The three-part “Where Monsters Dwell” wraps up this week in Uncanny X-Men #25, and the monsters have come out to play with the X-Men in a variety of ways. Every monster type you can think of is fighting the X-Men, Wolverine is a werewolf, and the new younger mutants are facing the undead in a western. Can all story threads finish satisfactorily in this finale?
As finales go, there are a lot of satisfying beats, including a major reveal as to who is behind the monster attacks. Many guessed Agatha Harkness, but no, the true identity is revealed along with a handy flashback to tie a few pieces together. Given Phillip Kennedy Johnson’s points about monsters and mutants recently, one can see Gail Simone toying with the notion here. Or, maybe it’s a faint; either way, monsters are present, and it’s time to kick their butts.
Uncanny X-Men #25 opens at Haven House, where the mysterious woman with white in her hair approaches. Inside, the western tale continues, with Jitter, Ransom, Deathdream, and Calico all participating as characters. David Marquez supplies a pulpy visual style that sets the story within the story apart, and he also draws a great cartoony zombie. It’s a tale that motivates our characters, reminding them they may be mutants, but they’re heroes no matter what. It’s a nice reminder with death literally on their doorstep.
From there, the mysterious woman stands, somewhat speechless as Mr. St. Juniors holds a shotgun at her. This allows Simone to cut away to our mutants who were tangoing with the monsters in the last issue. Simeone continues to write great captions for each hero in these clashes, as Nightcrawler faces Frankenstein, Gambit faces the Creature from the Black Lagoon, Jubilee fights Morbius, and Rogue is fighting Wolverine, who is now a werewolf. Each fight is brief, but it gives every hero something to do. Of that mix, Gambit gets the most page time, which is fitting since he kind of kicked off this story arc. In it, a certain dragon shows up, connecting back to Simone’s earlier story arc, adding an extra dimension to the issue.
Villain reveal!
Credit: Marvel
Marquez continues to deliver incredibly detailed art, capping off his final page with a cover-quality full page splash of a werewolf Wolverine about to kill Rogue. It’s too bad he doesn’t finish the issue, but every page he draws is vivid and exciting for so many reasons. Picking up where Marquez leaves off, Luciano Vecchio draws the final eight pages, bringing his more fluid style and plenty of detail with it. A full-page splash of the new mutants taking on the mysterious leader is exceptional, with each hero placed well. The reveal of the remaining seasoned X-Men looks great, albeit it’s squeezed in when it could have been a full-page splash all its own.
Ultimately, all story threads come together nicely by the end, never feeling cheap or half-baked. Gambit running into Sadurang is convenient, at least.
But wait, there’s more! Tacked on is a backup story featuring Mr. St. Juniors getting some police visitors looking for help with a missing-persons case. While the powers are wielded by Jitter, Ransom, Deathdream, and Calico, the villain is a realistic serial killer figure. That takes some investigation work and a more grounded approach to the conflict. Just five pages long, it’s a tight tale that connects back to the pulp western, as our young heroes prove they can be brave and accomplish a mission on their own.
David Messina draws the backup, with Simone writing, and his more realistic and measured work suits the grounded tale. Deathdream’s powers look particularly great in one panel, but mostly this is a realistic depiction straight out of a procedural cop drama.
Uncanny X-Men #25 wraps up “Where Monsters Dwell” with energy and heart, juggling a large cast and multiple tones without losing sight of what makes these characters compelling. Gail Simone delivers a finale that feels earned, tying together its monster-filled chaos with a clear thematic throughline about heroism and identity. While a few moments feel compressed and the artistic transition is noticeable, the issue sticks the landing where it counts. It leaves the team in a strong place and reminds readers why the X-Men continue to thrive in stories that embrace both the strange and the sincere.
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