Here there be dragons, Man-Things and rock golems in Uncanny X-Men #14

The Louisiana X-Men thought Haven House was a safe place, a place to call home. But is it more than that? What is the history of the hidden landscape under the Louisiana swampland, and what does it want with the young Outliers? Long-held secrets revealed, and a part of X-history never before shown threatens to break both teams apart. Uncanny X-Men #14 is written by Gail Simone, drawn by David Marquez, colored by Matt Wilson and lettered by Clayton Cowles.

Adam Reck: When we left off, David Marquez returned on art duties as Gail Simone started a new “Dark Artery” arc. We saw a renewed focus on the Outliers, Gambit and a dragon fighting dinosaurs, and a bold new character: Henrietta, a Black mutant traveling through Jim Crow-era America. I recall enjoying it while worrying about the ways it could go terribly wrong. 

Austin Gorton: It feels like even when this book is at its best, it comes with a reflexive flinch as we worry when the other eye-rolling nickname or bizarre mischaracterization shoe is going to drop. But a few notes aside, this is really more of the same from the previous issue. Which isn’t a bad thing!

Dragons and period jokes

Adam: Let’s start with the goofiest part of the issue. Gambit is still in the Savage Land in his underwear with Sadurang the dragon. The dragon would really like the extra Eye of Agamotto back and has been telling Remy that by keeping the Eye, he’ll develop a taste for human flesh. I’m not sure I’m buying it, and Remy isn’t sure, either. 

Austin: This is classic “the devil you know vs. the devil you don’t” material. Like, there’s no way Gambit is going to give up the Eye now for something that might happen in the future. He knows he’s a superhero, he knows he’ll beat it (if it’s true), so why worry? And I’m sure there’ll be SOME consequence to him hanging onto the Eye, just as I’m sure the X-Men will, eventually, overcome it, because stories. And that’s fine. 

I am curious to see why we’re dealing with this Sadurang stuff now, in parallel to the Dark Artery stuff. Hopefully Simone is setting up some kind of thematic parallel between that and the Henrietta stuff. 

Adam: I mean, there’s the superficial part of Gambit treating Sadurang with respect because people are creeped out by eyes? But nothing much deeper than that. Speaking of shallow,  Rogue shows up to punch Sadurang and Gail has Gambit make an honest-to-god PMS joke, which feels about as lazy as writing “Don’t Talk to Me Before I’ve Had My Coffee” on a mug. There’s a sophisticated conversation to be had about superheroes, bodies and menstrual cycles, but having Gambit say he needs to “talk extra quiet” and “tread careful” for a full week each month sure ain’t it. 

Austin: If we want to be charitable, I can see the intent here. In its way, this is just another example of the “domesticity through the lens of superhero action” approach Simone has taken with Rogue and Gambit as a married couple, in which she marries traditional husband/wife beats with superhero tropes. “Haha, you know how you have to tiptoe around your wife once a month? Now imagine she had super-strength!” For the most part, this has worked (random-ass nicknames aside, I’ve enjoyed her depiction of Rogue and Gambit’s relationship and appreciate the lack of typical relationship-drama BS in it). But this particular bit doesn’t. It’s entirely too schticky, less “remixing tropes” and more “bad stand-up.”

Adam: Exactly! It’s very “Take my wife … please!” I will say, for as dumb as the period humor was, this scene did end with a little character moment that really got to me. I’ve been bemoaning Jubilee’s general lack of page time in Uncanny, and I’ve been especially confused by her lack of concern about her son, Shogo (who is currently a dragon in Otherworld). So seeing her brought to tears by the appearance of Sadurang because he reminds her of Shogo, and then to hear Sadurang tell her to visit him because he misses her? Yow, that hit me right in the heartstrings. 

Austin: Look, we’re not asking for much. We’re realistic. We know no commercially driven storytelling engine is going to build itself around the adventures of Jubilee and her awesome dragon baby Shogo — at least not in the pages of a flagship title. We know Jubilee is, thanks to multimedia stuff like X-Men ’97, a highly visible character to a wider audience and inasmuch as Marvel is ever chasing the elusive “new reader” dollars (which lately doesn’t seem to be much at all, but I digress), telling stories with her in that flagship book where she’s a single mom to a dragon toddler probably isn’t feasible. 

All we ask is for some periodic acknowledgement of the sweep of these characters’ histories, a nod to those who know that helps shore up the idea that these stories aren’t happening in a vacuum but instead as part of a sprawling narrative that stretches back decades and encompasses the contributions of hundreds of creators. This moment with Jubilee and Sadurang is one example of such an acknowledgment, and it’s greatly appreciated. 

And hopefully now Jubilee will go and visit her boy. 

Adam: We can only hope. I have no idea what creators from the current line would do with the Tini Howard constructions of Otherworld, but I’d rather them not be forgotten either. 

End of the Line

Austin: In flashbacks, we get more of Henrietta’s journey to Haven House and her conflict with the proto-O.N.E./Sentinels/anti-mutant bigots, and it continues to walk the fine line between “enjoyable” and “about to tumble into some problematic territory.” 

