This was a blast. This is the cover illustration that I recently finished for Simon & Schuster/Pocket Star Books for Chris Roberson‘s forthcoming paperback novel X-MEN: THE RETURN. As a teenager, I loved the UNCANNY X-MEN comics, and back then I treasured the Claremont/Byrne/Austin run. If someone would’ve told me back then that I would eventually get to do my own take on the X-Men, I would’ve been beside myself with joy. As if that weren’t great enough, it’s even better that Chris is writing the book, and the great Jennifer Heddle is editing it. The only thing better than illustrating a dream cover is illustrating a dream cover, with your friends involved. Look for this as a mass-market paperback release in bookstores everywhere around April 2007. Excelsior!