Uncanny X-Men 230 - Inferno Prologue

The X-Men bring Christmas cheer to the Reavers' victims.

Uncanny X-Men #230

Writer: Chris Claremont
Penciler: Marc Silvestri
Inker: Joe Rubinstein
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Letterer: Tom Orzechowski
Editor: Ann Nocenti
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

It's a Christmas issue - but at a very odd time of year. This issue is cover dated June but for historic reasons Marvel's cover dates were now four months ahead of when they went on sale and so a Christmas issue should have an April cover date (as X-Factor #27 does). Nor is there any sign of it being "Christmas in July" as celebrated in some southern hemisphere countries to have additional celebrations in winter. Rather this seems to be a victim of scheduling problems with issue #228's fill-in partially to blame but also it's a consequence of having a crossover using a season pun in the title (a pun that doesn't work in countries where autumn is not known as "fall") and then only one month to get at least two issues' worth through.

The issue is taken up with the X-Men exploring their new home and coming to terms with their new status quo. Some adapt rather better than others.  The opening splash page shows Storm flying once more, her powers restored and in a new costume. Meanwhile Dazzler is hating the lack of facilities and the loneliness, a reminder of how of all the X-Men she is the one who has had the greatest life. Elsewhere Longshot finds his psychometric powers overwhelmed when he discovers the vault containing the Reavers' loot. Madelyne is adapting to the base's surveillance systems and hoping to find her missing son whatever it takes. And Gateway continues to sit on top of a great rock a mystery to us all.

This is a mostly character driven issue that packs in a lot such as the X-Men training or Storm using her powers to literally wash out all the dirt in their home. The discovery of the loot re-establishes one of Longshot's more neglected powers as well as leading to debate about what to do with it, highlighting the continued ethical divide within the team. The solution is to return everything they can locate the owners for, combining the powers and skills of Longshot, Psylocke, Madelyne and Gateway. This results in a Christmas sequence as they travel the world to return everything they can to the rightful owners. The issue concludes with a Christmas celebration including Rogue gifting a recorder to Gateway who proves responsive even though he continues to not say a word.

The timing of the issue is unfortunate but it serves to give the team the chance to settle in to their new home and establish further the relationship with the outside world. There are lots of nice little moments that help to fill out the whole cast and show their differing reactions to everything around them with Dazzler especially benefitting from the focus. And the ongoing plot threads are not forgotten either as we are reminded of Madelyne's determination to find her son no matter the cost.