Since Joss Whedon and John Cassaday's inaugural run on Astonishing X-Men, the title has suffered from creative inconsistency and publishing delays, falling from the X-Men book everyone was talking about to the one most people forgot was still being published, despite the best efforts of some super-creators including Warren Ellis.

It seems that Marvel has decided to give Astonishing the shot in the arm it so desperately needs, based on the above image featuring a full-on mohawk sporting Storm sucking face with Cyclops!

That's what the kids call it, right? "Sucking face?"

The powerhouse creative team of Greg Pak and Mike McKone is taking on the title, and are poised to inject it with their signature styles and it looks as though the X-Men will astonish once again.

As for Storm and Cyclops doing the tongue tango despite Ororo's marriage to the Black Panther and Scott's complicated hypersexual thing with Emma Frost? Greg Pak says it's really happening! Not a dream, imaginary tale, etc.

After Xavier, the X-Men’s two greatest leaders are Scott and Ororo. They’ve borne responsibilities few others can conceive. And just those experiences alone should provide them [with] reasons to bond. But maybe they’ve just never had a moment to consider it; each has always seemed to be wrapped up in a wild romance with someone else. The current Scott/Emma and Storm/T’Challa relationships are amongst the most passionate in the Marvel Universe. So yes, what the heck is going on? I’ll just say that everything that’s happening is utterly inconceivable, but completely real, completely in character, and completely in continuity.

Greg Pak and Mike McKone's run on Astonishing X-Men kicks off in November, with issue #44.