Meet the Next Generation of Mutants in Marvel's Ultimate X-Men #6 (Exclusive Preview)

Kitty Pryde has played many different roles among the X-Men; she's never even settled on one code name, ranging from Sprite to Ariel and Shadowcat to Red Queen. In time X-Men time on the mutant island Krakoashe became a pirate captain, sailing the high seas to rescue the mutant refugees of the Hellfire Trading Company.

Now in the new dr. In Exceptional X-Men by Ieva Yuva and artist Carmen Carnero, Kitty is back in her (and Ewing's) hometown of Chicago. When the comic began, Kitty had decided to leave saving the world behind and was working as a bartender. But she found the young mutants in need of guidance and went with her old enemy-turned-friend Emma Frost to teach them.

Marvel has shared an exclusive first-look pageless preview of Exceptional X-Men #6 with /Filmcontinuing the story of Kitty and her new students.

Most of the “X-Men” writers try to leave their mark by introducing new “student” characters who can follow Kitty through the classic Chris Claremont years. Grant Morrison introduced Quentin Queer and the Stepford Cuckoos during their New X-Men, Joss Whedon and John Cassaday “Astonishing X-Men” gave us Armour. Even further sister title “Uncanny X-Men” right nowGail Simone and David Marquez have introduced four new mutants called “The Outliers”. So how do Kitty and Emma's students compare?

The teenage cast of Ewing and Carnero's Exceptional X-Men is as follows:

• Bronze/Trista Marshall, who can turn her skin into bronze

• Akso/Alex Luna, who can affect emotions and change skin color to complement them

• Melee/Thao Tran who can phase through solids like Kitty and also become invisible.

The three have struggled with the lingering prejudice against mutants, so Kitty and Emma give them some X-Men-style self-defense lessons. Until now, the teacher and the students met in the dance studio to practice; it's not quite Danger Room, but it's good enough. The first pages of the preview show them doing this training with Iceman (who joined the series in issue 3).

Marvel Comics

Marvel Comics

“Exceptional X-Men” concluded its first story volume with “Duty Calls”. in December with number 5. It looks like the next arc, or at least the first issues of it, will focus on Axo. The summary of issue 6 reads:

“WHO IS SHELDON XENOS? AXO, the brilliant resident empath of the X-Men, works for the creator of the wildly popular app Verate. Perhaps Xenos and his inventions can give mutants the support, recognition and connection they deserve. But the charismatic tech mogul seems to be hiding a secret… or two… or four… or…”

The following pages of the preview show the three young mutants meeting Mr. Xenos, who is apparently a mutant himself with ram's horns growing out of his forehead.

Marvel Comics

Marvel Comics

“Exceptional” was one of the three titles of the X-Men banner “From The Ashes”; each following different teams in different parts of the country. Jed McKay and Ryan Stegman's X-Men is set in remote Alaska, while Simon and Marquez's Uncanny X-Men is set in Louisiana Bay. “Exceptional”, meanwhile, takes place in one of America's urban hearts; of the three episodes, most seem to be on the pulse of the real struggles of young marginalized people. Described as a DNA collection and analysis program that offers lifestyle advice, the Verate app sounds like it will explore how such apps have become an integral part of life, yet fails to actually create the connection or community it feels like.

“Exceptional X-Men” #6 is scheduled for print and digital release on February 19, 2025.