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X-Men #16
- Writer:
- Gerry Duggan
- Artist:
- Joshua Cassara
- Letterer:
- VC's Clayton Cowles
- Cover Artist:
- Russell Dauterman, Matthew Wilson
- Publisher:
- Marvel
- Price:
- $3.99
- Release Date:
- 2022-10-19
- Colorist:
- GURU-eFX
Marvel's X-Men have been dealing with various threats to mutantkind and the world recently. The current roster -- consisting of Jean Grey, Synch, Iceman, Havok, Cyclops, Magik, Forge, and Firestar -- is still learning to work together, and some underlying friction between members is brought to the forefront in X-Men #16. They embark on a rescue mission, but things don't go according to plan. Written by Gerry Duggan with art by Joshua Cassara, colors by GURU-eFX, letters by Clayton Cowles, and design by Tom Muller with Jay Bowen, X-Men #16 is a high-stakes thrill ride.
Forge joining the X-Men has offered new insight into his mysterious Project Blackbox, the failsafe he's implemented to keep the Children of the Vault from conquering the planet. The Children of the Earth are a group of futuristic post-humans who seek to rule the world, annihilating all existing life in the process. Using Krakoan technology, Forge has managed to trick them into believing they've achieved their goal while keeping them in stasis. The threat they pose may be contained for now, but on a previous reconnaissance mission, Darwin was left behind in the Vault, a place where time runs at an accelerated rate. It's time for the X-Men to bring Darwin home.
Duggan writes the threat the Children of the Vault pose so well. It's immediately evident how devastating it would be if they were free, and that risk looms over the entire issue. The interpersonal drama between X-Men team members also plays a large role in the issue and is the catalyst for much of the action. Duggan includes exciting action scenes that showcase how well the heroes work as a team in high-intensity situations. There are also a handful of plot threads that set up some major dominos that are sure to fall with force in the future.
Cassara's art is kinetic throughout. The action in the issue is time-sensitive, and the reader can feel the stakes increase with every passing panel. Each character's powers are easy to distinguish, and the action is easy to follow with intelligent panel layouts that guide the reader along each page. Cassara also does a wonderful job rendering the interior of the Vault. It feels like an entirely separate world and is jaw-dropping to behold.
GURU-eFX's colors are fantastic from cover to cover. The bright cool hues inside the Vault are particularly breathtaking, with electric energy to them. This team of X-Men has a set of visually distinct powers, and the colors pop in different ways for each of them. Cowles' letters are as on point as always. Text is arranged evenly on each page, accenting the art and never obfuscating it. Some words are rendered bigger or smaller, depending on the enunciation of the dialogue, which helps sell different moments.
This issue is dense with action and narrative. It moves at a brisk pace but covers a lot of ground, establishing major plot points and expanding on previous events. There is a bombshell dropped at the end that is sure to have major fallout going forward. Team chemistry is put to the test effectively while propelling the overall narrative. With X-Men #16, Duggan and the rest of the creative team craft a powerful and engaging issue.