One of the most exciting traditions of the Krakoan Age of X-Men is the blockbuster Hellfire Gala, an extraordinary gathering of heroes (and villains) from across the Marvel Universe - and this collection contains the entire saga!
It was the social highlight of the year--for three straight years! But in that time, it went from a celebration of the X-Men's greatest achievement to their ultimate downfall. It's the Hellfire Gala, and the party always ends with a bang! In the inaugural gala of the Krakoan era, the first democratically elected team of X-Men is revealed -- and the mutants have a planet-sized surprise for the rest of the world! In the second, the roster is updated, yet another shocking revelation comes to light and a party-crasher makes for a high-stakes team-up for Wolverine and Spider-Man! But on the night of the third, everything changes for Krakoa as Orchis turns the celebration into the ultimate nightmare! Plus: A daring mission for the Secret X-Men! More stories of the losing candidates! And the classic first tale of a Hellfire Club gala! Featuring sensational new designer looks for iconic X-Men -- and more of your favorite heroes -- in a stunning gallery of Hellfire Gala variant covers!
COLLECTING: Marauders (2019) #21; X-Men (2019) #21; Planet-Size X-Men (2021) #1; S.W.O.R.D. (2020) #6; X-Men Election Strips ("Equality," "Over Served," "The Best Offense," "Popularity Contest," "New X-Man"); Classic X-Men (1986) #7 ("Out with the Old"); X-Men: Hellfire Gala (2022) #1; The Secret X-Men (2022) #1; X-Men Unlimited Infinity Comic (2021) #50-55, 100-105; X-Men: Hellfire Gala Confessionals ("Get Out the Vote," "Small Chance," "(Dis)Qualifications," "Their Loss," "Never Say Never"); Free Comic Book Day 2022: Avengers/X-Men 1 (X-Men story); Amazing Spider-Man (2022) #9; X-Men: Hellfire Gala 2023 #1; Hellfire Gala Last Rites ("Grounded," "Generations," "Flawless"); Free Comic Book Day 2023: Avengers/X-Men #1 (Avengers, X-Men stories); Invincible Iron Man (2022) #8; Hellfire Gala Variants
Gerry Duggan has become one of Marvel's most influential writers, having first made an impression at the House of Ideas with a lengthy and always surprising Deadpool run alongside his frequent writing partner, Brian Posehn. Among Duggan's solo credits are Nova, Hulk and multiple tie-ins to the Secret Wars event. He added Deadpool to the revamped roster of Uncanny Avengers and brought his unique blend of action and humor to All-New Guardians of the Galaxy, leading up to the cosmic event series Infinity Wars. Marauders and Cable established him as a vital part of the storytelling team for the Dawn of X era, a role he has cemented further by launching the blockbuster new X-Men title. Duggan's earlier collaboration with artist Phil Noto -- The Infinite Horizon, a reimagining of Homer's The Odyssey in a dystopian future -- earned an Eisner Award nomination for Best New Series.
Jonathan Hickman is the award-winning writer/artist of critically acclaimed independent titles Pax Romana, Transhuman and The Nightly News. Teaming with writer Brian Michael Bendis, he launched Marvel's Secret Warriors, spinning out of Secret Invasion. He then wrote the Dark Reign: Fantastic Four limited series, which served as a warm-up for his revered runs on Fantastic Four and FF, as well as two S.H.I.E.L.D. series. Hickman penned numerous Ultimate Universe titles before bringing his intricate plotting to Avengers and New Avengers. Hickman's years of planning culminated with the Marvel Universe-shattering Secret Wars. His impressive list of credits includes a trio of lauded series for Image: East of West, Secret and the Eisner Award-nominated The Manhattan Projects. Hickman returned to Marvel to mastermind a transformative relaunch of its mutant titles, beginning with House of X and Powers of X, and continuing with X-Men.
Writer
Al Ewing began his career on the British anthology 2000 AD. Since breaking into American comics, he has written Jennifer Blood and spin-off series The Ninjettes for Dynamite Entertainment, and the Age of Ultron tie-in issues of Avengers Assemble for Marvel Comics. Ewing's novels include the Pax Britannia series as well as The Fictional Man. With artist Greg Land, he relaunched Marvel's Mighty Avengers; for All-New Marvel NOW!, gave the god of mischief a new assignment in Loki: Agent of Asgard. Ewing then took revamped versions of New Avengers and Ultimates, debuted U.S.Avengers; and joined the writing team for the "No Surrender" storyline in Avengers, which brought the Hulk back from the dead. His subsequent titles include Valkyrie, Guardians of the Galaxy, Defenders, the event series Empyre and the critically revered smash hit Immortal Hulk. Ewing has cemented his place in the Krakoan era of the X-Men titles comics with S.W.O.R.D. and X-Men: Red.
Italian artist
Matteo Lolli kept Marvel's all-ages series fresh and exciting with his lively pencils on titles including Marvel Adventures Spider-Man, Marvel Adventures Iron Man and Marvel Adventures Super Heroes. He brought his talents to the regular Marvel Universe with Marvel NOW!'s first Thunderbolts Annual, then followed one of that team's members into a showdown with an Avenger in Hawkeye vs. Deadpool. Lolli's flair for the Merc with a Mouth soon led him to the ongoing Deadpool series.
Russell Dauterman is a freelance artist and character designer. In addition to Marvel's Cyclops, Dauterman has worked on titles such as Nightwing, Shadowman, Quantum + Woody and Supurbia. He has also illustrated the children's books Shape Up or Bite Me, the Nanny Reilly series and his own Terry, the Awkward Turtle. Dauterman was a costume illustrator on the films Captain America: The First Avenger and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. Helping chronicle the adventures of Thor, Goddess of Thunder, established him as one of the industry's brightest talents, a reputation confirmed by his collaboration with Jason Aaron on the epic War of the Realms. Now a highly sought-after cover artist, Dauterman wowed fans of Marvel's mutants with his Giant-Size X-Men collaborations with Jonathan Hickman and his stunning Hellfire Gala designs.
Artist
Pepe Larraz penciled Spider-Island: The Amazing Spider-Girl and pitted '90s rivals against each other in Deadpool vs. X-Force. Larraz worked on titles including Wolverine & the X-Men, Uncanny Avengers, Avengers and the Star Wars: Kanan before proving himself among the industry's finest talents with House of X. His thrilling artwork made him the ideal illustrator for the blockbuster 2021 relaunch of X-Men with writer Gerry Duggan.
