Just in time for the release of Marvel Animation’s X-Men ‘97 on Disney+, BoxLunch has an official merch launch for the highly anticipated series. The fandom fashion retailer has really captured the vibe of the new show while homaging its ‘90s predecessor.
Even better, it’s fashion for a good cause: for every $10 spent across its themed products line, BoxLunch provides a meal to a person in need through its philanthropic partnerships. io9 had a quick chat with BoxLunch’s Joey Ramirez, senior buyer of men’s, women’s, and kid’s apparel, to discuss the Marvel mutants launch. Read the interview below, followed by a look at the collection!
Sabina Graves, io9: How did the original X-Men animated series influence the collection?
Joey Ramirez: X-Men: The Animated Series had a huge influence on our childhoods, and along with Spider-Man: The Animated Series (whose theme also rips!), was the first introduction to Marvel superheroes for a lot of us diehard fans. So with this collection, we wanted to combine all the things we loved about the show as kids, but do it in a way that would appeal to those who remembered waking up early to watch it on Saturday mornings, or to fans who are being introduced to it now with the new series.
io9: Was incorporating the vibe of X-Men ‘97 seamless?
Ramirez: Incredibly so. Especially at a time when many of the trends that were present during the series’ original run are just as popular today. This— coupled with the fact that the show, like its predecessor, highlights moments outside of their superhero work (like playing pickup basketball)—influenced us to go in a direction that was more lifestyle, to create pieces we feel like the X-Men could wear on their day off. The basketball episode obviously was a highlight to us which is where the inspiration for both the bomber jacket and jersey came from.
io9: What characters were most exciting to feature?
Ramirez: Wolverine truly is the highlight of this new collection. We recognize how much the character means to fans, and it was important for us to have Wolverine’s electric blue and yellow color scheme shine through in the new apparel, especially the crewneck and jersey. This along with his much-hyped upcoming appearance in Deadpool and Wolverine, means that this isn’t the last you’ll see when it comes to elevated products featuring Weapon X from BoxLunch this year.
- X-Men ‘97 Varsity Jacket ($79.90)
- X-Men ‘97 Groupshot Blocked Hoodie ($64.90)
- X-Men ‘97 Wolverine Sweater ($59.90)
- X-Men ‘97 Logan Tank Jersey ($44.90)
