While there are some strong moments on this issue, Rosenberg, Larroca, and team struggle with the overall structure of their story and the impending relaunch of the “X-Men” series down the road.
Written by Matthew RosenbergCover by Whilce Portacio
Illustrated by Salvador Larroca
Colored by Guru-eFX
Lettered by VC’s Joe CaramagnaIT ALL ENDS HERE. THIS IS FOREVER. As Cyclops’ cleanup mission nears its close, all the problems the X-Men face come together. The truth behind the Hellfire Club’s intentions, the culmination of the O.N.E.’s assaults on mutantkind and even the inner struggles within the team… It all ends here. This is forever.
For the second half of this “Uncanny X-Men” volume, right after the events that led to the ‘Age of X-Man’ storyline, the plot has found Marvel’s mutants on their proverbial final days. With their numbers reduced, with the public opinion firmly against them, and a x-gene cure threatening their very existence, time is bleak to being an X-Men. And while that on its own is compelling, the feeling of lingering unwelcomeness is certainly at play on this stage of the narrative.
Before going further on this study, credit must go to Larroca on a much stronger art delivery than his own previous work on this series. The issues before this one were produced by other artists, allowing Larroca to focus more time to “Uncanny X-Men” #21. As a result, the narrative flow moves much better, regardless if during big action sequences or on quieter, more dialogue-driven scenes. While not overly imaginative, page and panel layout work fairly well, opening up for the big confrontations toward the end, and zooming in closer for the more introspective beats.
On character design, Larroca is hit-and-miss on this issue. Some of his portrayals are pitch-perfect, especially with a berserk Wolverine, or a stoic Cyclops, but less so with the bulkier frame of the Juggernaut, or facial expressions for most of the female characters, like Hope Summers and Dani Monster. On those situations, it feels their faces are captured in-between moments, like a photo taken a bit too soon or too late.
Guru-eFX does a tremendous job on colouring, though. The most obvious scenes are aptly done (explosions, energy blasts, and the usual tropes around big superhero flare), but it is on background and setting that Guru really sets itself apart. It is even weird to comment on it, but the effect on a marble staircase at the headquarters of the Hellfire Club are mesmerising. It can be missed by more avid readers, but to those paying attention to that level of detail and layering, it is surely an added bonus.
Back to the story Rosenberg is conveying. When his run started, it certainly felt fresh, and aligned with some of the best arcs of the mutant’s past. The down-on-their luck, baseless, rag-tag team put together was reminiscent of the Australian Outback days, when the team had a different, more active mission statement, and the situations and roster were unique.
However… the constant stream of failure, the sequential death of characters, and the ever-present “nothing will be the same” reveals are surely wearing thin. Without going into spoiler territory (of this issue or those coming before it), there are so many twists and turns that they all end up feeling cheap and disposable. In an issue where everything is changing on every turn of a page, none of those situations feel special or deserved. Actually, there are some moments on “Uncanny X-Men” #21 that might even go unnoticed, which would actually be a main end-issue cliffhanger on other serialised publications.
It becomes hard to even opine on this issue without mentioning the broader editorial implications that are forthcoming. By July, the entire publishing line will be cancelled, replaced by the “House of X” and “Powers of X” mini-series led by Jonathan Hickman. A new status quo will be presented, and the line will restart from there. Therefore, all the big reveals and events preceding it are taken with a bit of salt (if deservedly or not it remains to be seen), but it certainly affects the long-term credibility of some of these plot points. At this stage, it almost feels like the current creative team is trying to prove, with no credible doubt, that this run “counts,” and that is perhaps not the best way to deliver a complex, engaging narrative.
While “Uncanny X-Men” #21 offers a stronger art package by Larroca and Guru-eFX, it is on the repetition of bombastic after bombastic reveal that the plot loses itself. In an attempt to be as breath-taking as it could be, it actually becomes devoid of breath, of life, not allowing characters to properly react and cope with everything being thrown at them.
Final Verdict: 6.8 – In an attempt to make this volume as incredible as it can be, the creative team comes up short on something that matters a lot… making its audience believe and care for the characters going through the motions.
