A vicious killer now faces the prospect of spending the rest of his life in prison after a jury found him guilty of the horrific murder of his artist girlfriend in California. He dragged her back into their home as she desperately tried to flee after their outing.

Following a fortnight-long trial, 30-year-old Victor “Frito” Frieson III was convicted of both murder and torture. The Alameda County jury delivered the verdict on Monday concerning the death of ceramic artist and poet Zoe Reidy Watts, as reported by the Mercury News.

According to the prosecution, the deadly incident occurred after the couple returned to Frieson’s residence in Oakland. They had been on a date at Johnny Foley’s Irish House in San Francisco on March 1, 2024.

During the evening, the couple shared videos on an Instagram account that they occasionally used for restaurant reviews and other content, capturing moments from their night out.

Investigators later utilized these videos to piece together the sequence of events, noting that Reidy Watts appeared unscathed and without any visible injuries when the couple exited the restaurant.

They rode Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) back to Frieson’s apartment at 185 15th St. in Oakland, arriving around 10:45 p.m.

Surveillance footage showed Reidy Watts “was walking but was clearly struggling to maintain her balance, at one point falling sideways into the street,” according to court filings.

Prosecutors said Frieson attacked her around midnight on March 1 or shortly before midnight the following night, leaving her covered in bruises, multiple cuts and a gash to her neck.

During the assault, Reidy Watts tried to escape the apartment, but surveillance video captured her final moments as she staggered outside naked and badly injured before collapsing just beyond the doorway, according to court records.

The footage then showed Frieson dragging her back inside by the arm and shutting the door.

At his trial, Frieson testified in his own defense. His lawyers admitted he committed domestic violence against Reidy Watts but argued he was not guilty of murder or torture.

After the attack, prosecutors said Frieson went to a neighbor’s apartment, said he needed help and led the neighbor to Reidy Watts’ body while implying he did not know how she had died. Prosecutors also argued he cleaned the apartment before seeking help, calling it another sign of guilt.

Jurors also heard that Frieson had assaulted previous romantic partners and that Reidy Watts had tried to get protection from him just months before her death.

The couple met in 2023 while Reidy Watts was a student at San Francisco State University and living in her grandparents’ apartment on Turk Street in San Francisco.

At the time, she was building a name for herself as a visual and performing artist, working as a ceramicist, clothing designer and arts instructor.

Deputy District Attorney Nick Homer wrote in court filings that friends and family started noticing injuries on Reidy Watts soon after she began dating Frieson.

Just six weeks before the killing, she filed a domestic violence report with Oakland police. Homer wrote officers documented “two black eyes, and her legs were covered in deep bruises.”

Frieson’s sentencing is tentatively set for mid-September.

A tragic incident has occurred involving a 21-year-old student from Wichita State University who lost his life after leaping into a well-known swimming area in Oregon, where the frigid waters are reportedly intense enough to cause immediate shock.

Kenny Truong, hailing from Wichita, Kansas, was with friends at Tamolitch Falls, locally recognized as Blue Pool, on Friday evening. As he plunged into the water, he found himself unable to return to the surface, confirmed the Linn County Sheriff’s Office.

Emergency dispatch received a 911 call at 8:47 p.m. on June 26, alerting them to a man who had entered the body of water near Highway 126 and was in distress.

“Eyewitnesses observed him battling to swim toward the shore before he disappeared from view,” Linn County Undersheriff Micah Smith stated in an official release. “The dedicated efforts of both bystanders at Tamolitch Falls and the emergency responders who promptly arrived after the 911 call, unfortunately, could not save Kenny’s life.”

The Linn County Sheriff’s Office, Lane County Sheriff’s Office and Upper McKenzie Rural Fire responded to the remote area Friday evening.

“Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Kenny Truong, 21, of Kansas, during what is an unimaginable time,” Smith said.

