X-Men: Jeph Loeb Revisits the Age of Apocalypse in New Giant-Size Issue

30 years ago, the road to the X-Men‘s Age of Apocalypse began with the six-part Legion Quest. Spanning issues of X-Men, Uncanny X-Men, X-Factor, and the Jeph Loeb-penned Cable, the crossover event saw the X-Men time travel 20 years into the past to prevent the death of Magneto at the hands of Legion: Charles Xavier’s son. In 1994’s X-Men #41, from writer Fabian Nicieza and artists Andy Kubert and Ron Garney, the telepath planned to kill Magneto to create a better future — only for Xavier to die saving his best friend and future foe, creating a ripple effect that altered the timeline.

That same issue saw the ancient mutant En Sabah Nur, a.k.a. Apocalypse, set his plans into motion. “The order of ascension begins now,” Apocalypse said from the shadows of the past. “And may the fittest survive the challenge.”

The age of Xavier’s X-Men was over. The Age of Apocalypse had begun.

RELATED: Marvel’s New Giant-Size X-Men One-Shots Rewrite Mutant History

In this alternate timeline, Magneto honored Xavier by founding the X-Men, while the time-displaced Bishop was the lone X-Man who remembered the true timeline from the original Marvel Universe. Meanwhile, Apocalypse reigned over North America with Horsemen who exemplified Apocalypse’s survival-of-the-fittest mantra, and Magneto’s X-Men set out to correct and change the past to prevent the Age of Apocalypse from ever coming to pass.

And now the timeline is changing course once more in Giant-Size Age of Apocalypse #1, one of five new Giant-Size X-Men one-shots revisiting and rewriting pivotal moments in mutant history. The five-part event begins with Giant-Size X-Men #1 (from writers Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing and artist Adam Kubert) in May, followed by the Giant-Size Dark Phoenix Saga #1 (by Kelly & Lanzing and Kubert) and Giant-Size Age of Apocalypse #1 (by Kelly & Lanzing and artist C.F. Villa) in June.

Loeb, who wrote issues of the Age of Apocalypse-set Astonishing X-Men and X-Man, will revisit the era with artist Simone di Meo (DC’s Batman and Robin) in one of the ongoing “Revelations” backup stories included in Giant-Size Age of Apocalypse #1.

“In 1995, I was extremely lucky to be part of one of the biggest stories to hit the X-Men with Age of Apocalypse, writing both Astonishing X-Men (1995) and X-Man (1995),” Loeb said in a statement. “Now, thirty years later, join me and the superstar artist of tomorrow—Simone Di Meo—as we return to this doomed timeline with some of the greatest X-Men characters ever!”

Following the events of last year’s Timeslide #1, in which Cable and Bishop discovered a threat to mutant existence, new mutant Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel is traveling across 50 years of giant-sized years of X-Men comics when she’s pulled into the past by Legion.

Each of the five anniversary one-shots, including the upcoming Giant-Size House of M #1 and the Giant-Size X-Men #2, will feature “Revelations,” backups revealing hidden lore behind each of the five stories that will set up present-day developments in Marvel’s recently relaunched X-line.

Giant-Size Age of Apocalypse #1

Locked in a battle through time against the Omega-Level mutant, Kamala Khan is only one standing in the way of X-Men history being warped forever! Following Giant-Size X-Men #1 and Giant-Size Dark Phoenix #1, Kamala finds herself stuck in the darkest future of all in Giant-Size Age of Apocalypse #1!

Worse yet: It’s only hours from its inevitable end; if Kamala can’t find what’s left of the X-Men, she’ll burn in nuclear hellfire. Former enemies must learn to rely on one another as they journey through a land of charred bones and broken promises…but can Legion truly be trusted? And how far will Rogue go to teach Kamala the true meaning of mutant identity? Welcome back to the Age of Apocalypse – where no one survives the experience!

Giant-Size Age of Apocalypse #1 goes on sale June 25 from Marvel Comics.