I had asked about Magik appearing in the series, but I also imagined that was the bulk of the questions.
Writer & Artist Peach Momoko
Script Adaption Zack Davisson
Letterer VC’s Travis Lanham
Final Issue! Or is it?
Such an interesting final issue. Lots of story concepts are introduced, and none are concluded. Is this a meta commentary on how cool this series could have been, but with Ultimate Endgame’s force event, we are being denied a proper conclusion, as that’s life sometimes? The title is being murdered, and thus, all of its potential is being stolen? Is that the message?
OR! Is it a situation where we’re getting Reborn : Ultimate Impact so the Ultimate Universe might be returning in some other fashion? I’ll admit, that five part mini appears to be purely about Miles Morales, and the Origin Boxes, funneling the second Ultimate Universe into Armageddon.
Maystorm is having nightmares, she wants to know what happened to Armor.
We meet Miss Y, who appears to be Peach Momoko drawing a very pretty lady. Miss Y is dealing with pills that can only be given to mutants. Appears to be a pill that removes mutant powers.
We are introduced to a mutant girl with fairy ears. Could this have been Meggan? Her name is Reiko.
Mei meets up with Nico to see if there’s anything to be discovered about Armor. Armor’s trinket has a reaction to Miss Y’s pills, so they confront her. Miss Y doesn’t know anything about Armor, believing she’s dead. Makoto Armano, the main focus of the previous issue, appears, nothing like his cliffhanger final appearance. They are determined to find Armor.
Issue ends Maystorm laying down flowers, and being surprised by a text message.
This doesn’t feel like a plot we’ll get properly finished in Ultimate Endgame, but maybe in Ultimate Finale?
I’m not entirely sure how I feel this is going to read in a beautiful omnibus collecting the entire run. I do feel like there must be a meta commentary in this.
Now that this series is over, I’ll share with you dear listener / viewer, I feel like I’ve been checked out of Ultimate X-Men for a while now. Beautiful Peach Momoko art, and plots, but it hasn’t been a title for me, and it only adds to my detachment to the overall Ultimate Universe, that I’ve been feeling for a while now. At least I still have Ultimate Magik as seen in Ultimate Wolverine, but even that feels hallow.
Also, very odd how that series got four more issues, whereas Ultimate X-Men appears to have also needed four more issues? Or one giant issue?
Started off well, but maybe it is time to just end the Ultimate Universe.
Writer Alex Paknadel
Artist Roge Antonio
Color Artist Fer Sifuentes-Sujo
Letterer VC’s Joe Caramagna
What a good way to set up a series!
Magik and Quinten Quire start out throwing up as a jerk AIM agent change their biological make up to only breathe sulfur dioxide. Cyclops comes in, optic blasts everybody, so we see how cool he is.
I don’t love that he chastises Magik & Quire, nor that he is looking for soldiers, that doesn’t seem to be his relationship with Magik or Quire. He must be just hyper focused right now.
I love so much Juggernaut barging into the room, and wanting to make sure Magik is okay. They really are the best of friends.
70s Beast confronts Cyclops about the solider remark. I like to think Illyana and Scott had a chat off panel about it as well, as he was being overly performative. Cyclops gets a message, and is off to Nebraska. He is going to take a Quinjet, which I thought was a mistake, but makes off wonderfully later.
Roxxon is changing Mister Sinister’s Orphanage into a new data center. Dr. Robin Honover reveals some information about Scott’s first days here. He was protecting Alex so fiercely he bit a few guards. I love that we get some editor boxes, always handy. Classic X-Men 41 & 42 are the stories to check out.
I thought Alex was adopted immediately, but it would make sense that he would have stayed here for a few days until the adoption was finalized. Scott leaves, giving Alex a call, which I appreciate that he would want to call his brother after this. We get another editor box referencing X-Factor V5 8, so they haven’t talked since then. We are reminded that Alex blew up the orphanage in Hellions 4.
