Ultimate X-Men #2
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeUltimate X-Men #2 delivers the first full in-continuity comic appearance of Maystorm (Mei Igarashi), the inaugural all-new character introduced by Peach Momoko in this reimagined Ultimate Universe X-Men line — and, notably, the first New Champions variant-cover concept ever promoted into an ongoing series. The issue deepens the series' deliberate break from decades of X-Men storytelling tradition, setting its mutant drama not in Westchester but in a Japanese high school steeped in folklore-tinged horror, with themes of adolescent grief and survivor's guilt that critics noted pushed the superhero format firmly into manga horror territory. By pairing Maystorm's wind powers against the Shadow entity in their first shared action sequence, the issue also inaugurates the central partnership — Armor and Maystorm — that would drive the book's entire 24-issue run.
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The series was conceived as part of Marvel's 2024 relaunch of the Ultimate Universe, with editor-in-chief C.B. Cebulski and architect Jonathan Hickman granting Peach Momoko — known for her Demon Days manga-inflected Marvel work — a high degree of creative freedom to reinvent the X-Men from scratch. Momoko produces her pages in a manga workflow, with Zack Davisson then adapting her Japanese-language script into English; Momoko's partner Yo Mutsu publicly noted the creative team worked under tight monthly deadlines throughout the early run. Maystorm herself began life as Momoko's contribution to Marvel's New Champions variant cover program for X-Men #27 before Momoko lobbied to bring the character into the ongoing series, making her the first New Champions concept to cross over into a regular comic.
Trivia · 8 facts
- First full comic-book appearance of Maystorm (Mei Igarashi / Earth-6160), the Ultimate Universe's weather-controlling mutant and Storm-inspired new character — confirmed cover date June 2024, on-sale April 10, 2024.
- Maystorm was originally designed by Peach Momoko as a non-canon 'New Champions' variant cover for X-Men (Vol. 6) #27, making her transition here the first instance of a New Champions cover character entering an ongoing series.
- Full creative team: story, art, and colors by Peach Momoko; script adaptation by Zack Davisson; lettering by VC's Travis Lanham.
- Variant covers for this issue were produced by Mike Choi, Betsy Cola, Peach Momoko, and Phil Noto.
- The issue marks the first time Maystorm uses her wind-based mutant powers in an action context, demonstrating she is already comfortable with her abilities in contrast to Hisako/Armor, whose powers still only activate under extreme duress.
- The Shadow antagonist haunting Hisako — later confirmed as Shinobu Kageyama, the Earth-6160 analogue of Shadow King / Amahl Farouk — continues its campaign of psychological terror and is shown possessing a security guard in this issue.
- The series is set in the fictional Kirisaki City within the superstate Hi no Kuni (Earth-6160), a Japan-analog ruled by Emperor Sunfire — a setting with no direct counterpart in the classic X-Men mythos.
- The issue was collected in the first trade paperback, Ultimate X-Men by Peach Momoko Vol. 1: Fears and Hates (2024).
Cast · 32 characters
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Reprinted in Ultimate X-Men by Peach Momoko #1 (2024), Ultimate Universe #2 (2024)
Key issues in Ultimate X-Men
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