Kieron Gillen - COMICSXF https://comicsxf.com The comics criticism you crave Mon, 16 Mar 2026 12:14:52 +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 Kieron Gillen - COMICSXF https://comicsxf.com 32 32 107498702 DIE: Loaded #5 reveals its Master. What now? https://comicsxf.com/2026/03/16/die-loaded-5-reveals-its-master-what-now/ Mon, 16 Mar 2026 12:14:50 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=56281 The Master is the one character that brings the rest together, and dooms them to play until all are ready to go home. Meet Violet in DIE: Loaded #5.

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]]> 56281 The Fool revealed in Image’s DIE: Loaded #4 https://comicsxf.com/2026/02/18/the-fool-revealed-in-images-die-loaded-4/ Wed, 18 Feb 2026 15:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=56015 What happens when you give a kid a world where they can pretend to be an adult, and the world bends to their desire for mayhem? Meet our Fool in DIE: Loaded #4.

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]]> 56015 Enter the Dictator in Image’s DIE: Loaded #3 https://comicsxf.com/2026/01/15/enter-the-dictator-in-images-die-loaded-3/ Thu, 15 Jan 2026 17:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=55575 Someone is bringing the family members of the original DIE party into that 20-sided world. Sophie is working to gather this new party — with one minor snag.

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]]> 55575 Image’s DIE: Loaded #2 gets its Frazetta on https://comicsxf.com/2025/12/20/images-die-loaded-2-gets-its-frazetta-on/ Sat, 20 Dec 2025 13:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=55347 A Godbinder and a Rage Knight find themselves lost in a realm of endless artscapes, with little idea of why they’re there, and what they’re meant to do. There’s a steep learning curve, but with the help of a mysterious new Master or two, they just might figure things out before they face the game’s...

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]]> 55347 Of roles and rolls – Image’s DIE: Loaded takes us back to hell https://comicsxf.com/2025/11/16/die-loaded-1-full-review/ Sun, 16 Nov 2025 11:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=54823 In 1991, six teenagers disappeared into a magical world based on a roleplaying game. Some, but not all, returned. In 2018, they disappeared once more — and once again, some, but not all, returned. It’s 2025, and people are about to go missing again. Could this be the point of no return? DIE: Loaded #1...

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]]> 54823 ADVANCE REVIEW: Does DIE: Loaded #1 uphold the magic it created? https://comicsxf.com/2025/11/10/die-loaded-1-advance-review/ Mon, 10 Nov 2025 17:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=54782 Six children fell into a role-playing game, experienced the true horror of having your fantasies become real – and went through it all again as adults. Now, they’re dealing with what they’ve learned about the true nature of DIE, including the most dangerous truth of all: everyone in the world is still at risk of...

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]]> 54782 Star Wars: A New Legacy celebrates 10 years of new obscure characters to be precious about https://comicsxf.com/2025/02/03/star-wars-new-legacy/ Mon, 03 Feb 2025 17:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=51565 The really bad news first: it has somehow, implausibly, gruesomely, been 10 years since 2015. I know. This means it has been just shy of 10 years since The Force Awakens inaugurated a whole new era of things for Star Wars fans to be apoplectically upset about, and 10 years since Marvel began publishing Star...

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]]> 51565 Masumi is the black orb over Tokyo in The Power Fantasy #4 https://comicsxf.com/2024/11/20/power-fantasy-4/ Wed, 20 Nov 2024 16:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=50870 Masumi’s latest art exhibit opens tonight. Tokyo is petrified. Will any critic dare say what they think and risk unleashing her wrath? Meanwhile, Etienne discovers the dangers of long-haul flights when you’ve just murdered a world leader. The Power Fantasy #4 is written by Kieron Gillen, drawn by Caspar Wijngaard, lettered by Clayton Cowles and...

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]]> 50870 No cow, but plenty of Valentina in The Power Fantasy #3 https://comicsxf.com/2024/11/03/power-fantasy-3/ Sun, 03 Nov 2024 10:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=50647 On July 16, 1945, the world changed forever. Santa Valentina was born. There was also the Trinity test, but that’s not as important. As the world hangs in the balance, we explore the life and times of the girl who fell … skipped? … to Earth. Also: check out that cow!  The Power Fantasy #3...