Meanwhile, Donald Pierce is creating new Reavers, but he has a new plan to make them more loyal, and not as hateful, so that’s progress. Two Reavers see a Quinjet, and immediately shoot it down, thinking they are going to take some lame Avengers captive. Fun to see that get paid off so quickly. Instead, they get one of the more dangerous X-Men, Cyclops! I do like how Donald Pierce recognizes the danger they are in.
What they don’t know, is that Scott hit his head on the way down, so he doesn’t have control over his optic blasts. A mutant the Reavers were hunting finds Scott, so at least he isn’t alone, nor is she now.
Since we’re having editorial boxes, I wonder if we’ll get a reference to X-Men Unlimited V1 31, where Scott was blinded, and has to use all of the skills his fellow X-Men taught him. Kitty taught him some defense moves that are referenced in that issue.
Top Ten X-Comics of 2026
- Magik & Colossus 1
- Avengers V9 34 (Kitty Pryde!)
- Wolverine V8 15
- Uncanny X-Men V8 23
- Rogue One (V4)
- X-Men V7 24
- Cyclops V4 1
- Inglorious X-Force 1
- Storm Earth’s Mightiest Mutant 1
- Ultimate Wolverine 14
. . .
February 4, 2026
- Magik & Colossus 1
- Avengers V9 34 (Kitty Pryde!)
- Wolverine V8 15
- Uncanny X-Men V8 23
- Rogue One (V4)
- X-Men V7 24
- Storm Earth’s Mightiest Mutant 1
- Inglorious X-Force 1
- Ultimate X-Men 23
- Ultimate Wolverine 14
. . .
January 21, 2026
- Avengers V9 34 (Kitty Pryde!)
- Wolverine V8 14
- Uncanny X-Men V8 22
- Rogue One (V4)
- X-Men V7 24
- Ultimate X-Men 23
- Ultimate Wolverine 13
- Sai : Dimensional Rivals
- Spider-Man and Wolverine 8
- Inglorious X-Force 1
. . .
January 14, 2026
- Avengers V9 34 (Kitty Pryde!)
- Wolverine V8 14
- Uncanny X-Men V6 22
- Ultimate X-Men 23
- Sai : Dimensional Rivals 1
- Marvel Rivals : The Cities of Heaven
- Ultimate Wolverine 13
- X-Men V7 23
- Luna Snow : World Tour 1
- Battleworld 5
. . .
January 7, 2026
- Wolverine V8 14
- Ultimate X-Men V2 23
- Marvel Rivals : The Cities of Heaven 1
- Ultimate Wolverine 13
- X-Men V7 23
Writer Ashley Allen
Artist German Peralta
Color Artist Arthur Hesli
Letterer VC’s Ariana Maher
Variant Cover Skottie Young
I love this comic so much! If any X-Man needed a redemption arc, it is Colossus. Ashley Allen, German Peralta, Arthur Helsi, and VC’s Ariana Maher brought me my favorite comic of 2026, well, until X-Men United gives it a run for its money.
Issue opens with Colossus having a bit of a nightmare. Once again, Illyana tells Piotr that she hates the “Snowflake” nickname, but it sticks this time – which I really appreciate.
Nightmare ends with Colossus in a grave with the great loves of his life – Kitty Pryde (in her Exceptional outfit, which I love), Domino (huge shout outs for remembering her!), Nightcrawler, so his Excalibur crew, a guy in a trench coat, maybe Black Tom? Then two lady skeletons I don’t recognize.
Colossus is being hunted by some magical threats in Russia, which seems like what he should be doing is going to ghost towns instead of currently habited farms, as people are getting hurt. Magik finally locates him, she hasn’t seen him since the Hellfire Vigil, and they do a quick catch up.
I do like how this comic hits the highs of Colossus, that he will be the one to make the sacrificial play, and break a neck if he has too. More on that later.
This does feel like Magik’s ongoing, but now with 100% more Colossus. I do like how this first issue opens with a dream sequence, just like Magik’s first issue. Also, we saw a dead Kitty Pryde there too. Oh, Ashley Allen, why are you having German Peralta do this to Pryde Nation?!
