REVIEW: ‘Uncanny X-Men’ Issue 9

Uncanny X-Men Issue 9 is published by Marvel Comics. Written by Gail Simone, art by Andrei Bressan, colors by Matthe Wilson and letters by Clayton Cowles.

The X-Men return to Haven House, but Graymalkin Prison isn’t finished with them yet, and the Wolfpack are ready to hunt.

This issue tries to take steps forward. The X-Men are settled into their Louisiana home and have now got to try to turn the team into a family. The two age groups were split at the start of the issue, so this chapter attempts to bring them closer. Each of the younger mutants gets a mentor. The first half of Uncanny X-Men Issue 9 centers itself around building relationships. It’s slow, calm and charming.

Just as the younger mutants start to see Haven House as a place of safety, they are given the freedom to go to the mall on their own. Simone then turns the adventure into a nightmare with a sudden increase in pace by turning the shopping trip into a hunt.

The meeting between the Wolfpack and the X-Men was inevitable; it was just a matter of when. There’s no wasted moment during this encounter. It’s an intense, bloodthirsty fight against a new breed of Sentinel, crafted using dogs instead of humans. The mechanical mutts attack with incredible intensity, putting the kids in real danger. It’s a mad scramble with dangerous consequences. The kids have always looked safe within their home, with the protection of the older mutants. But outside, it has become apparent how ferocious the world is now for mutants.

It never ceases to amaze me how phenomenal this series’s characters and dialogue are. Almost every page has a moment that stabs at the heart. The first half of Uncanny X-Men Issue 9 spends so much time between the heroes. All of them are hurting and beginning to find comfort in each other. And yet Simone is always aware that each character is their own person. Some are desperate for closeness and company, whilst others struggle to find it. The relationships are growing not just between the generations but within the younger team themselves. This issue focuses heavily on the quartet and how their personalities are starting to grow.

Those signature features are still there, such as Random’s protectiveness, Jitter’s nervousness, Calico’s innocence, and Deathdream’s sadness. But they are getting closer and changing as characters, too. They have all suffered from isolation, so kindness and warmth from the older X-Men are causing them to react in all sorts of ways. Their conversations with Jubilee, Wolverine, and the others are beautiful, showcasing the growth of those older characters, too.

Wolverine, Jubilee, Gambit, and Rogue have all been loners or struggled to fit in, and now, they are trying to bring the youngsters into the fold and help raise them. The villains of the book are terrifying. Not just the Wolfpack, but those that control them are vicious, merciless and bigoted. It’s become apparent how much surveillance they have on this X-Men team and all of the others around the United States.

The art is stunning, changing hands again. Bressan steps in and shines at capturing the comfort within this series and the ferocity that the X-Men can face. The first half is so tender and loving, with a gorgeous atmosphere. The characters don’t have to speak. The characters are having fun and relaxing. Calico and Jitter take a minute to dance, a brief moment of bonding and serenity.

That contrasts with the pages featuring the Wolfpack. These new weapons are savage and monstrous. Their scenes are filled with blood and terror, eventually coming into contact. The fight scene is visceral. Graymalkin’s soldiers are no longer trying to capture the team; they’re going for the kill. The design of the dogs has a 2000AD feel to them, similar to the Sentinels series. The technology is hostile and grungy.

The training the four have received can be seen, but so does their youth and instinctive panic. It is fascinating to see how the various artists approach the new characters. Bressan makes Deathdream drastically shorter than the others, and he also looks younger. He’s more vulnerable, someone to be protected by older siblings.

The colors are fantastic. Early in the issue, the campfire’s light and the glow of the full moon encases Haven House. The fire represents safety for the kids to huddle around. Anywhere away from that is bright and welcoming but also dangerous. The fight scene at the end of the book takes place in a shopping mall filled with lights, yet that isn’t enough to ward away the Wolfpack.

The Wolfpack dogs have that signature Sentinel color scheme of purple and red, which always means danger in the world of X-Men. The lettering is phenomenal in Uncanny X-Men Issue 9. The text is always easy to read, but occasional additions insinuate voices and tone. Jitter’s stutter is shown, and the growls from the Wolfpack are insidious.

Uncanny X-Men Issue 9 demonstrates danger and safety. The Outliers, the young group of mutants that the X-Men have adopted, have to be taught how to be kids. These moments are genuine and sincere, with a beautiful sense of comfort within Haven House. However, the Outliers also have to learn how to become X-Men because the outside world is unsafe for them. Uncanny X-Men continues to be an emotional and artistic powerhouse, putting those we’ve grown to love in even more danger.

Those within Graymalkin Prison are getting more unhinged, and the mutants don’t know just how intricate the surveillance is. The flock may want to leave the safety of the shepherd, but there are wolves, albeit metal ones, in the woods beyond.

Uncanny X-Men Issue 9 is available where comics are sold.