Marvel Reveals Stunning What If…? Variant Covers Ahead Of Huge Anniversary Event

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Marvel Comics has created some of its most compelling stories outside of its primary universe, within the pages of its anthology series. This series explores different paths for well-known heroes and villains, and it’s soon reaching a significant anniversary that will be celebrated with special events.

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the comic What If…?, Marvel is releasing special variant covers created by some of its top artists, known as Stormbreakers. These covers will be available in stores starting summer 2026.

The alternate covers showcase fascinating ‘What If?’ scenarios, like Captain Marvel being revealed as a Skrull, Daredevil gaining the Hulk’s strength, the Extremis virus behaving like Venom’s symbiote, and the Punisher wielding magical armor similar to Magik’s. Other covers explore ideas such as Rogue becoming the Sorcerer Supreme, Wolverine mastering his Adamantium like Colossus, the X-Men working for Galactus, and Spider-Man surprisingly joining forces with the Sinister Six.

Eight variant covers exploring ‘What If…?’ scenarios have been created by a talented group of artists. These include Alessandro Cappuccio (known for Ultimate Wolverine), Netho Diaz (X-Men), Simone Di Meo (X-Men of Apocalypse), Juan Frigere (Ultimates), Gurihiru (Jeff the Land Shark), Jonas Scharf (Ultimate Endgame), Geoff Shaw (Wade Wilson: Deadpool), and Luciano Vecchio (Uncanny X-Men). All of these illustrators are rising stars selected through Marvel’s Young Guns program, which highlights the most promising new artists in the comic book world.

The What If…? series originated with writer and editor Roy Thomas and first appeared in February 1977. The initial story explored what would happen if Spider-Man joined the Fantastic Four. Later issues delved into increasingly strange possibilities within the Marvel Multiverse, featuring stories like Conan the Barbarian existing in the present day, Wolverine becoming a vampire lord, and Thanos becoming an Avenger, among others.

The comic served as the basis for the Disney+ animated series What If…?, which explores alternate scenarios within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The first season, released in 2021, features a compelling example: instead of becoming Black Panther, T’Challa (played by Chadwick Boseman) is taken by Yondu (Michael Rooker) and raised among the Ravagers, ultimately making them a more positive force.

Chadwick Boseman isn’t the only familiar face returning for this installment. Hayley Atwell is also back as Peggy Carter, but in this version, she’s the one who gains super soldier powers instead of Steve Rogers. The cast is headed by the Academy Award-nominated actor who plays The Watcher.

Marvel Is Also Releasing Special Anniversary What If…? One-Shots

Marvel isn’t stopping its 50th anniversary celebration of the What If…? comics with just the special variant covers. They’re also releasing a set of one-shot comics exploring different versions of the Marvel universe.

This new series of stories will introduce several important plotlines. The run begins with writer Gerry Duggan and artist Jan Bazaldua exploring a ‘What If…?’ scenario in Uncanny X-Men #1, featuring a clone of Jean Grey named Pryor. Pryor was created by Mister Sinister and, surprisingly, was even married to Scott Summers at one point.

Torunn Grønbekk and Sergio Dávila recently released a standalone comic called What If…? Thor #1. It explores a fun ‘what if’ scenario: what if Thor, the God of Thunder, wore Spider-Man’s black symbiote suit? Marvel has done similar stories with other heroes. Earlier in 2024, they published a five-part series featuring She-Hulk, Wolverine, Doctor Strange, Loki, and Moon Knight, all bonding with the alien symbiote.

New variant covers for Marvel’s Stormbreakers, based on the ‘What If…?’ series, will be released in May 2026 and can be preordered now.

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2026-03-27 23:49