X-Men ’97: All the Marvel Comics Referenced in the First Three Episodes

The first three episodes of X-Men ’97 are out into the world, and they have been taking Marvel’s merry mutants through quite the emotional roller coaster. The Disney+ series is a revival of X-Men: The Animated Series, not only continuing the canon between the characters, but folding in a slew of new comic connections. Just based on the first three episodes, some of these connections hail from the decade in which X-Men ’97 is set, while others are much more modern deep cuts. 

So, what comic storylines have been referenced in the first three episodes of X-Men ’97? Keep reading to find out. 

“Hellfire Gala”

The opening sequence of X-Men ’97‘s premiere includes a brief look at the front page of The Daily Bugle, which already adds a lot to the revival’s worldbuilding. One of the paper’s corner boxes mentions the Hellfire Gala, an event that has become a key part of the X-Men’s Krakoa era of comic storytelling. The annual event sees mutantkind and humankind’s biggest names joining forces on Krakoa for a fancy party, which is usually tied to the unveiling of the new X-Men roster and/or some sort of new mutant initiative. While Krakoa technically doesn’t exist yet in X-Men ’97, maybe we could see the event in some capacity. 

Uncanny Spider-Man

The newspaper also features a headline questioning if Spider-Man is a mutant — a question that Marvel Comics itself asked last year. The answer to that question ended up being Uncanny Spider-Man, a miniseries that had fan-favorite mutant Nightcrawler briefly take on Spidey’s mantle. Again, there’s no telling if this storyline will make its way into X-Men ’97, but it’s a fun Easter egg for the larger universe of Marvel animated series.

Basketball

While the team’s penchant for playing basketball was already homaged in the original series, the nature of a rematch becomes a plot point in X-Men ’97‘s premiere. The storyline is, in and of itself, a reference to a recurring plot point throughout Chris Claremont’s X-Men era, including in 1991’s X-Men #4.

“The Last Will and Testament of Charles Xavier”

The premiere episode of X-Men ’97 sees the team grapple with Charles Xavier’s death — which gets more complicated when Magneto arrives and claims that Charles left his entire fortune to him. “The Last Will and Testament of Charles Xavier” was actually a storyline in the 2014 run of Uncanny X-Men, which dealt with the fallout of Charles’ passing in the wake of Avengers vs. X-Men. 

Uncanny X-Men #200

Magneto’s involvement in the X-Men, and his subsequent public trial in X-Men ’97‘s second episode, are heavily pulled from 1985’s Uncanny X-Men #200. While that arc takes a more globe-spanning approach to Magneto’s trial, a lot of the plot points are the same, down to the birth of Nathan Summers happening simultaneously.

Uncanny X-Men #274

The first three episodes of X-Men ’97 have begun to establish a love triangle between Magneto, Rogue, and Gambit — one that also has roots in Marvel Comics. Rogue and Magneto are coupled up beginning in 1991’s Uncanny X-Men #274, after the pair develop a connection in the Savage Land. The poses they’re holding on the issue’s cover are even homaged in the nightmare sequence Gambit sees in X-Men ’97‘s third episode.

“Inferno”

Let’s get to those nightmare sequences, which are brought about by Madelyne Pryor / Goblin Queen after she learns she’s a clone of Jean Grey. In the episoe, Madelyne literally refers to her torture of the X-Men as her “inferno” — a reference to the 1988 and 1989 crossover of the same name. While that “Inferno” occurred on a much larger scale, with Mister Sinister helping spark a demon invasion of New York City, the bare bones are definitely still there, down to Morph’s transformation into Magik even referencing her turn into Darkchylde. 

Uncanny X-Men #138

By the end of X-Men ’97‘s third episode, Madelyne leaves the mansion to start a new life for herself, despite Jean suggesting that she should stay. Visually and narratively, this moment homages the first time that Cyclops attempted to quit the team in 1980’s Uncanny X-Men #138.

“LifeDeath”

And finally, a storyline throughout X-Men ’97‘s first three episodes concerns Storm being depowered and briefly leaving the X-Men. By the end of Episode 3, she has made her way to Texas. While there, she runs into Forge, who offers to help her get her powers back.

This is a pretty clear set up for “LifeDeath”, a story arc that began in 1984’s Uncanny X-Men #186. In it, Storm and Forge begin to grapple with their various traumas, ultimately leading to her reawakening her abilities. With a two-part “LifeDeath” arc already confirmed to be among Season 1’s episodes, we probably won’t have to wait long to see it realized.