- Written by: Gail Simone
- Art by: David Marques, Edgar Salazar, Victor Olazaba
- Colors by: Matthew Wilson
- Letters by: VC’s Clayton Cowles
- Cover art by: David Marquez, Matthew Wilson
- Cover price: $4.99
- Release date: December 11, 2024
Uncanny X-Men #7, by Marvel Comics on 12/11/24, continues the Raid on Graymalkin crossover when we see how Rogue and her Amazing Mutants fare after they attack Graymalkin against Cyclops’s wishes.
Is Uncanny X-Men #7 Good?
First Impressions
After reading through writer Gail Simone’s contribution to the Raid on Graymalkin crossover, you get the impression this issue may not have been necessary if Marvel had simply published an oversized version of X-Men #8. Why? Uncanny X-Men #7 fills in some of the gaps from the story we already saw, and the bigger pieces of new information read as inconsistent with Jed MacKay’s start to the crossover. If Simone’s contribution comes off as an inconsistent supplement, there are better ways to approach this story.
Recap
When last we left Rogue and her cast of supporting mutants in Uncanny X-Men #6, the Outliers went to school to work on their education on socialization skills, giving the stormtroopers from Graymalkin a perfect opportunity to fly all the way from New York to Louisiana to kidnap Calico… for some reason. Meanwhile, Jubilee and Nightcrawler went to town to shop for groceries, giving the stormtroopers from Graymalkin a perfect opportunity to fly all the way from New York to Louisiana to kidnap Jubilee… for some reason.
Plot Synopsis
We begin with Rogue and Scott arguing on the phone about both teams’ desire to attack Graymalking to retrieve their friends. Scott is adamant that Rogue and her team stay behind to mitigate the chance of bloodshed(???), and Rogue is very comfortable telling Scott he’s not the boss of her. Click
Rogue and her Mutant Maties use Gambit’s Eye of Agamotto to transport them to the woods near Graymalkin’s front gates. What they don’t know is that minutes before, Calico was released from prison per the events of X-Men #8. Enraged by Beast’s mistreatment and forced to leave Jubilee behind, Calico summons her horse from Louisiana (???) and activates War Horse mode to charge back into Graymalkin like a freight train. Rogue takes the serendipitous hint and follows the path of destruction.
Inside, Jubilee escapes her power-dampener anklet with the help of a stolen commissary fork and sneaks through the prison to rescue Beast. Meanwhile, Rogue’s team and Scott’s team collide where X-Men #8 left off. Their bickering turns into a brawl when Warden Ellis orders Scurvy to use his telepathic ability to overwhelm all intruders with anger.
The issue concludes with Juggernaut’s running start, resulting in a big hole that reveals a high-security cell, Beast getting payback on his abusive guards, and Blob demonstrating an uncanny ability to recover from Rogue’s touch faster than anyone in recorded history.
What’s great about Uncanny X-Men #7?
If you’ve been waiting for the majority of mainline mutants to finally engage in an energetic battle instead of the drips and drabs we’ve gotten so far, this is it. Once the decision is made to attack Graymalkin, the energy and pace give readers plenty of action eye candy, a rarity in modern Marvel.
What’s not great about Uncanny X-Men #7?
Gail Simone’s script stumbles on two points – consistency and plausibility.
Regarding consistency, why do Scott and Rogue seem surprised to see each other at the end of the X-Men #8 and here? They both knew they planned to attack, so the “surprise” didn’t make any sense. Also, why is Warden Ellis cold and calculating in this issue but over the top, mustache-twirling in X-Men #8? Did Simone and MacKay not compare notes about the plot and characters?
With respect to plausibility, why did Warden Ellis go through the trouble of kidnapping two specific mutants living over a thousand miles away? Was it simply to draw Rogue into the fight? If so, to what end?
Why don’t Scott and Rogue work together if they have the same target and objective? The “avoid bloodshed” argument from Scott doesn’t hold water when he intends to use Juggernaut as a battering ram to tear through the prison from wall to wall.
How did Calico summon her horse when Rogue left Ember back in Louisiana? How did Scott’s team not know they were under psychic attack from Scurvy when Scott has one of the strongest telepaths on his team to defend against any attacks? How DID Blob recover from Rogue’s touch so quickly?
If you peel back the layers, Uncanny X-Men #7 almost reads like a transition issue that supplements X-Men #8. However, the overlap and new gaps introduced detract as much as add to the crossover. In general, plot holes and new gaps abound, which shows a decided lack of care and editorial oversight.
How’s the Art?
David Marques gets the job done with exciting visuals during the action scenes, but the moments where characters are talking are straight medium shots devoid of energy or drama, so the art is a mixed bag.
About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.
Follow @ComicalOpinions on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
Final Thoughts
Uncanny X-Men #7 is an uneven, mixed bag of an issue with strong action and a good pace, but the positives are overshadowed by an inconsistent overlap with X-Men #8, weird plot holes, and a general lack of satisfaction. Tom Brevoort’s first “event” since starting the From The Ashes era is off to a mediocre start.
6/10
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