Warning: contains spoilers for Fall of the House of X #5The mutants of Marvel have had a terrible few months, with many of the X-Men dying at the hands of Orchis, leading to the Fall of X and the rise of the monstrous Engima Dominion. Yet, throughout all the tragedy, mutantkind has much to celebrate after winning their war against Orchis. This celebration is honored in a gorgeous new set of connecting variant covers from Kaare Andrews that homage Jim Lee’s iconic 90’s X-Men pool party artwork.
While the X-Men are known for being “hated and feared,” they are also famous for their intense family drama and incredibly close friendships, highlighted by iconic stories of the X-Men hosting things like pool parties, shopping trips, and basketball games.
First revealed by artist Kaare Andrews, the three connecting Pool Party variant covers feature 18 of the X-Men’s most beloved mutants and will grace the covers of X-Men #25 – the final issue of the Krakoan Era – as well as X-Men #1 and NYX #1, the first issues of the new From the Ashes era.
The X-Men Can’t Resist A Summer Pool Party
The 1991 X-Men relaunch remains the best-selling comic in history, a reminder of how popular and beloved the mutant franchise has always been. As a treat for fans, Jim Lee’s original steamy Pool Party cover was included as backup art in 1991’s X-Men #1 and became an immediate fan-favorite image of the X-Men. From the scantily clad X-Women to Colossues in a thong and Wolverine in jean shorts, the artwork is truly iconic and has been homaged many times over the years, most recently by David Nakayama as a Hellfire Gala variant cover.
Kaare Andrews’ variant cover is a perfect homage to Lee’s epic piece, featuring the same ridiculous 90’s energy and clothing as the original. Highlights include Cyclops using his optic blasts to flip hamburgers, a massive Cable lifting even larger weights, and Psylocke reading a copy of the magazine “Vague.” However, the most hilarious part of the entire connected cover may be the alien dragon Lockheed, wearing an X-Men bib and happily munching on a drumstick. It is impressive how well Andrews captured the iconic 90s vibe of the X-Men, enjoying their brief moments of peace and serenity as a large, messy family.
Marvel’s Mutants Deserve A Vacation After The Fall of X
The X-Men’s beloved Krakoan Age has ended horrifically, with Hope Summers sacrificing her life to rebirth the Phoenix, mutants hated more than ever, and over 200,000 innocent mutants trapped in the White Hot Room. The X-Men are used to strife and tragedy, and while their new From the Ashes era will see them fighting for their rights harder than ever, the winning mutants also deserve a major vacation.
While Kaare Andrews’ Pool Party variant covers are an homage to the 90s X-Men, it would be amazing if the modern-day X-Men could finally get a break from fighting and just drink cocktails by the pool. Make sure to pick up Andrews’ connecting covers from Unknown Comics to get the whole beautiful spread!
X-Men #35, X-Men #1, and NYX #1 from Marvel Comics all debut in June, 2024.
Source: Kaare Andrews
