Marvel Comics is heading back to the late 1980s this June with X-Men: Outback, a five-issue limited series that revisits one of the most distinct periods in mutant history. Writer Steve Orlando and artist Stephen Segovia are the creative leads on this project, picking up where the legendary duo of Chris Claremont and Marc Silvestri left off decades ago.
This era defined the team as ghosts, operating out of a stolen base in the Australian desert while the rest of the world believed they’d died during the Fall of the Mutants. It was a time of gritty survivalism and high-octane drama that remains a high-water mark for long-term readers.
X-MEN: OUTBACK #1
Written by STEVE ORLANDO
Art by STEPHEN SEGOVIA
Cover by RUSSELL DAUTERMAN
On Sale 6/24
Reviving the Ghost Era
The original Australian run was famous for its “outlaw” vibe. The roster featured heavy hitters like Storm, Wolverine, Rogue, and Colossus, alongside cult favorites like Dazzler, Havok, Psylocke, and Longshot. They weren’t just superheroes; they were tactical insurgents hiding from a world that hated and feared them more than ever.
Steve Orlando has mentioned his personal connection to these stories, citing the explosive personalities and the tension of carving out a new life as his entry point into X-Men fandom. It’s a smart move for Marvel to tap into this specific timeframe, as it allows for modern storytelling without the baggage of current continuity.
X-MEN: OUTBACK #1 Foil Variant Cover by Kaare Andrews
A Growing Trend of Retro Hits
This series isn’t an isolated nostalgia trip. It follows a successful pattern Marvel has established with titles like Psylocke: Ninja and Emma Frost: The White Queen. These “retro” series fill the gaps in classic timelines, offering new context to beloved arcs like Inferno.
Artist Stephen Segovia, fresh off his work on Hellions, brings a sharp, modern energy that fits the brutal landscape of the Outback. Russell Dauterman handles the main covers, ensuring the aesthetic feels premium and collector-ready. We’re also getting a foil variant by Kaare Andrews for the first issue, which hits shops on June 24.
The announcement promises to explore why the team truly chose the Outback and how internal tensions nearly destroyed them before the Reavers or the Shadow King ever could. There’s a mention of “secret exes” and new threats that were lurking in the shadows of the original run.
From a journalistic perspective, this feels like a calculated effort to flesh out the “Gateway” years—referring to the silent teleporter who facilitated their missions—and provide more depth to the characters’ isolation. It’s a chance to see the X-Men at their most desperate and creative.
X-MEN: OUTBACK #1 On Sale 6/24.
