Back in December, Bleeding Cool told you that Marvel Comics was to publish 'secret' white-bagged variant covers of their then-upcoming Age Of X-Man series of mini-series.

And would appear on Amazing Nightcrawler #1, Nextgen #1, Marvelous X-Men #1, X-Tremist #1, Apocalypse and the X-Tracts #1 and Prisoner X #1.

Age Of X-Man: Marvelous X-Men #1 came out last week, and the secret white bagged variant showed a hidden scene, Hope's last stand against Stryfe, before the Resolution. And the death of Cyclops, Cable, Hope and Wolverine.

This week's Age Of X-Man: NextGen #1 gives us added insight into the statue that we had seen in Age Of X-Man Alpha.

The Beast was in the final battle with Legion/Nate Summers with all the mutants, and should have been transported over to this reality with the rest of them. Did he get away? But yes, Cyclops, Wolverine and Professor Xavier were not among them, previously missing presumed dead.

But the secret white bag variant underlines this.

The Original 5 had X-Man instead of The Beast. But given that he is a genetic construct of Scott and Jean from another parallel universe…

…how will that work? Maybe more covers will tell us…

AGE OF X-MAN NEXTGEN #1 (OF 5) SECRET VAR

(W) Ed Brisson (A) Marcus To

ENTER THE AGE OF X-MAN!

In an age of utopia, the Summers Institute for Higher Learning is the premiere school for the mutant community across the globe. Attendance is mandatory for all mutant children, as they learn to become the next generation of marvelous X-Men. But even in a utopian society, teenagers will always find a way to rebel… Follow Glob, Armor, Anole and Rockslide as they discover what it really means to live in an age of peace and harmony!

Rated T+In Shops: Feb 13, 2019

SRP: $3.99