X-Men ‘97: Season Two #1 (Marvel Comics)
Hello there! Padawan J here, the resident Star Wars expert from the ODPH! This week I'm going to be reviewing the FIRST issue of X-Men ‘97: Season Two from Marvel Comics!
Following the smash hit of Season One on Disney+, fans have been eagerly anticipating the release of Season Two! It’s scheduled to release on July 1, 2026 and to bridge the gap and get fans ready Marvel is releasing this three issue mini-series! So let’s jump into it!
Credit: Marvel Comics // X-Men ‘97: Season Two #1 by Steve Foxe (Writer), Salva Espin (Artist), Matt Milla (Colorist), VC’s Joe Sabino (Letterer), Todd Nuack & Rachelle Rosenberg (Cover Artists)
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
The Story
Whenever you’re dealing with an IP as beloved as X-Men ‘97 is, it’s a tall task to live up to the expectations that will come with anything tied to it. Steve Foxe is able to deliver a fantastic issue that feels like it was adapted from an issue of the beloved series.
The story picks up at the X-Mansion six months after the events of E-Day and the end of season one of the show. Steve paints a grim picture with the story and sets things up for a dark start to season two, but it’s one that feels so natural to the X-Men mythos. It starts with Forge & Bishop at the mansion coming up with a plan to bring the X-Men back but they both acknowledge it won’t be easy because they don’t know where in time they’ve been stranded. Their resolve is rock solid though with the simple phrase, “Let’s bring the X-Men home” used as a rallying cry.
From there the story turns to a memorial vigil in Central Park for E-Day that goes the way you would expect it to if you’ve consumed any X-Men media at all. It’s not a bad thing at all, but rather a good thing because it is a familiar path they’ve tread before. It’s in this tension that we’re introduced to X-Force for the first time! It is mentioned briefly at the start of the issue by Forge, but we quickly learn that this is not the team we might be used to from previous iterations. It’s task is grim and is sure to raise some eyebrows in surprise for readers.
The ending is extremely intriguing because we’re introduced to a character who is deeply connected to Apocalypse. Long time readers might be able to figure out who it is before they read it, but if you’re not sure who it is well you should know I’m not going to spoil it for you. What I will say is it’s going to be very interesting to see where the story goes with this character being introduced. This is a character that isn’t going to be featured in a minor role, it’s going to be a major one. So it’s going to be very interesting to see how this plays out.
The Artwork
Salva Espin & Matt Milla are in charge of the artwork for this issue and they both rise to the occasion as much as Steve Foxe does with the story. What I said earlier about expectations is especially true when it comes to how this is going to look and feel. The way the X-Men and the characters from that series (both the 90s and the series on Disney+) are classic. There’s multiple generations of fans that for them, that is how the characters look when they picture them in their head. Salva & Matt both nail the look and feel of the series out of the park. If I didn’t know any better, I’d have sworn they sat in on some of the drawing sessions for the series on Disney+ and learned from those artists.
Overall Grade: 9/10
A series with the strongest start I’ve seen in some time. Steve Foxe captures the feel of X-Men in a way that is sure to make longtime fans extremely happy. Together with artwork from Salva Espin & Matt Milla that is out of this world incredible, this is a series you CANNOT MISS if you plan on watching Season 2 on Disney+!
