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Marvel Comics is putting the last spot in the new X-Men’s lineup to a vote by fans, beginning Jan. 27 and running for the next week. The choice will round off the team that, in-world, the mutant nation of Krakoa is choosing to defend and represent themselves.
There’s a list of 10 candidates; the one receiving a plurality of the votes will make the roster. Here are the heroes on the ballot:
- Banshee (first appearance: X-Men #28, 1967)
- Polaris (first appearance: X-Men #49, 1968)
- Forge (first appearance: Uncanny X-Men #184, 1984)
- Boom-Boom (first appearance: Secret Wars 2 #5, 1985)
- Tempo (first appearance: New Mutants #86, 1990)
- Cannonball (first appearance: The New Mutants graphic novel, 1982)
- Sunspot (first appearance: The New Mutants graphic novel, 1982)
- Strong Guy (first appearance: New Mutants #29, 1985)
- Marrow (first appearance: Cable #15, 1994)
- Armor (first appearance: Astonishing X-Men Vol. 3, #4, 2004)
Voting will open at midnight EST on Jan. 27 and run until 11:59 p.m. EST on Feb. 2. The results as well as the full membership of the new X-Men will be unveiled during the Hellfire Gala, the big in-world event Marvel has planned for June.
Marvel is encouraging fans to vote through the official website; those who are registered Marvel Insiders can get points for doing so. They’ll also be eligible to enter a sweepstakes whose grand prize is being drawn into the comics during the Hellfire Gala itself. More details about that will be given later.
Update: Oh, and Marvel has provided the best part of every election, I Voted cards. The publisher is encouraging fans to use the cards on social media to campaign for their favorites:
X-Men #17 goes on sale Jan. 27. In the most recent book, Cyclops and Jean Grey turned down seats on Krakoa’s governing body, the Quiet Council, in order to reform the X-Men. The two have decided that the citizens of Krakoa themselves should choose the team.
