Marvel on Thursday at Comic-Con in San Diego announced, among other things, Maximum X-Men, a new ongoing series by writer Chris Yost (X-23, New X-Men) and artist Tony S. Daniel (X-Force Vol. 1, X-Men Vol. Whatever This One Is), featuring a core team of mainstay X-Men including Storm, Wolverine, Colossus, Iceman, Bishop and Betsy Braddock (called Psylocke in the press release, but that’s someone else these days … unless something’s changed. HAS something changed?), and ex-New Warriors/Avengers Firestar and Justice, who is NOT Gambit, even though he looks like training-uniform Gambit from the post-“X-Tinction Agenda”/pre-X-Men Vol. 2 #1 era on the cover.
New Warriors fans who also are X-Men fans, your time has come!
Their remit, separate from that of the Alaska X-Men and the Louisiana X-Men, is to do Avengers stuff while the Avengers lick their wounds post-“Armageddon.” Think of them as an all-mutant Uncanny Avengers team. That’s right, Justice is a mutant. Who knew, right?
The series brings Storm back to Earth after her adventures among Marvel’s multiversal pantheons in her solo series, and all the Kang-related business of Jed MacKay’s previous Avengers run. That just leaves Jean Grey, Phoenix, out there in the cosmos hobnobbing with gods and overpowered way beyond her origins as Team Girl.
It should be noted that Wolverine also is in the new post-“Armageddon” Avengers series by the Daredevil team of Chip Zdarsky and Marco Checchetto. So we’re getting back to the 2000s Bendis-era tradition of Wolverine being in darn-near every Marvel comic.
Everybody else was pretty much available. Iceman’s been a presence in X-Men United, but that book’s alleged to be over with issue #10. Colossus has been in a mini with his sister, Magik. Bishop is in the midst of his own solo mini. Betsy has been a free agent since the Forge-led X-Force book ended. Same for Firestar since the end of West Coast Avengers.
And Justice, well, Firestar put him in mutant prison during the Fall of X. So there’ll probably be a little drama there. Blue Bolt guest appearance, anyone?
Maximum X-Men #1 is scheduled for release Dec. 2. Check out cover images and Marvel’s press releases, including for some Avengers stuff, below.
Maximum X-Men
New York, NY— July 23, 2025 — Earth’s Mightiest Mutants assemble!
Just now at the Marvel Comics: Avengers: Armageddon panel at San Diego Comic-Con, superstar writer Chip Zdarsky shed light on the era that follows Avengers: Armageddon, including his upcoming Avengers run with Marco Checchetto where the Avengers are left to pick up the pieces of a shattered world that’s turned against them. As the Avengers take time to regroup, an all-new X-Men team rises to take their place as Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in MAXIMUM X-MEN, a new ongoing series by acclaimed writer Christopher Yost—returning to the X-Men after his acclaimed work on the franchise in the 2010s—and artist Tony S. Daniel, who recently made his own return to the world of X in Jed MacKay’s X-Men.
Together, the two X-Men veterans introduce an all-new, all-different kind of X-team as Storm, fresh off her stint with Avengers, recruits a lineup of all-star mutant heroes—including X-Men mainstays and a pair of iconic mutant Avengers—to confront global threats no other team is equipped to deal with, beginning with nothing less than a relentless interdimensional invasion! Both creators joined the panel as surprise guests to discuss the new series.
In the wake of the events of Avengers: Armageddon, Earth’s Mightiest Heroes are no more! So who will stand in defense of the Earth? The X-Men will! Storm gathers an elite team for just that task, including Wolverine, Colossus, Bishop, Iceman, Psylocke, Firestar and Justice! Mutants by birth, heroes by choice! And their first challenge is a full-on invasion from the Negative Zone! Is this Annihilus again—or something far, far worse?
On reuniting with Marvel’s Merry Mutants, Yost shared “I’ve worked on my fair share of X-Books over the years, but MAXIMUM X-MEN is everything I love about comics rolled into one— it’s underdog heroes saving the world from the biggest Avengers-level threats imaginable, it’s mind-breaking action and drama and everything people expect from X-Men, all with a classic Claremont vibe. Rolling MAXIMUM X-MEN out as part of the new world post-Armageddon only lets us spotlight the need for a story like this… and to top it all off, I get to work with legendary artist Tony Daniel. As a life-long X-Men fan, it doesn’t get any better!”
“The X-Men have long been my favorite characters since discovering Giant Size X-Men #1 in the fourth grade,” Daniel added. “I’ve always dreamed of working on my favorite characters so it’s an incredible honor to launch MAXIMUM X-MEN with Chris. I’ve been a fan of Chris’s writing for a long time, but this is our first time joining forces. I’m already in love with the story in the first issue. Its vibe and energy reminds me so much of the kind of X-Men stories I loved as a child and I can’t wait for the audience to see what we have in store.”
Check out Tony S. Daniel’s cover and stay tuned for more news about the series in the months ahead. Discover what leads into these bold new runs of AVENGERS and X-MEN in AVENGERS: ARMAGEDDON, now available at your local comic shop. For more information, visit Marvel.com.
Avengers news
New York, NY— July 23, 2026 — Armageddon has fallen upon the Marvel Universe and a bold new age awaits the survivors! Writers Chip Zdarsky and Joshua Williamson took to the stage of the Avengers: Armageddon panel at San Diego Comic-Con to reveal new information about the final issue of AVENGERS: ARMAGEDDON, the climax of the current story in CAPTAIN AMERICA, the second arc of the new AVENGERS series and two new story arcs from the ongoing IRON MAN series.
