Marvel has just announced a newDays of Future Pasthardcover edition, which isset to include a rare prequel to the story, written by theX-Menfranchise’s legendary Chris Claremont, who helmed the original 1981 time-travel storyline, which remains one of themost highly regarded inX-franchise history to this day.

Just announced by Marvel Comics,X-Men by Chris Claremont: Prelude To A Future Past#1, collects the originalDays of Futurepast story arc, written by Claremont, with art by John Byrne, along with Claremont’s 2020 prequel comic, which features art by Salvador Larroca.

X-Men Prelude to Future Past comic cover, featuring a variant on the Days of Future past cover

According to Marvel, the extra-sized issue “will also include bonus materials celebrating Chris Claremont’s fifty-plus years in comics,” making it a must have for all fans of the franchise who want to celebrateX-Men’shistory of dystopian futures, which all started withDays of Future Past.

Chris Claremont’s Rare “Days Of Future Past” Prequel Gets A Reprint Alongside The Original Story

X-Men by Chris Claremont: Prelude To A Future Past#1; Available August 09, 2025 From Marvel Comics

Days of Future Pastcontinues to be one of the standard-bearers forX-Menstories, even nearly forty-five years after it was first published in 1981. Though the original arc comprised just two issues ofChris Claremont’sUncanny X-Men, it was ambitious in scope, and startling in the dark potential fate it depicted for the franchise’s heroes. Originally depicting a bleak possible future for the Marvel Universe, the world ofFuture Pasthas since been retconned as one timeline in theinfinitely sprawling Marvel Multiverse, and it remains a source of fascination forX-readers to this day.

X-Men: Days Of Future Past - 10 Biggest Differences Between The Comic & Movie

The comic and movie versions of Days of Future Past have similarities, but for the most part, are very different stories with different outcomes.

The news that Chris Claremont’s prequel to his story is being reprinted is notable, because as Marvel cited, this “prelude” comic was previously “only available in the Marvel Made Paragon Collection: Chris Claremont, a limited edition prestige hardcover.” Diehard fans who purchased this previous collection have had access to this additionalDays of Future Pastmaterial by Claremont, but now it will be widely accessible for the first time,which will generate a lot of buzz among theX-Menfandom, immediately vaulting this to the top of the “most anticipated releases list.”

Split image of scenes from the X Men: Days Of Future Past comic and movie

“Days Of Future Past” Changed X-Men History Forever, And Kicked Off Marvel’s Obsession With Dark Futures

Uncanny X-Men#141-142; Written By Chris Claremont; Art By John Byrne; Released In 1981

Days of Futurepast has been influential onX-Mencomics, and Marvel in general, in a number of ways over the last four-plus decades. Notably, it is, if not the first, a prominent early example of the publisher’s go-to move of exploringdark alternate futures for its heroes, a tradition that continues to this day, and has likewise become a staple of DC Comics and superhero stories at large.Days of Future Pastpulled no punches with its bleak “final” battle for theX-Men, andin the process it set a template many unforgettableX-stories would follow in the future.

X-Men by Chris Claremont: Prelude To A Future Past#1will be available August 15, 2025 from Marvel Comics.