REVIEW: ‘Unbreakable X-Men’ Issue 1

Unbreakable X-Men Issue 1 is published by Marvel Comics, written by Gail Simone, art and colors by Lucas Werneck, and letters by Clayton Cowles.

Unbreakable X-Men Issue 1 is part of the Age of Revelation crossover and spins out of Uncanny X-Men. Years after the tragedy, a blind Gambit and a few remaining mutants are all that are left in Haven House. But there’s still another world and an angry god underneath. The Age of Revelation crossover takes place ten years after the release of a virus that changed the world forever. The virus killed millions and turned everyone else into mutants.

Unbreakable X-Men Issue 1 opens with an enormous spectacle. It begins seven years in the future, instead of the expected ten. From the first page, it’s clear that something significant is about to unfold. An enemy that wants access to Shuvahrak, the god that exists in a realm underneath the quaint Louisiana home. A small but plucky army of X-Men stands guard, ready to protect Haven House. The sense of dread is established early. But the truth about who is coming is a jaw-dropping revelation, beyond anything this group has ever faced before. The emotions spike, and yet this isn’t even the crux of the story.

Because then comes the aftermath, journeying the last three years into the future. Instead of a rapid obliteration of a group, the family slowly disintegrates. The pain and sorrow are all-encompassing. Simone beautifully explored what happens when a community loses its leaders. Even in the wake of tragedy, there’s more to come in Unbreakable X-Men Issue 1.

There’s a transition from something trying to get in to a being trying to get out. Instead of slow and sinister, Unbreakable X-Men Issue 1 becomes a frantic scramble for survival. Simone superbly merges the stories she had been telling, with the themes intact, with the dystopian, devastating unfolding of the Age of Revelation.

The core of Simone’s Uncanny X-Men series had been family and togetherness. Outcasts and loners have found a place where they can feel safe, learning how to live, not just fight. So to have that shattered creates dark cracks in a building that was so warm. The emotional writing is yet again perfect, but achingly painful. Simone can be both eloquent and direct. She can talk about what it is like to love and lose that love. Gambit becomes the integral figure in Unbreakable X-Men Issue 1, but his huge heart has been torn to shreds.

That incredible relationship he had with Rogue is prevalent in the prologue of Unbreakable X-Men Issue 1, before the big event. There’s an astonishing character moment that is both harrowing and fulfilling. It’s not the same band of characters that are in the regular Uncanny X-Men series, with the cast shuffled slightly. It’s fascinating to see the dynamics between Rogue, Gambit, and Ransom. The two are still parental figures, but Valentin has become the true leader. The other members of the Outliers have already spread out, appearing in various parts of this crossover.

The art captures the spectacle and the sorrow that follows. There’s an enormous enemy, bigger than anything else that exists. There’s a cold, brazen reveal, one that sends a shiver down the spine, especially with the silhouettes of the X-Men below it. That’s not the only monstrous figure in Unbreakable X-Men Issue 1, with Shuvahrak rearing up once again. Then there are the smaller, heartbroken people in the middle.

The grief hangs heavily on Gambit in Unbreakable X-Men Issue 1. Werneck beautifully portrays the passage of time as the characters age. Gambit ages wide, looking despondent and defeated, like the others. Another wonderfully poignant detail is that Remy switches uniforms, resembling someone else in a stunning gesture.

The colors are spectacular. There’s an enchanting glow to each page of Unbreakable X-Men Issue 1, as the palette changes to fit the mood and atmosphere. The prologue had a mixture of blue and purple in the air, due to what was bearing down on the house. But the rest of the book exhibits more green shades, both in the surroundings and on Gambit himself. It’s a sign of what the X-Men had lost and the smothering of his fire. It’s only by the last pages that his purple kinetic energy resurfaces. The lettering is consistent.

Unbreakable X-Men Issue 1 is a devastating destruction of a family. Almost everyone is gone, and that emptiness is haunting after such an epic beginning. Simone is such a soulful writer, and so when the characters go through the most painful event possible, the hurt is almost unfathomable. However, the writing and art manage to capture it beautifully on paper. The love and connection between Rogue and Gambit is the heart of Uncanny X-Men, and that is explored here, too. But there is still something to fight for, and the X-Men never back down from a fight.

Unbreakable X-Men Issue 1 is available now wherever comics are sold.