The Marvel Universe is at a turning point. After General Thunderbolt Ross, aka the Red Hulk, led an army of gamma-enhanced soldiers in a hostile effort to “spread democracy” across Europe, the Avengers dispatched their team to put an end to Ross’ conquest despite protest from the United Nations. David Colton, a former Captain America who recently received a vast power upgrade from the mysterious Origin Boxes, engaged Ross in a highly destructive battle resulting in collateral damage. In the aftermath of that battle, the Red Hulk was captured and removed to Russia by the Winter Guard while Iron Man discovered a highly dangerous piece of technology left behind that can show the user visions of possible futures.
The discovery of this machine and the consequences of Red Hulk and Colton’s battle will be explored in upcoming issues of AVENGERS: ARMAGEDDON and change how everyone in the Marvel Universe feels about super heroes… while setting the stage for November’s THE AVENGERS #1 by Chip Zdarsky and Marco Checchetto.
“In AVENGERS: ARMAGEDDON, we’re about to introduce something huge, that will set the scene for the future of the Marvel Universe,” explains series writer Chip Zdarsky. “I know how that sounds but trust me: it will.”
Prior to the events of AVENGERS: ARMAGEDDON, Steve Rogers confronted the Red Hulk and was placed into a coma for his efforts. Steve’s soul was then captured and pulled down into Hell where Victor Von Doom leads an uprising against Mephisto’s forces. Together with Doom, Steve’s noble deeds cause an army of the damned seeking redemption to follow him. Mephisto isn’t taking kindly to such actions and has assembled a horde of demons to confront Rogers and Doom, led by one of Rogers’ archenemies from back on Earth, the Red Skull.
Teasing the climactic events of CAPTAIN AMERICA #16 and the possibility of regime change in the netherworld, Zdarsky added, “Steve Rogers gets the chance to redefine Hell. Easy.”
While the opening arc for the new AVENGERS comic series is still being kept mostly under wraps, a teaser image by Chip Zdarsky depicting a cracked Punisher skull was revealed alongside the title of the second arc: ‘The Red Line.’ Zdarsky was similarly tight-lipped when it came to details.
“All I’ll say is Frank Castle is fun to write,” Zdarsky teased.
Meanwhile, in the ongoing IRON MAN series by writer Joshua Williamson, Tony Stark has faced one of his greatest nightmares brought to life by a vengeful Madame Masque and a new incarnation of the terrorist group A.I.M. Stark’s continued reactions to A.I.M.’s manipulations have put him under the microscope of his fellow heroes while a mysterious new figure calling themselves Citizen V implores Tony’s closest companions to distance themselves from him. With dangerous technology making it out into the wild and his increasingly reckless behavior being scrutinized by the public, Stark ends up behind bars in the hi-tech prison known as The Vault as ‘The Incarcerated Iron Man’ kicks off in December with artist Carmen Carnero.
“‘The Incarcerated Iron Man’” is the story we’ve been building to since IRON MAN #1,” details series writer Joshua Williamson. “Tony has accepted his role as the Marvel Universe’s most dangerous hero and believes the Vault is the safest place for him to be, but that also means he’s locked up with some of his greatest enemies. But it’s a mystery how and why Tony finds himself behind bars. It’s been fun to build on his history and then take Tony in a new and unexpected direction. This turns the series into a high-stakes thriller.”
Beginning with Part 1 of ‘The Incarcerated Iron Man’ in IRON MAN #12, the series will ship twice a month with alternating story arcs and artists through March 2027, as part of the lead up to IRON MAN #700.
“The journey to our epic Iron Man #700 anniversary issue is so big that we had to split the book into two and double ship it,” continues Williamson. “Our amazing series artist Carmen Carnero will handle the even-numbered issues where Tony Stark is in prison. While the odd numbered issues are taken over by the ‘War Machines.’ James “Rhodey” Rhodes puts together a new team of Armored Warriors to help take down Madame Masque, Adam Ware and the new A.I.M. while Tony is locked up. For those issues we’re joined my old partner in crime, Gleb Melnikov! I feel lucky to have two amazing artists on my team during this action-packed story!”
DARKNESS BEFORE THE DAWN: THE FALL OF THE AVENGERS…
In AVENGERS: ARMAGEDDON #5, it’s the point of no return! After the cataclysmic events of the previous issue, the world is torn asunder. Humanity turns against super heroes. And for David Colton, what is the price of all that great power? See where the pieces fall in preparation for Chip Zdarsky and Marco Checchetto’s AVENGERS #1!
WHO WILL RULE HELL?
In CAPTAIN AMERICA #16, the battle for Hell’s throne reaches its dramatic climax and Steve Rogers realizes he may have chosen the wrong side. The effects of the war spill out into the living world, bringing the Marvel Universe to the edge of ARMAGEDDON!
IN THE WAKE OF ARMAGEDDON, A NEW TEAM ASSEMBLES…
With the world order completely rewritten after AVENGERS: ARMAGEDDON, there comes a day, a day unlike any other, when a new group of Earth’s mightiest heroes find themselves united to avenge the Marvel Universe: Spider-Man, Wolverine, Captain Marvel, Daredevil, Luke Cage and [REDACTED]! The Avengers take center stage once again in the Marvel Universe, and it all starts in THE AVENGERS #1.
Discover the future of the Marvel Universe across the pages of these titles all summer long and stay tuned to Marvel.com throughout San Diego Comic-Con for additional news and announcements.
Dan Grote is the editor and publisher 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 Paul Winston Wisdom. Follow him @danielpgrote.bsky.social.
