Review: ‘X-Men’ #31 Offers Hope In The Darkness

After all the hope and optimism of Krakoa, Orchis struck a horrific blow to mutantkind. In X-Men #31, we get to see the X-Men start to strike back.

Gerry Duggan, Phil Noto and Clayton Cowles begin to win the war.

With Talon’s sacrifice, the X-Men have acquired a device to undo the damage Orchis did to Krakoan medicine, rendering their leverage against them impotent. Teaming with Spider-Man and the Gold Goblin, they may just be able to use it. But Nimrod is determined to stop them. Their only hope may be one of the most powerful among them, one who’s struggling himself. 

This issue is such an interesting dichotomy. On one hand, it’s great to see the mutants finally get a win. It’s all sci-fi comics technobabble, but Duggan makes it hopeful and strikes a tone that reminds me quite a bit of the earliest days of Krakoa.

The other side of it was some tough writing. Though it doesn’t need to be all doom and gloom, some of the dialogue is too flippant, a little too silly. There’s a balance that could be struck, but Duggan swings too far in the wrong direction. The circumstances around Talon also don’t work, as they fit right into the fridging trope, and doesn’t do anything with it outside of the exact same beats that causes the trope to be so harmful.

The issue looks great though. Noto’s linework and colors are at the same high standard his warm always is. His figures are just photoreal enough to feel like genuine human beings (including their body language). His action work is just fluid enough to work, and he has great layouts and pacing that it excels. For the faults of the story, the art elevates and enhances the issue.

Cowles’ work is always good, and this issue he gets to have some fun. The dialogue is done just right in each panel and he plays with emphasis and special effects in some really fun ways. 

X-Men #31 is available now from Marvel Comics.