Marvel Entertainment dropped a trailer for Season 2 of animated series “X-Men ’97,” promising plenty of comics-inspired time-traveling mutant mayhem.

The trailer picks up from the cliffhanger ending of Season 1, which found Marvel’s premiere band of merry mutants sent through time — half to the distant past, where they encounter a young version of the villainous Apocalypse, and half to the far-future, where Apocalypse rules over the world with an iron fist.

Only inventor Forge and time-traveler Bishop remain in the “present day” of 1997, where they hatch a scheme to bring the rest of the X-Men home.

The trailer features Rogue lamenting the death of Gambit in Season 1, but neither confirms nor denies whether he will return as Apocalypse’s horseman Death (although the brief tease at the end of Season 1 makes this basically inevitable).

The footage also promises the return of some fan-favorite X-characters who previously appeared in the 1992-1997 precursor show “X-Men: The Animated Series,” including winged warrior Archangel (who has his own score to settle with Apocalypse), Magneto’s similarly magnetic daughter Polaris, Magneto acolyte Exodus, psychic ninja Psylocke and wise-cracking Deadpool (although, in that case, it’s shapeshifter Morph taking on the form of the merc with a mouth).

The series appears to be continuing its tradition of putting its own spin on classic X-Men stories from the Marvel Comics, especially those penned by longtime X-scribe Chris Claremont. But the trailer also includes a brief shot of sometimes-villain/sometimes anti-hero Danger, introduced during Joss Whedon and John Cassaday’s 2004 run on “Astonishing X-Men,” as well as scenes where Cyclops and Jean Grey don their iconic uniforms from Grant Morrison and Frank Quietly’s 2001 run on “New X-Men.” Elements of Morrison and Quietly’s run were previously integrated into the Genosha massacre story line from Season 1.

There are also scenes that appear to be taken directly from Scott Lobdell and Gene Ha’s 1994 mini series “The Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix,” which features the couple traveling to the future to raise and safeguard their son, Nathan, who grows up to be time-traveling hero Cable (yes, I know Nathan is actually the son of Cyclops and Jean Grey’s clone, Madelyn, stop typing that angry comment right now).

“X-Men ’97” Season 2 premieres July 1 on Disney+.

About the author

Ben Hooper could give a three-hour Powerpoint presentation on the complicated mess that is the Summers/Grey family tree. In fact, he is available to do this at your next dinner party for a very competitive rate.