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: October 16, 2024
Uncanny X-Men #4, by Marvel Comics on 10/16/24, pits Rogue against the Hag, Sarah Gaunt, to stop her from capturing the new recruits in the name of some twisted agenda.
Is Uncanny X-Men #4 Good?
The longer this series runs, the odder it becomes. Writer Gail Simone uses Uncanny X-Men #4 as an action showcase to show just how formidable the Hag can be, but weird little oddities keep popping up that read as if details were missed, and obvious courses of action are ignored. By the end, the best I could say is that I’m uncertain about the course of this title.
When last we left Rogue and her new group of young mutants in Uncanny X-Men #3, she puts the “recruits” through their paces in a makeshift Danger Room built by Wolverine as a parting gift before he left to tame his wild side in the woods surrounding New Orleans. The fight gave readers some insights into the mutants. The issue ended with Wolverine encountering the Hag in the woods.
In Uncanny X-Men #4, we begin with a prologue to a young Charles Xavier and the girl he’s recently fallen for, Sarah Gaunt, as they discuss their relationship and future. Sarah announces she’s pregnant, but she’s none too pleased with Charles’s response.
Now, Rogue and Nightcrawler BAMF/fly to the location where Rogue “sensed” Logan was dying from his fight with the Hag. Nightcrawler is surprised to see that Rogue is indeed correct when they find Logan beaten and shredded for a rough fight. Rogue orders Nightcrawler to take Logan back to the estate so she can face the Hag head-on.
Immediately, you’re smacked in the face with confusing questions. Why is Logan dying from a physical attack? His healing factor has overcome much worse with ease. Why did Rogue need Nightcrawler to BAMF/fly her to Logan’s location? He’s still in the general area, and Rogue can fly at least as fast as Captain Marvel. How does Rogue have a psychic link to Logan? Questions are a good thing if they fill in pieces of a mystery, but not so much if they keep you rooted in the past events of a story because they’re confusing.
Rogue calls out to “Sarah” (???) to face her. Sarah obliges with a full-force attack. The Hag hits harder than Colossus, and she takes Rogue’s best punches with ease. The fight lasts for several pages. During the fight, Sarah/The Hag explains she was living in New Orleans when she and her son were killed during the onset of Hurricane Katrina. Also, her power comes from the nature surrounding them (the trees, the dirt, etc.)
Again, more confusing questions. Is Sarah a mutant? How did drowning during a hurricane activate her powers as an adult? If she’s not a mutant, is she magic-based? If she draws her power from the surrounding nature, why doesn’t Rogue grab her and fly her into the atmosphere to weaken her? Why did the Hag feel the need to explain her origin story to her opponent in the middle of a fight? Most surprisingly, how did Rogue know the Hag’s name is “Sarah?”
The issue concludes with Warden Ellis warning the X-Men that an army (not hers) is coming and the mutants making a stand when the army shows up at their front door.
What’s great about Uncanny X-Men #4?
If you feel it’s been too long since you saw Rogue get her fisticuffs on, you’re in for a treat. The fight is big, loud, fast, and brutal. Plus, you get a few tidbits to clarify the Hag’s story.
What’s not great about Uncanny X-Men #4?
There are too many questions that create confusion and frustration. Again, questions are good when you have a clear mystery, and the little nuggets fill in the gaps like pieces of a puzzle, but a pile of questions born of a story that doesn’t make sense is no bueno. Some readers of their review may say, “Let the story unfold the way Gail Simone intended.” To which I say, “Nobody spends $4.99 to read a comic that feels incomplete and frustrating.”
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 #4 gives readers plenty of edge-of-your-seat action when Rogue takes on the Hag. That said, Gail Simone continues to drop in plot points without setup or explanation, so many of the nuggets we receive about the Hag and Rogue’s mysterious, new psychic powers come off as out-of-the-blue, confusing, and frustrating.
6/10
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