“Mars Needs Mutants” reaches part 2 this week in Uncanny X-Men #31, and the aliens are running rampant. Mysterious blue-domed aliens and Brood are running amok. Whatever will the X-Men do!? Plus, a Wolverine-making program was in the works at Graymalkin Prison. Time to get to the bottom of it all, and some may die trying.
Uncanny X-Men #31 is another solid entry from Gail Simone, who balances character depth, new reveals, and a shocker of a cliffhanger. Paired with Jim Towe and David Baldeon on art, the book looks as slick as ever, tricking me into thinking David Marquez was back. There’s no mistaking the polish on this book, which makes it one of Marvel Comics’ premier titles.
This issue opens at Graymalkin Prison, picking up where we left off on the Wolverine-making reveal in the last issue. Monet St. Croix eeks out a couple of new details, making it clear this is a slightly different kind of Wolverine-making operation. Certainly an overdone notion, there’s enough new to this plan and to how it ties to those in power to make for an enticing mystery.
Weapon X’s for miles and miles!
Credit: Marvel
The rest of the issue is devoted to aliens, first with Nightcrawler waking up on a spaceship controlled by the blue-domed aliens, and then the Brood trying to eat Ransom. The Nightcrawler scene, while short, offers a more hyper-advanced technological alien, while the Brood are ferocious, with a touch of gore and lots of fighting to amp up the issue. The visuals with Nightcrawler are super clean and pleasing, capped off with a cool and very dramatic exit for Nightcrawler. The blue-domed aliens continue to look slick as heck, with an interesting mix of sizes to enhance the danger level, especially in an excellent full-page splash.
Mixed in with the alien action are check-ins on the Outliers at a dance just outside where the Brood are attacking. Deathdream’s awkwardness remains a highlight, and it’s nice to see a few others have at least a few moments of normalcy. Throw in Mutina’s special kind of chaotic-good, and one can see she adds a special kind of energy to this group.
Uncanny X-Men #31 continues Gail Simone’s confident run with another entertaining chapter that balances extraterrestrial threats, intriguing mysteries, and heartfelt character moments. The issue keeps multiple storylines moving without feeling scattered, while Jim Towe and David Baldeón deliver polished visuals that elevate every page. A strong cliffhanger and mounting tension ensure the “Mars Needs Mutants” storyline continues to build momentum.
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