With the Age of Revelation over, Gail Simone and David Marquez welcome us back to Louisiana, where Uncanny X-Men #22 marks the return of the title after three months of Unbreakable X-Men. And picking up on plot threads from the past year, Simone and Marquez reintroduce the mutant menace Mutina, whose encounter with the X-Men dominates today’s issue.
Pay at least $16 for these 10 items
The History of Mutina and Her Grudge Against the X-Men
Last seen in Uncanny X-Men #18, Mutina is an actress who starred in a slasher movie that featured a murderous mutant character. A mutant herself, Mutina doesn’t play nice with the X-Men in her previous encounter, going out of her way to torment Jitter, and revealing herself to be a self-loathing mutant who doesn’t care about those like her.
Nightcrawler’s Date and the Return of the “Bamf” Humor
Uncanny X-Men #22 has the character return, starting the issue out with Nightcrawler’s date with MacKenzie, a mother and a human who has become close with Nightcrawler. With Marquez’s attractive art, Simone balances comedy with innuendo in a very funny “bamfing” sequence that visually manages to be both absurd and suggestive. It’s a good start to the issue, and Nightcrawler returns home with MacKenzie to a birthday party thrown by the other X-Men.
Wolverine vs. Mutina: A PR Stunt Turns Violent
The warm feelings end there however, when Wolverine smells Mutina nearby. The actress claims that poor PR following a violent crime performed in relation to her movie has caused negative PR, and her media team have encouraged her to join the X-Men as a way of riding out the negative press storm. Sensing her falseness, Wolverine turns her down, and thus a fight begins.
There’s a lot to like about Uncanny X-Men #22. Nightcrawler, who takes over the fight for Logan, is given particular shine in this issue. And the visuals are as attractive and well-drawn as ever.
The Mutina Critique: Why the Newest X-Men Villain Isn’t Working
Unfortunately, the main weakness is quite glaring. And that is Mutina herself. As a character, Mutina doesn’t feel well constructed so much as she feels slapped together. There’s an incoherency to her character that makes her frustrating to read at the best of times, and off-putting at worst.
The character has been in three issues now and feels less tangible and vaguer with each subsequent appearance. The character’s background as an actor feels undefined, strange, and very far removed from the actual character we do see. Her deep knowledge of the Outliers and the Endling comes out of nowhere and feels too sudden to be intriguing; instead, it comes across as odd and confusing.
Perhaps the contradictions are deliberate, and with time, more will be revealed that will make this mystery satisfying. At present, however, it does not make for enjoyable reading, and Mutina is without a doubt the weakest aspect of the 22 issues of Uncanny X-Men that have been released so far.
Artistry in Romance, Drama, and Action
David Marquez illustrates this issue, with Matthew Wilson providing the colors, after five months off. The duo is a well-oiled machine, and when they work together, they put out the finest art of any current X-Men title. Marquez is one of those rare modern artists who is as comfortable with scenes depicting civilian life as he is with scenes depicting action. In an issue that doesn’t quite have the strongest plot beats, Marquez’s art shines.
Final Verdict: A Mixed Bag for the X-Men’s Return to Louisiana
Uncanny X-Men #22 isn’t quite the grand return readers might have hoped for, despite a strong visual presentation. While there’s some enjoyable humor early on, Mutina is a strange, distracting, and uncooked presence in this title, and the unfortunate focus on her brings down the art team’s collective efforts and Simone’s.
Read More from KPB Comics:
Uncanny X-Men #22
Uncanny X-Men #22 isn’t quite the grand return readers might have hoped for, despite a strong visual presentation. While there’s some enjoyable humor present early on, Mutina is a strange, distracting, and uncooked presence in this title, and the unfortunate focus on her brings down the art team’s collective efforts and Simone’s.
