Comic of the Week: “Uncanny X-Men” #22

At this point, our Comic of the Week reviews aren’t exactly weekly, but our schedule slippage doesn’t mean there’s a lack of great comics out there. It just means we’re overdue to look at another top pick. So let’s catch up with the X-Men and the Outliers in “Uncanny X-Men,” written by Gail Simone, illustrated by David Marquez, and colored by Matthew Wilson.

For those who haven’t been following the latest events in the mutant side of Marvel, after the fall of Krakoa and the subsequent defeat of Orchis, the X-Men are scattered into multiple teams again. “Uncanny X-Men” follows a combination of fan favorite X-Men (Rogue, Gambit, Jubilee, Nightcrawler, and Wolverine) and their new mentees, a group of new mutants called the Outliers, as they try to make a place for themselves in Louisiana.

Issue 22 starts a new story arc, which brings back a character from an earlier story: Mutina, who is both the star of the mutant-themed horror film “Murder Me, Mutina” and a mutant with murderous tendencies herself.

Mutina’s portrayal is an interesting blend of influencer/celebrity and sociopathic killer. She’ll go from asking to join the X-Men for the good PR to threatening everyone in nearly the same breath, taking glee as she torments her targets both physically and psychologically.

Sure, there may some people who will take issue with how a girl dressed like she’s on her way to an anime con can walk away from a fight with Wolverine, but that’s not new or surprising. Regardless, the combination of Mutina’s powers, mind games, and sheer lack of morality makes her appropriately threatening and an engaging character. (Also, her design is absolutely memorable and captures both her personality and public facing persona nicely, so I do hope to see people cosplaying her at conventions.)

Of course, that’s not all the issue is about. The story also puts a spotlight on Nightcrawler, who gets a chance to shine as the X-Men and Outliers celebrate his birthday. We get a moment to see his growing relationship with MacKenzie DeNeer (a woman whom he met after saving her daughter), how much the others appreciate him, and how he steps up when the stakes are high.

It highlights not only Kurt’s fighting skills (but absolutely takes a moment to showcase how he can wield three swords at once by using his tail) but also his heart. While Nightcrawler can absolutely take down bad guys in a fight, he’ll first try to offer a hand and a chance at redemption, and writer Gail Simone captures that heart in his dialogue and internal narration wonderfully.

So story-wise, “Uncanny X-Men” #22 is very strong, with great character moments for both a hero and villain. Now let’s look at the art.

“Uncanny X-Men” is illustrated by David Marquez, with Matthew Wilson on the colors. They’ve worked on the comic alongside Simone since issue 1, and the comic is all the better for it. Marquez’s artwork brings life and personality to the characters, capturing their body language and expressions with nice subtle touches that make them feel alive. Depending on the need, the art can shift between a soft style that goes light on the details and a sharp, highly detailed close-up, adding the appropriate atmosphere to the scene.

During action scenes, Marquez uses the comic’s panels to control the pacing, alternating between different sizes and widths depending on the speed and intensity of the motion. At some points, the characters pop out of the panels, crossing over into the next just enough to carry the reader’s eyes through. That, along with the motion lines and red streaks of Mutina’s knives, keeps the fights flowing nicely from moment to moment.

Wilson’s colors are well-suited for Marquez’s art, shifting between tones to control the mood while helping the characters stand out. In the darker scenes, Wilson strikes a great balance between the dark backgrounds, shadowed characters, and light sources to highlight the characters, keeping them in focus without compromising the atmosphere.

The use of shadows makes the colors slightly subdued, which helps them feel more natural than a more cartoonishly bright comic. It’s an appropriate choice for “Uncanny X-Men,” which often focuses on the lives, emotions, and struggles of the characters, rather than flash alone (but there is still plenty of flashy action when the moment calls for it).

If you haven’t been reading “Uncanny X-Men,” you’ve been missing out, but issue 22 is a great jumping-on point. Gail Simone, David Marquez, and Matthew Wilson are at the top of their game in every issue, bringing the character drama, development, and action readers love to see in an X-Men comic.