The X-Men’s beloved and critically acclaimed Krakoan Era is ending… and it all began at 2023’s disastrous Hellfire Gala, where the evil forces of Orchis slaughtered countless mutants and humans, leading directly into the ongoing tragedy that is the Fall of X. Marvel’s trade paperback collecting this horrific assault, X-Men: Hellfire Gala – Fall of X, is an impressive compilation of the key Hellfire Gala related stories, that any new reader would need to get a solid grasp on the Fall of X and the end of Krakoa.
X-Men: Hellfire Gala – Fall of X is a collection of stories from a slew of incredible writers and artists, like Gerry Duggan, Steve Foxe, Luciano Vecchio, Pepe Larraz, and many more. The trade paperback begins with the Free Comic Book Day 2023: Avengers/X-Men issue, which leads directly into the main X-Men: Hellfire Gala (2023) one-shot, followed by an adapted version of Foxe’s X-Men Unlimited Infinity Comic #100-105, and ending with Duggan’s The Invincible Iron Man (2022) #8.
Marvel Comics
This year’s Hellfire Gala was one of the most devastating Marvel books to ever release, with fan favorite Original X-Men characters like Jean Grey, Cyclops, and Iceman seemingly murdered by the villains of Orchis. Plus, the page after being introduced as the new X-Men team, Nimrod brutally slays Jubilee, Frenzy, Prodigy, Dazzler, and Cannonball, disappointing and angering many fans who were excited to see this diverse new team (thankfully they are starring in the upcoming Dead X-Men series, also by Steve Foxe). It also featured iconic fashion, Kamala Khan’s resurrection as a mutant, and the moment Firestar was forced to become a double agent, betraying Krakoa for weeks to come.
One of the highlights of this trade paperback is the impressive collection of Hellfire Gala variant covers depicting the iconic fashions of the Marvel Universe’s best and brightest. From Jen Bartel’s Captain Marvel, Erica D’Urso and Java Tartaglia’s Kate Pryde, and the stunning cover featuring Black Cat and Jackpot from David Nakayama, the issue celebrates the incredible high-fashion looks of the mutant event. Seeing as X-Men: Hellfire Gala – Fall of X is most likely the final Hellfire Gala event, at least in its current iteration, this collection of variants is a beautiful send-off to an incredibly beloved annual event.
Marvel Comics
Marvel has become very good at adapting their scrolling Marvel Unlimited Infinity Comics for horizontal print format, and Steve Foxe’s “Elsewhere, At the Gala” series is no different. Each mini-comic highlights one of the new X-Men team members moments leading up to the Gala, concluding with the “Last Rites” mini, a depressing glimpse of what each hero did right before Nimrod’s assault. The only downside to this collection is that I believe these Infinity Comics should have come before the main Hellfire Gala one-shot, and perhaps even as the first thing in the trade since they would better set up the emotional devastation that Nimrod later wreaks. Also, for such a momentous and emotional trade, it would have been amazing to have an X-Office writer do a forward to set the stage for the reader!
One of the most fun and unique aspects of X-Men: Hellfire Gala – Fall of X is the diversity of art throughout the collection. As opposed to a trade of an X-Men comic like X-Force or X-Men: Red, which may have one to two artists throughout the collection, Hellfire Gala has art from at least 15 different artists, making every few pages visually distinct and engaging. Even though I felt like the order of the comics in the trade could have potentially been switched up to be more impactful, the diversity of art throughout the comics doesn’t feel disjointed or disconnected, instead making it feel like it’s a true collaboration of stories from various X-perspectives.
Marvel Comics
X-Men: Hellfire Gala – Fall of X is a perfect starting point for the immediate Fall of X event, and sets up most of the Fall of X minis like Astonishing Iceman, Uncanny Avengers, Alpha Flight, Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant, and Realm of X. It is an emotionally taxing trade, and one that may bring tears to your eyes, but an important moment in the downfall of Krakoa and the rise of the X-Men’s newest era. With stunning, diverse art, excellent and devastating writing, and gorgeous supplements, X-Men: Hellfire Gala – Fall of X is well worth picking up and adding to your Hellfire Gala collection.
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