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X-Men Red #5 is written by Al Ewing, illustrated by Stefano Caselli, colored by Federico Blee, and lettered by VC’s Ariana Maher. It’s published by Marvel Comics. “The Hour of Uranos” takes place during the events of A.X.E.: Judgement Day #1, and chronicles what happened in the hour that the genocidal Eternal Uranos was dispatched to Arakko. As Nightcrawler races to warn Krakoa—and deals with a surprising betrayal—Magneto and the rest of the Great Ring battle Uranos. But the Eternal’s machinations aren’t just limited to the Red Planet.
As with any major crossover event, the goings-on in Judgement Day have spilled over into other titles, especially the various X-titles, as the X-Men play a huge role in said event. Perhaps the most shocking moment of Judgement Day #1 was seeing Arakko laid to waste, especially after the work the X-Men did to terraform it into a hospitable planet. Ewing’s script slowly but surely unveils the events that took place within the space of an hour, and shows just how terrifying Uranos is. I’ve been extremely intrigued by Uranos since he was introduced in Kieron Gillen’s Eternals, and this event is showcasing that he has the potential to be the next big Marvel villain.
The art also does a great job of showcasing the sheer scale of destruction that’s occurring. Throughout the issue, Arakko throws everything it has at Uranos; the force of the Great Ring, Magneto’s mastery over magnetism, and even Legion, a mutant who can literally bend reality with his mind. Still, the Eternal advances. Caselli draws Uranos as a ghastly gray specter of death; his blank stare, scarred face, and rippling muscles cut a horrifying figure. And that’s not even getting into the anime-level attacks, from Magneto summoning a storm of metal and Cable utilizing a massive gun that fills the page with golden light. Clearly, Caselli took lessons from Judgement Day artist Valerio Schiti when approaching this script.
As if to emphasize the destruction that Uranos is wreaking, Blee’s color palette shifts throughout the issue. The first page features lush green vegetation and bright sandy plains, representing the life that flourishes on Arakko. But once Uranos arrives, the sky turns dark grey. And a horrifying image features a mountain of bones, while the sky has now taken on the color of blood. And adding to the ominous tone, Maher’s lettering describes the events with a cold, clinical precision and a sharp, simple design to match. The various mutants that make up Arakko’s Great Ring have their own style of speech; one’s words are a long, winding string of letters while another’s take the form of a sibilant hiss.
X-Men Red #5 delves into the fallout from Judgement Day, as Arakko falls prey to the wrath of the Eternal Uranos. The best tie-ins offer more depth to the main story, and this is definitely a great tie-in. And the last page delivers a promise that Uranos will come to regret his actions.
X-Men Red #5 is available wherever comics are sold.
X-Men Red #5
TL;DR
X-Men Red #5 delves into the fallout from Judgement Day, as Arakko falls prey to the wrath of the Eternal Uranos. The best tie-ins offer more depth to the main story, and this is definitely a great tie-in. And the last page delivers a promise that Uranos will come to regret his actions.
Born and raised in Texas, Collier “CJ” Jennings was introduced to geekdom at an early age by his father, who showed him Ultraman and Star Trek: The Next Generation. On his thirteenth birthday, he received a copy of Giant Size X-Men #1 and dove head first into the realm of pop culture, never looking back. His hobbies include: writing screenplays and essays, watching movies and television, card games/RPG’s, and cooking. He currently resides in Seattle.