X-Men's Most Iconic 90s Story Is Finally Getting the Sequel It Deserves

The most massive X-Menstoryline in decades could be coming in 2025, as Marvel has teased an event called the "Age of Revelation" is imminent; given that fan-favorite character Cypher has just been dubbed the heir of Apocalypse, and rechristened Revelation, it seems as though a sequel to the legendary 1990s Age of Apocalypse storyline is finally happening.

Timeslide #1 – written by Steve Foxe, with art by Ivan Fiorelli – contains the latest appearance of Revelation; it also features a monolithic stone tablet, previewing an action-packed year ahead for the Marvel Universe, with the "Age of Revelation" being just one of many intriguing hints at what is in store.

The list includes ominous portents for every major Marvel franchise, though the "Age of Revelation" teaser has especially skyrocketed anticipation among X-Men fans, who are prepared for a true follow-up to Age of Apocalypse.

Marvel Lays Out Its Future Plans With An Impressive In-Universe Clue As To What's Coming In 2025, Including An "Age Of Apocalypse" Sequel

Timeslide #1 – Written By Steve Foxe; Art By Ivan Fiorelli; Color By Frank D'Armata; Lettering By Joe Caramagna

Marvel has been using a year-end issue to preview the next year's major stories for a years now, but with Timeslide #1, they seem to have perfected the technique. The list of upcoming storylines is a great way to incentivize picking up the issue, and it is a masterclass in building early hype for Marvel's next biggest crossover events, important character arcs, and more. "Age of Revelation" comes near the bottom of the list; some fans have interpreted the sequence of the list as being roughly chronological, suggesting that X-Men fans should anticipate this event toward the end of 2025.

Marvel has revisited the Age of Apocalypse timeline before, but what has X-fans excited about the words "Age of Revelation" appearing in Timeslide #1 is the theory that this will be a true sequel, in the sense that it will replicate how Age of Apocalypse played out, and will have a similar level of impact on the franchise moving forward. In 1995, the entire line of X-Men titles were replaced by AoA equivalents, which ran for several months before the storyline concluded, and the status quo was restored. Already, X-Men readers are wondering if Marvel will do this again.

X-Men's Epic "Age Of Apocalypse" Crossover Turns 30 This Year, Making It The Perfect Time For A Follow-Up

X-Men: Heir of Apocalypse #1-4 – Written By Steve Foxe; Art By Netho Diaz; Color By Alex Sinclair; Ink By Sean Parsons; Lettering By Clayton Cowles; Available Now From Marvel Comics

The X-franchise's latest reboot, called the "From the Ashes" Era, immediately kicked off with a somewhat controversial move, as long-time mutant hero Cypher was transformed into Apocalypse's successor, Revelation – which is, of course, the English translation of the Greek-derived word "apocalypse." At the time, it was clear that Marvel's intention was to create a new version of the iconic X-franchise villain for this new era – and so it makes sense, from a creative standpoint, that their long-term plan would be to do the same thing with Apocalypse's greatest story, which is also arguably X-Men's greatest crossover.

Add to that the fact that 2025 represents the 30-year anniversary of Age of Apocalypse, it is fitting that Marvel would attempt to pull off a similar feat. What it might look like, and whether the publisher commits to a months-long line-wide mini-reboot, are all questions that 2025 will answer as it progresses. In the meantime, Marvel readers should pay especially close attention to any upcoming appearances of Cypher's new villainous alter-ego, and keep keenly on the lookout for hints, scattered throughout X-Men's current slate of titles, as to what could kick off the "Age of Revelation."

Timeslide #1 is available now from Marvel Comics.

X-Men

Movie(s)

X-Men (2000), X2, X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009), X-Men: First Class (2011), The Wolverine (2013), X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), Deadpool (2016), X-Men: Apocalypse (2016), Logan (2017), Deadpool 2 (2018), Dark Phoenix (2019), The New Mutants, Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)

First Film

X-Men (2000)

TV Show(s)

X-Men: Pryde of the X-Men, X-Men (1992), X-Men: Evolution (2000), Wolverine and the X-Men (2008), Marvel Anime: Wolverine, Marvel Anime: X-Men, Legion (2017), The Gifted (2017), X-Men '97 (2024)

Character(s)

Professor X, Cyclops, Iceman, Beast, Angel, Phoenix, Wolverine, Gambit, Rogue, Storm, Jubilee, Morph, Nightcrawler, Havok, Banshee, Colossus, Magneto, Psylocke, Juggernaut, Cable, X-23

Video Game(s)

X-Men: Children of the Atom (1994), Marvel Super Heroes (1995), X-Men vs. Street Fighter (1996), Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter (1997), Marvel vs. Capcom (1998), X-Men: Mutant Academy (2000), Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes (2000), X-Men: Mutant Academy 2 (2001), X-Men: Next Dimension (2002), Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds (2011), Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 (2011), X-Men Legends (2005), X-Men Legends 2: Rise of Apocalypse (2005), X2: Wolverine's Revenge (2003), X-Men (1993), X-Men 2: Clone Wars (1995), X-Men: Mutant Apocalypse (1994)

Comic Release Date

213035,212968

The X-Men franchise, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, centers on mutants with extraordinary abilities. Led by the powerful telepath Professor Charles Xavier, they battle discrimination and villainous mutants threatening humanity. The series explores themes of diversity and acceptance through a blend of action, drama, and complex characters, spanning comics, animated series, and blockbuster films.

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