X-Men #23: Yesterday’s End is Tomorrow’s Beginning

Considered divisive among the wider, and more vocal, fanbase, a lot of Jed MacKay’s storytelling has been both praised and critiqued in the past few years. Especially with the recent Age of Revelation. As someone who was rather critical of that storyline myself, January’s Issue #23 of the main X-Men title is a standout among the writer’s award-winning body of work and could signal a return to form for X-Men titles in 2026.

Scott Summers, aka Cyclops, is the center focus of the issue alongside Doug Ramsey, aka Revelation. Of the two, Cyclops is carefully portrayed as a proactive veteran leader turned assassin, while Revelation is portrayed as just another guy who, while destined to become evil, still hasn’t earned his title as Apocalypse’s heir. A title that many fans have felt was given rather than earned as part of the character’s growth and story arc. I have been a fan of Doug since his days as Cypher as part of the New Mutants; when it was revealed that he would become an heir to Apocalypse, I was excited. Unfortunately, nothing beyond “the writer says so” has really pushed him in that direction. Now with Cyclops as an enemy, he is believably afraid of what could happen to him, yet he isn’t driven in any particular direction, at least in this one issue.

On the other hand, whoever’s decision it was to team up Tony S. Daniel (a beloved 90s artist) and Mark Morales (a modern maestro) on the sketches and inks deserves a raise. As an art team, or duo better yet, the two of them draw each of the characters exceptionally well. Action is where the two of them bring it out in full; the issue has a lot of action to speak of, but without spoiling anything, it’s clear that Cyclops is on a mission after the ending of the finale to Age of Revelation. The action reflects that mission in a messy and kinetic all-out battle sequence that’s adorned with curt dialogue, which avoids slowing down the pace of the action like it did in Age of Revelation’s finale issue.

I was surprised that the art here was so good. Especially following the very heavy and at times distracting art of the Age of Revelation’s Finale. Fernando Sifuentes-Sujo’s colorwork is also incredible. There’s a soft glowing blue to Magik’s Soulsword and a much more vibrant and violent bursting red to Cyclops’ eye beams. There is also color shading that is worth mentioning; this is where the artwork and color come together as the pale blue moonlight filters in through blacked-out sketched window panels and well-textured glass.