Melee

Thao Tran is a mutant whose natural gifts for phasing through solid matter and turning invisible make her a formidable defensive fighter. She joins the Exceptional X-Men, where Kate Pryde trains her to push those stealth abilities into more aggressive, offensive territory.

Fresh from the Modern Age Marvel Universe, Melee burst onto the scene in 2024's Ultimate X-Men #5 under the visionary hand of creator Peach Momoko — and with 51 catalog appearances already under their belt, this is clearly a character who hit the ground running. Sharing pages with heavy-hitters like Cyclops, Logan, Kitty Pryde, and the rest of the X-Men's finest, Melee has been woven into the fabric of titles like Exceptional X-Men, Uncanny X-Men, and X-Men itself — prime real estate in Marvel's mutant landscape. That debut issue already carries key-issue status, a sure sign that collectors and fans alike recognized something special from the very first page. If you're tracking the next generation of compelling X-Men-adjacent characters to watch, Melee belongs at the top of your list.