The next All-New, All-Different Captain Krakoa could be hiding in plain sight

X-Men #6 page
(Image credit: Marvel Comics)

Tucked among Marvel's most recent spate of news about its 2023 Free Comic Book Day titles was the announcement that the publisher's X-Men/Avengers FCBD special would include the next appearance of Captain Krakoa, the identity once used by Scott Summers as an alternate superhero persona from his usual Cyclops designation.

Summers took up the mantle of Captain Krakoa for a few months to hide the secret of mutant resurrection from the public when he died in battle with numerous civilian witnesses. He returned to the X-Men as Captain Krakoa, using a suit that harnessed the power of the mutant island of Krakoa's special flora to become the so-called national hero of Krakoa, sorta like their version of Captain America.

It's not confirmed that a new character will take up the mantle of Captain Krakoa in May 6's X-Men/Avengers Free Comic Book Day one-shot, but the implication seems to be that the Captain Krakoa identity will live on after Cyclops' use of the name and costume. 

(Image credit: Marvel Comics)

Considering the other implication of the description of the contents of the one-shot, which hints at a new iteration of the Uncanny Avengers (if not the Uncanny X-Men), there seems to be a likelihood that a new Captain Krakoa could be part of whichever "uncanny" team takes shape.

And if that's the case, there may be a likely candidate to take up the mantle of Captain Krakoa (a la Clint Barton's one-time identity of Ronin which has changed hands several times) hiding in plain sight.

Assuming the depiction of Captain Krakoa on the cover of the one-shot is accurate to the depiction inside, there could be a chance that the next mutant to become Captain Krakoa might be Magneto.

The last time we saw Magneto, he gave his life to save Planet Arakko/Mars in the recent AXE: Judgment Day event story - with the added twist of having deleted the genetic records and psychic back-ups necessary to resurrect him in the event of his death.

Despite the apparent difficulties in bringing Magneto back along with his wishes to remain dead, there may be something to the Captain Krakoa identity's previous use in concealing the now publicly known power of mutant resurrection that hints at how Captain Krakoa may return.

We'll find out in May 6's X-Men/Avengers: Free Comic Book Day one-shot.

Stay up to date on all the new X-Men comics Marvel has planned.

George Marston

I've been Newsarama's resident Marvel Comics expert and general comic book historian since 2011. I've also been the on-site reporter at most major comic conventions such as Comic-Con International: San Diego, New York Comic Con, and C2E2. Outside of comic journalism, I am the artist of many weird pictures, and the guitarist of many heavy riffs. (They/Them)