They go back to their parents’ farm house, and it is so charming that Piotr immediately starts thinking he can live here again with Magik. Like buddy, that hasn’t been her home in years. And I’m sure whenever she tries to conjure a childhood memory, it is always ALWAYS tainted by her thoughts immediately going to Limbo soon after. That, or her parents were murdered there, while she hid under a bed scared out of her mind.
They come across a child who freaks out as Colossus is covered in blood. Magik makes Colossus more presentable, but at the cost of his glorious beard. Which is my sole criticism of this issue. Why did we have to lose his beard?!
We learn the current threat is Lady Midday, she, of course, has a bigger boss. There’s always a bigger fish. A proper legend, which is fun pull.
Lady Midday allows Magik to defeat her in the first round, as now she knows Illyana’s strengths – of which, she has many.
To combat her fully, she creates four elemental versions of her. I am such a sucker for elemental threats. We get Earth, Wind, & Fire, with Water. Wind immediately takes Magik’s breath away, and as a verbal spell caster, prevents some moves on Magik’s part.
Magik comes up with a plan. Colossus makes for good bait, they want him anyway. She essentially gets the elements to take each other out. Proper Lady Midday arrives, to taunt them, and Colossus is just done.
Colossus Riptides Lady Midday. Magik sees her magic signature float away, but allows Colossus to think he got this win.
Issue ends with the Big Bad, and the editorial page refers to him as The Immortal. I imagine we’ll learn more about him next issue as we go to St. Petersburg.
What. A. Great. Comic! I love this.
BlueSky amigo, and great follow, Project Legacy X informed me that the blonde with the headbane is Kayla from Krakoa.
Would have been good to see Nereel in there, or Zsaji.
Top Ten X-Men Comics of 2026
- Magik & Colossus 1
- Avengers V9 34 (Kitty Pryde!)
- Wolverine V8 15
- Uncanny X-Men V8 23
- Rogue One (V4)
- X-Men V7 24
- Storm Earth’s Mightiest Mutant 1
- Inglorious X-Force 1
- Ultimate X-Men 23
- Ultimate Wolverine 14
. . .
January 21, 2026
- Avengers V9 34 (Kitty Pryde!)
- Wolverine V8 14
- Uncanny X-Men V8 22
- Rogue One (V4)
- X-Men V7 24
- Ultimate X-Men 23
- Ultimate Wolverine 13
- Sai : Dimensional Rivals
- Spider-Man and Wolverine 8
- Inglorious X-Force 1
. . .
January 14, 2026
- Avengers V9 34 (Kitty Pryde!)
- Wolverine V8 14
- Uncanny X-Men V6 22
- Ultimate X-Men 23
- Sai : Dimensional Rivals 1
- Marvel Rivals : The Cities of Heaven
- Ultimate Wolverine 13
- X-Men V7 23
- Luna Snow : World Tour 1
- Battleworld 5
. . .
January 7, 2026
- Wolverine V8 14
- Ultimate X-Men V2 23
- Marvel Rivals : The Cities of Heaven 1
- Ultimate Wolverine 13
- X-Men V7 23
J.M. DeMatteis wrote about celebrating Sal Buscema’s would be 90th birthday.
I had to write, as I always do when Sal Buscema comes up, I have to share how he’s my favorite Spider-Artist. When I close my eyes, and think, Spider-Man, I see a Sal Buscema Spider-Man.
Then I started seeing posts about how Sal Buscema died before his birthday, and I had to make sure I didn’t misread that original post.
I just feel devastated that we no longer have this legend, and truly wonderful man.
JM DeMatteis wrote such a nice tribute :
https://www.jmdematteis.com/2026/01/remembering-sal.html
I got the first image from this website :
https://www.dailycartoonist.com/index.php/2026/01/26/sal-buscema-rip/
He had so many great runs :
He even had a brief New Mutants run :
Shame he didn’t do the covers for most of these, but that’s okay.
He also co-created ROM, the Space Knight
Which means he also co-created my least favorite character, Hybrid.
from ROM 18.
I had way too many comics, and had to whittle my collection down, but I’m happy I still have quite a few Sal Buscema comics.
now, more than ever, I really want that Spectacular Spider-Man omnibus
I should just check eBay every payday. By far, my favorite Spider-Run of all time.
