Stephanie Burt - COMICSXF https://comicsxf.com The comics criticism you crave Wed, 15 Apr 2026 11:41:07 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://i0.wp.com/comicsxf.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/cropped-orange-favicon-2.jpg?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 Stephanie Burt - COMICSXF https://comicsxf.com 32 32 107498702 X-Men United #2 drops a Truth bomb on the school https://comicsxf.com/2026/04/15/x-men-united-2-drops-a-truth-bomb-on-the-school/ Wed, 15 Apr 2026 16:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=56552 What’s Captain America doing in the teacher’s lounge, other than trying to sell a few more comics? Find out in X-Men United #2.

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]]> 56552 ANOTHER VIEW: X-Men United #1 is a good canon reset https://comicsxf.com/2026/03/14/another-view-x-men-united-1-is-a-good-canon-reset/ Sat, 14 Mar 2026 20:29:26 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=56279 Dr. Stephanie Burt provides her own analysis of X-Men United #1 after our initial review, one far kinder to the book and its concept.

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]]> 56279 The Exceptional kids play pirate, Cloak and Dagger surprise and more Age of Revelation https://comicsxf.com/2025/11/02/age-of-revelation-expatriate-undeadpool-cloakordagger-xvengers/ Sun, 02 Nov 2025 10:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=54677 It’s time to wrap up the first month of the future! Rather than tackle each “Age of Revelation” book in a traditional “ToX” format, your intrepid CXF review crew will offer up their individual thoughts in brief for each of this week’s offerings: Expatriate X-Men #1 is written by Eve Ewing, drawn by Francesco Mortarino,...

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]]> 54677 This week’s Age of Revelation books check in on the villains and key mutants like … Spider-Man https://comicsxf.com/2025/10/26/age-of-revelation-book-spiderman-omegakids-lastwolverine/ Sun, 26 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=54603 The Age of Revelation continues to grow with another four new stories! Rather than tackle each book in a traditional “ToX” format, your intrepid CXF review crew will offer up their individual thoughts in brief for each of this week’s offerings: X-Men: Book of Revelation #1 by Jed MacKay, Netho Diaz, Sean Parsons, Fer Sifuentes-Sujo...

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]]> 54603 The Age of Revelation expands with 4 new books, 2 Rogues and 1 sad Gambit https://comicsxf.com/2025/10/19/age-of-revelation-unbreakable-roguestorm-sinister-frost/ Sun, 19 Oct 2025 12:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=54543 The Age of Revelation will continue until morale improves (or January, whichever comes first), so we’ve got another week of fresh new “replacement” books and tie-ins alike! Rather than tackle each book in a traditional “ToX” format, your intrepid CXF review crew will offer up their individual thoughts in brief for each of this week’s...

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]]> 54543 Kitty makes peace with her present, just in time for the future, in Exceptional X-Men #13 https://comicsxf.com/2025/09/10/exceptional-xmen-13/ Wed, 10 Sep 2025 16:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=54051 Kitty Pryde’s stuck in her past, and a Sentinel’s chasing her through the suburb she once called home. Can her teenage students from Chicagoland save her present-day self, or her past self, or both, before all of X-reality gets erased? You already know the answer in Exceptional X-Men #13, written by Eve Ewing, drawn by...

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]]> 54051 The kids go on their first time travel mission in Exceptional X-Men #12 https://comicsxf.com/2025/08/20/exceptional-xmen-12-2/ Wed, 20 Aug 2025 15:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=53871 Exceptional X-teacher and self-described baby mutant rescue lady Kitty Pryde has disappeared! Looks like she got sucked into a time-and-space wormhole. Can her intrepid students go back in time to get her back? Find out (maybe) in Exceptional X-Men #12, written by Eve Ewing, drawn by Federica Mancin, colored by Nolan Woodard and lettered by...

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]]> 53871 SHARK WATCH: These are the 10 best shark characters in comics https://comicsxf.com/2025/07/22/best-shark-characters-in-comics/ Tue, 22 Jul 2025 16:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=53463 Happy Shark Watch to those who celebrate! Not only is it that time of year when a certain television channel/streaming service shows a lot of footage of nervous scuba divers, but it’s also the 50th anniversary of Jaws, so — dun dun, dun dun — go get that bigger boat you needed because the ComicsXF...