Truong was a finance major at the W. Frank Barton School of Business and a member-at-large of the Cummings Student Managed Investment Fund, Wichita State University confirmed to News Media.

Blue Pool, known for its striking turquoise water and cliffside views, is a major draw for hikers and visitors across the Pacific Northwest, but officials warned it can be deadly.

“It is also a place that has taken lives before and will take lives again if visitors do not understand what they are facing,” Smith said.

Authorities said the cliffs surrounding the pool rise between 10 and 60 feet, while the water averages just 37 degrees. The area also has minimal to no cellphone service, and rescue efforts can be complicated by the remote terrain.

“When something goes wrong at Blue Pool — or on the trail leading into the falls — it can take up to several hours from the moment of injury to reach a hospital,” the sheriff’s office said.

A GoFundMe organized by Carter Nguyen remembered Truong as a deeply loved friend with “fire in him” who pushed others to become “the brightest, best, fullest” versions of themselves.

“Kenny wasn’t just my best friend; he was my brother,” Nguyen wrote. “He had a way of making everyone around him feel seen, feel loved, and feel like they were capable of more than they ever believed on their own.”

“Every room he walked into got a little brighter just because he was in it,” Nguyen wrote. “That’s not something you can fake; that was just Kenny.”

The sheriff’s office urged visitors to understand the risks before entering the water at Tamolitch Falls, watch out for the people they arrive with and call 911 immediately if someone is in distress. Officials said visitors with questions about current conditions should contact the McKenzie River Ranger Station.

The tragic loss of three U.S. government firefighters in a Colorado wildfire has drawn attention to the Trump administration’s establishment of a new federal fire service. This initiative has revived a previously discarded strategy focused on the rapid extinguishing of all wildfires.

One of the fallen firefighters was part of the newly formed U.S. Wildland Fire Service. This service, created earlier this year without the usual congressional approval, pooled personnel from four agencies within the Interior Department. The deceased were members of a specialized, helicopter-deployed team that became trapped on Saturday while battling a rapidly spreading blaze near the Utah border.

According to officials, these firefighters were among a group of five who resorted to deploying tent-like emergency shelters in a desperate bid to protect themselves as the flames overtook their position. Two of the team survived but were hospitalized with burns.

This reorganization, consolidating thousands of personnel into a singular fire service, has reportedly caused confusion among firefighters regarding their chain of command and operational roles, as noted by former government officials.

Moreover, this administration’s emphasis on “full suppression” of wildfires marks a significant departure from the long-standing trend of using fire as a management tool. This conventional approach aimed at reducing old vegetation that fuels larger blazes, which is critically important as climate change increases the risk of devastating wildfires.

The changes benefit private fire aviation companies that are key to hitting blazes fast.

Federal officials have not released details on the circumstances preceding the weekend deaths, including the firefighters’ objective at the site where they were overrun.

“The question is, why were they attacking that fire in the first place?” asked Timothy Ingalsbee, a former federal firefighter and cofounder of the advocacy group Firefighters United For Safety, Ethics and Ecology. “What was actually at risk? If it was a bunch of shrubs on remote mountaintops, what was the real risk that justified putting those firefighters at risk?”

98% of fires are extinguished

Wildfires ignited over the past week all across the West following months of dry weather and a record lack of snow in some places.

“Any wildfire that represents a threat to life, property, infrastructure or the environment should be extinguished as quickly as possible,” the statement said. “Our experienced fire managers retain the authority to select the safest and most effective tactics based on conditions on the ground.”

But critics say the administration is trying to fix something that isn’t broken: The four agencies the firefighters were drawn from — the Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs and National Park Service — have a record of extinguishing 98% of the fires they handle.

The new agency and policy won’t eliminate catastrophic wildfires that occur due to dense forests where people are increasingly moving and extreme weather caused by climate change, said Steve Ellis, who retired as a Bureau of Land Management deputy director. Land managers must be a part of the solution, he said.