Sal Buscema drew such a great Spider-Man!
For the podcast, I was going to cover Wonder Man V3 5, but I need to bump that and feature a Sal Buscema comic.
Either New Mutants V1 15, or ROM 17.
Sal Buscema, you will never be forgotten, and always loved!
Writer Tim Seeley
Artist Michael Sta. Maria
Color Artist Domulo Fajardo Jr.
Letterer VC’s Joe Caramagna
I’m not usually a X-Force type of guy. Usually none of my favorite characters make the team. Sometimes they show up to lend commentary or teleport the team somewhere else.
Cable arrives in the present, with a mission to save the future first mutant president. I immediately think we are making a President Dazzler reference, and I’m all on board for this team.
Cable arrives, but in very rough shape, and has Swiss cheese memory. He has left himself a note, to recruit Archangel, Hellverine, Boom Boom (who I always like to think of her as Meltdown, just to date myself).
Worthington Industries. Warren is having to deal with his board of directors. I love so much thinking about how frustrated they have been with Warren, since . . . forever? Maybe once he was a blank slate, and they could run the business they wanted to? You know, in a professional matter? They reference X-Corp and X-Factor, and how Warren keeps embarrassing them. Stock is low, but what does Worthington Industries even produce?
Cable talks to Warren later, and Warren comments on how they don’t have much history together. I mean, Warren was around for Baby Nathan, and then they were on different X-Force squads, so it does make sense. I immediately whack my brain for any memorable times together, and I’m pretty sure they don’t have much history together. I always do appreciate new X-Pairings.
Cable recruits Hellverine, who doesn’t have a solo title, so he has free time.
Cable recruits Tabitha, who I really appreciate being on this team, as I’m not much for gritty high violence titles, that’s just not my thing. She is bored, classic Boom Boom, and doesn’t even need to pack a bag, she knows Cable has whatever she needs at his base.
I do appreciate that this is a reunion title, and not a retro mini. I rather stories be set in the now with flashbacks to the old, it just feels current. Unless, of course, we’re getting a retro Kitty Pryde, Lockheed, and Magik series, then I’m all on board, variant covers, and all.
The three villains of the issue – Unveil, Speedburn, and DePop, seem interesting. Not too interesting where we’ll miss them once they are brutally killed, but interesting enough to be subjects of plots.
They are attacking Ms. Marvel, who I really like. Inglorious X-Force arrives to help her out.
Ms. Marvel is so me with this team. Heroes can kick, punch, chop, but they shouldn’t be stabbing everybody with flame swords. Or claws. X-Force isn’t really a team meant to inspire. They are the creepers of the dark, sometimes as nutty as their foes. They use force but not The Force.
Ms. Marvel recognizes Cable and X-Force, neither is really her scene.
Cable reveals Ms. Marvel’s future, she will be the first mutant president. Dazzler truly can’t have anything. I am also reminded that Kitty Pryde is meant to be a future president as well. But it hasn’t felt like we have been moving in that direction for some time. Kitty is tired, so I get that.
I do like the idea that Ms. Marvel, being a late teenager, is already looking forward to the four or eight years of not crime fighting. She’ll help the team out, but isn’t willing to join full time.
I like how in the fight, Warren wasn’t using kill blades, but paralyzing darts. Which I can only imagine still hurt like crazy.
Issue ends with Domino having Cable in her crosshairs. I like how she is looking at Leg Party and Housekeeping magazines. Oh, Domino, you are the best.
I’m not sure if she is joining the team, but I would like another lady or two on this team. This is one of the reasons why I wasn’t into the second volume of Weapon X-Men, as it was all dudes.
(or Rogue One, if you are fun)
Writer Erica Schultz
Artist Luigi Zagaria
Colorist Espen Grundetjern
Letterer VC’s Ariana Maher
This was a fun comic! I got excited to see Deathdream and Ransom, as I thought we were going to get Calitter and Ember, but we don’t. I was also surprised to see present day scenes, as I thought this might be a retro series.
Issue opens with them fighting a giant mutant possum.
