Uncanny X-Men #24: That’s So Not Dracula

The issue opens similarly to the last issue, with Mr. St. Juniors telling the kids an old pulpy Wild West storyline. This is mostly filler, but it’s interesting enough that it works as a way for Simone to separate the Uncanny X-Men and the Outliers, or the adults and the kids.

The tone of Uncanny X-Men #24 is very R-rated, albeit without the stuff that would force this issue into Marvel Red Label territory. Elsa Bloodstone and her legion feel like a sudden, palpable threat. Their goal is made clear, while their motivation remains a mystery, which effectively builds the tension in the issue.

Giving each of the Louisiana X-Men their own internal monologue in this issue was a fantastic creative choice. It’s a simple way for Gail Simone to show off her command of these characters without repetitive exposition or long character arcs that detract from the series’ pacing.

Each character’s monologue is effective at capturing their own personal voice; Wolverine is pragmatic and focused even as he’s bleeding buckets. Nightcrawler is in awe and terror of his fears made reality. And Rogue is more focused on the burden she shoulders as the leader of the Louisiana X-Men and everything she’s doing wrong, which can be seen as both a character flaw and strength.

On the supernatural side, Morbius is given the most nuance. He and Jubilee share an obvious connection after her short time as a vampire. A part of Jubilee misses the power of a vampire, but her heart as a tried and true member of the X-Men guides her back from the precipice, even as Morbius offers to return her to vampirism. Morbius is apologetic for the matchup but believes he’s helping her regardless.

The interaction between Morbius and Jubilee cleverly mirrors Gambit’s ongoing issues with the Left Eye of Agamotto. The eye offers power and convenience but is deeply addictive and corrupting. So much so that it’s had a subtle but growing effect on Gambit’s personality. Jubilee’s relationship with vampirism is similar: powerful but addictive.

Marquez’s artwork in this issue is clearly going for an old ’80s horror film vibe, and it works. Having characters like Werewolf by Night or Manphibian practically demands this aesthetic, and Marquez doesn’t let the reader down one bit. Each character is drawn with slightly more messy lines and erratic movement to make the pace and motion feel frantic and breathless, like a character fleeing the killer in nearly any horror movie ever.

Matthew Wilson’s colors stack on top of this brilliantly; the bayou is eerie, and a sudden change of scenery is not only deliberately disorienting but also changes the mood from “Wild West standoff” to some sort of superhero survival TV series.

When the writing and the art/colors come together, this doesn’t feel like one team versus another, it feels like one team hunting another.