In 2021, Marvel Comics will be revisiting one of the '90s biggest X-Men mysteries with new X-Men comics - and they've tapped one of the '90s biggest X-Men writers to do it.
Deadpool co-creator Fabian Nicieza returns to the blue and gold era of the X-Men for an in-continuity flashback sussing out the mystery of the third Summers brother in the first story of a new ongoing series titled X-Men Legends #1.
"It's incredibly exciting to finally tell the story of the infamous 'third' Summers brother," Nicieza says in the announcement. "25 years in the making, to see the truth about Adam-X revealed – and drawn so magnificently by Brett Booth – is one of the most surreal experiences of my career! Getting the opportunity to tell this tale while kicking off the new X-Men Legends series is x-tremely x-citing!"
The 'third Summers brother' mystery was first teased in 1993's X-Men #23 by Nicieza and Andy Kubert when Mr. Sinister offhandedly mentioned the prospect of a third brother to Cyclops (Scott Summers) and Havok (Alex Summers). Over the course of Nicieza's three-year run on X-Men, he left clues that Adam-X (or even, possibly Gambit) was the third Summers brother, however, the mystery was left unresolved after Nicieza's departure from the title.
A decade later, Ed Brubaker revisited the idea of a third Summers brother in X-Men: Deadly Genesis. In that, a new character - Gabriel Summers, a.k.a. Vulcan - was retconned to be the third Summers brother, and once a member of the X-Men.
Nicieza and Booth's story will be the first of many X-Men Legends stories with popular creators of the past revisiting and expanding on their classic runs with in-continuity stories, according to Marvel. Other writers announced include Chris Claremont, Louise Simonson, Larry Hama, and Peter David.
"... X-Men Legends will deliver startling tales month after month that dive into the rich history of the X-Men to tie up loose ends, resolve long-standing plot danglers, and reveal shocking truths that will change the past and future of the X-Men!" reads Marvel's press release.
X-Men Legends #1 goes on sale this February 2021. Look for Marvel's February 2021 solicitations later this month. The first three issues will feature a trio of interlocking covers by Iban Coello, seen above.
Speaking of X-Men Legends, here’s our list of the best X-Men stories of all-time.
