The Infernal Hulk #7 - Marvel Comics

THE INFERNAL HULK No. 7, July 2026

Whilst it’s never ever really explained just how the Infernal Hulk suddenly “exerts [a] mysterious control over all mutantkind” and begins “drawing them to his growing army in the horrific Living City”, it’s probably a safe bet that many a fan of this ongoing series will give Phillip Kennedy Johnson a pass due to the unconvincing notion setting up a scintillating scrap between the titular character and the X-Men. True, the confrontation only features those super-heroes located at the Factory Merle in Alaska – so doesn’t include such notable team members such as Wolverine, Rogue, Emma Frost and Ice Man. But this comic does still show Cyclops, Magneto and Magik doing their best against Eldest’s host body.

Furthermore, having horribly killed Marrow when the firstborn of Vinruviel kidnapped the Morlock Leech, the tense atmosphere inside the Sentinel manufacturing plant is arguably pretty palpable during the fight, with a few of the lesser known mutants certainly seeming to be close to a grim, grisly death whenever the Hulk turns his attention upon them. Indeed, at one point even Illyana Rasputina genuinely appears to be upon the cusp of being cut in two by the ‘daughter of horrors’ when the sorceress' Soulsword is taken from her; “This blade is bound… to your life force. Yes? What would happen, then… If I took your head with it?”

Perhaps far less impressive though is how the American author depicts the rest of the leading members of the Marvel Universe, who seem to be huddled up within the safety of the Baxter Building. Only Iron Man has actively challenged the might of the Hulk face-to-face so far, yet the way Reed Richards talks to such untried power-houses like Carol Danvers, Spider-Man, the Scarlet Witch and the Vision, any resistance against Eldest is disappointingly already doomed before it’s even begun.

Likewise, Adam Gorham’s artwork debatably doesn’t do the pulse-pounding punch-up much good either, with poor Sarah’s aforementioned death appearing to be overly gratuitous for no obvious reason. In fact, if it wasn’t for a hastily-sketch Pyro calling her by name some readers might even struggle to recognise that the figure sketched in the comic is actually Marrow, and not some other poor unknown Morlock. Furthermore the illustrator tries to cram in so much action into such thin panels, that there’s little room to really see who is doing what to each other when the action heats up – e.g. Magik actually stabling Hulk through the heart area with her hand-weapon.

The regular cover art of "INFERNAL HULK" #7 by Nic Klein

Uncanny X-Men #8 - Marvel Comics

UNCANNY X-MEN No. 8, March 2025

Outrageously announcing this particular twenty-page periodical as being “an all-out action issue” of “Uncanny X-Men” in its solicitation synopsis, Gail Simone’s actual narrative for “Finale” must have resultantly fallen very flat with its readers due to the comic essentially consisting of numerous word-heavy, conversational pieces and nose-to-nose discussions. Indeed, apart from Doctor Corina Ellis shamefully slapping her minion Scurvy squarely across the chops during the book’s opening, a proper physical blow in anger isn’t thrown amongst any of this publication’s numerous combatants until Professor Xavier’s mental image finally wallops Phillip’s psychological projection straight up into the stratosphere towards the end.

Up until this point, the vast majority of the sedentary storytelling is heavily reliant upon the considerable cast of characters disagreeably bickering with one another, and then supposedly ridding themselves of some malignant influence which has caused them all to be irrationally ireful. Just how the mutants manage to do this isn’t really explained, except through Rogue’s insinuation that the founder of the X-Men is somehow keeping ‘skinny boy’ too distracted to keep up this emotional assault upon her fellow team-mates.

Perhaps even more infuriating though, has to be this four-part storyline’s ending, which rather than show the likes of Cyclops, Jubilee, Wolverine and Gambit absolutely batter the over-confident military might of Graymalkin Prison, simply has the super-heroes impotently walk out of the correctional facility and leave their fellow incarcerated mutants behind. Such a conclusion is arguably far from satisfactory, and genuinely raises some important questions as to just how formidable these two teams supposedly top-tier rosters are when both completely fail to achieve so important a goal; “To Hell with your promises! You’re leaving him to rot. And worse!”

Possibly just as confused by so much talk and so little dynamism is Javier Garron, who undoubtedly does his best to provide this comic’s layouts with some semblance of pace. However, even the most proficient of pencillers can only repeatedly sketch Magik, Juggernaut, Nightcrawler and the Outliers inexplicably floating about in thin air for so long, before eventually resorting to a carousel of largely lack-lustre side-on shots of the two squads just waxing lyrical to one another about how they’d each do things entirely differently.

