In July of last year, Gail Simone and Luciano Vecchio debuted a new X-Men villain in the pages of Uncanny X-Men #17: Leticia Leech, aka Mutina. An actress and an influencer, Leticia starred in a horror film called Murder Me, Mutina about a serial killer who is a mutant. A film about a mutant serial killer caused great unease amongst the X-Men, who were concerned that a film as provocative as this one would result in furthering tensions between mutants and baseline humans and increase hatred and fear of mutants. With Uncanny X-Men #22, Mutina makes her highly anticipated return to the title since her long absence following her memorable debut.
SPOILERS AHEAD for Uncanny X-Men #22!
Uncanny X-Men #22 opens with Kurt Wagner, aka Nightcrawler, returning home from a date with a woman named Mackenzie. Kurt invites Mackenzie back to his place, and she agrees, but first, there is something she would like Kurt to do for her. Mackenzie leans in close and whispers to Kurt, “I want you to bamf me”. Ever the gentleman, Kurt obliges her request and “bamfs” her, four times to be exact. Mackenzie looks bewildered, as if her breath has been taken away, after being teleported by Kurt. The scene is cute, and I like Kurt’s fun and flirty dynamic with Mackenzie. They seem really into each other, and I hope we will see more of them together in future issues. The scene also serves as a reminder of how suave and charming Kurt is and that he is a romantic at heart.
Kurt begins to tell Mackenzie about his “hidden talents” as they arrive back at his place, but cautions Mackenzie that they will need to be quiet so they do not wake the others. However, as they walk through the door, they are greeted by the Louisiana X-Men and the Outliers, who have thrown a surprise birthday party for Kurt. When Jitter says, “He’s my favorite!” Wolverine corrects her and says, “He’s everyone’s favorite,” which is something I think we can all agree on. The flattery and praise continue as Rogue kisses Kurt on the cheek and tells him, “Without you, there is no such thing as the X-Men.” It’s so endearing to see so much love for Nightcrawler in this issue, a character that has been a staple in X-Men comics and a fan favorite since his first appearance in Giant-Size X-Men #1 in 1975.
Everyone is having fun at the party, except for Wolverine, who steps outside because he smells something odd and suspicious, yet also familiar. He exits the house and is greeted by Mutina, who stands menacingly enshrouded in darkness. Wolverine demands to know what Mutina wants, and she responds with, “Fame, Money. Two personal trainers. Revenge”. She also tells Wolverine that she wants to join the X-Men because a group of mutant kids was attacked by a group of “normies” after a showing of one of her movies, and with both the press and social media blaming Mutina, joining the X-Men might drown out the negative publicity surrounding her.
Mutina arrives at Haven House requesting to join the X-Men. Credit: Marvel Comics
Wolverine is reluctant to trust Mutina and has good reason to be apprehensive regarding offering her a place within the ranks of the X-Men. Despite being a mutant herself, Mutina has not proven herself to be a friend or an ally to her fellow mutants, nor has she had a friendly relationship with the Louisiana X-Men. She also has a bit of a sadistic streak, teasing Wolverine with a box that she claims contains either a cupcake or severed thumbs. Wolverine is a bit rattled following his fight with Mutina, and even admits that he finds her deeply unsettling, thinking to himself, “I’ve stared at death a thousand times. But she really, genuinely, absolutely does send a chill up my spine”. Wolverine has fought Sentinels, Magneto, and Sabretooth, and yet there’s something truly disturbing about Mutina that shakes him down to his core. Wolverine being frightened by Mutina shows that she is not a foe to be taken lightly or quickly dismissed as a minor threat.
Back inside the house, the birthday celebration is cut short after Mutina holds Mackenzie hostage and holds a blade to her throat. Kurt attempts to reason with Mutina and caution her against spilling blood in a place that is a sanctuary for mutants. Mutina is unmoved by this appeal, stating that she hates mutants. Why does Leticia hate mutants so much? Perhaps there is something in her backstory not yet revealed that would account for her animosity towards mutants like herself. Throughout the issue, Wolverine questions whether Mutina has actually killed anyone before. Perhaps she is a hurt, broken, and scared person who is just putting on the act of a hardened killer to mask the pain that she carries inside herself. While Mutina presents herself as a bloodthirsty sadist, maybe what she really wants is for a community to take her in and accept her and whatever she leaves behind in her mysterious backstory.
After Mutina says she wants a “test” to prove herself worthy of joining the X-Men, Kurt and Mutina duel with blades atop an old barn. After she falls through the rotten wood of the roof, Kurt teleports to catch Mutina before she falls to the ground. The issue ends with Kurt telling Mutina that she will never be an X-Man, but that there is “a path” for her, meaning that he believes there is still hope for her yet. Once again, the question is raised of whether Mutina would have killed the Louisiana X-Men given the opportunity. Kurt doesn’t believe so, and Mutina says they may never know. Mutina leaves Kurt alone with his thoughts as she exits the barn.
It’s nice to see Gail Simone and David Marquez back on Uncanny X-Men together following the conclusion of Unbreakable X-Men #3 at the close of the “Age of Revelation” event. Mutina’s return makes for a tense and nail-biting issue, one that leaves the reader wondering if she is the killer she claims to be, or if there is more to this character than we have seen so far. The issue raises the question of who is worthy of salvation, and hints that Mutina may be able to walk a different path, but only if she chooses to do so. Either way, I doubt that we have seen the last of Mutina, and I look forward to her eventual return as she continues to develop as a character.
You must be logged in to post a comment.