Summary
Warning: contains spoilers for X-Men #1The newFrom the Ashesrelaunch of theX-Menhas begun, and Cyclops' newest team of mutant heroes is usinga fierce new Blackbird jet… which some fans might recognize from the Krakoan EraMaraudersseries. The debutX-Men#1sees Cyclops and his team battling against new villains - the “Fourth School” - while traveling with style, inKate Pryde’s oldMaraudersspaceshipretrofitted for use on Earth.
Cyclops and his team of mutant revolutionaries - Temper, Kid Omega, Psylocke, Juggernaut, and Magik - areusing theMarauderto transport themselves, while Beast, Magneto, Glob, and Xorn stay behind inthe former Orchis basethey’re using in Alaska.
X-Men#1, from writer Jed MacKay with artists Ryan Stegman and Marte Garcia, sets the stage for Cyclops and the X-Men to continue their battle for mutant justice and peace while traveling inan epic and dark new “Blackbird"perfectly suited fora post-Krakoa world.
July 10th, 2024
Ryan Stegman, Marte Garcia, J.P. Mayer
Variant Covers:
J. Scott Campbell, Peach Momoko, John Tyler Christopher, Skottie Young, Tony S. Daniel
FROM THE ASHES! Krakoa is gone, ORCHIS has fallen… but the X-Men remain, always. Cyclops leads, because that is what he does. Beast builds, because that is what he does. And from their new home in Alaska, the X-Men raise a flag of defiance. Mutant business is their business. Join CYCLOPS, BEAST, MAGNETO, PSYLOCKE, KID OMEGA, TEMPER, MAGIK and JUGGERNAUT as new forces in the world move into position, battling for the destiny and philosophy of the mutant species.
Be it the Blackbird or the Bluebird, the X-Men need to travel quick
No matter what iteration of the X-Men,the mutant superhero team always finds a way to have a sleek ride to travel the globe. Their most famous vehicle is the Blackbird, or X-Jet, which uses alien Shi’ar technology in its systems and is often piloted by either Cyclops or Storm. The X-Men have also used the Bluebird submarine inX-Force, Danger inAll-New X-Factor, and the futuristic X-Wing inUltimate X-Men. Historically kept below the Xavier Mansion in a hidden hanger, the X-Men’sFrom the Ashesera sees Cyclops storing theMarauderin their Merle, Alaska home base.
The original Blackbird X-Jet made its debut in X-Men (1975) #94, from iconic creators Chris Claremont and Dave Cockrum.
TheMarauderis an incredibly impressive piece of vehicular technology, and while it was shown to be a simple - but fierce-looking - ship inX-Men#1, hopefully, future issues will detail its various abilities.Originally belonging to an alien space pirate called Eden Rixlo, Emma Frost stole the ship from the alien and renamed itMercury, using it as a Hellfire Trading ship alongside theMarauderand theUpstart. TheMercurywas able to be used as a spaceship, an airplane, a submarine, and even transformed into a flying saucer inMarauders#10. Eventually, after the originalMarauderwas destroyed Captain Kate Pryde commandeered theMercury, renaming it theNew Marauderin honor of the original.
The Legacy Of The Marauders Lives On With The X-Men
Krakoa might be over, but their memory will never fade
X-Men#1 did a really lovely job of setting up mutantkind’s latest era while also paying homage to Krakoa, and highlighting the complexity that both mutants and fans feel about the era ending. One way in whichKrakoa was honored was by Cyclops' use of theMarauder, still embellished with the Hellfire Trading Company’s skull logo, preserving the memories of the iconic mutant-rescue crew. The newest iteration of the X-Men has a very different mission than Krakoa’s Marauders, but it is a testament to the legacy of Captain Kate Pryde and her Marauders that Cyclops chose to keep theMarauderand not get a new Blackbird.
TheX-Menwill always need an epic ride to transport themselves around Earth, and there is no better ship for Cyclops and his team to use than theMarauder. Mutantkind is entering a dark, deadly new era where they must defy the expectations of humanity with their revolution, and the dark, epic, intimidating vibe of their newest X-Jet may send the perfect message.