Adam: As we noted last week, Henrietta’s journey is simultaneously the most exciting and new aspect of this story and the one that’s the easiest to mess up. I applaud Gail for taking the risk, and I do think this second installment is still fairly well done. I like the nod to the Sentinels, the continued use of the secret written language and the mutant-phobic terminology. 

Austin: We’re at the point with the M hand sign that I’m almost more mad that it took this long to enter mutant lore than I am that it’s being presented as this thing that has always existed when it never actually showed up anywhere prior to 2024. The way it’s hidden in the hat of George, Henrietta’s driver/guide (and the way Marquez frames it so it’s both hidden but obvious to us) as a sign she can trust him is a great bit.

Adam: Agreed. What I’m a little on the fence about is the reveal of Henrietta’s powers. Henrietta reveals herself to the “Service” men on her tail after George is shot dead. She appears to be able to turn to stone, fly (hover?), and summon giant Rockslide-esque golems from the earth to attack her foes, one of whom is killed, while the fate of Mr. Miller remains unknown. 

Austin: I appreciate that Henrietta’s call to action is prompted by the senseless and cruel death of, essentially, a random person, rather than an attack on her person or someone she cares about. 

Adam: Marquez does a great job illustrating the reveal, and I’m glad Henrietta’s look in this scene isn’t the “Southern belle goth” we see later, but I was hoping for something more interesting in Henrietta’s power set than “rock lady.” 

Austin: I’m curious to see this power expounded on, hopefully, in future issues. Because the best powers are the ones that have some kind of thematic hook to them, and at the moment, I’m not sure how “rock lady” connects with what we’ve seen of Henrietta thus far. That’s fine for now — it’s basically the issue-ending hook for this plotline — but hopefully we’ll get a reveal of some nuance in the future. 

Fear Factor

Adam: Guest star Man-Thing gives the Outliers a chance to reintroduce themselves and explain why they should be allowed passage into a secret door. Marquez’s art is fantastic throughout this issue (I appreciate the ongoing decision for the X-Men to be in various states of undress), and the page featuring the Nexus of All Realities and portraits of all four Outliers surrounded by twisting vines is a real highlight. This sequence also provides a major reveal about Calico’s horse, Ember. Austin, would you like to do the honors? 

Austin: It dead. 

And also, the name “Ember” is perhaps too on the nose (it died in a fire).

This makes at least two female teenage mutants in the X-Men’s orbit with a dead horse in their backstory (along with Firestar, whose horse was murdered by Emma Frost as part of a plot to push Firestar into the arms of the Hellfire Club #NeverForget #JusticeForButterRum), which isn’t A LOT, but is still more than you’d expect. 

I would need to go back to double check for sure, but I think this explains most of the weird inconsistencies with the presentation of Ember, and Calico’s powers more broadly. Basically, if Ember is a manifestation of Calico, then I guess it can do what it wants and have whatever powers it needs.  

Adam: And of course, the person hiding behind the secret door in these catacombs is none other than (the immortal?) Lady Henrietta, sporting a look halfway between passing human and spiky mutant villain. I would think someone stuck in the role of eternal guardian of a tomb might choose more sensible footwear, but what do I know?

Austin: What do the kids say? If you’re gonna slay, you gotta look slay (the kids do not say this, no one has ever said this, I’m sorry)?

Adam: My ongoing fear is that Henrietta will be yet another Black villain or antagonist in a book that really doesn’t need one. I am hoping she’s more ally than enemy, but seeing as how she wants one of the Outliers to take her place (perhaps the “Endling”?) I have to imagine this will result in comic book fisticuffs instead of a nuanced tale about a mourning and potentially undead woman trapped in a cave. 

Austin: Again, we’re walking the fine line between “good storytelling” and “trainwreck.” So far, we’re still on the right side of that line. Let’s hope it lasts. 

X-traneous Thoughts 

• Who is the Endling? Sadurang won’t say, except the individual “has female energy.” 
• So what exactly is Ember? Is Calico’s horse actually a living manifestation of her powers or not? 
• Rogue’s dragon-fighting look is basically her post-“Mutant Massacre” look — dark green bodysuit, off-the-shoulder light green tunic, gloves and boots. It’s a good look for her. 
• Will Gambit eat his colleagues? Only time will tell if everyone’s favorite t’ief develops a taste for flesh. 
• Compliments to the coloring work of Matt Wilson here. The palettes and textures he’s using distinguish each of the storylines from one another: sepia-tinged for the past, washed out pastel blues for the X-Men, and bold, torch-lit reds and greens for the Outliers.

Read Uncanny X-Men #14 here. (Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, ComicsXF may earn from qualifying purchases.)

Adam Reck

Adam Reck is the cartoonist behind Bish & Jubez as well as the co-host of Battle Of The Atom. Follow him @adamreck.bsky.social.

Austin Gorton

Austin Gorton also reviews older issues of X-Men at the Real Gentlemen of Leisure website, co-hosts the A Very Special episode podcast, and likes Star Wars. He lives outside Minneapolis, where sometimes, it is not cold. Follow him @austingorton.bsky.social.