the Dark Phoenix Saga.

After defeating him, Wolverine realizes that almost nothing remains of the man beneath the Godshredder armor. Unable to save him, Logan delivers a mercy killing. He admits that he cannot honestly say he is sorry for what he did years ago, but he still gives the man a proper burial overlooking the beautiful Australian Outback.

X-Men: Outback #2 Preview

X-Men: Outback #2

Writer: Steve Orlando

Art by: Stephen Segovia

Cover by: Russell Dauterman

The Story:

CHAOS IN THE OUTBACK! With the world believing them dead, the X-Men have relocated to the Reavers’ abandoned headquarters. But when an old Reavers security system is set off, the team must protect themselves from their own home! With the X-Men down, can Wolverine save them? Or will the team be torn apart by the most dangerous Reaver ever?

In Stores: July 29, 2026

X-Men: Outback #3 Variant Cover by Taurin Clarke

X-Men: Outback #3 Variant Cover by Ejikure

X-Men: Outback #5 Cover by Russell Dauterman

 

X-Men: Outback #1 Art

 

X-Men: Outback #1 Spoilers

Spoilers: Following their battle against the Adversary in Dallas, the X-Men sacrifice themselves in order to defeat the Dark Trickster.

Meanwhile, Sabretooth visits Wolverine’s old cabin in the Canadian Rockies, refusing to believe that Logan is truly dead. There, he finds a lock of Logan’s hair and deduces that Wolverine has been there recently. Convinced that his old enemy is still alive, Sabretooth sets out to find him and celebrate their annual tradition: a ruthless birthday brawl.

In Cooterman’s Creek, in the Australian Outback, the X-Men are adjusting to their strange new reality in the ghost town. Psylocke, Havok, and Madelyne Pryor drink together, while Colossus reflects on the living death they now seem to be enduring. Dazzler and Rogue, meanwhile, clash over Longshot’s attention. Far from the base, Storm visits an Aboriginal community that receives her with respect, while she reflects on her perceived failure as a leader. Wolverine joins her and encourages her, telling her that the team needs a symbol of hope — a goddess.

Storm returns to the base and finds chaos, as the tension between Rogue and Dazzler has erupted into a fight. Wolverine interrupts the argument when he picks up the scent of an intruder: Sabretooth.

Sabretooth has brought with him Mister Sinister’s Dire Dogs — experiments born from degraded prehistoric DNA, capable of tracking their prey across the globe and feeding on fear. He unleashes the beasts, and the X-Men assemble for battle. While the team keeps the dogs occupied, Logan lunges at Sabretooth, and the two rivals engage in a brutal, bloody fight.

Storm realizes that their fear is feeding Sabretooth’s mutant hounds. The X-Men also notice that Logan has gone berserk with rage. Psylocke warns the team to control their fear, and Storm manages to master her own, channeling her powers against the dogs. Intimidated by her command and presence, the creatures are ultimately defeated.

The X-Men place themselves between Logan and Sabretooth, both to spare Logan from losing himself completely and because they are his friends — something Sabretooth does not have. Taking advantage of the distraction, Dazzler charges her powers and blasts Sabretooth, frying him with a concentrated burst of light.

Logan then releases his fury by tearing through Creed’s remaining hounds, until Storm reaches out to him. Her presence brings him back to himself. Logan thanks her and tells her that this is exactly why she matters: because she leads.

Psylocke insists that the secret of the X-Men’s survival must be protected. To ensure that Sabretooth cannot reveal the truth, she performs a telepathic surgery on him, erasing his memory of the day’s events and of the fact that the X-Men are still alive.

Later, beneath the moonlight, Storm and Wolverine reflect on the team’s uneasy adjustment to their new existence. Storm concludes that each of them is fighting their own private battle, but that they cannot waste this second chance to defend mutantkind as living myths. Wolverine encourages her to embrace her place as the goddess at the heart of that myth.

Storm agrees. Using her powers, she transforms her punk look into her new Outback costume — a form more fitting for a goddess.

X-Men: Outback #2 Variant Cover by Terry Dodson

 

With Brian Braddock’s 50th anniversary approaching in October 2026, followed by Betsy Braddock’s own 50th anniversary in December, we encourage fans to email the X-Office at officex@marvel.com and politely remind them how important these milestones are.

Let them know that you would love to see both characters celebrated in a meaningful way. You can also mention how much you appreciated recent projects such as Psylocke: Ninja and X-Men: Outback, which honored Betsy’s history and legacy.

Please keep your message respectful and positive. A kind note of appreciation, combined with enthusiasm for Brian and Betsy’s upcoming anniversaries, can go a long way in showing Marvel how much these characters still mean to readers.