Welcome, X-Fans, to another uncanny edition of X-Men Monday at AIPT!
Ashley Allen’s busy. Following fan-favorite explorations of Magik, Colossus, and Dani Moonstar, the writer will soon get to script Wolverine, Jubilee, Apocalypse, and other mutants in Tomb of Apocalypse, a five-issue limited series kicking off August 26, 2026. Ahead of this comic’s launch (and X-Men ’97‘s season two premiere, which will also feature Apocalypse (is this officially the summer of Apocalypse?)), Ashley was nice enough to take time out of her schedule to let us know what to expect from Tomb of Apocalypse.
Oh, and did I mention the much-asked-about Rictor and Shatterstar will appear? We better get started so we can see what Ashley has to say!
Courtesy of Marvel Comics
AIPT: Welcome back to X-Men Monday, Ashley!
Ashley Allen: Thanks for having me again! X-Men Monday is always a blast to return to, and as always, thanks, X-Fans, for your support. This has truly been such a welcoming experience.
AIPT: Let’s start by talking a bit about the origins of Tomb of Apocalypse. X-Fan KingdomX would like to know if this was an idea pitched to you, or if it’s an Ashley Allen original. What can you share about how this limited series came to be?
Ashley: Tomb of Apocalypse came about when my editor Annalise Bissa asked me to think of a story involving Jubilee and Apocalypse. With few guardrails, I was able to pitch some truly crazy ideas. And as we iterated on them, Tomb of Apocalypse started to take shape. This collaborative storytelling process is what I love about comics, and this story is a direct example of it!
Courtesy of Marvel Comics
AIPT: The “Tomb of Apocalypse” title and covers we’ve seen so far naturally invoke Indiana Jones and Tomb Raider vibes, but I’d love to hear what we can expect directly from you. What’s your Tomb of Apocalypse elevator pitch?
Ashley: Jubilee and our heroes must descend into the Tomb of Apocalypse to retrieve an artifact that could spell tragedy for mutantkind. But those who enter the Tomb might not emerge the same as before — for better or for worse. Think Tomb Raider meets high-octane action and even more explosive (pun intended) drama.
Courtesy of Marvel Comics
AIPT: After spending a significant amount of time with Magik and Dani Moonstar, you now get to write Jubilee and Wolverine. As a writer, what do you find most appealing about these two and their dynamic?
Ashley: First off, as individual characters, Wolverine and Jubilee are fun to write. Jubilee is so witty, and that really manifests in not only her dialogue but her fights as well. Whereas Wolverine is more stoic and gruff, which is really fun to channel since that is the complete opposite of my personality. But putting them together, I think you could fall into the trap of Wolverine yet again mentoring the younger “kid”. But Jubilee has grown up since she was first introduced, and I really want this series to invert that dynamic and show Jubilee coming into her own.
AIPT: Well, on that note, X-Fan CG points out that Jubilee has had such an interesting dynamic and relationship with Apocalypse over the past few years. Apocalypse made strong ties to Shogo, Otherworld, and Jubilee during the Krakoan era. Does any of that recent history factor into how you’re writing Tomb of Apocalypse?
Ashley: There’s a familiarity between Jubilee and Apocalypse for sure, which is expressed in our series. I think I write Jubilee a little bit more casually toward Apocalypse because of it… but it’s hard to forget just how powerful Apocalypse is. There’s definitely a tension in that familiarity, knowing both what Apocalypse is capable of and how he acts day to day.
Courtesy of Marvel Comics
AIPT: X-Fan Robie wonders: since you lean toward magical mutants a lot, will there be any focus on Apocalypse’s magical prowess in this limited series?
Ashley: Part of what makes Apocalypse so fun to write is his arsenal of tools. And what better place to show them off than in a secret tomb hidden away for centuries? There will be lots of twists and turns for sure as our heroes descend.
AIPT: We received quite a few questions about Rictor and Shatterstar (these two might be popular with X-Fans).
Ashley: They are popular for a reason! Best boys!
AIPT: Let’s start with Julio. X-Fan Knell is curious if we’re finally going to see some type of emotional resolution to Rictor being Apocalypse’s old heir before he was replaced by Cypher. Or even a resolution to their complicated relationship that had been built up in Krakoa and subsequently sidelined since then?
