Phil Noto Lines Up Mutantkind’s Best In ‘X-Manhunt’ Variant Covers

by Tony Thornley

Marvel’s X-Men From The Ashes relaunch is headed for its first linewide crossover in March. As Charles Xavier goes on the run, superstar Phil Noto puts the most uncanny X-Men in a line-up.

Spinning directly out of the conclusion of the Raid on Graymalkin crossover that concluded earlier this month and kicking off on March 5, X-Manhunt will see Charles Xavier on the run. Which of his students will help him? Which will recapture him? And just who will try to kill him?

Noto has created a series of connecting variant covers, putting the X-Men side by side across all seven main chapters of the crossover in NYX, Storm, X-Force, X-Factor, Uncanny X-Men, and the concluding one-shot X-Manhunt Omega. Yes that means that Magik, Psylocke, Wolverine, Laura Kinney and Phoenix aren’t a part of the crossover, even though most of those characters appear in the other series. Also, Exceptional X-Men is releasing an issue that’s tied to the story but isn’t an actual chapter of the story.

There’s also some interesting details here. Most of the covers feature main cast members of their series, but there’s a few interesting appearances. Fan favorite (and better character than you remember) Maggott is side by side with Storm on her cover, implying he may be more important than you realize. John Wraith joins Sage on the cover for X-Force. And on the cover to the conclusion, Xavier is wearing a surprising piece of headgear- his Krakoan era Cerebro helmet.