The Age of Revelation has seen many X-Men die. This is not unexpected in any crossover event published by Marvel Comics, particularly one set in an alternate future. However, the mysterious death of one hero was explained through a novel and darkly hilarious twist.
The secret of the death was revealed in Longshots #3 by Gerry Duggan, Jonathan Hickman, and Alan Robinson. The satiric series centers around Mojo; an interdimensional entertainment executive and frequent foe of the X-Men. Unsurprisingly Mojo wanted to capitalize on the Age of Revelation event. Unfortunately, with all the recognizable heroes from the MCU tied to other projects, Mojo was forced to build a show around has-beens and wash-outs like Rhino and Kraven the Hunter. Also, the only one of the X-Men he can recruit is Bishop.
Despite this, Mojo pressed on, despite most of his new cast of heroes dying early on. This included Bishop, who was blown up by an off-panel enemy he apparently recognized. However, the question of who killed the popular X-Men member was completely forgotten in the wake of Mojo’s failed effort to hire Galactus as the big bad of the series. It doesn’t get brought up again until Longshots #3, when Longshot questions the forgotten subplot while deciding if he should join the series sharing his name.
Who kills the X-Men’s Bishop in Longshots?
The death of Bishop is explained in a flashback, after Mojo admits he has no idea how to resolve the subplot. The flashback reveals that at some point in the past, Bishop was abducted by Mojo’s minion, Spiral. She also stole a variety of kitchen utensils and a ripped red curtain.
Using the purloined objects, Spiral fashions a crude costume that makes the captive Bishop look like the time-traveling villain Stryfe. She left him behind, tied up, with a grenade in his mouth. When the future Bishop saw what looked like one of his greatest enemies, he shot first without asking questions. This resulted in the grenade going off, killing the future Bishop, and vaporizing the past Bishop.
Amusingly, this was foreshadowed earlier in the comic by Spiral, while she discussed the plot with Longshot. “It’s an X-Men project,” Spiral explained “There’s always time travel nonsense in there.” This explanation is good enough for Mojo, who has already moved on, trying to recenter the series around a Wonder Man/Hellcat romance to kick off a new Wonder Man comic.
Longshots #3 is now available at comic shops everywhere.
