TV & Beyond on 2025-05-01 18:00:00

After the wild Krakoa era of X-Men, “From The Ashes” has been closer to the ’90s cartoon norm most expect from these mutants. The main “X-Men” title (written by Jed MacKay, drawn in alternation by Ryan Stegman and Netho Diaz) has also brought in a villain who just debuted in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

That would be Cassandra Nova, played in last year’s “Deadpool & Wolverine” by Emma Corrin. Created by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely, Cassandra is — essentially — the evil twin sister of Professor Charles Xavier. Since her debut in 2001’s “New X-Men” #114, Cassandra has been out to teach her brother and his students one lesson: “E is for Extinction.”

Marvel has shared an exclusive preview for “X-Men” #16 with /Film, which follows Cassandra’s latest scheme. She’s now a leader of the organization 3K. From the Friends of Humanity to Orchis, the list of anti-mutant groups in “X-Men” comics is long. 3K are most like the U-Men, also from the Morrison run. The U-Men vivisected mutants and stole their organs to become mutants. 3K takes normal humans and activates the X-Gene within them, turning them into mutants. That’s how Cassandra has built up a mutant team — as another middle finger to her brother, she’s calling them the X-Men! (Surely there’ll be no brand confusion there.)

Cassandra Nova’s 3K X-Men debuted at the end of “X-Men” #15. This forthcoming issue will see them go head-to-head with the real X-Men, led by Cyclops. The synopsis for “X-Men” #16 reads:

“MEET THE ALL-NEW, ALL-DIFFERENT X-MEN? There are mutants who call themselves X-Men in Alaska and Louisiana and Chicago. But as Cyclops’ team find themselves in more than one set of crosshairs dealing with a mutant crisis in Alaska, a new group of enemies make themselves known: They are the X-Men, who are sponsored by 3K in their bid for possession of the future of mutantkind!”

You can glimpse the 3K X-Men on the issue’s cover, drawn by Diaz (it’s a team shot mirroring the cover of this run’s debut, “X-Men” #1). Their leader is Ben Liu/Schwarzschild, a 3K-created mutant who can warp reality. Other new members are code-named: Constellation, Psychovore, Timebomb, Galatea, and Juice.

Marvel Comics

Cassandra Nova has put together her own X-Men team

X-Men #14 cover Cassandra Nova looking evil

Marvel Comics

There’s another mutant on Cassandra’s side: Piper Cobb, a young girl who has the power to manipulate flesh and organic matter. She’s a twin who absorbed her counterpart in the womb, and now the said twin lives on inside her. (Who said horror flick “Malignant,” with its mutant villain Gabriel, wasn’t an X-Men story?) Cassandra is understandably drawn to Piper’s story, telepathically manipulating her to become a purple kaiju and attack Cyclops’ X-Men.

The preview pages kick off with a text recap, bringing new readers up to speed on who the two different X-Men are. After a full team establishing shot for the 3K X-Men (their names provided by captions), the two teams charge at each other. On Cyclops’ side, Magik and Juggernaut are especially ready to fight, earning a dedicated leap-into-action panel on page 3. Magik’s sword is fired up, and Juggernaut brags he’ll “grind [the fake X-Men’s] bones to make my bread.”

The main choice of the issue, it seems, will fall to Piper. Which of the X-Men will she join? Will she listen to the devil on her shoulder or choose instead to be good? The true X-Men are home to many reformed villains (Magneto is currently co-leading the Alaska team with Cyclops), so no doubt they can make room for Piper.