Ashley: Rictor and Apocalypse’s dynamic was so fun on Krakoa. Which is why being replaced by Cypher hit Julio so hard. There’s a reason Julio’s coming to the Tomb of Apocalypse, and it’s sure not for sightseeing. This series will definitely address Rictor’s relationship with Apocalypse and all the complications that come with it. I just hope Rictor doesn’t let his past get in the way of his future.
Courtesy of Marvel Comics
AIPT: Then, X-Fan Daniela Reyes would like to know what role Shatterstar plays in the story. (Daniela adds, “Thank you, Ashley, for bringing back the boys.”)
Ashley: My boys!! Honestly, a third wheel (LOL I’m kidding). But Rictor’s going through it after his whole mentorship-turned-sideways thing with Apocalypse. And Shatterstar’s here to help him through it. But that doesn’t mean it’s not going to be a rocky road in the meantime. And that’s not to say Shatterstar doesn’t start to take center stage in his own way (that’s all I can say!!)
But for a teaser, I think one of my favorite things to come from this series is the Jubilee and Shatterstar pairing. I think fans will love their dynamic.
Courtesy of Marvel Comics
AIPT: X-Fan John Klein IIII absolutely loved Magik & Colossus and wants to be added to the list of people who want a Katyana miniseries. John asks if there’s any chance we get Magik in Tomb of Apocalypse? Similarly, X-Fan Mirror Night says the series is teasing some surprise guest appearances. Mirror Night hopes to see Synch among them — but if you don’t want to directly say who else appears, maybe you could tease what X-Fans can expect in terms of mutant cameos?
Ashley: Thank you for the kind words! Magik & Colossus was a dream story to write. Unsurprisingly, I love character-driven narratives, and while I can’t spoil any cameos, that mindset drives the types of stories I want to tell. And lucky for us, our revealed characters of Jubilee, Apocalypse, Wolverine, Shatterstar, and Rictor have a whole cast of characters in their history… some that could be making an appearance in the story. I mean, I think we all have our favorite Horsemen of Apocalypse…
Courtesy of Marvel Comics
AIPT: How has it been collaborating with artist Domenico Carbone on this series, and what can we expect from this limited series’ visuals?
Ashley: Domenico is an amazing artist! His work is so atmospheric — from the rendering of action scenes to conveying the smaller, emotional beats of our story. And believe me, our story is definitely a combo of the two. Because while this is a high-action series revolving around a mysterious artifact from Apocalypse, at the heart is a story about characters finding themselves and growing into new forms. And Domenico conveys that so well. I truly can’t wait for fans to see his work on this series!!
AIPT: And they’ll get a sneak peek in a minute, but finally, a two-part look-ahead question. First, is it safe to assume Tomb of Apocalypse isn’t just a fun one-off and is potentially building toward something bigger? And second, X-Fan Anthony asks if there’s anything you’ve got coming up next that you’re excited to work on, and can hint at what X-Fans can expect?
Ashley: Why can’t it be both? But in all seriousness, I just finished writing the ending to Tomb of Apocalypse #4, and needless to say, I don’t know if fans are ready for it. To be honest, I don’t know if I’m ready for it.
AIPT: What a note to end on! Ashley, thanks for stopping by X-Men Monday to tease Tomb of Apocalypse! Remember, X-Fans, this limited series’ first issue goes on sale August 26, 2026. Here’s an eXclusive look at a few of Domenico Carbone’s inked pages.
Courtesy of Marvel Comics
Courtesy of Marvel Comics
Courtesy of Marvel Comics
Gorgeous pages! Next up, more striking, eXclusive art — this time, artist Pablo Villalobos’ variant cover for Tomb of Apocalypse #1! (This cover will also be available as a virgin variant.)
Courtesy of Marvel Comics
And finally, because X-Fans are eager to see Rictor and Shatterstar in action again, here’s an eXclusive look at artist Fabrizio De Tommaso’s cover for Tomb of Apocalypse #3!
Courtesy of Marvel Comics
Next X-Men Monday – July 6, 2026
In the next edition of X-Men Monday, writer and artist Tony S. Daniel makes his column debut to discuss being part of the X-Men art team and more!
Courtesy of Marvel Comics
Until next time, X-Fans, stay eXceptional!
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