Marvel’s highly anticipated X-Men ’97 animated show is catching readers up with their favorite mutants in a new prelude series. The four-issue prologue will act as a companion piece to the Disney Plus series. Writer Steve Foxe and artist Salva Espin worked closely with the show’s creative team to bring this miniseries to fans. It will catch readers up with what the X-Men of the 90s have been up to since they last graced our screens.
X-Men ’97: The Prologue
The official prelude for X-Men ’97 will focus on the fan-favorite X-Men lineup from the classic 90s show. This includes members such as Storm, Gambit, Rogue, Wolverine, and Jubilee. According to Marvel, the revelations and surprises the series reveals will tie in with the upcoming Disney Plus show. So, while you won’t need to read the series to enjoy the upcoming animated show, it is recommended.
Speaking about the X-Men ’97 miniseries, writer Steve Foxe shared that the original 90s animated series influenced his career in comics. In fact, without it, he doesn’t know if he would be in the biz today. Additionally, getting to reunite with X-Men ’92: House of XCIIartist Salva Espin on this project was a bucket-list check for the Dead X-Men scribe. Foxe goes on to say that the creators behind the animated show did a great job of balancing a new story for the comic prelude while feeding that into the show itself.
Marvel Animated Universe
Of course, X-Men ’97 is a continuation of sorts of the X-Men animated series from the ’90s. For many, this was their first introduction into the world of the X-Men and possibly into the world of comics. However, the X-Men were not the only franchise to receive the animated treatment. The Marvel Animated Universe was a collection of shows that introduced classic comic characters to young viewers. Like the officially titled X-Men: The Animated Series, the Spider-Man: The Animated Series introduced a whole generation to their favorite wall-crawler. These shows made characters like Apocalypse, Magneto, Venom, and more household names for young kids.
Now, X-Men ’97 will, hopefully, bring that same love to a new generation of viewers. Fans of the original 90s series will surely love catching up with their favorite gang of mutants.
X-Men ’97 #1 hits shelves on 3/27, while X-Men ’97 the series lands on Disney Plus sometime in early 2024.
