Written by: Vanessa Young
On Friday, July 24, the energy was buzzing in Room 6A as the Marvel Comics to Screen: X-Men ’97 panel kicked off with Lenore Zann (Rogue), Cal Dodd (Wolverine), producers Julia Lewald, Eric Lewald, Larry Houston, Brad Winderbaum (Head of Streaming, Television and Animation at Marvel Studios), and C.B. Cebulski (Editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics). The nostalgic affair was moderated by Devan Coggan (Editor at Marvel.com), making this a fully Marvel “family reunion.” From nostalgic origins to deep-cut Marvel lore, here are the highlights and biggest takeaways from the panel.
30 Years of Mutants: A Legacy Reborn
When X-Men: The Animated Series first debuted in 1992, no one on the team predicted it would launch a global phenomenon — least of all the voice talent.
“I had no clue who the hell the X-Men were, or the comics, or Wolverine,” recalled Dodd. “I walked in and said, ‘What am I reading for?’ They said, ‘Wolverine.’ I said, ‘Is this an animal cartoon?’… Then they said, ‘So, you’re ready to read? I read the line, and luckily, they phoned me the next morning, and said, ‘We would love to have you be Wolverine.”
Zann shared how effortlessly she slipped back into her character after decades away: “Playing Rogue is like pulling on a pair of very fine, well-worn gloves that are very comfortable. When I walked into the booth and said my first line, I just went, ‘Aha. There she is, she’s back.'”
For original series writers, the Lewalds, returning alongside director Houston felt like a long-overdue family reunion. “We were all siphoned off in our different silos. We were writing from home, not major studio offices. And Larry was with all the artists, and they were in a separate place, and here we are getting to be together. It’s like a family reunion in the best way possible,” Eric explained.
Apocalypse, Time Travel, and the Origins of Age of Apocalypse
With Season 2 delving deep into Apocalypse, the writers reflected on how the animated series and Marvel Comics have maintained a symbiotic relationship for over three decades.
Julia and Marvel’s Cebulski recalled how the 1995 comic event Age of Apocalypse was directly influenced by the animated show’s classic storyline, “One Man’s Worth”: a tale exploring an alternate universe where Charles Xavier was killed in his youth.
Now, “X-Men ’97” continues that tradition by pulling freely from decades of comic runs, seamlessly translating storylines into the show’s signature ’90s Saturday morning cartoon continuity.
Evolution: Introducing X-Force and New Teams
One of the biggest crowd-pleasing moments of the panel was the showcase of the show’s title sequences, including a special X-Force variant intro directed by Houston. Featuring character designs heavily inspired by iconic comic artist Frank Quitely, the sequence highlights new team dynamics, including Psylocke, Jubilee, and Polaris.
Cebulski shared a touching moment regarding creator reactions to the show: “The day the trailer hit, I had dinner scheduled with Frank Miller. Well, when he came to dinner, and he had seen it, he could not stop raving about it, and just how happy he was with the respect that had shown his work, and so many other creators feel that way, and see their work reflected in this new format, and something that’s so beloved by so many people outside of comics, and that is pulling them back into comics. I think that’s where the real part of the symbiotic relationship is.”
Deep-Cut Cameos and Mind-Blowing Easter Eggs
The panel highlighted the fan-favorite tradition of hiding background details and Marvel Universe cameos throughout the series:
- Zann pointed out a subtle detail in Season 1, Episode 7. Inside Captain America’s hideout, a motorcycle leaning against the wall bears the license plate “AV 10,” a nod to Avengers #10, Rogue’s very first comic book appearance.
- A menu board in a Season 2 arcade scene lists “chili fries,” directly referencing Jubilee’s famous line when saying goodbye to her foster parents in the 1992 pilot.
- Houston admitted that back in the ’90s, every background character cameo was unauthorized. He was told not to do it but as a fan, he knew that’s what people wanted to see.
Looking Ahead: New Seasons in Development
The biggest surprise was learning the team was not only working on season 3, but season 4 as well. The conversation centered around season 1 and 2, “But the story continues. You haven’t asked if you are already working on not just season 3, but season 4 is already in the world,” Julia said. The cheers in the crowd were almost deafening. Marvel appears to have a lot of faith in continuing and growing this show for them to not only announce season 3, but 4 as well.
The editors “are working together to find those moments of dance between the raindrops,” the team shared, teasing that upcoming episodes will feature a major Wolverine storyline written by the Lewalds, alongside deeper dives into comic storylines that weren’t possible during the original ’90s run due to time and budget constraints.
As the panel wrapped up, the message from the cast, crew, and Marvel was clear: X-Men ’97 is proof that lightning can strike twice and fans should be very excited about its future.
