X-Men ‘97 revives the classic animated series on Disney+ without missing a beat, and while it certainly delivers on the nostalgia factor of the original, it also continues the tradition of adapting major comic storylines for TV.

The original X-Men TV series was an entry point for many fans, not only because of the killer character designs but also because it gave you a crash course in the biggest mutant moments. From the Dark Phoenix Saga to Days of Future Past and the Age of Apocalypse, the original X-Men series was always informed by the comics that came before it.

Now it’s 2024 and we’ve had 25-odd years of fantastic comic book stories added to the canon. And while X-Men ‘97 is set in the 1990s, that doesn’t mean they have to stick to old storylines. 

Marvel Studios has already indicated that we’re getting at least two more seasons of this show. Here are the Marvel Comics storylines that could inspire some amazing future episodes of X-Men ‘97.

House of M

The original X-Men series introduced Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver as Magneto’s children, so why not bring them back for a House Of M storyline?

The 2005 story arc by Brian Michael Bendis saw Wanda Maximoff use her powers to create an alternate world where her father, Magneto, and his family ruled over a mutant-first Earth, with only Wolverine retaining his memories of the world that was. 

Wanda eventually uses her powers to declare “no more mutants” toward the end of the arc. That would certainly be a big shakeup for X-Men ‘97, but it could be pretty cool, too.

Avengers vs. X-Men

While X-Men ‘97 is focused on the mutants you love to hate and fear, there’s nothing to stop Marvel Animation from bringing in some of its other heroes. The original X-Men series crossed over with Spider-Man, for instance, and that shared universe included many other Avengers such as Captain America, Daredevil and Iron Man. 

Now, what if we saw them fight, Avengers vs. X-Men style?

The 2012 AvX crossover event by Brian Michael Bendis happened in a post-Professor Xavier world, so we could easily follow Cyclops and Magneto as they lead their X-Men against the Avengers in a fight over Hope Summers (or perhaps another powerful mutant).

Uncanny Avengers

While we’ve got the Avengers kicking around, why not do a one-episode team-up in honour of Rick Remender’s 2012 Uncanny Avengers run? That comic saw the Avengers and X-Men blend together into one team after AvX, with Wolverine and Rogue fighting alongside the likes of Thor and Captain America. You could go many different directions with this, but the team-up alone would be fun for an episode.

House Of X/Powers Of X

What if the X-Men had a nation of their own – one where they could meddle with powers and revive mutants, too?

Jonathan Hickman’s House Of X and Powers Of X arcs explore that idea and more, and they could easily be adapted for the screen now that Magneto is leading the team. The comic run also involves Xavier but it could be reworked without him.

The whole idea here is that mutants set up their own nation-state on the living island of Krakoa, only to learn that it leads to an awful future.

Again, this could be a fun alternate/future timeline story for X-Men ‘997, and we know that series loves that kind of thing.

Is there a Marvel Comics X-Men run that you want to see in X-Men ‘97?

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