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]]> 50647 Battle Of The Atom: New York Comic Con Super Special 2024 https://comicsxf.com/2024/10/28/battle-of-the-atom-new-york-comic-con-super-special-2024/ Mon, 28 Oct 2024 12:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=50628 This is a New York Comic Con super special featuring Pepe Larraz, Kieron Gillen, Al Ewing, Declan Shalvey, Spencer Ackerman, Jackson Lanzing, David Marquez, Josh Cassara, Gerry Duggan, Chris Condon, and Justin Mason!

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]]> 50628 The Power Fantasy #2 turns it up, brings the noise https://comicsxf.com/2024/09/20/power-fantasy-2/ Fri, 20 Sep 2024 12:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=50255 Tension builds in the Cold War between the Atomics in the fallout to Etienne’s retaliatory strike, even as Brother Heavy reveals a secret which threatens to destabilize the détente even further in The Power Fantasy #2, written by Kieron Gillen, drawn by Caspar Wijngaard, lettered by Clayton Cowles and designed by Rian Hughes.   Sean...

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]]> 50255 The Power Fantasy #1 is here! Come dance to the ticking of the doomsday clock! https://comicsxf.com/2024/08/07/the-power-fantasy-1-is-here-come-dance-to-the-ticking-of-the-doomsday-clock/ Wed, 07 Aug 2024 14:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=49767 Ed. Note: This review contains spoilers for The Power Fantasy #1. If you’d like to read a spoiler-free version of this review, check it out here. “Superpowered.” You have certain preconceptions. They’re incorrect. Here, that word has a specific technical definition. Namely, “any individual with the destructive capacity of the nuclear arsenal of the USA.” There are six...

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]]> 49767 The Eternal Fight Against Fighting Starts Now in The Power Fantasy #1 https://comicsxf.com/2024/08/02/the-eternal-fight-against-fighting-starts-now-in-the-power-fantasy-1/ Fri, 02 Aug 2024 15:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=49770 Ed. Note: This is a special spoiler-free advance review of The Power Fantasy #1. Check back next Wednesday for the full review, with spoilers. “Superpowered.” You have certain preconceptions. They’re incorrect. Here, that word has a specific technical definition. Namely, “any individual with the destructive capacity of the nuclear arsenal of the USA.” There are...

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]]> 49770 EXCLUSIVE: Meet Morishita Masumi, one of the leads of Gillen & Wijngaard’s The Power Fantasy https://comicsxf.com/2024/07/02/power-fantasy-masumi/ Tue, 02 Jul 2024 16:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=49460 We here at ComicsXF are pretty much in the tank for The Power Fantasy, Kieron Gillen and Caspar Wijngaard’s new Image Comics series about six superpowered individuals who cannot fight or else the world will blow up. It is the perfect Gillen concept in that it is big and colorful and witty while also, at...

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]]> 49460 CXF Interview Podcast Episode 309: Kieron Gillen & Caspar Wijngaard talk The Power Fantasy https://comicsxf.com/2024/06/25/tcxfip-309-kieron-gillen-caspar-wijngaard/ Tue, 25 Jun 2024 12:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=49409 The ComicsXF Interview Podcast · The CXF Interview Podcast Episode 309: Kieron Gillen & Caspar Wijngaard talk The Power Fantasy Kieron Gillen and Caspar Wijngaard join the show to talk about their upcoming Image Comics series The Power Fantasy. You can listen to The ComicsXF Interview Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify, Amazon Music, Audible and at ComicsXF.com,...

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]]> 49409 Krakoa waves goodbye, and all that’s left are Ashes in X-Men #35/Uncanny #700 https://comicsxf.com/2024/06/05/xmen-35/ Wed, 05 Jun 2024 13:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=49150 All good things must come to an end, and as good of a thing as the Krakoan era has been for mutantkind, its time has come at last. The tragedy and triumph of FALL OF THE HOUSE OF X, the madness and mystery of RISE OF THE POWERS OF X, they have all come to...

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]]> 49150 Mystique & Destiny immortalize Be Gay, Do Crimes in ‘X-Men: The Wedding Special #1’ https://comicsxf.com/2024/06/02/x-men-the-wedding-special-2024/ Sun, 02 Jun 2024 14:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=49107 Marvel’s first queerest family is throwing a party, and everyone’s invited! Particularly if it pleases the brides to know you won’t be home during their rapturous re-exchanging of vows. X-Men: The Wedding Special #1 was written by Kieron Gillen, Tini Howard, Tate Brombal, Yoon Ha Lee and Wyatt Kennedy; drawn by Rachael Stott, Phillip Sevy,...

