Rick Remender’s New ‘X-Force’ Vs. Apocalypse; X-23 Gets an Ongoing [C2E2]

The X-Men have faced down (and defeated) Apocalypse more than a few times over the years, but this October Rick Remender and Jerome Opeña will explore how a new team of mutants responds to ancient villain in "X-Force" #1, where they face the world-ending threat of Apocalypse... in a 10-year-old body.

A new, to-be-revealed, X-Force will set out to exterminate the prepubescent threat of one of the world's oldest and evilest mutants according to Marvel's X-Men panel at C2E2. Although the team's full roster remains shadowy (see above), it will be lead by Wolverine, and the story will apparently not be continuous with the just-announced Wolverine series where the Canadian berserker's soul will descend to hell while his body is possessed by a villain. It's a bit interesting to consider that in the space of a few years the X-Men have gone from protecting a child (Hope) to hunting one, but in the case of Apocalypse, I suppose the merry mutants are willing to make an exception.

"It's going to be really crazy," said Editor Jeanine Schaefer. 'When Wolverine is put in charge of X-Force, it's a totally different team than Cyclops would put together. More intense, more subversive, really cool."

Meanwhile, the teen female clone of Wolverine will move from the X-Force strike team to striking out on her own in a brand new "X-23" ongoing series this September, following the events of Second Coming and conclusion of the previous "X-Force" series. The new title will be scripted by Marjorie Liu, who said that it will show X-23 "on a journey of self discovery. It's going to be very dark, intense book." Check out more images after the jump.