Sebastian Shaw has set his sights on Xavier and the island of Krakoa while Hope, Exodus, and Destiny try their best to save the mutants stranded in the desert. Find out who survives in Immortal X-Men #16 by Marvel Comics!

IMMORTAL X-MEN #16

Writer: Kieron Gillen
Artist: Lucas Werneck
Colorist: David Curiel
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Editor: Jordan White
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: October 4th, 2023 

Previously in Immortal X-Men: Xavier holds vigil over the island of Krakoa after the Hellfire Gala. Selene and Shaw have betrayed their mutant brethren and aligned with Orchis to attack the island and plunder the once-prosperous nation. Exodus, Hope, and Destiny lead the mutant nation in a strange desert, where they meet Mother Righteous, who has led them to an oasis. Despite this, they are still constantly attacked by a pack of feral Wolverines.

Immortal X-Men #16 starts with Sebastian Shaw donning what looks like an Iron Man suit to fight Xavier. During the fight, Xavier can pierce through Sebastian and Selene’s psychic defenses, and Xavier promises the passwords to the Hellfire accounts. With the battle over, Shaw decides that the money is better than fighting Xavier and leaves, but a mystery remains. Xavier doesn’t believe he killed anyone, but the dead Orchis members prove otherwise.

Meanwhile, the mutants of Krakoa have managed to find water food, and even restart the resurrection process. Throughout this sequence, we see Apocalypse watching over and referring to the road of Revelation. During a scouting mission, Hope and Exodus encounter Apocalypse and Jean Grey. Jean Grey’s mind is lost, and when Hope tries to read it, she realizes she is in the “White Hot Room.”

I am not sure what my expectations are for Immortal X-Men. The narrative arc is masterfully written, and the art is so vivid on the page that it runs like the perfect book. But I was unsure about what was happening next, almost like this writing was too intelligent for me. I don’t understand what will happen between Shaw and Xavier; it feels confusing. I don’t know why we are introducing the “White Hot Room” here. Are they in the Phoenix Force? I don’t really get a ton of foreshadowing in Immortal X-Men #16, but it feels like I missed something, or Kieron is delving deep into the archives of X-Men lore to show what will happen next.

This is a good thing because I want to know the mystery of what is going on. I feel as lost as the mutant refugees in the story, but I also find myself disappointed that I, who teach graphic novels and writing at the college level, haven’t been able to reasonably interpret the book’s contents. Which is both a strength and weakness of this comic title.

Despite my reservations, I can’t deny the quality of the art and writing. I’m invested in every page as I read it, in every read-through of the book. Immortal X-Men #16 has everything I want in it; I just wish I had the time to go back and read previous issues to remind myself of some elements I may or may not be missing. 4.5 out of 5 stars for Immortal X-Men #16.

---

Dear Spoilerite,

At Major Spoilers, we strive to create original content that you find interesting and entertaining. Producing, writing, recording, editing, and researching requires significant resources. We pay writers, podcast hosts, and other staff members who work tirelessly to provide you with insights into the comic book, gaming, and pop culture industries. Help us keep MajorSpoilers.com strong. Become a Patron (and our superhero) today.

Immortal X-Men #16

90%

90%

Interesting Ideas

Immortal X-Men #16 is a masterful book, but I still feel confused about what will happen next.

• Writing

  9
• Art

  9
• Coloring

  9
• User Ratings (0 Votes)
  0