- 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: April 9, 2025
Uncanny X-Men #13, by Marvel on 4/9/25, begins a new arc on three fronts when a mutate in the past makes a long journey, Gambit has a meeting with the dragon in the present, and the Outliers visit an underground cemetery.
Is Uncanny X-Men #13 Good?
Recap
When last we left the Rogue-led mutants in Louisiana in Uncanny X-Men #12, readers were treated to an all-Gambit issue wherein we learned about Gambit’s troubles with bullies in his youth. One day, an enforcer named Vig supported and encouraged Gambit to take matters into his own hands against the bullies, leading to a cascade of violence. The issue ended in the present when Gambit met with Vig to settle old debts.
Plot Synopsis
In Uncanny X-Men #13, begins three separate adventures in two time periods.
First, we catch up with a mutate named Henrietta (“Henry”) during the turn of the Nineteenth Century. Miss Henry takes a long trip from South Chicago to Haven, Louisiana, for an urgent quest involving the memory of her mother. As expected for the time, Miss Henry encounters several racial challenges on her journey.
In the present, Gambit wakes up when he receives a mental summons from Sadurang, the dragon Gambit encountered way back in Uncanny X-Men #1 and the original holder of the Left Eye of Agamotto. The dragon takes Gambit on a trip to the Savage Land for fun so the two can fight dinosaurs together. But the dragon has a more serious agenda – to warn Gambit that if he doesn’t return the Left Eye of Agamotto, it will cause him to become all-consuming and cannibalistic.
Elsewhere in the present, Death Dream wakes up the rest of the Outliers to answer a spiritual call. They take a small boat into the swamp and find a small outcropping with a very large obsidian ‘X’ that marks the entrance to an underground cemetery. The circle of graves and a hand-written journal presumably have something to do with Miss Henry’s journey over a century ago.
First Impressions
How is it possible that an issue with Gambit fighting alongside a dragon against a T-Rex in the Savage Land is… dull? I don’t know, but somehow, Gail Simone makes the impossible possible in Uncanny X-Men #13. Technically, the three plots introduced in this issue are fine, but that’s the best you could say about this issue.
How’s the Art?
The art is great. David Marquez appears to be back on the title full time, and his eye for framing, action, and character designs are some of the best work I’ve seen on any X-Title. Plus, hats off to Matthew Wilson for the use of color saturation to separate the past and present in subtle but intuitive ways.
What’s great about Uncanny X-Men #13?
Uncanny X-Men #13 is, for all intents, a setup issue that relies heavily on mystery. Gail Simone cobbles together enough unique ideas to create multiple mysteries unlike anything we’ve seen before, so if you’re looking for something new and different, this issue succeeds.
What’s not great about Uncanny X-Men #13?
It always comes back to the basics. Mystery isn’t enough if there isn’t a strong enough hook to tell the reader why that mystery is important and needs to be solved. In one thread where the hook is clear, Gambit’s hard choice, it turns out to be the one thread that’s a side quest.
Who is Miss Henry, why is she traveling to Haven, and what does her trip have to do with her mother? Why are the Outliers being called to an underground cemetery, and why does that calling matter? In other words, you get the who, but not the what, why, or how. At best, you get a few mildly interesting, open questions but not enough punch to care.
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 #13 is a mildly interesting start to a new arc with multiple mysteries. Gail Simone’s three-way setup has several interesting ideas that might be worth exploring, but the lack of purpose, stakes, or dramatic impact will leave you cold. If nothing else, David Marquez’s art makes a bland story look good.
5.5/10
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