“Severing forest management and forest managers from fire suppression will make firefighting less safe and put communities at greater risk,” Ellis said.

The two other wildland firefighters killed in Colorado worked for the Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service, which handles most U.S. wildfires and is also operating under a full suppression policy. Trump had wanted the new agency to include Forest Service firefighters, but Congress blocked that part of the plan.

Fire aviation companies pushed for the consolidation

Under Trump, federal officials have been bringing in aircraft more quickly once fires ignite, said Austin Moeller, senior aerospace analyst for Canaccord Genuity group, an investment firm.

“Anyone that has an air tanker benefits from this more aggressive contracting activity,” Moeller said.

A chief beneficiary is Bridger Aerospace, a Montana-based company founded by U.S. Sen. Tim Sheehy. Before his 2024 election, Sheehy hired lobbyists in a failed attempt to persuade the Montana Legislature to create a statewide fire service analogous to the one just created at the federal level. Within a month of taking federal office, he sponsored a bill to codify the consolidation of federal firefighters into one agency.

Sheehy stepped away from his company during the 2024 campaign and put his Bridger assets into a blind trust, said Sheehy spokesman Tate Mitchell.

Mitchell said Trump was behind the idea to create a new fire agency, but Sheehy supports it.

“One of Senator Sheehy’s top priorities in the Senate is using his experience to stop the catastrophic fires destroying American communities and he won’t apologize for it,” Mitchell said.

Bridger describes itself as one of the nation’s leading aerial firefighting companies. CEO Sam Davis has said the company’s fleet of Super Scooper aircraft, its surveillance aircraft and its fire observation technology make it “uniquely positioned” to respond to the renewed emphasis on attacking fires to put them out.

New full suppression policy dates back decades

The aircraft will help the administration’s new full suppression policy, which harkens back to a 1935 policy known as the 10 a.m. rule because it required agencies to put out new fires by 10 a.m. the following day.

Michael Dudley, a retired director of fire, aviation and air management at the Forest Service, said that old policy is why forests today are overgrown.

Wildfires serve a purpose — they clear out the small and dead material. But officials became so good at putting out fires that the forests kept growing and more fuels built up, so when a fire hits now, it’s easy for it to get out of control, he said.

Scientists who study wildfires say trying to stop all fires is unrealistic since some of the most destructive blazes in recent years have evaded efforts to put them out. Some fires simply grow too fast, are too remote, or result from multiple ignitions that makes them impossible to stop.

“The narrative that if we just try harder, we’re gonna make these fires go away isn’t true,” said former Forest Service wildfire researcher David Calkin. “The fire paradox is not beatable: The more you make fire go away, the more fuel accumulates. The more fuel accumulates, the harder it is to make fires go away.”

Firefighters: New agency needs work

Firefighters in the consolidated agency are working under newly appointed Wildland Fire Service Chief Brian Fennessy, who had served as chief of California’s Orange County Fire Authority since 2018.

“There’s a level of confusion as everyone’s trying to sort out responsibilities and who’s in charge and who do you report to,” Dudley said.

An Interior spokesperson said Fennessy was highly respected with decades of experience, including managing some of the nation’s most complex fire challenges in densely-populated southern California.

Luke Mayfield, a founder of the group Grassroots Wildland Firefighters, said he believes the consolidation will better serve firefighters, but significant work remains to get the new agency fully running.

“Everyone was aware of the potential fuel and fire conditions we face this fire season,” Mayfield said. “Those conditions are surfacing and have resulted in firefighter fatalities with weather conditions that won’t let up in the near future.”

I can hardly contain my excitement for this one.

Covering France at the World Cup always brings a smile to my face. Watching them play in this tournament has been a real delight, as they have undoubtedly been the standout team so far.

Didier Deschamps’ quest to reach a third consecutive World Cup final and conclude his managerial stint with a second victory is off to an incredible start. France dominated the group stage by winning all three matches, showcasing their exceptional strength.

