X-Men, Vol. 6

X-Men (2021)

by Gerry Duggan, Phil Noto (artist), Joshua Cassara (cover_art)

Collects X-Men (2021) #30-34.

The X-Men's last stand! As the chaos of mutantkind's fight back against their fall at the hands of Orchis rages in FALL OF THE HOUSE OF X, other forgotten foes come out of the woodwork to take on the X-Men in their time of peril! Synch and Talon find themselves once more besieged by the High Evolutionary and his creations to reap the consequences of their last encounter - and the results will be devastating! Then Nimrod shows just why the X-Men lived in fear of its creation! The ultimate weapon of mutant extinction is ever-adapting, ever-evolving, with only one death to mutantkind! But with the end nigh, Kate Pryde and Illyana Rasputin fight side by side - blades in hand! And the X-Men assemble for what might be the last battle of the heroes of Krakoa!

Genres: Comics, X Men, Marvel, Graphic Novels, Superheroes, Graphic Novels Comics, Comic Book

Kindle Edition

Published September 4, 2024

Reviews

[Baba · Rating 3 out of 5]

The final ride of this Krakoan era of mutants is found fittingly in the adjective-less series 'X-Men', taking a well thought out strategic approach, some of the best of the fifty years plus of accumulated X-gene carrying heroes working together from the ashes of the Fall of the House of X, against the vast and seemingly endless forces of ORCHIS and the AI they have been using. As great battles go, visually this was quite splendid at times, but like the entire Krakoan ear there is just too much going on and an over reliance of encyclopaedic X-Men knowledge, like mine. A part of me almost feels like one could ignore the last five to six years of X-Books and just watch a summary You Tube video! I suppose they were key Mystique, Sinister, Destiny, Xavier, Kate Pryde etc. stories, so maybe they are worth a read. I will let you know on my reread in a few years. An averaged Three Star 7 out of 12.

2026 read

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

Phil Noto and Joshua Cassara are both great artists and their work alone is the reason I’m giving this book 3 stars.

The story, though? Just for the love of Galactus make it bloody stop already…

[Rory Wilding · Rating 4 out of 5]

During the final months of the First Krakoan Age, there was a sense that Marvel was over-compensating with the amount of issues across multiple titles to cement that we were approaching the end of the X-Men's most exciting era in years. Following Jonathan Hickman’s run on the main X-Men title (as well as his departure from the era itself), Gerry Duggan took over the book where he explored the eponymous group of a team of superheroes to reflect a positive image on the mutants for humanity as they reside in New York.

Throughout this run, threats including the human supremacist organization Orchis have tried to diminish that public image by revealing secrets that the mutant nation has kept from the rest of the world. Following the 2023 Hellfire Gala, Orchis has made their move as they invade Krakoa, causing the mutants to evacuate from their utopia as they seek refuge elsewhere. Whilst Cyclops is on trial and facing the death penalty, whatever is left of the X-Men are now a resistance against Orchis, who has unleashed Nimrod who relentlessly adapts in its quest to eliminate mutantkind.

Although the five issues here serve as a continuation of what Duggan has been doing throughout his run, they are happening around the same time as he was writing Fall of the House of X, which feels like the main event while these issues feel more like tie-ins that fill in the gaps. Reading this volume in isolation is not ideal, even if you are a fan of this run alone, which has always been fun, even if it never reaches the depth of Hickman’s writing, or even Duggan’s other X-colleagues.

The strength of this run has always been Duggan’s handling of characters, and with this volume, there are some interesting interactions between the X-Men, a number of which have been split off in different locations. As Synch and Talon face the fallout of their past with the High Evolutionary, we get to see closure towards this romantic relationship, which does end in tragedy, but it cements those two mutants as being one of the high points of the whole era, even going back to Hickman’s involvement. While there are allies to help the X-Men, such as Spider-Man and Iron Man, you are here for the mutants themselves as Kamala Khan, Kitty Pryde, Magik and Emma Frost steal the show.

There is a lot going on, not least from the numerous antagonists that pop up, ranging from Nimrod, the High Evolutionary and MODOK, it is a good thing that artists Phil Noto and Joshua Cassara make this a visually coherent read. As one of the most prominent artists during the Krakoan Era, Noto’s work has always been serviceable, but never was a particular favourite of mine. On the other hand, Carrara’s more detailed work really shines in the last two issues here with a great deal of action that showcases the variety of powers displayed in spectacular fashion; even Wolverine gets some awesome moments.

