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Marvel Comics celebrates 50 years of What If...? with a new wave of specials this summer
If you've ever wondered what would've happened if Thor had gotten Spider-Man's symbiote suit, then Marvel's What If...? specials have you covered
The Popverse coverage of the ComicsPRO Annual Meeting 2026 is brought to you by Lunar Distribution. Commited to Retailers. Focused on the Future of Comics.
If there's anything that Marvel Comics has learned from fans over the years, it is that they love a good What If...? story. And this summer, in celebration of the 50th anniversary of What If...? #1, Marvel will gear up for a new wave of one-shots asking the real questions about the Marvel Universe.
Marvel Comics broke the news at ComicsPRO 2026, and the What If...? specials this summer are as follows:
- What If Cyclops Stayed with Madelyne Pryor? by Gerry Duggan and artist TBA
- What if Thor Got Spider-Man’s Symbiote Suit? by Torunn Grønbekk and Sergio Davila
- What if Kraven Survived His Last Hunt? by J.M. DeMatteis and Yildray Cinar
- What If Captain American Was Freed in 2099? by Marc Guggenheim and Ron Lim
- What If The Runaways Hadn’t Run Away? by Rainbow Rowell and Zulema Lavina
- What If Cassandra Nova Killed Charles Xavier? by Ashley Allen and Sumit Kumar
I genuinely can't wait to see how Thor looks with Spidey's symbiote suit. What will his hair look like? Will Mjolnir be covered in the goop too? Will he be slinging goopy lightning bolts? Likewise, I sincerely hope that the Cassandra Nova issue will be about her and Charles's mind power fight in the womb that we saw in New X-Men. Because I am insane, I hope the aftermath of Cassandra killing Charles will lead to newborn Cassandra having to fight Omega Red - not that I want infants to ever be in danger - because of the events of X Lives of Wolverine.
Anyway, stay tuned for more details about this set of anniversary specials in the coming months.
Get ready for what's next with our list to upcoming comics and how to buy comics at a comic shop, and our guide to all the free comics you can get with this year's Free Comic Book Day and Comics Giveaway Day.
About ComicsPRO Industry Conference
Every year, the giants of the North American comic industry congregate behind closed doors for a closed-door conference to talk about the changing landscape of comics, what they've learned, and what they are all planning to do in the future. It's not a comic convention for fans, though - it's in a B2B event called the ComicsPRO Annual Meeting, and this year Popverse is going there to bring it all to you. At the 2026 Comics PRO Annual Meeting, Popverse will be covering the announcements, the conversations, and the insight from the likes of Marvel Comics, DC Comics, VIZ Media, Yen Press, Image Comics, Skybound Entertainment, and more.
Dates
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Location
Glendale, California
United States
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