Facing France in the round of 32 is something no team would relish, but someone had to step up. This time, it’s Sweden’s turn to take on the challenge.

While the Swedish team is by no means weak, boasting a number of standout talents, they recently suffered a heavy defeat against the Netherlands—a team that has already exited the tournament.

So yeah, you fear for Sweden at the MetLife Stadium today. It could be a long day at the office for them; there is no beating around the bush with it.

However, games aren’t won on paper. France have to do their job, they can’t get complacent.

Anyway, that’s enough of an intro. Let’s get cracking.

The Issue: Claire Valdez, Darializa Avila Chevalier and Brad Lander winning the Democratic primaries.

The once-great city we knew has now become a cause for deep concern and frustration. This sentiment was vividly echoed in Melanie Phillips’ piece, “Plot to end America,” dated June 26.

It’s stunning to think that we’re now faced with the reality of having a mayor accused of antisemitism and a cohort of similarly controversial candidates vying for leadership positions. Names like Claire Valdez, Darializa Avila Chevalier, and Brad Lander come to mind in this troubling scenario.

What alarms many is the spread of antisemitism in the city, met with barely a whisper of opposition or action from those in power who are supposed to take a stand against such prejudice.

While I may feel disillusioned by what is unfolding in the city, I find some comfort in my current circumstances. Having now retired in Florida, I am thankfully distant from the daily upheaval.

Bob Schwartzman

Boynton Beach, Fla.

Low voter turnout and indoctrinated Gen Z slackers have left us with three communists on the ballot in November.

As New Yorkers, we need to stop with identity politics and get common-sense candidates to run against these horrible choices.

Sen. Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand are so fearful of losing power.

Please remember in November: Trump is only here for a short time.

The comrades and their horrible policies will be there for long haul.

Mary Harkins

Manhattan

I find myself wondering how Chevalier — who, based on her policy positions and social media posts, loathes this country — will be able to take the required oath of office at her swearing in.

The oath states, in part, that a member of Congress must “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic” and “take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion.”

This is a question The Post should ask her and her fellow DSA members.

Bob Wilson

Massapequa

After the results of the primaries, the only hope left for NYC and perhaps the entire state population is to elect Bruce Blakeman governor.

Hopefully, he will be able to rein in the evil that looms among the Democrats and their far-left leaning members.

A win for Gov. Hochul may fuel a bad future for the entire country, with California leaning in the same direction.

David Porrini

Port Orange, Fla.

To Lander: No matter how often he calls you a “friend,” no matter how often he compliments you or flashes his smirk at you, Mamdani hates your guts.

He is a rabid Jew-hater, and you are a Jew.

You have no pride in your heritage and are ashamed of being Jewish.

You have sold your soul and that makes you evil.

Barry Koppel

Kew Gardens Hills

I think it’s wrong for Chevalier to be a congresswoman when she has terrible disrespect toward the American flag.

She said she’d use our flag to wipe herself.

Men and women fought and died for that flag.

I served proudly in the US Navy, and I won’t condone an ignoramus like Chevalier continuing her attacks on our nation.

Thomas Patrick Folan

Nesconset

The victory of communist ideology in New York’s primary should sound a very loud klaxon all over the world, but all we hear from the party’s leaders is a peep.

Always anxious Jeffries and ponderous Schumer are unfit for the trials their party now faces.

Who will marshal common sense, gather normal Dems and cast the crazies out?

Time’s wasting, and so is our patience.

Paul Bloustein

Cincinnati, Ohio

Mamdani’s forces came out in large numbers and left their mark.

You can be sure this group of pampered progressives attended some of the top-notch universities, and it was there where their indoctrination took hold.

To prove the point, Chevalier was one of those defiant participants during the Columbia University demonstrations.

The root of the problem are lefty faculties inculcating ideologies in the minds of young adults.

