Excalibur #1 Advance Preview

Marcus To Previews 'Excalibur'

House of X #3 Character Decades Variant Cover by Jeff Dekal

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 Introduces Psylocke's 'X-Force' Alternate Skin

In Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3, you can unlock new Alternate Color Skins. The majority of the alternate skins are unlocked through Infinity Trials. These Trials can be played either from the main menu, at Shield Points, or via various rifts hidden around levels. They task players with completing certain objectives with set parameters. Each type of Infinity trial offers three Skins as rewards, each obtained by earning a certain number of stars. You can also unlock certain Skins, like Daredevil’s black outfit for example, by completing certain missions on Superior difficulty.

Every Alternate Skin is a Color Swap of the default uniform. Psylocke's skin is an X-Force recoloring in black and grey of her default blue and red costume. However, Nintendo recently revealed that every playable character would be getting an actual alternate costume in Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 by the end of Q1 2020. This is likely to be added alongside the planned DLC, so we’ll be sure to update this page when we hear more.

Jordan D. White, Tini Howard & Marcus To Talk The Butterfly Controversy

Yesterday, fans were taken aback when the news broke that Marvel was moving away from the butterfly power signature for Betsy, which has been a staple in her powerset for years. The butterfly, of course, debuted in Uncanny X-Men #213, designed by Alan Davis. By 1990, it had faded into obscurity for roughly 20 years, when Matt Fraction brought it back in Dark Reign: The List - X-Men #1 in 2009, drawn by none other than Alan Davis, and has been used regularly ever since.

According to Betsy herself, the butterfly wasn't just a manifestation of her telepathy, it was an expression of the subtlety and fine control she possessed as a telepath. In Breaking Into Comics The Marvel Way #2, the butterfly and the sword are established as one and the same thing seen from different angles: Betsy herself.

The backlash was immediate and fans were justifiably upset because the butterfly had become a symbol to represent Betsy. Here's what the creative team behind Excalibur had to say:

Marcus To: We're actually moving away from that look. She's going through a period of transition in her life. We'll be seeing her find herself and discovering what it means to be Betsy in her own way. Her powers will represent that. This will be what the book is about, Betsy figuring herself out. She will have the powers you remember, but she will have to find out who she is now. A story of self discovery. Something we can all relate to. Tini is writing a great story and Betsy's struggle with her new life. Her powers will reflect that. It'll be a thread in the series as she comes to grips with who she is without Kwannon. And thank you, I understand your frustrations.[1][2][3][4]

Tini Howard: I'll ease your mind and tell you I have no idea where anyone got the idea [that Betsy is losing her telepathy] from, but in general I can't do this kind of thing, I hope you guys realize. Asking me to confirm/deny stuff from upcoming books puts a lot of pressure on me to do things I'm not allowed to do. Jonathan once said something really important about not getting between people and the work. That's a big part of why I'm quiet - you all deserve that chance for intimacy with the work, and I'm thrilled you'll be coming along and grateful for all the excitement from you![1][2]

Jordan D. White: She’s growing and changing. If only there was a metaphor I could use for someone going through that sort of transformation but nothing is occurring to me.[1]

What do you think? Keep the discussion civil!

X-Solicits for October 2019

	Excalibur #1 Tini Howard (W) • Marcus To (A) Cover by: Mahmud Asrar Every Mutant Ever Variant Cover by: Mark Bagley Young Guns Variant Cover by: Mike Del Mundo Design Variant Cover by: Jonathan Hickman Variant Cover by: Mike Mckone Variant Cover by: Kris Anka Hidden Gem Variant Cover by: TBA A New Dawn Is Forged! The Otherworld is rocked by war! It is a new era for mutantkind as a new Captain Britain holds the amulet, fighting for the Kingdom of Avalon with her Excalibur at her side - Rogue, Gambit, Rictor, Jubilee...and Apocalypse.
	True Believers: X-Men - Betsy Braddock #1 Chris Claremont (W) • Herb Trimpe (A/C) Reprinting Captain Britain (1976) #8-1
	House of X #6 (of 6) Jonathan Hickman (W) • Pepe Larraz (A/C) Variant Cover by: Mike Huddleston Flower Variant Cover by: Sara Pichelli Character Decade Variant by: Iban Coello Foreshadow Variant Cover by: TBA Connecting Variant by: Javier Garron Action Figure Variant by: John Tyler Christopher Young Variant by: Skottie Young Virgin Variant Cover by: Pepe Larraz The Inevitable Future. The revolutionary tale of Mutantkind’s rise comes to a conclusion that will lay the groundwork of the X-Men’s stories for years to come! Superstar writer Jonathan Hickman (Avengers, Fantastic Four, Secret Wars) and Marvel Young Gun artist Pepe Larraz (Extermination, Avengers) wrap the series that changes everything!
	Powers of X #6 (of 6) Jonathan Hickman (W) • R.B. Silva (A/C) Variant Cover by: Mike Huddleston New Character Variant Cover by: Dustin Weaver Foreshadow Variant Cover by: TBA Character Decades Variant by: Cafu Connecting Variant by: Javier Garron Action Figure Variant by: John Tyler Christopher Young Variant by: Skottie Young Virgin Variant Cover by: R.B. Silva The Inevitable Truth. The revelatory tale of Mutantkind’s fall comes to a conclusion that will lay the groundwork of the X-Men’s stories for years to come! Superstar writer Jonathan Hickman (New Avengers, Ff, Infinity) and rising star artist RB Silva (Uncanny X-Men) wrap the series that reveals everything!
	X-Men #1 Jonathan Hickman (W) • Leinil Francis Yu (A/C) Variant Cover by: Artgerm Virgin Variant Cover by: Artgerm Every Mutant Ever Variant Cover by: Mark Bagley Young Guns Variant Cover by: Marco Checchetto Variant Cover by: Russell Dauterman Design Variant Cover by: Jonathan Hickman Hidden Gem Variant Cover by: TBA Variant Cover by: TBA Party Variant Cover by: Mark Brooks Premiere Variant Cover by: Leinil Francis Yu Dawn of X! The X-Men find themselves in a whole new world of possibility… and things have never been better! Jonathan Hickman (House Of X, Powers Of X, Secret Wars) and superstar artist Leinil Yu (New Avengers, Captain America) reveal the saga of Cyclops and his hand-picked squad of mutant powerhouses!
	Marauders #1 Gerry Duggan (W) • Matteo Lolli (A) Cover by: Russel Dauterman Every Mutant Ever Variant Cover by: Mark Bagley Young Guns Variant Cover by: Aaron Kuder Design Variant Cover by: Jonathan Hickman Variant Cover by: Philip Tan Hidden Gem Variant Cover by: TBA Variant Cover by: Todd Nauck The X-Men Sail at Dawn! Even in this glorious new dawn, Mutantkind faces hardships and oppression from their human counterparts. Led by Captain Kate Pryde and funded by Emma Frost and the Hellfire Trading Company, Marauders Storm, Pyro, Bishop and Iceman sail the seas of the world to protect those hated and feared!