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]]> 53463 School’s never out for Kitty Pryde in Exceptional X-Men #11 and Giant-Size House of M #1 https://comicsxf.com/2025/07/16/exceptional-xmen-11-giant-size-house-of-m-1/ Wed, 16 Jul 2025 19:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=53396 Can Kitty Pryde and Emma Frost’s teen students have just one good day? When that day goes bad, can Ironheart set it right, or at least unite scriptwriter Eve Ewing’s Chicago? Stroll toward the answer in Exceptional X-Men #11, written by Ewing, drawn by Federica Mancin, colored by Nolan Woodard and lettered by Travis Lanham....

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]]> 53396 50 years of Magik: ComicsXF talks about what makes Illyana Rasputina great https://comicsxf.com/2025/06/14/magik-50th-retrospective/ Sat, 14 Jun 2025 12:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=52981 Fifty years ago this May, Illyana Nikolaievna Rasputina made her first appearance in Marvel Comics’ Giant Size X-Men #1. Created by writer Len Wein and artist David Cockrum, Illyana is a young Russian female mutant with the power to create stepping discs she can use to teleport people and objects. She also has been the...

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]]> 52981 Emma Frost shines in a Sinister swamp in Exceptional X-Men #10 https://comicsxf.com/2025/06/11/exceptional-xmen-10/ Wed, 11 Jun 2025 14:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=53000 Emma Frost, trying to save her newest pupils, gets stuck in Mister Sinister’s mind. Who will come out on top? Why is everyone dressed like Dracula? Can even this serious series make Sinister something other than slightly silly? Find out in Exceptional X-Men #10, written by Eve Ewing, drawn by Carmen Carnero and Federica Mancin,...

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]]> 53000 Exceptional X-Men #9 and the joys of decompression https://comicsxf.com/2025/05/24/exceptional-xmen-9/ Sat, 24 May 2025 13:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=52803 Who can take some genes and make a dodgy clone? Who can trap a mutant when he’s all alone? Who can throw a comic off its slice-of-life tone? Mr. Sinister can, and does, in Exceptional X-Men #9, written by Eve Ewing, drawn by Carmen Carnero, colored by Nolan Woodard and lettered by Travis Lanham. Now...

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]]> 52803 Lovingly rendered butts for all: Our favorite pinups from the Marvel Swimsuit Specials https://comicsxf.com/2025/05/11/marvel-swimsuit-specials/ Sun, 11 May 2025 10:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=52391 Superheroes are meant to be the best of us. As a result, they’re also the sexiest of us. So it stands to reason we’d want to see what they look like in swimwear — though it could be argued many of them wear bathing suits as standard dress. For five years in the 1990s, Marvel...

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]]> 52391 A beautiful if heavy-handed sendoff to our favorite city-dwelling mutants in NYX #10 https://comicsxf.com/2025/05/11/nyx-10/ Sun, 11 May 2025 09:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=52413 Is New York City itself a kind of mutant? Can it give us all a model for mutant communities? How did Mojo take it over from Grand Central Station? Can he be defeated using the power of solidarity, or the solidarity of love, or the love of trains? Why is NYX ending? Find out which...

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]]> 52413 Sinister vs. empathy and a wholesome shower scene in Marvel’s Exceptional X-Men #8 https://comicsxf.com/2025/04/17/exceptional-xmen-8/ Thu, 17 Apr 2025 15:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=52274 That entrepreneur who wanted gene data on everyone? The one who gave teen mutant Axo an internship? Pretty Sinister, as it turns out. Now, our favorite diamond-headed, DNA-obsessed, silver-skinned supervillain’s captured Axo and sent a fake teen to take his place. Find out what’s next in Exceptional X-Men #8, written by Eve Ewing, drawn by...

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]]> 52274 Marvel divas (and Forearm) unite for a Concert of Champions https://comicsxf.com/2025/04/03/concert-of-champions/ Thu, 03 Apr 2025 15:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=52142 It’s the first ever Concert of Champions, a festival bringing together the Marvel Universe’s biggest and brightest musical stars! Headliners include Dazzler, K-pop sensation Luna Snow, interdimensional rockstar Lila Cheney and Spider-Gwen. But who – or what? – is the mysterious new metal band Deep Void, and what are their sinister intentions? Concert of Champions...