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]]> 49107 Rise of the Powers of X #5: Krakoa Ends, but Data Pages Are Forever https://comicsxf.com/2024/05/29/rise-of-the-powers-of-x-5-krakoa-ends-but-data-pages-are-forever/ Wed, 29 May 2024 16:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=49081 It’s the final battle against Enigma as Phoenix rises, Xavier schemes and Moira faces a crucial decision in Rise of the Powers of X #5, written by Kieron Gillen, drawn by Luciano Vecchio, colored by David Curiel and lettered by Clayton Cowles. Jake Murray: And thus ends the penultimate (ish) issue of the Krakoa era....

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]]> 49081 X-Men Forever #4 offers Hope in more ways than one https://comicsxf.com/2024/05/18/xmen-forever-4/ Sat, 18 May 2024 12:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=48992 Kieron Gillen’s Immortal X-Men saga comes to an end a second time, with plot threads left to other series to resolve for a second time, as Destiny and Mystique launch a rescue mission while Hope and Jean Grey act as two different kinds of midwives in X-Men Forever #4, written by Gillen, drawn by Luca...

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]]> 48992 Jumping from POV to POV in X-Men Forever #3 https://comicsxf.com/2024/05/14/xmen-forever-3/ Tue, 14 May 2024 14:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=48919 The quick-step march to the end of the Krakoan era continues as Doug Ramsey returns, Mystique and Destiny hash things out, and Hope prepares to do some “messiah stuff” in X-Men Forever #3, written by Kieron Gillen, drawn by Luca Maresca, colored by Federico Blee and lettered by Clayton Cowles.  Austin Gorton: It feels like...

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]]> 48919 Sinister and Destiny share a nice moment(?!) in our EXCLUSIVE preview of X-Men Forever #4 https://comicsxf.com/2024/05/09/xmen-forever-4-preview/ Thu, 09 May 2024 18:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=48875 Mister Sinister is an asshole. That’s not a hot take, even if I said a swear. He is. We had a whole crossover about it just last year. So when he extends a listening ear and, surprisingly, some actual empathy to his conspirator of many decades, Destiny, it comes off as surprising. Did he alter...

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]]> 48875 Go away, Kafka, the important mutants are talking in X-Men Forever #2 https://comicsxf.com/2024/05/01/xmen-forever-2/ Wed, 01 May 2024 16:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=48785 It’s the view from the White Hot Room as Xavier’s plans come to fruition(?) and the mutants trapped on another plane of existence make their move as the deck-clearing exercise that is “Fall of X” continues in X-Men Forever #2, written by Kieron Gillen, drawn by Luca Maresca, colored by Federico Blee and lettered by...

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]]> 48785 Ultimate Sentinel my @$$ in Rise of the Powers of X #4 https://comicsxf.com/2024/04/24/rise-powers-x-4/ Wed, 24 Apr 2024 21:26:16 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=48709 XAVIER! NO! Xavier, shocking no one, compromises his morals in pursuit of his dream, as he teams up with Orchis to give mutants a chance. What’s left of the Quiet Council, however, has their own plan in place — it is time for the Phoenix to rise from the ashes that Orchis has left behind....

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]]> 48709 Professor Xavier continues to be a jerk in our EXCLUSIVE preview of Rise of the Powers of X #4 https://comicsxf.com/2024/04/18/rise-powers-x-4-preview/ Thu, 18 Apr 2024 18:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=48629 At the end of Rise of the Powers of X #3, Charles Xavier, having abandoned his plan to kill young Moira X before her powers manifest, shoots Rachel Summers with the same gun he didn’t shoot Li’l Moira with. THEN, in this week’s Fall of the House of X #4, he … well, y’know what,...

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]]> 48629 One last chat between old friends in Rise of the Powers of X #3 https://comicsxf.com/2024/03/27/rise-powers-x-3/ Wed, 27 Mar 2024 16:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=48393 The past, present and future of Krakoa all rest in a trigger finger. The scenario you prayed would never happen plays out as two series that are one move toward a crash that will reverberate outside the universe in Rise of the Powers of X #3, written by Kieron Gillen, drawn by R.B. Silva, colored...

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