Uncanny X-Men #35 — Gail Simone and Luciano Vecchio Dive Into Mutation’s Dark Heart
Gail Simone’s run turns up the tension as an X-Man undergoes a terrifying change and a mysterious figure known as Repent emerges as the last hope for a beloved mutant. Meanwhile, the team uncovers a shadowy link between their recent enemies that strikes at the heart of the Outliers’ secrets.
There is a specific kind of energy that Gail Simone brings to mutant stories — she doesn’t just write about power; she writes about the weight of it. In Uncanny X-Men #35, that energy is focused on something visceral and deeply unsettling. This isn’t just another skirmish with a rogue faction; it’s a story about what happens when the very thing that makes a mutant special becomes a source of terror. If you’ve been riding this wave with the team, you know where Simone is heading, but this issue pulls the rug out from under everyone.
The catalyst here is a transformation that feels less like an upgrade and more like a unraveling. One of the X-Men is facing a change so profound that the cure might be more dangerous than the disease itself. Into this chaos steps Repent, a figure who seems to hold the only key to salvation for a mutant the team holds dear. It’s a setup that promises high emotional stakes and a mystery that goes far deeper than the current conflict.
Luciano Vecchio handles both the art and the cover, and his work here is a masterclass in tension. He captures the physical horror of the transformation with a clarity that is disturbing rather than grotesque, grounding the supernatural elements in a very real sense of dread. The way he frames the interactions between the newly formed Uncanny X-Men and this new threat creates a palpable sense of isolation, even when the whole team is on screen.
What makes #35 particularly compelling is how it ties the personal to the political. As the team investigates the dark connection between their recent foes, they begin to suspect that the Outliers are hiding a secret that could reshape their understanding of their enemies. It’s a classic Simone move: using the external plot to explore internal fractures and trust issues within the team.
If you’re enjoying this deep dive into mutant identity and the cost of heroism, keep an eye on how Vecchio’s art evolves as the stakes rise. The visual storytelling here is doing as much heavy lifting as the dialogue, and the atmosphere he builds is something you’ll want to experience in full color. This is the kind of issue that reminds you why you fell in love with the X-Men in the first place.