Gail Simone and David Marquez are on a roll with the second issue of Uncanny X-Men! Building on the momentum of the first issue, this week’s issue delivers on the introduction of four new mutants and creates new intrigue that will keep X-Men fans on the edge of their seats.

Simone juggles multiple plot threads across multiple timelines, weaving them together to create a narrative that's engaging and creates an unpredictable reveal at the end. It involves Dr Corina Ellis’ plans at the former Xavier School and thickens the situation exponentially. This was probably my favorite part of the issue’s story as it opens the door to a ton of questions and leaves room for future plot threads that Simone can explore.

The confrontation between Rogue, Gambit, and Wolverine and the Outliers walks a fine line between being a great introduction of these four new characters and a contrived plot device. The character interactions aren’t entirely authentic — when was the last time our heroes were so quick to battle a group of teenagers? But I guess they can’t trust anyone in this post-Orchi world. However, it was a fun way to see these four in action for the first time and they all seem to have the potential to become fan favorites in short order. Calico and her horse were instant stars and I’m very curious to learn more about her past and why she’s so resistant to being called a mutant. We also get to see the return of Jubilee, who arrives just in time to ease the hostilities and begin a truce.

The third and final plot thread involved a flashback to Xavier’s college days and a chance encounter with a very-forward female student named Sarah. She’s involved in Simone’s final page reveal in spectacular fashion. I don’t know how I feel about another new love interest from Xavier’s past being introduced for the sake of the current storyline, but if anyone can pull this off it would be Simone. I won’t spoil it here, but I’ve seen one theory on social media that connects Sarah with another character beyond Xavier that could be quite exciting.

While Simone’s script was strong, the real star of the issue is the art. David Marquez is quickly becoming one of the best artists on Marvel’s roster and I’m so glad we get him on Uncanny X-Men. Every detail in every panel is exquisitely precise and his character designs are nothing short of a revelation. I particularly love his looks for the female characters, especially Rogue, Jitter, Jubilee, and Calico. He doesn’t draw them as overly sexually beings to make them look great — he makes them look great as regular people. Add in colors by Matthew Wilson, who helps to make Jubilee’s arrival a visual spectacle, and perfect lettering by Clayton Cowles and you have yourself a certifiably beautiful book.

Uncanny X-Men #2 is an exceptional comic book that has me fully invested. Simone and Marquez are a dream team, delivering a story that's both faithful to the its classic X-Men stars and offers a fresh take with new characters, both good and evil.

Rating: 9/10