Earlier this week, we posted a series-by-series breakdown of each of the upcoming X-Men From the Ashes series.
Then Marvel went and dropped two more.
Jerks.
Marvel on Thursday announced Sentinels, a five-issue miniseries by writer Alex Paknadel (All Against All) and artist Justin Mason (Spider-Punk: Arms Race), launching Oct. 9.
The series will follow a team of soldiers – Sawtooth, Lockstep, Drumfire and Voivod – each one a victim of a previous Marvel event, ranging from “Onslaught” to Secret Empire (the bad one). Together they are upgraded with nanotechnology and tasked by Larry Trask, the mutant son of the founder of the Sentinel program, with apprehending dangerous mutants, starting with Omega Red.
But wait, you may say, didn’t Omega Red prove himself as a member of X-Force? Does he deserve the “evil mutant” label in this era already feared to be a back-to-basics retread of old concepts?
Don’t worry, I’m sure they’ll address it.
Meanwhile, Marvel on Friday announced Mystique, a five-issue miniseries written and drawn by Declan Shalvey (Thundercats), launching Oct. 16.
In this one, Mystique is up to her usual, murder-y shenanigans, with none other than Nick Fury hot on her trail in a game of eyepatch-wearing cat and shapeshifting mouse.
Oh, and she’s got a new costume. Marvel really wants you to know she’s got a new costume.
These series follow the previously announced X-Men, Phoenix, NYX, X-Force, Uncanny X-Men, X-Factor, Exceptional X-Men, Wolverine, Dazzler and Storm. (Plus Avengers, which Storm will be appearing in.)
Check out covers for both titles below, and keep scrolling for Marvel’s press releases.
With a new era of mutantkind comes a new breed of mutant-hunting machines! This October, a squad of soldiers, each one scarred from Earth-shattering super hero conflicts and upgraded with nanotechnology, are tasked with apprehending dangerous mutants that threaten coexistence in SENTINELS. The five-issue limited series will be written by Alex Paknadel (Red Goblin) and drawn by Justin Mason (Spider-Punk).
While the X-Men regroup in the wake of Krakoa’s fall, the government revives their infamous Sentinel program under the guidance of Lawrence Trask. A mutant himself, Lawrence is cursed with visions of an apocalyptic species war and knows exactly which evil mutants will ignite it. On the surface, his new line of Sentinels appear to be technology-enhanced superhumans, but the truth behind their creation is darker than you can imagine. As Graymalkin Prison becomes home to the villains they capture, the pieces fall into place for the birth of a major new enemy that will define the first year of the X-Men’s From the Ashes era.
WHO ARE THE NEW SENTINELS? The original Sentinel Program was human supremacy and fear coded into circuitry. But now their legacy falls into the hands of mutantkind! Powered by cutting-edge nanotech, this new generation of Sentinels protects a fragile peace between mutants and humans. But when being a Sentinel is your job – your life – is it possible to stay human? Meet Sawtooth, Lockstep, Drumfire, and Voivod, a brand-new team of heroes that will take on the most heinous mutants! Their first mission: capture Omega Red!
“As an X-fan going back to my first set of teeth, I couldn’t be prouder or more excited to share SENTINELS with the fans,” Paknadel shared. “This book is about flawed human beings doing a dirty job for a dirty cause, and Justin Mason and I are determined to make you care about each and every one of them. Whatever your expectations are going in, I promise this book will surprise you.”
See the new characters on Mason’s cover along with an assortment of variant covers and discover their secrets when SENTINELS #1 hits stands this October! For more information, visit Marvel.com.
She’s the mutant murderess you never see coming! This October, Mystique headlines an all-new solo series set in the X-Men’s upcoming From the Ashes era! Written and drawn by award-winning creator Declan Shalvey (Moon Knight, Dead Man Logan), MYSTIQUE will sift through the dark underbelly of the Marvel Universe for an unpredictable tale of action and espionage starring the world’s most mysterious mutant.
On Krakoa, Mystique reunited with her wife Destiny and forged new relationships with her children Rogue and Nightcrawler. Now that the mutant nation has fallen, Mystique’s vicious methods are required once more to protect mutants everywhere! With a hit list as long as her rap sheet, Mystique’s actions catch the attention of Nick Fury, erupting in a deadly game of cat and mouse as the elusive shapeshifter infiltrates her way across the Marvel Universe. Complete with a new costume, Mystique’s new saga harkens back to her beloved early ‘00s spy series as she takes on a new and pivotal role in the current mutant landscape.
How do you track a subject with a history that contradicts itself? How do you stop a force whose motives change like quicksilver? How do you stop a target that can be anyone? That’s the question that confronts Nick Fury as he stumbles upon a web of lies and espionage leading back to Mystique. From the ashes of Krakoa, the shape-shifting mutant terrorist returns to remind the world exactly why it hates and fears her.
“Mystique is hands down one of the most compelling characters to come from the Marvel Universe,” Shalvey shared. “To have an opportunity to put my own stamp on such an iconic character and showcase her in a series of her own is a unique privilege.”
“As a rabid X-fan since childhood, I’m having a blast channeling all my X-enthusiasm into writing and drawing this project,” he continued. “In this series, Mystique is reeling from the fall of Krakoa. She’s a rogue element with no accountability putting a mysterious plan into action, ruthlessly destroying anything and anyone in her way.”
Check out Shalvey’s cover below and stay tuned in the coming weeks for MYSTIQUE #1 variant cover reveals! For more information, visit Marvel.com.
Dan Grote is the editor-in-chief of ComicsXF, having won the site by ritual combat. By day, he’s a newspaper editor, and by night, he’s … also an editor. He co-hosts The ComicsXF Interview Podcast with Matt Lazorwitz. He lives in New Jersey with his wife, two kids and two miniature dachshunds, and his third, fictional son, Peter Winston Wisdom.