Ronald Frank

West Orange, NJ

Just think how much of a coward you have to be to be Lander.

This Jew cozies up to people that not only hate Israelis, who are fighting for their lives against Middle Eastern terror groups, but hate all Jews.

There really is a special place in hell for him.

Jake McNicholas

Whitestone

Want to weigh in on today’s stories? Send your thoughts (along with your full name and city of residence) to letters@nypost.com. Letters are subject to editing for clarity, length, accuracy, and style.

After more than 11 years since an 18-year-old vanished mysteriously while on her way to work in North Carolina, authorities have announced a significant breakthrough in the case.

Connie Graham, the stepmother of Sara Nicole Graham, now faces first-degree murder charges. Additionally, two of Connie’s sons stand accused of aiding in the cover-up, as revealed by the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office.

These arrests deliver a shocking twist in a longstanding case that stumped investigators for over a decade and left Sara Graham’s family without closure as they continued searching for her remains.

Connie Graham, a resident of Fairmont, was taken into custody on charges including first-degree murder, as well as accusations of altering, stealing, or destroying evidence, alongside two counts of felony conspiracy.

Her sons, Bobby Matthew McLellan and Luke Locklear, both residing in Lumberton, were also apprehended. McLellan faces charges of acting as an accessory after the fact, felony conspiracy, and tampering with evidence, while Locklear is accused of felony conspiracy and evidence tampering.

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Connie Graham was denied bond during her first court appearance. McLellan and Locklear are each being held on $1 million secured bonds.

Sara Graham vanished on Feb. 4, 2015, after leaving her home around 6:30 a.m. for her shift at a Walmart in nearby Pembroke. She never made it to work.

Later that day, deputies found her van abandoned in a field near Interstate 95, but Graham had seemingly vanished without a trace.

The mystery lingered for years.

Earlier this month, a Robeson County judge legally declared Graham dead after she had been missing for more than seven years, clearing the way for prosecutors to move forward as a homicide case.

Even now, investigators have not recovered her body.

Sheriff Burnis Wilkins said the investigation never went cold, despite the years that passed without an arrest.

“While some may have believed this case had gone cold, the reality is a case like this never leaves the minds of the investigators assigned to it,” Wilkins said.

“When I took office in 2018, one of my first priorities was to get justice for Sara, and that doesn’t end with the criminal charges today. We will not stop until we find her.”

Wilkins said he hopes the arrests bring “some measure of comfort” to Graham’s loved ones after more than a decade of unanswered questions.

“While nothing can undo the loss felt by so many, we hope these arrests provide some measure of comfort,” he said. “The pursuit of justice never stopped, Sara was never forgotten, and those responsible, no matter how hard they tried, did not outrun the pursuit of justice.”

Authorities have not revealed what evidence led investigators to arrest Graham’s stepmother and stepbrothers, saying they cannot disclose key details while the case moves through the courts.

Sara Graham’s mother, Catherine Armenta, told WPDE through her attorney that the past 11 years have been “tremendously difficult.”

“Not a day goes by that my other children and I don’t think about Sara. We miss her terribly,” Armenta said, according to the station.

Armenta said the family’s decision to have Sara legally declared dead earlier this month was “incredibly painful” but necessary after more than a decade without answers. She also thanked the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office, the FBI and prosecutors for continuing to pursue the case and renewed the family’s plea for anyone with information about Sara’s disappearance to come forward.

The FBI is still offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the recovery of Sara Graham’s body.

News Media has reached out to the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office for any additional updates or comment as the investigation continues.

In a heartfelt moment at Wimbledon, Serena Williams made her much-anticipated return to the prestigious tournament’s singles event after a four-year hiatus, taking to the court on Tuesday with her family present to support her. 

At 44, Williams marked her impressive return to competitive tennis on Centre Court, facing off against World No. 87 Maya Joint. She entered the Grand Slam’s main draw with a wildcard invitation, signaling a major comeback in her illustrious career. 

