X-Men ‘97 S2 #1 Review

ShawsJune 8, 2026

The creative team of writer Steve Foxe, artist Salva Espin, and colorist Matt Milla returns to the 1990s to explore the aftermath of the first season of X-Men ’97 in X-Men ’97 S2 #1. Cue the theme song!

I would like to preface this with a word of caution: while I generally liked the original tie-in series for the first season of the show, I have some reservations about some of the choices made in it. However, I have far more significant reservations regarding the show itself. In my personal opinion, the show’s adaptation of certain story arcs and choices does not effectively showcase the character depth or commentary of the source material. For instance, transforming Roberto Da Costa (Sunspot)’s origin into a closeted homosexual allegory, while suitable for the X-Men, completely disregards his literal origins as a victim of racism as depicted in the Marvel Graphic Novel for The New Mutants back in 1982. A similar argument can be made for the first tie-in series regarding the explanation of the mohawk worn by Ororo. It is presented as a new look for the upcoming new millennium, removing its connotations as a symbol of Ororo relinquishing her self-control and acting impulsively when encouraged by Yukio (as depicted in Uncanny X-Men #173, illustrated by Paul Smith in the form of an allegorical orgasm).

Having clarified that, how does the first issue of X-Men ‘97 S2 fare? In fact, quite well. For what it’s worth. I understand that this is not the show that seeks to provide in-depth commentary and character-driven moments. This is simply a tie-in that is likely not to get acknowledged. It is merely promotional material meant to fill in gaps that might as well be answered in the show itself or by the audience. While it may not be considered essential reading, it more than makes up for it with its engaging nature.

The opening pages of the issue reenact the final moments of the three-part season finale, “Tolerance Is Extinction,” between Forge and Bishop. The conversation is slightly expanded, and the two discuss Val Cooper’s X-Factor, which has adopted a policy of apprehending and detaining any mutant deemed a threat. They also discuss their plans to bring the X-Men back from across time and space. Expanding the conversation in this way leads the reader into uncharted territory. This suggests that the current narrative trajectory will reach a significant point-to-point transition, potentially marked by a seamless ending on the first episode of season two.

We catch up with Roberto and Jubilee, a couple who stand out as one of the series’ odd pairings, paying their respects to the fallen X-Men at a Central Park memorial. In the source material, there is a time gap of several years between the two. One is an alumnus of the New Mutants, while the other is an alumnus of Generation X. While I don’t strongly object to the pairing as others do, I do require some time to adjust. The series features a blend of multiple generations of young mutants, a trend likely to continue in season two, as evidenced by the promotional material.

This memorial serves as a place where humans and mutants coexist and respect the X-Men’s dream. However, conflict arises between the two groups, in typical X-Men fashion, as an anti-mutant protest becomes oppressive and, rightfully, the oppressed react in self-defense. Amid the chaos, many familiar characters from the 1992 animated series return, having been absent from the revival’s first season. These include Skids, Firefist (Rusty), Pyro, Avalanche, Random, and Forearm. Tempo is also part of the group, despite never having appeared in the original series, as far as I know. Evidently, a combination of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants and the Mutant Liberation Front (MLF).

Although Salva’s art and Milla’s colors are not a precise replica of the style of X-Men ’97 Lead Character Designer Amelia Vidal, they have shown improvement since the first tie-in series. While the artwork aligns closely with the show’s art style, when characters from the original series or solely from the book are featured, it becomes apparent that a model sheet from the show is not being used. This results in a slight quality mismatch with some characters. But I digress.

Jubilee intervenes in the conflict to de-escalate the situation, marking a departure from her role as the Wolverine Cub, the fandom term for Wolverine’s sidekick. Her actions are based on the belief that Cyclops would prioritize protecting civilians. This approach proves more effective than Logan’s ground-standing techniques, showcasing Jubilee’s evolution toward prioritizing what’s best in the absence of her team. I really appreciate this moment that illustrates how these characters must adapt in the absence of the X-Men.

To mitigate the potential negative impact of the escalating conflict on mutant-human relationships and the media, X-Factor is deployed to the scene. This marks the onset of the action, though it regrettably does not last long. That being said, one of my favorite mutants, Multiple Man (Jamie Madrox), who could be considered X-Factor’s “pet character,” is personally the highlight, despite having only one line of dialogue during the fight sequence. After successfully neutralizing the mutants causing a ruckus, they, along with the innocent Skids and Rusty, are apprehended. Havok (Alex Summers, Cyclops’s younger brother) pauses to consider what to do with the two children. True to form, he does as he’s told. Based on what goes on further down in the issue, this seems to be a recurring thing in the series—exploring how new teams show up and do things their own way in the X-Men’s absence. These methods may not always be as good as they think, however.

Meanwhile, we return to Roberto and Jubilee, who have escaped the fighting at the memorial site. Another of the series’ unique adaptations shows up here: the antagonist in Roberto’s life is not his father, Emmanuel, but his mother, Nina. In the New Mutants comics, Nina’s character was never antagonistic. She wasn’t Afro, either. She was a redheaded Caucasian Brazilian. However, I have already made it clear in this very article how I feel about Sunspot’s race in ’97 and how the show disregards his Afro-Brazilian heritage. As previously mentioned, the show removes literal racism in favor of allegorical closetedness. After revealing himself to be a mutant last season, much of that allegory continues. Nina cares more about her family’s company, Da Costa International, than her own son. She cut him off completely by revoking his share of the family fortune and investing in a potential cure for his mutation. While this is par for the course with the mutant metaphor, it is still fitting. However, I don’t find it as interesting as the literal racism that is part of Roberto’s origin in the source material.

Next, we see Cable—Nathan Summers, the son of Cyclops and Jean Grey, who was actually Madelyne Pryor, a clone of Jean created by Mister Sinister—eavesdropping on the lovebirds. Clearly pondering the possibility of recruiting them into his covert activities. Then, the scene shifts to a later time. The Alliance of Evil, a group of Apocalypse’s cronies from the original X-Factor series starring the Original 5 X-Men, composed of Stinger, Timeshadow, and Tower, who did not appear in the original series, attends a private meeting of Clan Akkaba, a cult devoted to Apocalypse. This cult also did not appear in the 1992 series. The trio is unaware that shadowy figures are observing them from a distance. Upon arriving at the designated meeting point, they are ambushed and quickly subdued by X-Force.

The comic remains engaging at this point, don’t get me wrong, yet it offers little material for discussion. This continues in the latter section, when Exodus and his Acolytes free the X-Factor prisoners en route to a correctional facility. Overall, I enjoyed the first issue of X-Men ’97 S2. While I’m still not a fan of many of the show’s creative decisions, I didn’t find any of the choices in this specific issue to be particularly egregious or odd. So kudos!