Warning! Spoilers for Uncanny X-men #10!
I love theX-Men, but over the years, Marvel has made a habit of introducing a new team of mutants every so often and showcasing them as the next generation of heroes, only for them to fizzle out or become sparse. Despite this pattern, I believe the recent group of new mutants joining Rogue’s Louisiana team, anointed the Outliers, has what it takes to become stable members of the X-Men.
The Outliers becoming the X-Men’s protégés helps to keep them a part of the story while also forming strong student-mentor connections with their predecessors.
InUncanny X-Men#10—written by Gail Simone, with art by Andrei Bressan—thenew X-Men recruits Ransom, Jitter, Calico, and Deathdream jump into action after being attacked by new Hound Sentinels at the mall. The Outliers combine their powers in an impressive display of teamwork that truly makes me feel likewe are witnessing the next generation of X-Men.
Not only do the Outliers demonstrate stellar teamwork, butthey also possess unique powers and interesting backstoriesthat allow them to connect with both the ongoing story and their X-Men mentors, like Wolverine and Gambit.
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Uncanny X-Men#10 – Written By Gail Simone; Art By Andrei Bressan; Color By Matthew Wilson; Lettering By Clayton Cowles
The Outliers were introduced inUncanny X-Men#1 by Gail Simone and David Marquez, where the young mutants are seen running from thepowerful villain known as the Hagand seeking out Rogue’s X-Men team for help. The X-Men and the Outliers end up in a misunderstanding, leading to a fight that wonderfullyshowcases some of the most unique mutant abilities and designs I’ve seen in a long while. The Outliers instantly drew me in with their striking hero costumes and distinctive personalities that perfectly mesh with both each other and the classic X-Men roster.
One underlyingissue I’ve had with Marvel heroes as a whole is seeing the same versions of powers recycledfor new characters, but that problem is less prevalent with this new roster of powerful mutants. One of the Outliers, Calico, uses her psychic abilities to link with her horse and to create physical armor and weapons with her mind, which have been shown to give her juggernaut-like strength. The Outliers' leader,Ransom, has a black hole for a heart that allows him to absorb energy, making him strong enough to go toe-to-toe with Wolverine.
While the Outliers have powers that have existed within the Marvel Universe for years, the way they are executed makes them stand out from the sea of existing mutants and superpowers.Outlier member Jitter’s ability to hyper-focusand become highly skilled in any talent for one minute is an insanely powerful ability thatI think is a complete upgrade from Rogue or Synch’s power-absorbing capabilities. Moreover, I believe the Outliers becoming the X-Men’s protégés helps to keep them a part of the story while also forming strong student-mentor connections with their predecessors.
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The Outliers are far from the first team of young mutants to become“the next generation”of X-Men. After all, iconic X-Men like Wolverine, Storm, and Nightcrawler were new mutants introduced in 1975’sGiant-Sized X-Mento refresh the X-Men roster. The originalNew Mutantsseries was also a team of young heroes introduced to bring back the academy element to the X-Men. While some heroes, like Sunspot, have stuck around,many have faded into the background—an issue I don’t believe plagues this new generation.
A few critical differences I’ve recognized between the new Outliers team and their forgotten predecessors are the vibrant personalities displayed by the new heroes and their compatibility with the existing team. Ransom is very empathetic towards his teammates, but he also carries a strong rage that hasdriven Wolverine to take him under his wing. Similarly,Gambit was able to share a heartwarming moment with Calico, opening her eyes to her mutant identity and the struggles that come with it—two great moments that flesh out the Outliers as heroes and showcase the X-Men’s talents as mentors.
Only Time Will Tell if This New Team Will Outlast Its Predecessors
I think the Outliers' battle at the mall inUncanny X-Men#10 showcases their ability to hold their own with interesting dynamics outside of Rogue’s X-Men, greatly highlighting their potential to develop into the next generation of X-Men. Many fans, myself included,were upset to see the Krakoa Era end, butone of my favorite aspects of the new era is the intriguing heroes like the Outliers that have emerged. Despite the X-Men still dealing with the aftermath of Krakoa, the introduction of the Outliers gives the X-Men that much-needed“school”energy that many teams before have tried to emulate.
The X-Men are a Marvel staple and one of the most instantly recognizable superhero teams, so changes to their roster are understandably not always the easiest task to implement, as previous“next generation”teams have proven. While it’s never certain how long-lasting new heroes will be as time goes on, I believe the X-Men’s new team of mutants is more than worthy of becoming the next generation of X-Men. Despite the constant introduction of new mutants every few years, the Outliers bring a refreshing change to the team that still retains theX-Men’smost memorable facets.
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Uncanny X-Men#10is available now from Marvel Comics!
X-Men
The X-Men franchise, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, centers on mutants with extraordinary abilities. Led by the powerful telepath Professor Charles Xavier, they battle discrimination and villainous mutants threatening humanity. The series explores themes of diversity and acceptance through a blend of action, drama, and complex characters, spanning comics, animated series, and blockbuster films.
