Something that has been bugging me with Ultimate X-Men is its slower pace. In nine issues, a good number of characters have been introduced, but not a lot has happened. Things seem to be speeding up, given what happens in Ultimate X-Men #10, but many fans may be trade-waiting at this point to get more bang for their buck.
If I were to describe Ultimate X-Men #10 in one word, it’d be tense. The issue opens with anti-mutant protestors outside a mutant’s home, riling up a small family. Soon, however, their child, whom they didn’t even know had powers, started crying and shooting out waves like Banshee. Tensions are rising, and people aren’t safe, not even in their own homes.
This sets up an issue that ping pons between the Children of the Atom cult and our hero mutants. The cult is in trouble as public opinion is turning against them, and an early attack on this issue complicates things further. It’s interesting how writer and artist Peach Momoko uses them as the main target, making life worse for all mutants.
Even cultists are glued to their phones.
Credit: Marvel
Hisako, aka Armor, continues to have issues with temper and control. A key scene with her reveals her powers to others, further putting her life and her family’s life in danger. When protestors push her, Momoko draws a freaky sequence with giant dark heads influencing Hisako. The visuals in this scene will please horror fans.
Horror is the name of the game later, as the Cyclops-powered character Natus loses herself and hurts someone she loves. Momoko draws the optic blast damage in a creepy way straight out of a Junji Ito manga. Pairing this with Armor’s scene it’s clear to see these young mutants need guidance, maybe even a school, to train them to live in the world without hurting others by accident.
So why doesn’t this review have a higher score? While there are a lot of good scenes, this is also the third or fourth issue in a row that raises the tension and doesn’t pay off in a big-picture way. The fact that the final cliffhanger is a rather obtuse mystery only makes your impatience grow. It might seem harsh, but hanging over this series is the desire to see a direct conflict between the good and the bad, or at the very least, some kind of payoff.
Ultimate X-Men #10 features standout art and emotionally gripping moments, but stumbles with its pacing and lack of resolution, leaving readers eager for more substantial developments.
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