Marvel's beloved X-Statix team are finally returning in The X-Cellent #1, coming this February from original creators Peter Milligan, Michael Allfred, and Laura Allfred. A postmodern series based around a stage-managed team of superhero celebrities, X-Statix (previously X-Force) was known for its wry humor, ahead-of-its-time social perspective, and high body count, in a series where complex, multifaceted heroes were chewed up and spit out by a society that saw them as a commodity.
Ending in 2004 with the mysterious deaths of the team (a dark twist that left fans asking if the heroes had faked their final mission or been killed off by their handlers), some characters returned in 2006's X-Statix Presents: Dead Girl, 2014's All-New Doop, and 2019's Giant-Sized X-Statix. The latter comic was a one-shot which introduced the children of the original team, as well as resurrecting Zeitgeist, the vengeful leader of the group's original incarnation, who movie fans will know from Deadpool 2. The comic set up a new team, new villains, and even ended with the promise of a follow-up series named The X-Cellent. Then came the COVID-19 pandemic.
The X-Cellent has been on the back-burner ever since, with fans' only comfort being periodic reassurances from the creative team that the project would resume sometime soon. It turns out, that time is almost here, as Marvel just revealed The X-Cellent #1 is coming February 2022. Writer Peter Milligan, artist Michael Allred, and color artist Laura Allred will all return to their iconic team, with cover art confirming the return of Zeitgeist, Mister Sensitive, and team mascot/surreal mastermind Doop, who seems to have a dark doppelganger this time around.
The Allreds' pop-art style makes it clear that the unique aesthetic of the original series will return, while Milligan's involvement guarantees the same engaging experience of following heroes who are caught between the allure of fame and the desire to live up to their image. X-Statix was packed with social commentary and even touched on intersectionalist themes, as a diverse team worked to hold onto a sense of self despite the media narratives that allowed them to live in luxury, if not acceptance. X-Statix was a series that explored race and sexuality, the public's hunger for celebrity tragedy, and even caused controversy by attempting to recruit an undead Princess Diana, all while maintaining a breezy style and sprinting through more unique ideas in one arc than many series manage in an entire run.
Speaking to Marvel, Milligan commented, "I’m thoroughly X-Statix to be working with Mike and Laura Allred again, and it’s been truly X-CELLENT to discover that we’ve lost none of our alchemical fizz in conjuring up this new comic, this new title, this new beginning: The X-CELLENT!” Fans will be glad to hear there's more to come, as The X-Cellent heads for comic shelves next year, and X-Statix fans breathe a weary sigh of relief - even if they'd have waited another decade to see this dream project finally arrive.
Source: Marvel.com