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]]> 52142 Exceptional X-Men #7 sidesteps the X-Manhunt for other sins of the past https://comicsxf.com/2025/03/20/exceptional-x-men-7/ Thu, 20 Mar 2025 15:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=52025 Who’s that man with the horns of a ram and your most personal data in the palm of his twitchy hand? It’s Sheldon Xenos, gene-editing superfan, and he’s got a frightening plan in Exceptional X-Men #7, written by Eve Ewing (whom we stan), drawn by Carmen Carnero (who follows her plan), colored by Nolan Woodard...

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]]> 52025 ON THE X-MANHUNT: The kids are alright without Xavier in NYX #9 https://comicsxf.com/2025/03/06/nyx-9/ Thu, 06 Mar 2025 15:44:48 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=51902 Professor Charles Xavier has escaped from Graymalkin Prison to save his daughter from an attack out in space — and he has a plan to aid her. The problem is, his former students are none too happy to see him. Is there anyone left willing to help him out? Find out in NYX #9, written...

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]]> 51902 A Hellion of a lot of history between Julian and Laura in NYX #8 https://comicsxf.com/2025/02/20/nyx-8/ Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=51777 Julian Keller, aka Hellion, swung back and forth between hero and baddie for almost his entire on-page existence. Now it looks like he’s killed civilians, and he’s headed to the mutant supermax for it. Should our NYX regulars capture him or set him free? Find out in NYX #8, written by Jackson Lanzing and Collin...

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]]> 51777 The bad guy rears his ugly horns in Exceptional X-Men #6 https://comicsxf.com/2025/02/19/exceptional-xmen-6/ Wed, 19 Feb 2025 19:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=51769 The next generation of mutants find work, or at least internships, at a startup that wants to read your genes and help you “fix” what’s “wrong” with them. Guess how that pans out in Exceptional X-Men #6, written by Eve Ewing, drawn by Carmen Carnero, colored by Nolan Woodard and lettered by Travis Lanham. Like...

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]]> 51769 ComicsXF’s official ranking of the From the Ashes X-Men books https://comicsxf.com/2025/02/02/comicsxfs-official-ranking-of-the-x-men-from-the-ashes-comics-so-far/ Sun, 02 Feb 2025 10:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=51029 As of this writing, there are 13(!) monthly X-books on the shelves, two of which — X-Men and Uncanny X-Men — ship on an 18-issue-a-year schedule. That’s a lot, and there’s more coming, including Laura Kinney: Wolverine (who is already starring in NYX); a Timeslide one-shot co-starring Cable and Bishop; Magik (who is already starring...

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]]> 51029 Exceptional X-Men #5 shows how Kate became Kat (before she became Kitty again) https://comicsxf.com/2025/01/19/exceptional-xmen-5/ Sun, 19 Jan 2025 12:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=51389 Kitty and Emma promised to train three teenage mutants so they could be heroes, protecting friends and family from bigotry and bloodshed. Will Kitty’s own now-bloody history break up the team? Find out in Exceptional X-Men #5, written by Eve Ewing, drawn by Carmen Carnero, colored by Nolan Woodard and lettered by Travis Lanham. This...

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]]> 51389 Synch feels out of sync in Marvel’s NYX #7 https://comicsxf.com/2025/01/12/nyx-7/ Sun, 12 Jan 2025 10:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=51346 Remember Everett Thomas, aka Synch? He’s been through a lot. He’s back. And he’s really angry at Prodigy. Find out why in NYX #7, written by Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly, drawn by Enid Balám, colored by Raúl Angulo and lettered by Joe Sabino. Two things can be true at the same time. First, mutants...

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]]> 51346 Illyana Rasputina Buster Swords for the children in Marvel’s Magik #1 https://comicsxf.com/2025/01/10/magik-1/ Fri, 10 Jan 2025 17:48:28 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=51358 Who’s that young adult with the giant broadsword, sorcerous powers, blond bangs, an unquenchable drive to save lost kids and enough long-term childhood trauma to fill an arena? It’s Illyana Rasputina, of course. Who’s that demonic gunfighter trying to conquer the world from his base in Juneau, Alaska? Can Illyana stop him? Find out in...

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]]> 51358 Iceman crashes the Kitty pity party in Marvel’s Exceptional X-Men #4 https://comicsxf.com/2024/12/30/exceptional-xmen-4/ Mon, 30 Dec 2024 17:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=51234 Bobby Drake’s visiting Kitty Pryde in Chicago — but is it really him? Teen mutant Trista Marshall’s trying out for the high school musical — but is it right for her? Kitty and Emma keep training their new team — but can they keep it up? Find out in the bundle of transitions that is...

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