Marvel Comics’ X-Men saga has gone into some monumental directions over the past few years, with the “Dawn of X” and “Reign of X” publishing initiatives proving to be a major celebration of the decades of canon. Even as Marvel has made some trailblazing creative decisions with the X-men canon, it has reintroduced some epic things from the decades of history that came before it. This came to an interesting head in the most recent issue of X-Men, which saw two iconic characters returning to some beloved costumes. Spoilers for X-Men #17, from Jonathan Hickman, Brett Booth, Adelso Corona, Sunny Gho, Clayton Cowles, and Tom Muller below!
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The issue opened with Cyclops, Jean Grey, and Storm on a mission, after learning that the Xandra had been kidnapped from the Shi’Ar empire. While Storm can be seen wearing her usual modern costume, Cyclops and Jean were showcased in something else altogether — their costumes from the original X-Factor series. Scott can be seen in a blue-and-white bodysuit, while Jean sports a similar red-and-gold design.
In particular, the costumes first made their debut in 1988’s X-Factor #26, which signified a new step forward for the team after they unveiled their mutant identities to the public.
The return to these original costumes has a lot of significance behind it, particularly with Jean and Scott’s current standing in the larger X-Men canon. The couple have been instrumental in the construction of the new X-Men roster, culminating in the elections that have currently taken the Internet by storm. This idea of putting the significance of the X-Men back into the public — and Jean and Scott wearing costumes from a similarly public-facing era — definitely has some compelling parallels.
What do you think of Cyclops and Jean Grey returning back to their X-Factor costumes in X-Men #17? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