Speculation was rife about whether the 23-time Grand Slam winner would make an elaborate entrance akin to Naomi Osaka’s runway-inspired arrivals. However, Williams opted for a more understated approach, stepping onto the grass with her usual grace and composure. 

As she made her way onto the revered SW19 turf, Williams, a seven-time Wimbledon singles champion, exuded confidence and calm, fully embracing the moment. 

The atmosphere was electric in the famed Centre Court as fans erupted with applause, celebrating Williams’ return to the game. However, she remained focused, her attention encapsulated by a pair of pale pink headphones, keeping her thoughts centered. 

Yet, no amount of soundproofing could have drowned out the eruption of cheers minutes later when she claimed the first point of the match on her opponent’s serve. 

It was tough not to feel for Joint, the echoing cheers making it clear that, even after a four-year hiatus, Williams was still very much the favorite and the Australian the underdog. 

At just 20 years old, Joint is part of the new generation of female tennis players who have never before faced Williams on the court. 

Tuesday’s first-round clash marked Williams’ return to SW19 and first singles action for the first time in four years after having publicly stepped away from the sport following the 2022 US Open. 

In the time since she ‘evolved’ away from the sport, Williams welcomed her second daughter, Adira, with Alexis Ohanian, who was in her box to cheer her on. 

The two-year-old defied Wimbledon’s age restrictions for Centre Court to sit alongside her dad and older sister Olympia, eight, and watch her mom compete at SW19 for the first time. 

Wimbledon traditionally enforces an age limit of five and above to attend the show courts. However, exceptions were evidently made for the daughter of a seven-time winner.

Williams’ posse of supporters was rounded out by her sister Venus and new brother-in-law, Italian actor Andrea Preti, whom Venus wed last year. 

The sisters will form a powerful duo later in the week when they team up in the doubles draw, where they have found formidable success in the past, winning six times. 

For now, though, Serena had her own success to focus on. It appeared her comeback was destined to collapse just eight games into the first set when Joint broke her serve. 

The cameras panned to the player’s box when an anxious Ohanian could be seen pumping his fists on the top of the railing. His wife displayed a similar explosion of determination moments later when she went 0-15 up on Joint’s serve, erupting into a passionate cry.

It wasn’t enough, however, to stall Joint’s momentum, the Australian taking the first set comfortably 6-3.

Long before the days of Osaka’s catwalk entrances, Williams was renowned as a tennis fashionista, having walked out in a white trench coat in 2008 as well as a detachable train to her outfit that featured one long sleeve in 2021.

Williams also famously caused controversy when she wore a bright purple headband in 2012 despite Wimbledon’s strict all-white dress code.

Yet despite that, she stepped out on to Centre Court for her opening round match with Maya Joint in a simple Nike white mesh jacket, over a matching co-ord top and skirt.

It was nothing on the grand entrance made by Osaka for her opening match, which saw the Japanese star sport a kimono inspired by Lucy Liu’s character from the film Kill Bill.

Nor, too, the custom all-white Hugo Boss suit worn by American Taylor Fritz, who did his best Roger Federer impression as he strolled out for his opening-round match.

Fritz channelled his inner Federer with matching white holdall, which drew instant comparisons with the iconic outfit worn by the eight-time Wimbledon champion.

The 44-year-old began her comeback to tennis – four years after her last professional match – at the Queen’s Club’s HSBC Championships, where she won a round before being forced out by an injury to her partner Victoria Mboko.

Williams had previously hinted at a potential return to the grass courts after kicking off her competitive tennis comeback in the doubles draw alongside Venus. 

While many questioned if the veteran still possesses her titan talent, others may be more focused on the question mark over one particular detail of her preparation -whether Williams has continued to use GLP-1 jabs managed by telehealth company Ro, of which she became a vocal paid spokesperson for last year.

