Marvel Comics has announced Maximum X-Men, a new series launching in December after its Avengers — Armageddon event, with Storm forming a team to protect Earth-616 in the apparent absence of the Avengers. The announcement matters because it positions the X-Men against major, Avengers-level threats and brings together several established mutant characters under a new creative team.

Storm will lead Wolverine, Colossus, Bishop, Iceman, Psylocke, Firestar and Justice, with Christopher Yost writing and Tony S. Daniel providing the artwork. Their first mission involves an invasion from the Negative Zone, potentially connected to Annihilus; the cover also depicts Betsy Braddock using the Psylocke name again, despite Kwannon recently holding that codename, though Marvel has not explained the change. Maximum X-Men #1 is due to be released on 2 December.