X-Men United #6 – If I Had A Dollar…..

At Graymatter Lane, all mutants are welcome. Hoping to build teamwork, Iceman has brought Cyclops, Emma, Rogue, and Deathdream together for a little RPG play. Using Ben Liu’s reality-warping abilities, the X Leaders have stepped into a world that feels like D&D come to life. When a malevolent spirit possesses Ben, it all begins to fall apart. As Deathdream escapes, he returns to a world where the teachers are missing, and the students are under siege. In X-Men United, Graymatter Lane has a problem, and it’s time to find the source

This review is brought to you by Nerd Initiative’s Megan and Shawn!

Creative Team

Writers: Dr. Eve L. Ewing and Evan Narcisse
Penciller: Eduardo Pansica and Tiago Palma
Inkers: Tiago Palma and Oren Junior
Color Artist: Brian Reber
Letterer: Joe Sabino
Cover Artist: Stefano Caselli
Cover Color Artist: Federico Blee

Writing

Megan: X-Men United #6 was nothing short of a thrilling roller coaster ride that I didn’t want to get off of. With three separate teams of mutants all being attacked in different ways, you’re left on the edge of your seat. Dr. Eve Ewing and Evan Narcisse take you through so many different high-energy situations that you really don’t know what to expect next.

With so much happening in this issue, I don’t want to spoil anything. But I will say that there are dynamics tested, vulnerabilities put on display, and trust being turned into suspicion. Some of the most confident mutants you know are now second-guessing themselves and each other. The writers set up something really fantastic here, and I am more than excited to see what comes next in X-Men United.

Shawn: I really enjoyed the psychological thrill of this issue of X-Men United. Dr. Eve Ewing and Evan Narcisse crafted a true psychological thriller that has you doing a double-take on what you’ve seen and read so far. The issue continues to build on the suspense already established about Graymatter Lane and its vulnerabilities. I also really enjoyed that the issue leaned heavily on the main leader’s inability to trust the new mutant students. While it may not have been intended, Ewing and Narcisse crafted a conversation about a continual issue with the X-Men in general: the introduction of new mutants, only to be sidelined, while the same characters keep resurfacing.

I really liked the concept of the issue. It’s difficult to talk about without revealing too much, but it’s interesting to see an area where Kitty and Logan are perhaps more alike than fans had initially realized. Ewing and Narcisse provided a stark reminder that the cost of mutant continues to be one paid with blood and, at times, guilt.

Art

Megan: My goodness, if you thought the story was excellent, the artwork is something special. Tiago Palma, Eduardo Pansica, Oren Junior, Brian Reber, and Joe Sabino all came together to make this a more than memorable issue. This issue leans heavily into a horror aspect that we don’t get to see too often, and it was handled beautifully here. With the hair standing on the back of their neck, the mutants see some sights that are more than terrifying. Adding even more depth to the beautiful linework, the colors are dramatic and expertly handled to make the mutants the focal point. The lettering is absolutely top-notch. Perfectly capturing the mutants’ individual personalities through their dialogue, Joe Sabino does an excellent job of giving this story so many different voices. Together, the artists knocked this out of the park.

Shawn: Tiago Palma, Eduardo Pansica, Oren Junior, and Brian Reber really did superior work on this issue. Pansica and Palma set the tone right out of the gate with amazing line work. The characters are expressive, and the ability to shift back and forth between the scenes, capturing what makes each setting unique, was impressive. I genuinely felt the concert on Kitty’s face in this issue. On the other hand, they got to do some really cool versions of standard characters. Without any spoilers, that art really sets the tone.

Palma and Oren Junior also brought the heat with inking. There was a lot of opportunity for some shades and design in this issue that really allowed for inking to stand out. Brian Reber hit a home run with his color choices. They perfectly helped the tone of the story evolve, and Joe Sabino helped keep the story flowing through a few different settings as the team was split up.

Final Thoughts

Megan: 9/10. X-Men United #6 continues the streak of high quality and leaving me anxiously waiting for the next issue to drop. The creative team deserves all praise imaginable!

Shawn: 9/10. Another solid issue. Tiago Palma really flexes his creative muscle on this issue and continues to show why he’s a name so many people are talking about. The art feels fresh, and the arc sets up a story that I’m interested to see play out.

Overall Grade: 9/10

What did you think of this issue? Let us know in the comments