Uncanny X-Men 14 Review – Heaven’s to Betsy!
I continue to be blown away about Uncanny X-Men with issue #14. I raved about the series last night in the podcast, and reading the latest issue today only confirmed it. Is stuff crazy? Yes, it is. Does a lot of it warrant a roll of the eyes that only an X-Men comic can trigger? Yes. But it’s still amazing, and the art is only a third of the reason why. Well, that doesn’t seem fair; the art is at least half the reason why. Some of these drawings of Psylocke I want blown up and framed.
But make no mistake; it’s the story and character development that is really driving this series forward. Yes, character development! Who knew I’d find deep character development with established characters? Magneto was always a twisted character, where the reader didn’t always know which side of the coin he was falling on. Even though he calls himself an X-Man now, he’s still that twisted of a character with even deeper secrets, and it’s not just about the Hellfire Club. Who know where his true allegiances align when it comes to protecting mutantkind. Well, when it comes to mutantkind and himself. Magneto will always protect himself.
But the character who has developed the most is Monet St. Croix. I have no idea what is going on with this girl, but she’s toeing a fine line in between being a student of Xavier and chaotic neutral. Her membership in the Hellfire Club Inner Circle surprised me, and her decision to go behind Psylocke’s back and kill a mutant in the name of information was downright shocking. Is she playing a double agent card? Is her brother affecting her?
How in the world did Sabretooth become the sane, loyal, and level-headed one?
If only he had more dialogue this issue. Psylocke refused to probe the sleeper mutant’s mind to the point of killing him to get the name of the puppetmaster pulling their strings. What she did get was word of an attack on a protest in Washington, DC, and she decides that’s enough. Learning the name of one villain is not worth the life of another to obtain. Magneto sees differently, and so does Monet. As Psylocke takes the X-Men and Hellfire Club to DC to stop a potential slaughter, Magneto heads off on his own to stop a former acolyte of his: Exodus.
Magneto’s battle against Exodus is a little anti-climatic. He overcomes him, of course, but the real climax occurs when he returns to the Hellfire Club and accepts Psylocke’s letter of resignation. Some of what she has to say she says for all to hear, but the best lines between Psylocke and Magneto are in their heads.
Psylocke, you can’t leave. One, I’ve always loved your character, and two, what about Archangel? Fortunately for me, I don’t think she’s going far because she graces next issue’s cover. This may not be what Psylocke signed up for, but she can’t let Magneto and Monet run amok. If it’s Sabretooth who convinces her to return, then I’ll know I’ve seen everything when it comes to the X-Men.
Author: Cullen Bunn
Artist: Greg Land
Publisher: Marvel
Publication Date: 10/5/2016