Ending on a cliffhanger, it does seem weird that the last volume of Duggan’s run does not include X-Men #35, which serves as the ending of the whole era. While this trade feels more like filling in the gaps within the larger storyline, it still serves as a satisfying conclusion to Duggan’s super-heroic take on the X-Men.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Duggan does right by the characters he touches. And this book ain’t 1/10th as confusing as the Fall/Rise pair of nonsense I just read.

Seriously, still can’t figure that out. Did Charles Xavier betray his people and his ideals for a terrible deal? Or was it some long con that resolved? Still don’t understand. Maybe I’ll get it after reading issue 35.

Which leaves me with one big question: if issue 35 (legacy 700) isn’t part of this collection, which one was it put in?

[Jesús De la Jara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Los eventos que se narran aquí pasan al mismo tiempo que Fall of the house of X. Cuentan algunas historias que no aparecen en los cómics más importantes. Luego de que Orchis ha dado su gran golpe los diversos mutantes se están recomponiendo.
Cyclops está en juicio por Orchis y todo ello se cuenta más en Fall of the house of X. Synch y Talon, mientras van contra el Alto Evolucionador para robarle una bomba biológica que contrarreste las medidas de Orchis contra las plantas mutantes que han probado todos los humanos. También se da aquí el reencuentro entre Magik y SHadowcat que fue bastante emotivo. Con Emma y Cyclops, en su mayoría, los mutantes van juntándose para el golpe final.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

So Marvel's Merry Mutants are back to their default hunted and hated underdogs status quo on planet Earth and Emma Frost is doing a predictably fabulous job coordinating resistance activities while Sync and Talon continue being super old and unwanted byproducts of that whole Vault thing, so, yeah...


Yes, this happened.

I doubt anyone will ever hearken back to the all-over-the-place X-Era as a classic but they are perfectly serviceable and enable us to spend time with old faves like Kitty and Magik so no further objections, Your Honour.

[Anna Quilter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not being the greatest fan of the Krakoan Story...I did find this a bit scattered as the X Men fight back against Orchis.

[Matthew Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m mostly glad this run is ending because of Krakoa fatigue, but this has been a solid run. The art in this one is great, but the stride is just okay. I loved the last page of this one though with Wolverine!

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5
I hate to see an excellent X-Men run end. And we're almost there. Duggan's Fall of X stories have been particularly good and brutal but also emotionally taxing for the characters. Good stuff.

[Bertazzo · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a bummer Duggan's tenure on X-Men was so uneven. His last volume is so messy and uninspired.

[Aisling · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Alex Sarll]

Significantly better than most of Duggan's contributions to the Fall – though obviously not as good as if, as well as issues 30-34, it had also included 35, much of which was written by Ewing and Gillen, which was a bit like getting Hockney in to finish your kid's art homework. Still, while there remain some bits of the story here that make no sense whatsoever, like a battle with Nimrod that just gets politely paused because he can't meet his end outside the main event series, this does offer a decent attempt at tying up some other loose ends, such as Orchis' sabotage of Krakoan medicine. And that in turn feeds into a genuinely affecting wrap-up for the Synch/Talon romance, though I was still more moved by the Lockheed subplot. And where I've often found the Fall comics needlessly grim and mean, here, with the tide turning, there's the cathartic delight of seeing lots of fascist bully-boys and tech arseholes getting their much-deserved comeuppance in exactly the way that doesn't happen in the real world.

[Matthew Randell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some really compelling art, like really well put-together pages. Kudos to all involved in that. Some nice smaller character stuff too, I'm thinking of Synch/Wolverine and Shadowkat/Logan for example.

[Andres Pasten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Más por el cierre que por lo ocurrido en los primeros números. Larga vida a Krakoa...

[Adam Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

In preparation for the outstanding "Fall of the House of X / Rise of the Powers of X", we get our final Volume of the main X-Men title. You can feel the tension building, which pays off in the huge crossover.
Highlights:
- Synch and Talon must go back to Counter-Earth and get a device from the High Evolutionary that will assist will the disbursement of MODOK's virus hidden in Krakoan medicine. They are successful, but Talon must be let go and sacrificed.
- White Queen continues to lead the resistance communication via telepathy
- Magik, dying of nanite poisoning, is able to stand with Shadowkat against Orchis soldiers. Polaris painfully removes the nanites, which restores Magik's abilities
- Dr Killian Devo, founder of Orchis, is taken down by the X-Men, with the help of Doom's X-Men
- Orchis is almost done.... but will be finished off in the FHX/RPX crossover.

