REVIEW: ‘Uncanny X-Men’ Issue 10

Uncanny X-Men Issue 10 is published by Marvel Comics. Written by Gail Simone, with art by Andrei Bressan, colors by Matthew Wilson and letters by Clayton Cowles.

The kids are getting hunted by Wolfpack Sentinels in the shopping mall, and it’s a race against time for the older X-Men to get to them. Uncanny X-Men Issue 10 has just as much panic as the previous chapter. There is a superb change of tone when the book jumps away from the mall because the adult X-Men don’t know what’s happening.

Nightcrawler is performing maintenance at Haven House and getting gifts from mothers of daughters he has saved. Rogue and Gambit are on a date, and Wolverine and Jubilee are in the same town but far away. Inside that mall, the pace is rapid and manic. The kids are fighting for their lives, hunted by dogs, and turned into killing machines.

Deathdream has been mortally wounded, leaving the rest of the Outliers scrambling for survival. Whilst the previous issue was all about defending themselves and trying to escape, here, the kids have to fight for their lives and those of others around them. They are forced into making sacrifices, considering their own lives and getting ready to lose their friends. The chapter is filled with action, but each fight has consequences and a real threat. There is always a feeling that we could lose one of the Outliers.

Simone’s dialogue is simply stunning in Uncanny X-Men Issue 10. Each word that is written has a heart attached to it, giving it meaning and weight. The captions, usually solely stuck with Rogue, fan out slightly. In the opening, Nightcrawler is the narrator. He’s pondering his future with the X-Men now that they have found their home. Kurt has never really been a fighter, and rebuilding Haven House has made him question his role as a teacher or even a team member.

The other narrator is Calico. There isn’t as much narration for her because there is more dialogue coming from everywhere else. The kids’ inexperience is clear in how they strategize and talk, but they are showing signs of growth and intelligence, especially Jitter. The dialogue becomes punchier during the scene in the mall, with more bite and fear laced within it. That is until the end when one of the characters delivers a line that turns me into a blubbering wreck.

The art is gorgeous and ferocious at the same time. The Wolfpack Sentinels are terrifying, mechanical monstrosities. There isn’t this dedication to make them look uniform or precise. They are just a mess of snarling teeth and claws with a relentless hunger for flesh. When Deathdream is shown on the ground with his severe injuries, the scene looks bleak. Bressan displays the blood with brutal honesty, showing the damage the Sentinels will do if they get their claws on the young mutants.

They all have some of the most exciting powers in the history of the X-Men. Jitter has echoes around her that display when she acquires a skill for a minute using her hyperfocus. Calico’s glowing armor and sword that activates when she mounts Ember are phenomenal and jaw-dropping in their execution. This is their most visceral, desperate fight yet, and Bressan showcases that in their facial expressions and how they fight.

Alongside the intensity of the mall battle are the quiet moments, which contain gorgeous, powerful periods of softness and warmth. Seeing Rogue and Gambit in each other’s arms or Nightcrawler hanging out with one of the young girls who live at Haven House has just as much weight as seeing the Outliers in action.

The colors maintain their vibrancy even in the most hostile of situations. The powers of the Outliers are represented by colors that are unleashed to close to their full potential in Uncanny X-Men Issue 10. Calico draws the Wolfpack away with Ember; her armor is glowing gold. It’s a captivating color that ignites the heart and draws the eyes. What also draws attention to it is the rich red blood seeping out of Deathdream and coating the floor. It’s one of the series’ most emotive and dramatic images so far.

Uncanny X-Men Issue 10 makes its heroes really fight to survive. There isn’t an easy way out for the kids. Their mentors aren’t close, but the Wolfpack Sentinels are closer. So they have to fight and fight hard. None of them are too precious to die, and that is made clear on every page. Simone may love these characters, but that can create a false sense of security.

Uncanny X-Men Issue 10 is a frantic, terrifying issue that shows the young mutants being forced to consider sacrifice and losing friends. And even in its darkest moments, the comic never loses its heart.

Uncanny X-Men Issue 10 is available where comics are sold.