Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Art: Pepe Larraz, Marte Garcia, VC’s Clayton Cowles, and Tom Muller
Price: $3.99
Release Date: September 4, 2019
After heading to the sun to attempt to destroy the Mother Mold (capable of creating Master Molds with artificial intelligence), our X-Men heroes run into a bit of a problem in this week’s all-new HOUSE OF X #4 by Jonathan Hickman. Did Cyclop’s team fail? Will Nimrod still be created? And, is the Year 100 Timeline still intact? Let’s dive into the issue and see what questions get answered!
To this point, Hickman has delivered action, suspense, remarkable moments, and unexpected twists and turns. However, he’s had yet to truly play with readers emotions… until now. Sure, many readers thought our heroes “could” have died in the explosion that ended the last issue. However, no one expected THIS WEEK’S ending.
As our story opens, Hickman delivers immediate answers and pushes the tension in the issue to the max. Readers will find their hearts racing until the very end of the issue and unmistakably realize the issue is done before it even began. But as the uneasy feeling in your stomach continues to bellow to the surface, one single heroic moment from a classic, fan-favorite will bring readers to tears.
True fans of the X-Men franchise should get their tissues ready for this issue but will leave proud of their mighty mutants. Additionally, fans see the true capabilities of this art team while Clayton Cowles’ lettering in specific parts elevated the suspense to a new level. Yes, this reviewer said the lettering!
Furthermore, Pepe Larraz and Marte Garcia completely complimented each other throughout the issue. While Larraz had to pull out and show a larger picture with less detail at a variety of moments, Garcia stepped up with some of the most intense colors of purples and reds that set the tone of each scene. That said, when Larraz needed the intricate details to hammer home the level of intensity surrounding this issue, he truly brought the page to an entirely new level. Look no further than Larraz’s art surrounding the Professor’s communication strategies to shed light on the true beauty of his dynamic art style.
Readers, Jonathan Hickman makes the stakes feel higher than ever throughout the entire issue and leaves fans that were cheering for the series with a heavyweight on their chest. Immediate answers are uncovered but the direction of the future is still left unanswered. Readers will undoubtedly leave with more questions about the future of the series, especially after POWERS OF X #3 and now HOUSE OF X #4. Did things change? Was all of this for nothing? Were our marvelous mutants successful? You’ll have to pick it up to find out.
FINAL THOUGHTS
This reviewer has never felt so proud of these magnificent mutants as he did after this each. However, this fan has also never felt so heartbroken either. This is a MUST buy and a MUST read if you care about these characters and the franchise moving forward. Don’t wait until the weekend to pick this up. Go today and make it a priority. It’s a truly amazing read for different reasons than the other issues, yet just as dynamic and exciting as the rest. Readers will be so proud of Hickman’s portrayal, love, and care of these characters. Excellent job Mr. Hickman!