Uncanny X-Men Annual 2026: ‘Til He’s 90

For an Uncanny X-Men Annual, the issue focuses almost entirely on Wolverine. It would have been better served as an annual for an ongoing Wolverine series. That said, the story’s connection to the Louisiana X-Men is more or less worldbuilding on top of the “Dark Artery” storyline that ran from Uncanny X-Men #13-16.

That story follows Wolverine, with over half of the issue’s page count focusing on a long flashback to a time long before the current Louisiana X-Men. Each of the “Regulators” is well-written, with each of them having a distinct voice, especially John Freedman and Mother Witchfire. It’s a little cheap to link these characters to Wolverine’s backstory, something Marvel likes to dredge up what seems like once a year at least. Adding a new chapter to Wolverine’s already excruciating backstory also doesn’t do anything for Logan himself.

The issue’s artwork is very strong in some scenes and slightly undercooked in others. In scenes like a cramped nightclub, the art doesn’t do much, the background characters lack detail, and the spacing feels off even while Mattia Iacono’s colors are vibrant and capture the feeling of the average nightclub pretty well. Panel arrangement is a highlight of Francesco Mortarino’s artwork; panels are put in a clear and easy-to-follow pattern, which helps the Wolverine-centric action scenes flow smoothly.