Chris Claremont, the definitive X-Men writer, is returning to the franchise in X-Men Legends #12. Claremont is teaming up with artist Scot Eaton to write a new story featuring Nightcrawler and Mystique. The story is set during Claremont’s legendary 16-year run writing Uncanny X-Men and serves as a prelude to his original run writing the X-Men spinoff series Excalibur. Nightcrawler and Kitty Pryde — who would go on to found Excalibur — are at the center. The story also involves Nightcrawler’s estranged mother, Mystique, and Destiny (also at the heart of the new ). To top it all off, original Excalibur artist and co-creator Alan Davis provides the issue’s cover, seen below.
The synopsis for the issue confirms that it occurs after the “Fall of the Mutants” event in 1988, which saw the X-Men split. Most of the team went underground, setting up a new base in Australia. Believing their teammates dead, the previously injured Nightcrawler and Kitty Pryde need to figure out on their own what to do next. Here’s the synopsis:
Videos by ComicBook.com
“In the aftermath of ‘Fall of the Mutants,’ the X-Men are dead. Or so the world believes. And Mystique seeks revenge on Forge for his role in the loss of Rogue. In order to stop her partner from making a grave mistake, Destiny will have to recruit Nightcrawler and Shadowcat who, injured as they are, must dig deep to find new strength and do what is right as the last X-Men standing!”
Claremont says in a press release, “It’s always fun wandering back along existing pathways and especially having the opportunity to fill in a couple of nifty gaps that were initially skipped over along the way—closing off one significant story-arc and lighting the fire that ignites the series that follows. Talk about a treat!”
X-Men Legends launched in early 2021 as a way for classic X-Men creators to return to the franchise and tell new stories during their original runs. It launched with Fabian Nicieza and Brett Booth offering a forgotten chapter in the life of Adam-X the Extreme. Louise and Walter Simonson then returned to fill in a gap in their original run on . Then Peter David and Todd Nauck returned to the era of the government-sponsored X-Factor agency. Currently, Larry Hama and Billy Tan are telling an untold tale of Wolverine in the 1990s. Up next, the Simonsons return for a story about the New Mutants.
Are you excited about Chris Claremont’s return? Let us know in the comments. X-Men Legends #12 goes on sale in February.
- X-MEN LEGENDS #12
- Written by CHRIS CLAREMONT
- Art by SCOT EATON
- Cover by ALAN DAVIS
Related Posts
-
Image Credit: Marvel Studios -
Cyclops and Magneto in X-Men #7