The seven-time Wimbledon champion’s husband Ohanian sits on the company’s board and was an early investor. As recently as this February Williams, the company’s celebrity face, featured in a Super Bowl advert for the brand and its Zepbound tirzepatide jab, which is also marketed under the name Mounjaro.

Williams, who is said to have lost close to two and a half stone, or 34 pounds (15kg) using the drug, previously called her challenge to lose weight following the birth of her two children ‘the one opponent (she) couldn’t beat’.

It remains unclear as to whether Williams has continued to use the drug, which also treats symptoms of diabetes, with her publicist declining to comment when asked by the Atlantic.

But although GLP-1s are not banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), they are one of the drugs under ongoing investigation as to whether they might be classed as performance-enhancing in the future.

Although Williams would be the first athlete to publicly use a GLP-1 if she was still using Zepbound, tennis has an existing relationship with weight-loss jabs, with semaglutide Ozempic a surprising sponsor at last year’s Canadian Open. 

Before being able to announce her comeback, Williams had to return to the anti-doping testing pool. 

However, the tennis legend took aim at the regulations when asked about returning to the pool on Sunday. 

‘It’s grueling. They changed the rules now. I didn’t know some of the rules. So apparently if you miss a test outside of your window, it still counts as missed. I’m like, I guess I can’t go pick up my kids,’ said the seven-time Wimbledon champion, a mother of two.

‘It’s unprofessional. I hate it. I think it’s necessary, but I think a lot of the stuff, if I want to go places outside of my window, I should be able to go without having it count as a missed test.’

Players are required by the International Tennis Integrity Agency to provide their daily ‘whereabouts’ for no-notice testing.

Williams described it as ‘unreasonable.’

‘That was a big reason why I didn’t want to come back either,’ she said, ‘because it’s just so hard. I mean, my life is busy, I run a company, I run a VC company, I travel the world. I have children. It’s like I could be in so many different cities so many different times.’

Disney+ is now streaming the eagerly awaited second installment of “X-Men ’97”.

Ranking as one of the top-viewed original animated offerings, the debut season of “X-Men ’97” left a significant mark.

The remarkable achievement of the series could be traced back to the seasoned creative team’s deep-rooted history of bringing these mutant superheroes to life, a journey that began in the 1990s.

“We conceived the series right at our dining room table,” shares Eric Lewald, the Executive Producer. “This project is where all the elements harmonized perfectly,” he adds.

The show is championed by accomplished television writers and producers, Eric and Julia Lewald, who also serve as executive producers and showrunners.

They’ve been working on animating the X-Men since the ’90s.

As they well know, for decades, the team of mutant superheroes has had a loyal legion of superfans.

“I think the genius in what the X-Men are is a group of teens, young people, who were being shunned or ostracized because they started to become different because of the way they were born,” says Julia. “Society didn’t like that.”

“All sorts of people come up to us that don’t quite feel like they’re part of their community, who don’t quite feel like they’re part of the mainstream culture,” adds Eric. “The word that came to us when we started doing the cons and talking to fans was it’s like a ‘found family.’ They accept each other and look out for each other.”

In this new season, the X-Men have to find each other as they’re divided and thrown across different eras in time.

They are struggling to navigate their way home and they are also up against a familiar foe.

“It gets to be pretty much all about them dealing with Apocalypse,” says Eric.

Larry Houston is also an executive producer who has been with the X-Men since the ’90s.

As a mega fan himself, he describes this animated series as “a comic book that was never printed, but we are giving it to you on screen.”

“Working on this series has been an enormous amount of fun,” says Houston.

But can they beat Apocalypse this time?

“That’s the thing everybody’s got to wait for,” laughs Houston. “You’ll enjoy it when you get there.”

Season 2 of “X-Men ’97” returns to Disney+ with a special three-episode premiere on July 1.

The remaining six episodes will air over the subsequent weeks, with the final episode airing August 12.

The Walt Disney Company is the parent company of this ABC station.