REVIEW: ‘Uncanny X-Men’ Issue #5

Uncanny X-Men #5 is published by Marvel Comics and written by Gail Simone. The art is by Dave Marquez, colors by Matt Wilson, and letters by Clayton Cowles. Rogue and her team of X-Men make a final stand to protect their new home.

Concluding the first arc, Uncanny X-Men #5  has many threads to wrap up. Rogue is battling The Hag, a compelling and horrifying villain and Gambit and the rest of the X-Men tackle her minions, an enormous horde of monsters that have no qualms about killing all of them. Simone’s structure is sensational. It bounces between the battles brilliantly. One is expansive, while the other is more personal, yet both are incredibly dramatic.

There have already been brutal fights in this series, filled with blood and excitement. But these two have so much riding on them, and those stakes are made clear right from the start. Everything within the arc is wrapped up, from magical amulets to dying little boys. The ending is simple yet gorgeous, filled with love and venom. Everything is possible within the Marvel Universe, and Simone is happy to indulge. But the conclusions are earned and worthwhile.

The characters are wonderful. The script by Simone is so phenomenal that it elicits tears on every page. It is dripping with emotion and character. Rogue and Jubilee narrate Uncanny X-Men #2, leading to captions on both battlefields. They both tap into the hearts and souls of the women. The older heroes are experienced, wading into battle with strategy and history. Gambit leads the charge, and seeing him step up to the planet is amazing. Wolverine is blind, using the voices of his friends as a guide. There are also the newcomers, plucky mutants with exciting powers and brave personalities. And yet, this is their first foray into a real fight against almost impossible odds.

Meanwhile, Rogue is on her own — or so she thinks. Her captions have a repetition, as she tries to will herself to stand up against the pain. Simone leans into Rogue’s diction, and her voice becomes essential. Even with her history revealed, The Hag is still frightening. Her storyline, especially how she connects to Professor Xavier, is complete and will leave readers content.

The art is magnificent. The characters carry their wounds into each episode, showing the damage already done to Rogue and Wolverine in particular. This is the first example of the new lineup standing next to each other in battle, and Marquez makes these moments count. Both fights are exceptional, with bodies and brand-new powers on display. It’s a sprawling conflict against mysterious-looking villains.

While that fight has a busy background, Rogue reaches a place that is empty. This focuses the eyes on the conversation and the truly stunning character designs. It draws the maximum amount of emotion out of the scene.

The colors show a wonderful contrast. The darkness of the villains threatens to smother everything, but the X-Men serve as bastions against those shadows. Jubilee, Gambit, and Calico all create their own colorful lights through their powers, pushing them back. One character in particular is the complete opposite to The Hag, turning the page a bright white.  The lettering is effortless to read. The caption boxes are color-coded to match the characters, making it easy to know whose thoughts we are reading.

Uncanny X-Men #5 makes the heart and soul feel better. It’s an awesome, tremendous issue that puts the characters and the creators to the test. It brings this arc to a close in a way that makes it feel satisfying. The series encapsulates something pivotal about the X-Men. Yes, there are political situations, heroes vs. villains, and scary situations. But the X-Men are also there to inspire and love. And this book contains so much love.

Uncanny X-Men #5 is available where comics are sold.