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Uncanny X-Men #15 Review

  • Written by: Gail Simone
  • Art by: David Marquez
  • Colors by: Matthew Wilson
  • Letters by: VC’s Clayton Cowles
  • Cover art by: David Marquez, Matthew Wilson (cover A)
  • Cover price: $4.99
  • Release date: May 28, 2025

Uncanny X-Men #15, by Marvel on 5/28/25, sends the Outliers to the Underworld when called by an ancient entity.

Is Uncanny X-Men #15 Good?

Recap

When we last left the Outliers in Uncanny X-Men #14, each new mutant was forced to take a right-of-passage test administered by Man-Thing in the underground tomb called the Artery in the swamps near Haven House. The test involved keeping their fear in check, declaring their identity, and explaining their powers. All Outliers eventually passed, which allowed them entrance to the inner tomb where a stony Lady Henrietta awaits.

Plot Synopsis

In Uncanny X-Men #15, we learn the true purpose of the Artery as a cemetery for mutates whose remains can rest undisturbed by hateful humans. Beneath the Artery lies a city of the dead called the Penumbra. A dark entity from the stars named Shuvahrak rules over the Penumbra as a type of Purgatory reserved for humans who killed their mutate loved ones. Now, Shuvahrak calls the Outliers so that one of them may take her place.

Deathdream readily accepts the call to enter the gateway between the Artery and the Penumbra, but his Outlier teammates refuse to let him go alone. They cross the portal, which changes them into spiffy black-leather outfits for some reason, and head into town. The citizens attack the Outliers without restraint from Shuvhrak, for some reason. When it appears the team may get overwhelmed, Man-thing joins the fight.

The issue ends with a flashback to Miss Henrietta choosing to let Agent Miller live after their fight in the past and the X-Men joining the fight in the Penumbra in the present.

First Impressions

Uncanny X-Men #15 is cool, mostly for the sake of being cool, but not cool enough to hide the structural flaws. Gail Simone’s take on creating a generational mutant legacy has a lot of strong points, but I wish it were executed better.

How’s the Art?

David Marquez is doing a great job with the series, so I hope it stays on it for a good, long while. Marquez’s character designs are distinctive and impressively detailed. The action is well done, and Matthew Wilson’s coloring is impressive, especially when you consider how many black tones there are in this issue (black leather in a black cave with black shadows).

What’s great about Uncanny X-Men #15?

In fairly short order, Gail Simone builds out an entirely unseen corner of the X-Men universe that’s ripe for exploration. Miss Henrietta’s exploits in the past are intriguing all on their own, but the intervening years bristle with potential. Plus, I’d like to know more about the origin of Shuvahrak.

What’s not great about Uncanny X-Men #15?

The cool, intriguing bits are strong but not strong enough to cover the lack of clarity and setup. Who or what is Shuvahrak, why did it come to the Earth from the stars, and why was it tasked with lording over a type of Purgatory? Why did Shuvahrak call the Outliers to have one of them replace it? Is it leaving? Dying? Why the Outliers when there are scores of mutants all over the world? Deathdream explains his rationale poorly, so why would anyone choose to accept the assignment of lording over Purgatory? How and why does Gambit know about the Artery, and how did the team arrive at the fight so quickly?

The questions go on and on, which is the chronic problem we’ve had with Gail Simone’s lazy writing since issue #1. Things happen to move the story forward, but the happenings oftentimes feel random and poorly set up.

About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.

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Final Thoughts

Uncanny X-Men #15 sets up an interesting idea when the Outliers visit Purgatory to heed the call of an ancient entity. Gail Simone’s script is packed with potential, but the shoddy setup sticks out like a sore thumb. Fortunately, David Marquez’s artwork makes the journey worth taking.

6/10

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