The regular cover art to "UNCANNY X-MEN" #8 by David Marquez & Matthew Wilson

Uncanny X-Men #7 - Marvel Comics

UNCANNY X-MEN No. 7, February 2025

Despite the first instalment to this comic’s “Raid On Graymalkin” storyline actually featuring in another “Marvel Worldwide” title entirely, Issue Seven of “Uncanny X-Men” still packs a surprising amount of punch. Admittedly, much of the twenty-page periodical’s opening third is understandably focused upon bringing anyone omitting to purchase Jed Mackay’s book bang up to speed with the mini-event’s overall plot. But the tense atmosphere between Rogue and Cyclops is so palpably penned by Gail Simone, that there is still plenty of entertainment to be found from the two former team-mates arguing over the phone.

Of course, the biggest hook to this publication occurs once Anna Marie LeBeau and Scott Summers have decided to attack Professor Xavier’s former home independently of one another, and some of the two squads' biggest hitters plough into the prison with an unbridled passion. These subsequent action sequences are absolutely chock full of pulse-pounding pugilism, such as when Rogue takes out the Blob within an instant of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutant-turned-Trustee making a startling appearance, or a brutally battered Beast finding the physical strength to renew the fight with his overconfident jailers, and should resultantly take any long-term fans back to the glory days of Chris Claremont, when his co-creations took few prisoners and arguably asked even fewer questions.

Another intriguing aspect to the American author’s script though is undoubtedly the short-lived tussle between Rogue and Cyclop’s ‘opposing’ squads. Misunderstandings between some of the New York City-based publisher’s top tier super-teams and the X-Men were always occurring during the Bronze Age of Comics. Yet it’s rare (and thoroughly enthralling) to see the veteran comrades-in-arms slugging it out amongst themselves, even if the kerfuffle is sadly rather short-lived; “This ain’t done, Scott. We both know it. You laid hands on mine.”

Disappointingly, what does probably let this comic down is the decision to intermittently utilise the artistic skills of both David Marquez and Edgar Salazar in the same book, as the two proficient pencillers arguably have disconcertingly different drawing styles. These differences debatably jar the reader from out of the adventure whenever a swap occurs, with Fred Dukes’ tubby alter-ego most notably suffering one of the more overt changes in appearance.

The regular cover art to "UNCANNY X-MEN" #7 by David Marquez & Matthew Wilson

Uncanny X-Men #2 - Marvel Comics

UNCANNY X-MEN No. 2, November 2024

To be honest, many an X-fan was probably a bit despondent having read the opening half to this twenty-page periodical. Sure, Gail Simone paints a wonderfully touching picture of how a young Charles Francis Xavier found his first love whilst at University. But alongside this heart-warming flashback the titular characters’ are disconcertingly mullered by a group of young mutant children who simply walk up to them during the dead of night and deck Wolverine with just a single punch.

To make matters even muddier though, this initially one-sided fracas in the swamps of Louisiana is due to the super-abled adolescents claiming they want help from Rogue’s freshly-formed squad, and then almost unforgivably give in to their unfounded fears that the heroes are actually going to harm them; “You see it, Ember? They’re mean. Like mother said. Goblins.” Such an irrational assault upon the X-Men debatably makes the Outliers particularly dislikeable, adding to the audience’s sense of woe when even the likes of Gambit are bested by a boot to the face by the somewhat scatty-brained Jitter.

Happily however, the stunning situation is eventually taken well in hand by James Howlett’s team-mates, and the newcomers are shown how to chew on a knuckle-sandwich or two. This ‘victory’ is arguably made all the sweeter by the arrival of Jubilee, and the potential promise of both Cyclops and Nightcrawler joining the comic to form a truly classic line-up. Yet, the ill-will lurking within the minds of some bibliophiles may well make the notion of the still fractured protagonists taking their “uncontrollable and wild” attackers under their protection sting quite a bit – especially when the majority of the unruly quartet come with a disagreeable attitude too.

Pencilling all this pugilism with great aplomb is David Marquez, who imbues Ransom and Deathdream with all the haughtiness expected from a pair of teenagers who apparently feel they can take on anybody; even after just being beaten by them. Of particular note though has to be the American illustrator’s marvellous pencilling of Xavier’s aforementioned romance, and the soft-looking visuals he creates for these tender scenes with the help of Matthew Wilson’s subtle colorwork.