I love reading X-Men comics. Even after all this time, I never get sick of them.
Really looking forward to the "From the Ashes" era.
Strong recommend.

[Michael Church · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a little hard to rate because of how broken up the story is, though that could’ve been helped with just a few well placed editorial notes (*see Issue 5 of Uncanny Avengers, or see issue whatever of Fall of X) to help us understand the continuity.

Each individual issue is fine, for the most part, especially the first 3 illustrated by Phil Noto. The Sync and Talon story is probably the hardest hitting of the volume. I knew something was going to happen, but not exactly what, so it broke my heart. It was really well done, and I think their arc throughout Krakoa is one of my overall favorites. I want more of Sync forever, and I hope he keeps his A-List status.

The remaining issues, though, get caught up in whatever is happening in Fall of X, so it’s pretty fragmented. Emma is giving psychic direction to all mutants. Something happened with Xavier. Something happens with Cyclops. Something happens in the White Hot Room, but we don’t have full context for any of that. It’s all still well written, and Joshua Cassara’s art is still great, but it’s tough to follow as tie-in issues. And I can’t tell if it would be better to read this first or that first. Maybe it would’ve been best to go back to my old method of actually flipping between issues based on the official reading order.

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the Rise & Fall and X-Men Forever are doing the heavy lifting, the main X-Men series gets to focus in on some parts of the final conflict with Orchis that we don't get time to spend on in those other titles.

Most of this volume is fighting - as is to be expected. Nimrod, the High Evolutionary, MODOK, and more get to show their faces one last time for the X-Men to stomp on them, tying up some loose ends from across the Krakoan Age and getting some last fist-pump moments in like seeing Kitty and Magik back to back once again.

Then everything ends in issue #35/700 - I'm not sure how much of that issue's collected here yet, if it's going to be the full story or just the uncollected back-up stuff with the main chunk over in the Fall/Rise trade, but either way, it's a decent coda for the story.

X-Men's chugged along nicely under Duggan, even while other books were dealing with the more plot heavy stuff, be it now with Rise & Fall, during Sins of Sinister, or the Before The Fall one-shots. This final volume's more of the same quality we've come to expect. I'm really going to miss this era of X-Men.

[Naomi Starling · Rating 5 out of 5]

I almost rated this a four because of the very last issue of this series, but this particular tpb doesn't actually include the last issue. The last two issues were confusing, gross at times, and definitely a let down. But the ENTIRE REST of this storyline has been FANTASTIC! I know there are those Kitty fans who don't approve of ShadowKat, but I can definitely see her breaking like this, especially with all she's endured!

I was surprised to find myself actually liking Synch/Talon and hurting for Ev there at the end. Kamala grew on me VERY quickly, including to the point that I may even check out her own series eventually. I LOVED!!! the moments with Lockheed and Kitty/Illyana!!! I think t's AWESOME that Logan ended up being there for Kitty in the end and carrying on his first kid's mission, and it was PERFECT that the story culminated with Charles and Magneto. It ended with the same couple it began, a perfect, if heartbreaking, circle.

This was MARVELOUS (pun intended) and would have been better off without the final two issues! Just stick with these, and you're GOLDEN! ;)

[Joey Nardinelli · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started off being pretty into this volume. I’m always weirdly drawn to Noto’s art…it reminds me of Aja’s art but with more detail and stiffer postures. But then the cracks started showing in the narrative…even if this is a run of 5 back to back issues, they all felt wildly disconnected due to these stories being carried through an event line and other runs peripheral to X-Men. I really have lost track of Xavier at this point so his suddenly being an antagonist didn’t track. Talon being offed so suddenly also felt weird and out of place given the refusal so far to actually meaningfully inject death into these stories despite the lack of resurrection for the mutants now. I’ve probably harped on that before, and therein is a theme…this all feels like it’s going in circles.

Weirdest moments are with Alia Gregor who appears at the tail end of one issue only to show up again dead at the end of the next issue, with no connecting threads. It’s like reading a pastiche based on proposed story art boards…

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The X-Men team crowned during the last Hellfire Gala take the battle to Orchis as this volume weaves in and out of Fall of the House of X/Rise of the Powers of X. Like, literally woven: each issue actually takes place after a Fall of the House of X issue. This book really should have been packaged with the bigger crossover volume. Alas, Marvel publishing has dropped the ball with Fall of X continuity.

