Marvel Comics has shared new details about one of the three X-Men core titles, Exceptional X-Men, in the upcoming X-Men: From the Ashes relaunch. Written by Eve L. Ewing and with art by Carmen Carnero, Exceptional X-Men features Kitty Pryde and Emma Frost as the two leaders of a new X-Men team. The team, revealed back in March, features the debut of three new mutants: the metallic and whip-wielding Bronze, the emotion-stirring Axo, and the stealth-skilled fighter Melee.
The story details of Exceptional X-Men also reveal that after some of the actions Kitty Pryde took during Fall of X, she has relocated to Chicago and is trying to lead a simple life as a bartender. But as what usually happens, a mutant can never escape all of the drama that comes with being an X-Man.
“Longtime fans of Kitty Pryde can count on the kinds of adventures you expect from her as a classic favorite, while I hope new and old readers alike will get to love this all-new team of young mutants,” Ewing said in the press release. “Kitty, the one-time kid sister figure of the X-Men, has to reckon with her own memories—good and bad—of being a child of Xavier as she navigates a role as leader and mentor for a new generation of mutants who are trying to make their way in a time of crisis.”
What is Exceptional X-Men about?
Marvel shared an official synopsis for Exceptional X-Men:
Exceptional X-Men begins with Kitty trying to get as far away from all things X as she possibly can. After the actions she took during Fall of X, Kitty craves normalcy and takes a job as a regular-degular bartender. She's definitely NOT getting ready to head up an all-new team of wayward young mutants while avoiding the watchful gaze of Emma Frost. Nothing but work, dating and staving off depression. That's it. Let's see how long it lasts…
“Regarding the young mutants, I think the whole team fell in love with all three of them,” Carnero shared. “I love that they are such opposites. Eve had very clear personalities, hobbies, musical tastes, how they feel… And when it came to designing them, it all developed naturally, and the whole team had a clear vision of what their final looks would be. I can’t wait for readers to meet them.”
Ewing also talked about how the mutants will connect with both new and longtime X-Men fans: "I always try to strike a chord between appealing to veteran comics fans and new readers, but since so many people fell in love with the X-Men as teens and this book is about a team of young folks, that feels especially important to me here."
The new series will join two other flagship titles of the upcoming X-Men: From the Ashes relaunch: X-Men by Jed MacKay and Ryan Stegman, and Uncanny X-Men by Gail Simone and David Marquez. Other series in the relaunch include X-Force, X-Factor, Phoenix, Wolverine and a NYX revival.
Exceptional X-Men #1 is set to release on September 4, 2024.
