Rogue Leads the Uncanny X-Men in Marvel's X-Men Relaunch

After soaring into the spotlight in recent episodes of X-Men '97, Rogue is taking the lead in the all-new Uncanny X-Men. Announced as part of Marvel's X-Men: From the Ashes relaunch — which will see Cyclops and Shadowkat leading their respective X-Men teams in Alaska (X-Men) and Chicago (Exceptional X-Men) — Uncanny brings the X-Men to the Big Easy: New Orleans, Louisiana. The next evolution of Uncanny comes from writer Gail Simone (DC's Wonder Woman) and artist David Marquez (Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man), who unveiled his standard cover for August's Uncanny X-Men #1.

Now Marvel Comics has revealed four new variant covers, including one by Marquez (below) and artists Leinil Francis Yu (Wolverine), Luciano Vecchio (Resurrection of Magneto), and Andy Kubert (Ultimate X-Men).

Rogue has previously led the X-Men and the Avengers Unity Squad, and now she'll head her own Uncanny team consisting of Wolverine, Gambit, Jubilee, and Nightcrawler. Per the official synopsis: "After the brutal loss of Krakoa, mutants need the X-Men more than ever. With Professor X missing, Rogue reluctantly finds herself as the X-Man designated to keep the team together. Rogue, Wolverine, Gambit, Nightcrawler, and Jubilee forge a new home in a New Orleans, and when four mysterious young mutants show up at their doorstep, that home becomes a haven. Protecting mutants from a world that hates and fears them, and using their powers to ensure there's a future worth living in. They are the Uncanny X-Men!"

"Most of my time lately has been spent trying to keep my brain from exploding right out of my skull from this book," Simone said in a statement. "It's either the fun of all my favorite mutants acting in surprising and wonderful ways, the impossibly brilliant work of the art team, or the thrilling collaboration with all the other writers, but somehow every DAY is just filled with some kind of manic joy. Ever since I took the book, I've been scribbling notes and plots and bits of dialogue day and night. I feel like a kid at a carnival. Who DOESN'T want to write Rogue and Jubilee and Gambit all the rest?"

"Uncanny X-Men is the book that made me fall in love with comics," Marquez added. "It's been a dream come true getting to work with Gail, Matt [Wilson], and the whole Marvel editorial crew under Tom [Brevoort] to put together this story: a badass, heartfelt, action-packed, character driven X-Men mystery. I hope readers have at least half as much fun reading it as we have had making it."

Uncanny X-Men #1: Leinil Francis Yu Variant Cover

Uncanny X-Men #1: Luciano Vecchio Rogue Pinup Variant Cover

Uncanny X-Men #1: Hidden Gem Variant Cover by Andy Kubert

Uncanny X-Men #1 is on sale August 7 from Marvel Comics.