The stories being told here are pretty decent on their own, fun little adventures that see some of our favorite heroes take down the human elements of Orchis. The concluding issues are especially exciting. Talon and Synch's love story, on the other hand, is kind of forgettable. You can tell us that these two had a 500-year love story in the Vault, but telling isn't showing.

Overall, Duggan closes out his X-Men run on another volume that mostly feels like unrelated one-shots. They're mostly good, but they certainly should have been packaged elsewhere.

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure who at Marvel think this is a good idea. All of the X-titles at the moment seem to be all part of a puzzle where the pieces are all blank. You have no idea what order you are supposed to read them in and they all have spoilers for other titles. It really grinds my gears that all of these aren't numbered properly if they are more or less all part of one big crossover.

That being said, these stories are fine. They are all one-offs and they certainly spoil what's going on in Rise and Fall of Powers of X or whatever those two titles are called. Oh yeah that story doesn't end in those either books either. You have to come back and read X-Men #35/700 to get the ending. What a clusterpluck. All of the X-books at this point may read better in trade because maybe Marvel will have the decency to finally put them in the proper order then.

[Fiona · Rating 4 out of 5]

this has probs been the most fun title of everything going on mostly cos it has all my faves in it - that one issue where the summary page was like this one has emma, kitty, magik and lockheed is back was made for meee. i do love emma being the mutant comms system and deploying people everywhere she's come so far :')

but wow you destroy krakoa and suddenly no one cares about 'harm no man' and they're out here slashing through human goons in the main title and there's constant blood splatter in random panels. shouldn't have pissed them off

devo that talon died but i like the choice of characters they're killing off like they're all the ones that don't make sense to keep around for one reason or another

also i've said it before and i'll say it again, no one draws people front-on like phil noto

[Shannon Appelcline · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good set of stories that give depth and add content to the events of Fall of the House of X.

The downside is that this is a terribly organized collection. It interweaves with the events of Fall, yet was published as a separate volume so that Marvel could $$$$. Obviously there should be an Omnibus or Deluxe that includes not just Fall and Rise, but also X-Men and I presume some of the others I haven't read yet (because Marvel also did a terrible job of delaying some of the collections of this storyline for months).

So: yay Dugagn, this is a fun story. Boo Marvel, your once fine collection-mapping dept. has gotten increasingly bad over the last few years.

[Ross · Rating 3 out of 5]

How many pieces of 'The Fall of X' do there REALLY need to be?

Good lord..
In this volume?
- Synch and Laura try to take back the High Evolutionary's genocidal weapon...
- Synch loses something he's held close for almost a 1000 years...
- Ilyana, Typhoid Mary, and a certain purple dragon make their presences known...
- Doom's Latverian X-Men (or as Ms. Marvel calls them, 'The New Mutants') come in clutch...
- Wolverine and Shadowkat discuss the future and what to do about Professor X...

[Andrew · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh funny, I hadn't reviewed this because I thought #35/#700 would be in it. Apparently not.

Well, I don't know what trade is collecting #35. But I guess mostly, I am glad Krakoa is over. At times it was a good Elseworlds (yes, I know that's the Distinguished Competition's nomenclature) title. At times it wasn't. Oh, but it wasn't Elseworlds...

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now this is everything Fall of the House of X was not. It's clearly told, the art is decent, and there are real stakes for the characters. I guess to get the whole picture, you've got to read every single X-related book out right now. Might be nice for someone to put them all in chronological order so you know what's going on from start to finish...

[Micah Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

It only works as a tie-in the the Fall of X event, but aside from a few plot points pertaining to that story, this volume also really delves into the individual impact on a few of the characters that offered some much needed depth, emotion, and soul to an era in the X-Men series that has needed it so badly.

[Jerome Livsey-Herd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly, I loved this, I would give it a 4.5 out of 5 stars! I can see what people are saying about Krakoan fatigue, but I've read the stories far apart and only in collections instead of the single issues so it's given me natural breaks between stories. The only downside of this collection is that it was basically just a tie in to Fall of The House of X/Rise of The Powers of X.

[Junior · Rating 2 out of 5]

Missing important context

There’s quite a few missing events that take place off panel in this collection. I’m assuming it’s because they happen in another comic run like Uncanny X-Men or something, but I had no idea going into this. So the conclusion left me confused and annoyed. Next time I’m just gonna follow a reading guide.

[Tyler Jenkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

There’s just a lot going on here. A lot of stories wrapping up simply because this age is coming to an end. But all I care about is seeing the X-Men gear up for the biggest fight of their lives. And when we’re on that story it’s where this volume shines.