Rogue loves Gambit, but sometimes he needs a kick in the arse.
The giant mutant possum, is destroying the Louisiana airport. A building is going to fall on some people. Rogue recognizes a guy in a wheelchair, who doesn’t have anything below his knees. She isn’t sure where she has seen him before.
Rogue mentions how she has her invulnerability swiped from Wonder Man. Is that right? She’s been keeping that power since her original Uncanny Avengers days?
We get a camp fire scene, and I immediately have to look at the credits of the comic. Erica Schultz is writing such a good issue. Luigi Zagaria is a terrific artist. Espen Grundetjern is the colorist, and I can only imagine is making Matthew Wilson proud as this felt like a spinoff of Uncanny X-Men, which it is. VC’s Ariana Maher is great as the letterer, as always.
At the camp fire, we do get a questionable narration boxes that I keep reading to try to make sense of it.
Deathdrream – Hotoru – is healing . . . or at least how he heals.
Ah made a rookie mistake goin’ off with the fairies like that.
We’re tryin’ ta train these newbies, but we gotta be careful.
They don’t know their own limits.
Ah made a rookie mistake goin’ off with the fairies like that. Fairies?! What an interesting choice of words. Is that used in the South in a positive way? I imagine she means they are very young and fresh, but I feel like that is a very loaded word choice.
Rogue is having nightmares from her Brotherhood days. But these are an unseen Brotherhood days as both Sabretooth and Constrictor is there. That team was already boy heavy as it is, and doesn’t need two more added to it. Though Sabretooth and Destiny on the same team as Mystique is very interesting.
Rogue wakes up, and has matured a bit, and doesn’t take the entire comforter to wrap around her, but has bought a robe. Progress!
Rogue needs answers, and seeks out her moms.
I like the continuity that Mystique isn’t better, she still looks like she did at the end of Mystique V2 5. Shame this is the first time Rogue has seen her this way, as I would have thought she had seen her in the meantime.
Mystique doesn’t want to discuss Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S., which makes sense, as no one does. But we’ll get more of that next issue.
Great issue! I’m just not on board for a Sabretooth story, and from what we’ve seen, it looks like it is going to be the traditional Sabretooth story.
Writer Jed MacKay
Penciler Tony Daniel
Inker Mark Morales
Colorist Fer Sifuentes-Sujo
Letterer VC’s Clayton Cowles
Cover Artist Clayton Crain
I do love a Villian issue! We see that 3K’s alliance is on very shaky grounds. Chairman Beast of Krakoa has been gone a week, giving Cassandra Nova and Astra (with Joseph) time to plot the other’s death. Cassandra Nova has her own Pixie, Myraid. Wyre and his X-Men just want to see who wants leadership more. Cassandra Nova puts the leadership to a vote. Joseph dons his helmet, but Myraid takes off the helmet, and Cassandra Nova is on the verge of winning, when Beast shows up! He is full Beast mode, but all white to match his Age of Revelation body. He was in a synthetic body, which I still feel like wasn’t fair for the home audience’s guessing game. He reveals the plot of Age of Revelation. We get one splash page of the events, so if anyone is interested, they can check out Amazing X-Men V3 for Cyclops’ journey, The Last Wolverine for Logan Death, and Laura Kinney Sabretooth for her adventure. We get this page, and earlier, we get a few panels of him and Animalia .
They are going to use a virus to turn all humans into mutants, succeed where Doug got the job mostly done.
Beast also knows one other thing, that Schwarzschild will eventually join Cyclops, so he has Wyre’s X-Men kill him, and they don’t even hesitate, so we have successfully splintered from the AoR future.
Issue ends with us seeing their base, which is a cool looking flying saucer above a nice mountain range. Are they near Alaska?
No Magik, but I’m getting the Clayton Crain variant cover, so this issue is a keeper.
It also feels like a big step in the direction this series is going in. Maybe not the franchise as I don’t see X-Men United dealing with this, but maybe? They have Armageddon to hopefully dodge, and whatever the 2026 Comic Giveaway issue is. (so silly of a name)
Shadow and Flame with Magik 