Marvel Comics has given CBR an exclusive preview of New Mutants #22, by Vita Ayala and Rod Reis, in which the titular team faces off against some of X-Men's deadliest foes -- but all might not be what it seems.
The opening pages of our New Mutants #22 preview show some of Krakoa's most important locations in flame as Sentinels and other villains -- among them Nimrod and the Brood -- swarm the island nation. The New Mutants stand at the center of the action, with Illyana Rasputina/Magik excited for the incoming brawl.
Previously, the New Mutants have found themselves at odds with the Shadow King, who has been messing with a number of the team's members. In response, Rahne Sinclair gathered the New Mutants together to bring the fight directly to the Shadow King. As such, it's likely that this preview is in some way an illusion or vision given to them by that psychic villain. The cover also shows the New Mutants fighting inside the Shadow King's head, so that adds further evidence to the idea the battle isn't taking place on the physical Krakoa, but instead a psychic version of it.
Created by Chris Claremont and John Byrne, Amahl Farouk/the Shadow King first appeared in 1979's Uncanny X-Men #117. The villain, who is one of the main enemies of Professor Charles Xavier and his X-Men, has incredible psychic powers and has been living on Krakoa with his fellow mutants. Outside of the comics, the Shadow King has appeared in a number of different media related to the team, including the live-action Legion series and the classic X-Men: The Animated Series.
You can see CBR's exclusive preview of New Mutants #22 below alongside the solicitation information for the issue. Releasing Oct. 6, New Mutants #22 features covers by Martin Simmonds and David Lopez.
NEW MUTANTS #22
- VITA AYALA (W) • ROD REIS (A)
- Cover by MARTIN SIMMONDS
- VARIANT COVER BY DAVID LOPEZ
- SHADOW KING SHOWDOWN!
- He’s been skirting the line…skulking around the Wild Hunt…and now he’s simply gone too far. On Krakoa, where the dead walk among the living and the unforgiveable has been forgiven, the NEW MUTANTS now battle an old foe…the psychic entity known as the Shadow King!
- 32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