Captain Britain by Marcus To

Excalibur #1 Variant Cover by Kris Anka

House of X #1 Spoilers

Spoilers: Issue opens at an unrevealed time. We see a large krakoa tree in an unknown location. X is there watching as what appear to be mutants are birthed from pods on the tree. One looks up at him with an eye that gleams red. “To me, my X-Men,” he says.Next we see a sequence of panels showing the X-Men taking small krakoa seedlings and planting them in various locations. Westchester, the Savage Land, the Blue Area of the moon, Mars, Washington DC, and Jerusalem. Each of these locations becomes a habitat, connected to Krakoa by portals that only allow mutants through. A group of delegates arrives at the Jerusalem Habitat. They’re there because Xavier has offered the world three gifts... medicine created from krakoan flowers. One extends the human lifespan by five years. Next is a universal antibiotic. The third helps cure mental illness. He will give these gifts only to nations who recognize the sovereignty of the nation of Krakoa. The delegates have come from different countries to discuss this deal with Xavier. The delegates are greeted by a pair of Cuckoos who take them on a tour of the habitat, and through portal to the greater Krakoan ecosystem. They bring the delegates not to Xavier, but to Magneto. Meanwhile we learn about an organization called Orchis. It’s made up of parts of S.H.I.E.L.D., S.T.R.I.K.E., S.W.O.R.D., Alpha Flight, H.A.M.M.E.R., A.R.M.O.R., AIM, and Hydra. It’s a defense protocol enacted by humanity. We learn that humanity has 20 years left before being replaced by mutantkind. The Genoshan Genocide slowed down the rise of mutantkind just enough to buy humanity this little bit of time. The scientists of Orchis are working with Karima, and it seems they’re building a new Master Mold in their base called The Forge, which orbits the sun. Next we see Mystique, Toad, and Sabertooth stealing data from a Damage Control facility in NY. We learn that Damage Control, in addition to cleaning up damage from superhero battles and the like, also becomes caretaker of advanced technology whose ownership is uncertain. So, when Tony Stark was recently believed to be dead, and Reed Richards was off world for a time, Damage Control took possession of some of their technology. Sabertooth has mauled a few guards, and the alarms are going off, so Mystique is pushing for them to get out. Toad confirms his download is complete and the three of them head out. They get outside only to find Human Torch and Thing waiting for them. Sabertooth tries to hold them off, but gets clobbered pretty good. Mystique and Toad manage to escape through a Krakoa portal in Washington Square Park. Creed tried to follow, but it caught inside a forcefield. Reed and Sue have arrived and they’ve caught him. Cyclops emerges from the portal and he makes small talk with the FF. He congratulates Ben on his marriage. Then he says he’ll take Creed off their hands. Reed asks why. Cyclops says that’s how amnesty works and that “new beginnings demand a wide berth”. The FF ask him about what he and the X-Men are doing. He says he’s done being told he’s less when he knows he’s more. And that he believes in what Xavier is doing. He decides to leave Creed with them and says they’ll work it out in some other way. Then he tells Reed and Sue to greet their son for him and to let him know that when he’s ready, he has family on Krakoa waiting for him. Final scene is back in Jerusalem, where Magneto asks the Cuckoos to advise what they’ve learned. The girls explain that each of the “delegates” are actually plants. They’ve not been sent to actually negotiate anything, necessarily, but instead are there to observe and report back to their masters. Magneto tells them that’s exactly what they’ll do. That they need to “accept the finality of your situation and the inevitability of ours”. One of the delegates asks why he chose the Jerusalem habitat to meet with them, and the issue closes with Magneto explaining that he knows how important religion is to mankind...and how important symbolism is to them. “I wanted you...I needed you...to understand....You have new gods now.”

Notes: Psylocke doesn't appear in this issue, but we should keep an eye on the following:

1. Jamie Braddock was identified as one of fourteen known Omega-Level Mutants. He has taken up the codename Monarch.

2. S.T.R.I.K.E. seems to be a major player going forward. One of the human delegates visiting the Krakoa habitats is a S.T.R.I.K.E. agent called Walter Reppion. One should note that Vicki Reppion was a member of S.T.R.I.K.E.'s Psi Division along with Betsy Braddock during Alan Moore's run on Captain Britain. She was utimately killed by Slaymaster. There may be a connection there.

Walter Reppion in House of X #1 / Vicki Reppion in Daredevils #3

Psylocke by Marcio Takara