The regular cover art to "UNCANNY X-MEN" #2 by David Marquez & Matthew Wilson

Original X-Men #1 - Marvel Comics

ORIGINAL X-MEN No. 1, February 2024

Described by its New York City-based publisher as a celebration of “the X-Men’s Sixtieth anniversary with an original X-Men adventure by Christos Gage and Greg Land”, this one-shot certainly appears to contain plenty of action-packed elements to keep the majority of its readers entertained. Indeed, apart from some seriously contrived alternative universe hopping, which allows Professor Xavier’s earliest team of teen mutants to know everything that is going to happen to them in their future, the thirty-page periodical’s plot is loaded with great nostalgia, laugh out loud humour, enthralling drama, and even something of a surprise ending.

Foremost of these sense-shattering successes is surely the way the adolescent Angel and Iceman manage to convince their older counterparts that the poor choices they’ve made to help enslave Earth-696, have badly undermined the moral legacy of their long-dead mentor. So difficult an argument could so easily have caused this comic’s creators to become bogged down in multiple panels of dialogue-heavy discourse. However, the American author quite brilliantly circumnavigates any need for that by simply having proficient penciller Greg Land sketch Warren Kenneth Worthington III seeing the way his junior self is staring at him; “And all it takes is one look to see how much of a hypocrite sellout you are.”

Similarly as well worded are the reasons needed to persuade the likes of the grey-furred Beast and infatuated Cyclops of their evil-doings in the name of ‘saving the planet’. Gage neatly emphasises the fact that this villainous take on the X-Men are still good people at heart, and that they all secretly suspect their version of Phoenix is mentally manipulating them so as to shield them from any doubts their criminal actions are causing. This means each of the team members only requires a little ‘push’ back in the right direction to cause them to repent their villainous stance and team-up to tackle "one of the most powerful beings in the Marvel Universe."

Sadly, this book is therefore only arguably let down by its aftermath, which acts very much as a blatant advertisement for the upcoming mini-series “Weapon X-Men” – featuring ‘a multiverse of Logans banding together.’ Considering that this particular publication is supposedly a celebration of the mutant franchise’s aforementioned milestone, this unashamed incentive for bibliophiles to continue the storyline in a different title smacks of insincerity, and may well leave a bad taste in the odd fan’s mouth.

The regular cover art to "ORIGINAL X-MEN" #1 by Ryan Stegman, J.P. Mayer & Brad Anderson

Ms. Marvel & Wolverine #1 - Marvel Comics

MS. MARVEL & WOLVERINE No. 1, October 2022

Rather enthusiastically proclaimed by its New York-based publisher as containing a team-up with “one of the Marvel Universe’s most lauded heroes in an oversized action-packed adventure”, this opening instalment of a three-issue saga certainly showcases both the body-morphing abilities and endearing characteristics which helped win Sana Amanat’s co-creation “the Hugo Award for best graphic story in 2015.” In fact, Kamala Khan’s innocent uncertainty as to just what is going on throughout the assault upon Central Park’s “crazy futuristic treehouse” rather nicely matches that of the audience, and thus arguably helps them share a common bond together as the storytelling progresses.

Of course, perhaps this comic’s biggest selling-point is the inclusion of Wolverine, as well as the rest of the highly popular X-Men, and Jody Houser’s writing definitely doesn’t disappoint in providing the mutant super-group with plenty of scintillating spotlight. Ever grumpy and willing to take a bloody hit just to get a deadly strike of his claws home, Logan clearly takes the centre-stage whenever the Canadian is featured in a pulse-pounding panel. Yet rather pleasingly, that doesn’t mean for a moment that mainstay team members Rogue, Marvel Girl, Cyclops, Storm and even the likes of Hisako Ichiki, aren’t also given plenty of robotic bug-busting action to get their teeth into whenever the opportunity allows.

Furthermore, the Eisner Award-nominee doesn’t simply settle for having the planet’s protectors effortlessly whip their miniscule opponents within moments, courtesy of Scott Summer’s devastatingly sweeping visor-blasts or Ms. Marvel’s all-encompassing “embiggened hands.” Instead, preferring for the protagonists to overcome their foes’ sheer weight of numbers with a well-thought out, coordinated plan involving Wolverine and Ororo Munroe; “I suppose it was too much to hope that my visit to Earth wouldn’t coincide with some sort of attack..?”

Equally as enthralling as the mysterious motivation behind the tiny, murderous machine’s Machiavellian mission are the excellent layouts of Ze Carlos and colorist, Erick Arciniega, who together provide this thirty-page periodical with plenty of attention-grabbing eye-candy. Indeed, the art team’s portrayal of its colourfully costumed female titular character is worth the comic’s cover price alone, especially once she starts using her great size to swat, stomp and splat as many of the metallic bugs as possible.

The regular cover art to "MS. MARVEL & WOLVERINE" #1 by Sara Pichelli & Federico Blee