THE UNCANNY X-MEN #25 – Fiction Becomes Reality

Creative Team – Gail Simone, David Marquez, Luciano Vecchio, Matthew Wilson, VC’s Clayton Cowles

Published by Marvel Comics

Catch up with The Uncanny X-Men #24!

The Story

In an exciting story that’s about monsters and the wild west, the ending is just as thrilling. The X-Men find themselves battling the monsters nightmares are made of, like Jubilee against Morbius or Rogue and Elsa Bloodstone. The fights are getting more and more perilous with every punch, but the heroes have no plans to stop.

Back at Haven House, Mr. St. Juniors is finishing up the bedtime story with the Outliers and Chelsea, telling the tale of the heroes of the wild west. With the story coming to a gratifying finish, the young X-Men are met with the reality they hadn’t been privy to; the real story has already unfolded outside of Haven House. While the X-Men fight off the monsters, the Outliers have to handle the big bad herself, Lady Darkhold.

The Writing

While the X-Men have been the ones in the roles of defending Haven House and its occupants, it’s the Outliers that truly shone in this issue. In The Uncanny X-Men #25, we see the Outliers parallel the heroes of the bedtime story, and jump straight into action and work harmoniously as a team. Not that we haven’t seen it before, but there was no hesitation, there was no second-guessing, and there was no confusion. Time and time again, these young heroes prove themselves in an even bigger way than the last.

Along with the main story of the comic, we’re also treated to a secondary story that shows the Outliers handling X-Men business while their mentors are away. With a young girl missing, it’s up to Deathdream, Ransom, Jitter, and Calico to find this girl and bring her home safe.

What I love that Gail Simone is doing is giving these new characters room to breathe and finding themselves as heroes. We get to watch in real time as the Outliers grow into their roles and they bring us along with them on their journey. Instead of the usual trope of watching the mentors and learning, Simone gives the young mutants their chances at learning in the field and learning together.

The Art

There are so many jaw-dropping panels in The Uncanny X-Men #25 that it’s clear the artists knew exactly the energy to bring to the story. Perfectly capturing the horror aspect of the story, David Marquez and Luciano Vecchio make the panels drip with action and horror. Some of my favorite panels have to be the ones including Lady Darkhold and the Outliers, as there is so much happening on one page, but everything is drawn with a beautiful flow.

Matthew Wilson handles the coloring and sticks to the darker colors that have a great juxtaposition with the brighter colors, which practically makes the characters pop off the page. Clayton Cowles, the letterer of the comic, makes every tone very clear through the dialogue. Together, the artists complement each other’s work perfectly, and the readers will truly benefit from their excellent talents.

Final Thoughts

The Uncanny X-Men continues to thrive under Gail Simone, and at this point, there’s no one else I’d rather write these characters. As the comic run continues, one thing is very clear: this is what makes the X-Men great. The love, the passion, and the heart that go into making these comics.

Overall Grade – 10/10

Let me know in the comments below what you thought of The Uncanny X-Men #25!

This review was written by Megan from the Vigilante Vibes Podcast! If you liked my review, be sure to check out my other reviews! Let me know what you think of The Uncanny X-Men #25, or tell me what comics you’d recommend me trying out! Find me on my socials, and check out my Marvel podcast, Vigilante Vibes, by clicking here!