Marvel Unveils John Cassaday's ASTONISHING X-MEN #50 Variant

These days, it's not often we get to see a series reach the fiftieth issue. Series are either canceled or relaunched with a new #1. That hasn't been the case with ASTONISHING X-MEN. I will admit there was some more peculiar arcs since Joss Whedon and John Cassaday's run ended but now we seem to be back on track in integrating this series with the rest of the X-universe since Marjorie Liu and Mike Perkins came on board.

To celebrate the fiftieth issue, Marvel got Cassaday to do a variant cover.

I do wish this was the regular cover but we'll have to settle for it being a variant. It's great that Marvel took the initiative to get Cassaday to do this homage to the first issue. We should see this sort of thing more often.

This May, with fans all over the world wondering who will say “I Do” – Marvel is proud to present your first look at superstar artist, John Cassaday’s jaw-dropping variant to Astonishing X-Men #50! Join us for this momentous occasion as this landmark issue not only celebrates an anniversary, but sets up a major turning point for two characters! Fans can’t miss out on Astonishing X-Men #50, available in comic shops, on the Marvel Comics app, and Marvel Digital Comics Shop this May!

ASTONISHING X-MEN #50 (MAR120623)

ASTONISHING X-MEN #50 CASSADAY VARIANT (MAR120624)

ASTONISHING X-MEN #50 CASSADAY SKETCH VARIANT (MAR120625)

Written by MARJORIE LIU

Art by MIKE PERKINS

Cover by DUSTIN WEAVER

Variant Cover by JOHN CASSADAY

Sketch Variant Also Available

Rated T+…$3.99

FOC – 4/30/12, ON SALE –5/23/12

This is awesome!! I wished John Cassaday continued doing the artwork for this series!

Cool!

Cassaday, we need you draw Astonishing again. It needs your art!

Love this :)

Funny how i thought i'd end up hating this team...when it's actually pretty neat.

Love it! How's the series been so far, anyway?

this is a very...interesting team roster...lol

Can't wait! Bring it on.

Wonder if they'll get Northstar's name right this issue, unfortunately I'll never know as the piece of trash that was #48 completely turned me off of this series.

Great to see it reach 50 issues. I admit I did drop it a little after the Whedon/Cassaday early arcs. I thought the stories were a bit average, and I couldn't afford the other 1000 X-Books a month.

@HotSauceCommittee said:

Wonder if they'll get Northstar's name right this issue, unfortunately I'll never know as the piece of trash that was #48 completely turned me off of this series.

They called him Jean-Paul in the preview for the new issue coming out tomorrow. I think Marvel realized the mistake and corrected it for future issues. (hell I bet some one in Editorial got grilled cause of it.)

Warbird looks pretty badass :-)

@TheGreyOutcastX said:

@HotSauceCommittee said:

Wonder if they'll get Northstar's name right this issue, unfortunately I'll never know as the piece of trash that was #48 completely turned me off of this series.

They called him Jean-Paul in the preview for the new issue coming out tomorrow. I think Marvel realized the mistake and corrected it for future issues. (hell I bet some one in Editorial got grilled cause of it.)

I hope so, I'm a big supporter of Marvel but that was crazy.

@HotSauceCommittee said:

@TheGreyOutcastX said:

@HotSauceCommittee said:

Wonder if they'll get Northstar's name right this issue, unfortunately I'll never know as the piece of trash that was #48 completely turned me off of this series.

They called him Jean-Paul in the preview for the new issue coming out tomorrow. I think Marvel realized the mistake and corrected it for future issues. (hell I bet some one in Editorial got grilled cause of it.)

I hope so, I'm a big supporter of Marvel but that was crazy.

Yea, I honesty think Editorial dropped the ball. They should have caught that name change and should have been like, 'Wrong!"

I love this team roster, warbird especially is one of my new favorite characters. Glad to see cecilia reyes and northstar getting some more face time too. Karma is an awesome choice as well. Awesome cover for an awesome book.

This looks more like Cassidy's older work. It reminds me of his Planetary work.

Cassaday should really be drawing an X-Men book full-time :(

Is that supposed to be Warbird? Hardly looks like her...

Amazing!!

I like this team. Actually, even tho I love Cyclops, I like it when he's not a member

@mickeymayhew said:

why is Karma on the cover? she hasn't even appeared yet, and Cecila Reyes is notable by her abscence

She makes her appearance in issue 49 (coming out tomorrow). She was in the preview they showed for that issue.

Pastor: Will you be reading this issue?

Reader: I do.

Is that Storm in the bottom-right hand corner...? Urgh.

@Meteorite said:

Is that Storm in the bottom-right hand corner...? Urgh.

No, that's Warbird.

nice

Has it ever been confirmed by Marvel that this book takes place out of continuity? I'm just asking because I dropped the book once Whedon Left and originally it was in continuity but because of the massive delays on issues 18-25 it ended up de-synching itself with the rest of the marvel universe (almost like what happened with Children's Crusade). I read half of the next arc of astonishing (after whedon) before I dropped it because It didn't feel like it was even the same time period as the rest of the universe...

Cassaday you are the man I say! Simply wonderful!

Joss, John, come back to X-Men.... We miss you.

I'm loving this Arc so far. Northstar & Karma so much fun with those two <3

@jcbart said:

Joss, John, come back to X-Men.... We miss you.

I second this!

I stopped reading when Joss left.

John Cassaday is ASTONISHING!! Great cover. He needs to come back to Astonishing X-Men!