Comic Review: Uncanny X-Men #20 – Trauma Instead of Heroism

 

Uncanny X-Men #20 is an issue that perfectly encapsulates both the greatest strengths and the most frustrating weaknesses of Gail Simone’s current run. It’s an ambitious, thematically rich chapter focused on psychology, trauma, and identity but also one that often loses narrative clarity, internal logic, and dialogue coherence. The result is an uneven read: at times genuinely affecting, at others exhausting and even irritating.

This is a comic that wants to say something important. The question is whether it says it in the right way and whether it still remembers that it’s telling a story about the X-Men, not running a group therapy session in superhero costumes.

The Outliers – The More You Know, the Worse It Gets?

On paper, the Outliers are an intriguing concept: a new generation of young mutants, scarred by the world, trying to find their place alongside legendary X-Men. The problem is that the more we learn about them, the harder they are to like.

Issue #20 focuses on Valentin Correa, aka Ransom, finally revealing his past. His story is brutal: abandoned by his own family, who refused to pay a ransom to his kidnappers, Valentin survived not only betrayal but continued persecution as a mutant. The fact that he chose the codename “Ransom” gives his character a uniquely bitter edge one of the rare cases where a superhero name comes not from a power, but from trauma.

And that works. It’s one of the strongest emotional moments in the issue.

The problem is that Simone seems almost obsessed with suffering. Every new character comes packaged with another set of neuroses, anxieties, and psychological damage. At a certain point, it’s hard not to ask:
Can’t we get a hero who’s just… aspirational?
Someone who has their life together. Someone who’s a role model rather than a walking collection of wounds.

Ironically, it becomes easier to empathize with the villains at least they have cohesive aesthetics, a clear bond, and a sense of purpose.

Dialogue That Sounds Deep… but Says Nothing

One of the biggest issues with Uncanny X-Men #20 is the dialogue. The extended conversation between Wolverine, Gambit, and Ransom is borderline incomprehensible. It’s filled with vague, philosophical exchanges that take up several pages but lead to no real conclusions.

Gambit’s behavior during this scene is also baffling he wanders off mid-conversation for no clear reason, only to reappear moments later as a chauffeur. It’s a small detail, but emblematic of the issue as a whole: things happen not because they make sense for the characters, but because the script needs them to.

Professor Simone Takes the Podium

Gail Simone has a tendency toward moralizing, and issue #20 leans heavily into it. The breakfast scene where Rogue essentially delivers a lecture on diction and trauma while projecting her own issues onto another character feels forced and artificial.

Worse, it centers on a problem that seemingly didn’t exist before. Jitter had never been clearly defined by her speech impediment, so suddenly making it the focal point of a didactic scene feels like Simone manufacturing an issue purely to comment on it.

Nightcrawler’s presence in this scene is also entirely unnecessary. He contributes nothing, offers no perspective, and serves no narrative purpose beyond being physically present.

A Confusing Opening Full of Unanswered Questions

The issue’s opening, featuring Warden Ellis and Monet, raises more questions than it answers:

    -What kind of tyrannical prison allows inmates to behave this way without consequences?

    -How does Monet so easily remove her collar after allowing herself to be imprisoned?
   
    -Why does she return to her cell and remain incarcerated?

    -And really… labeling a cell “Inmate X”?

Instead of selling the horror of the setting, the prison comes off as inconsistent and borderline absurd.

Ransom – A Strong Character Trapped in a Weak Structure

Despite everything, Ransom’s character arc is genuinely compelling. His internal monologue, unstable mental state, and conflict between who he is becoming and where he comes from are well written. The tension surrounding his mutant-hating family and the newly introduced cult is especially promising.

The problem lies in his powers. A black hole where his heart should be? Kinetic energy absorption? The connection between these elements is poorly explained, adding to the general sense of confusion surrounding the Outliers as a group.

Visuals – Cold, Stylish, but Uneven

Luciano Vecchio is a talented artist, and his work has a cold, almost 3D-model-like quality that fits the tone of the story. Unfortunately, many female characters share the same face, and proportions especially lips are often exaggerated.

It doesn’t ruin the issue visually, but it can be distracting.

Where Is This Series Actually Going?

That question is becoming increasingly hard to ignore. This iteration of Uncanny X-Men feels like a title without a clear destination. There’s a lot of talking, a lot of trauma, a lot of introspection but very little forward momentum or sense of stakes.

Many readers are likely sticking with the book for specific characters (like Gambit), not because the story itself is especially engaging.

Final Thoughts

Uncanny X-Men #20 is an ambitious issue with a few genuinely strong moments especially Ransom’s backstory. Unfortunately, its preachy tone, muddled dialogue, and lack of narrative cohesion make it a frustrating read.

It’s a good comic, but far from the great one it could be.

Pros:

+Powerful and brutal origin for Ransom

+Interesting themes of identity and origin

+Solid, cold visual style

+Clear thematic ambition and psychological depth

Cons:

-Overwritten, confusing dialogue

-Heavy-handed, moralizing tone

-Logical inconsistencies (prison, Monet)

-Lack of clear direction for the series

-Poorly explained Outliers’ powers

Final Score: 6 / 10

Uncanny X-Men #20 proves that Gail Simone has something to say she just sometimes forgets how to tell a story instead of delivering a lecture.