ICYMI: Tomb of Apocalypse #1: Buried Alive

Jubilee is tired of being the “kid sister” of the Louisiana X-Men, but she might finally get her chance to prove herself when a mysterious orb crash lands at Haven House. When she and Wolverine are pulled right into the middle of a Hydra excavation at Apocalypse’s tomb, Jubilee may get more than she bargained for.

Jubilee is a character with some very uneven growth over the decades. There are times when she is written as competently as you think a young woman in her early 20s should be, and others it feels like she is still that 15-year-old that saved Logan from the Reavers way back in 1989. Tomb of Apocalypse has her in the middle of this dichotomy for a story that feels a bit more supplemental than necessary, but there is still likely something to be found beneath the surface.

Ashley Allen introduces an intriguing action-adventure story, but the characterization of Jubilee is a bit off compared to how she is in Gail’s Uncanny, but that makes some sense since she gets actual focus in this book. She’s defiant and eager to prove herself, which isn’t new for her character, but it feels like something she should have outgrown by now. In the Uncanny book there isn’t this much grit in her characterization, but that could be because she hasn’t gotten much focus in that book as with other members of the team. For the most part it fits for the moment.

Domenico Carbone’s pencils are striking and there is a good sense of weight to the lines, especially when Jubilee’s powers are on full display. Fernando Sifuentes’ bright colors help in this regard. As for the rest of the book, the colors are muted to help sell the tense atmosphere.