FANTOMEX Returns for GIANT-SIZE X-MEN

The genetically-engineered master thief and X-Men ally Fantomex will return in his own Giant-Size X-Men one-shot from writer Jonathan Hickman and artist Rod Reis this May, as announced via The A.V. Club.

Fantomex was last seen in 2017/18’s Astonishing X-Men, donating his physical body to resurrect Xavier’s consciousness from the Astral Realm where he was a captive of the Shadow King. Xavier returned to life as “X”, in Fantomex’s younger, more powerful body. The story of how Xavier went from that status quo to his current “Dawn of X” resurrection – in his own body which has since died and been resurrected again, on panel – has not been explained.

In “Dawn of X”, mutant bodies can be cloned with memories intact – an easy route for Fantomex’s return even if it could create complications with the Astral Realm. Though he’s not a mutant but a product of the Weapon Plus program (like Wolverine and Deadpool), Fantomex has often worked alongside the X-Men and was a member of X-Force.

Hickman and Reis worked together on the opening arc of the current volume of New Mutants, sparking this collaboration.

“As Jonathan Hickman and I were talking about characters for this Giant-Size X-Men issue, I said I was looking for crazy and weird characters that would allow me to play with panel layouts and do crazy stuff,” Reis told The A.V. Club. “So we decided that Fantomex would be the perfect choice. I loved what we did with New Mutants. I had so much fun working with those characters and people can expect this book to be a lot of fun too.”

Here’s the solicitation for Giant-Size X-Men: Fantomex #1, along with the cover by Reis. Look for Marvel’s full May 2020 solicitations later this month on Newsarama.

GIANT-SIZE X-MEN: FANTOMEX #1

Written by JONATHAN HICKMAN

Art and Cover by ROD REIS

The hit creative team of Jonathan Hickman & Rod Reis (NEW MUTANTS) turn their attention to the covert activities of the Weapon Plus program’s Weapon XIII! A bred killer who chose the life of a gentleman super-thief, Fantomex has always defied expectations… For example, who would expect him to break into the World, the artificial realm of his creation? And then again? And then… again?