For 2023’s Hellfire Gala, Marvel disappeared most X-Men characters

Ever since the heady days of 2021, Marvel’s X-Men books have made a tradition out of a yearly big swing called the Hellfire Gala. In-universe, Krakoa’s mutant leaders throw a political soirée for the who’s-who of Earth’s leaders. Out of universe, Marvel artists design a book’s worth of high-fashion redesigns of superhero costumes, and Marvel writers invent the biggest wrench they can possibly throw into X-Men continuity.

In 2021 the X-Men terraformed Mars. In 2022 — well, it was actually pretty quiet last year, to make room for larger revelations in the Judgment Day crossover. 2023 makes up for that lull by having Professor X, at knifepoint, take control of the minds of the entire mutant population and force them to walk through teleportation gates to… well. No one knows.

What’s happening on the pages of your favorite comics? We’ll tell you. Welcome to Monday Funnies, Polygon’s weekly list of the books that our comics editor enjoyed this past week. It’s part society pages of superhero lives, part reading recommendations, part “look at this cool art.” There may be some spoilers. The context may not be sufficient. There will still be some great comics. If you haven’t read the previous edition yet, please do.

Gerry Duggan Various/Marvel Comics

OK, it wasn’t Just click here to learn more. a knife at Charles’ throat that made teleporting 99% of all mutants to a secret location chosen by their worst enemies seem like a good solution. It was also a credible threat to instantly kill anyone who’d ever availed themselves of life-saving mutant medicines.

Since months, the X-Men have teased the Fall of the Mutants in the Hellfire Gala. And this appears to be how it will happen. Krakoa’s empty. Some of the most famous mutants have taken refuge in New York, and other locations. Mars is engulfed in a mutant civil war.

Do all other mutants have died? Professor X believes so. Then again, he’s exactly the kind of egoist who would assume that if The following is a list of the most recent and relevant articles. powers can’t reach them, they must be gone forever. This would not be an editorial. BuckwildMarvel has done a good thing. Not sure if I’d be impressed or horrified if Chuck turned out to be right.)

But chin up, Charles. Kamala Khan has been confirmed as a mutant in this issue. She may be able to help.

Image: Jessica Berbey, Claire Roe, Nick Robles/DC Comics

Poison IvyIt’s one of my favorites on the shelves right now. It’s got an all-timer run of covers and variant covers, with some of the coolest artists in the business going all-out on the theme of botanical, monstrous, feminine horror. DC published a collection of all those covers.

Image: Rainbow Rowel, Andrés Genolet/Marvel Comics

Rainbow Rowell and Andrés Genolet’s She-Hulk doesn’t always make it to Monday Funnies, but it’s a comic I’m happy to see every time it comes around.

They did the same thing on RunawaysRowell & Genolet have quietly nailed the foundations of classic, ongoing superhero adventures. Characters with interesting problems, and new characters. You can also find out more about the following: can’t just punch away, enough of an original supporting cast to stand on its own, but tied into the rest of the world enough that it doesn’t feel like it’s off in a bubble… it’s just a good time.

It’s weird that it’s going to get a new title and restart at #1 in October, but at least I still get to read it.