Marvel.com put up a short interview with Jody Houser, along with our first bit of art for Generation X-23 here.

I don’t know if the interview really gives enough to judge. Houser at least sounds like she has a grasp on things, but a lot is going to depend on when we actually see dialogue.

The art looks pretty good. Laura’s face is kinda wonky in the last panel on the second page, but Gabby looks fantastic, especially her expression on that fourth page.

Generation X-23 #3
Written by JODY HOUSER
Art by JACOPO CAMAGNI
X-23 DOWN FOR THE COUNT?!

A turning point in the X-23 saga as Laura is taken out by the new X-numbers! The game is changed when a surprise force enters the scene…but who is on the side of righteousness, and can Scout find the allies needed to stop the death and destruction?

Gabby just needs to tell Hellion and those new X-Numbers are in for a world of pain.

Dafne Keen has owned the role of X-23, and as she’s grown up she’s even started to look like how Mike Choi (who is widely considered the definitive X-23 artist) draws her. She’s sure to have more projects to come. DisMar would be downright STUPID not to make her a fixture in the MCU going forward; she’s a fantastic actress and generational talent, is young enough to stay with the role for a long time to come, and most importantly is deeply enthusiastic about the character.

The real question is, who would you cast as Hellion opposite her?

A decade ago I’d have said Joe Keery would have been a great pick; Season 1 Steve Harrington shares a LOT in common with Julian: An arrogant “big man on campus” with pretty boy looks whose parents are among Hawkins’s richest residents and can be a complete asshole to people outside his social circle, yet is actually a good person underneath who can be counted on to step up and do the right thing.

So who today in the early-20s range can pull this off?

Someone posted this on Reddit claiming it’s being reported as a Doomsday leak:

However the OP is dubious and notes a lot of the recent leaks are being dismissed as AI.

What do you all think? I’m not seeing any obvious tells of AI, so if it IS an AI fake it’s a REALLY good one.

I ran it through three different AI checkers, and all three assess that it is NOT AI. So unless there’s a generator out there that can fool its algorithm, it’s either the real deal or someone with some SERIOUS Photoshop skills was at work.

Fake or not, Dafne does look good in the X-Force suit.

Observations:

Laura killed Julian confirmed. It almost sounds like Liu wrote it with the whole “he deserved it for all the crap he put me through” bit completely at odds with NYX #8 and Schultz’s own previous depiction.

Revelation is controlling Laura, so much of what she’s doing is not likely by her own choice, but because of him gaslighting and using his powers against her (hoping it turns out that’s WHY she was so hard against Julian; her mind’s been completely twisted by Doug).

I just keep telling myself, “It’s only an AU.”

It’s official: Laura Kinney: Wolverine is ending with the three LKS issues. She’s getting a new series alongside Gabby in February, Generation X-23, by Jody Houser.

Someone posted this on the X23 subreddit:

Lanzing said last week he has a “good feeling” about Laura and Julian reconciling.

I find this especially interesting because Lanzing never disguised that he wasn’t much of a fan of Hellion, and was the primary driver (honestly, it sounds like he was really the only one) trying to push hooking Laura up with Kiden.

I presume we may get SOME hint of what’s next within the next couple days at NYCC.

This just in:

Julian WILL be appearing in LKS.

Schultz is also being a little cagey about Laura’s romantic future.

And she answered my question! I was hoping for more of an answer about Julian, but I suppose that’s covered by that first question.