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Uncanny X-Men: The New Age
Uncanny X-Men: The New Age, Vol. 2: The Cruelest Cut
Wolverine's 30th Anniversary Celebration starts off with a bang as the X-Men investigate a series of mysterious murders in New York City. All the victims seem to have been cut to pieces by blades... Adamantium blades But if Wolverine didn't murder these people, then who did? Plus: While on assignment to track down missing teammate Sage, the X-Men discover more than they bargained for: the birth of a newer and deadlier Hellfire Club Collecting Uncanny X-Men 450-454.
120 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
10 people are currently reading
116 people want to read
About the author
Chris Claremont
3,284 books897 followersChris Claremont is a writer of American comic books, best known for his 16-year (1975-1991) stint on Uncanny X-Men, during which the series became one of the comic book industry's most successful properties.
Claremont has written many stories for other publishers including the Star Trek Debt of Honor graphic novel, his creator-owned Sovereign Seven for DC Comics and Aliens vs Predator for Dark Horse Comics. He also wrote a few issues of the series WildC.A.T.s (volume 1, issues #10-13) at Image Comics, which introduced his creator-owned character, Huntsman.
Outside of comics, Claremont co-wrote the Chronicles of the Shadow War trilogy, Shadow Moon (1995), Shadow Dawn (1996), and Shadow Star (1999), with George Lucas. This trilogy continues the story of Elora Danan from the movie Willow. In the 1980s, he also wrote a science fiction trilogy about female starship pilot Nicole Shea, consisting of First Flight (1987), Grounded! (1991), and Sundowner (1994). Claremont was also a contributor to the Wild Cards anthology series.
Claremont has written many stories for other publishers including the Star Trek Debt of Honor graphic novel, his creator-owned Sovereign Seven for DC Comics and Aliens vs Predator for Dark Horse Comics. He also wrote a few issues of the series WildC.A.T.s (volume 1, issues #10-13) at Image Comics, which introduced his creator-owned character, Huntsman.
Outside of comics, Claremont co-wrote the Chronicles of the Shadow War trilogy, Shadow Moon (1995), Shadow Dawn (1996), and Shadow Star (1999), with George Lucas. This trilogy continues the story of Elora Danan from the movie Willow. In the 1980s, he also wrote a science fiction trilogy about female starship pilot Nicole Shea, consisting of First Flight (1987), Grounded! (1991), and Sundowner (1994). Claremont was also a contributor to the Wild Cards anthology series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
August 31, 2021
This one was another good one!
The first story deals with the coming of X-23 when sudden attack happens and a girl named Jade Parisi is missing, its upto this team to gather and find out who it is and maybe discover some secrets as to what maybe going on and finally we take a trip to Hellfire club as Rachel and Emma meet Courtney Ross and Viper and deal with the mutant slaves and whats going on there, another side of the mission focuses on Storm and her team encountering Sage and Sebastian shaw, the coming of Donald Pierce and dealing with the new hellfire club and the mysteries and revelations there and its so fun!
I loved this volume and some parts maybe predictable but I liked it for what it was trying to be and well always fun things happen with the X-Men and I like the dual story telling of Claremont and how this stories connected together and the focus on Sage and what her ultimate plans was and gives a great start to Hellfire club plus great character beats for Wolverine and just showcasing how awesome it is. Plus the art is so good again!
The first story deals with the coming of X-23 when sudden attack happens and a girl named Jade Parisi is missing, its upto this team to gather and find out who it is and maybe discover some secrets as to what maybe going on and finally we take a trip to Hellfire club as Rachel and Emma meet Courtney Ross and Viper and deal with the mutant slaves and whats going on there, another side of the mission focuses on Storm and her team encountering Sage and Sebastian shaw, the coming of Donald Pierce and dealing with the new hellfire club and the mysteries and revelations there and its so fun!
I loved this volume and some parts maybe predictable but I liked it for what it was trying to be and well always fun things happen with the X-Men and I like the dual story telling of Claremont and how this stories connected together and the focus on Sage and what her ultimate plans was and gives a great start to Hellfire club plus great character beats for Wolverine and just showcasing how awesome it is. Plus the art is so good again!
April 20, 2012
This one is written by Chris Claremont and is actually pretty good. By this time (in 2004) Claremont had written several X-Men books on his return to the franchise. Most of them had been flops, but Marvel kept throwing him projects. Here he gives up most of his schmaltzy characterizations and conforms with what many other writers were doing at the time. Gone are his John Hughes-type speeches and overwrought narration.
Also this book is drawn well too. Alan Davis is in top form and Andy Parks does a pretty good job too. It's a fun, quick read.
Also this book is drawn well too. Alan Davis is in top form and Andy Parks does a pretty good job too. It's a fun, quick read.
April 14, 2018
Appearance of X-23 made this interesting and was hoping for an end to that story but it jumped to another story.
October 29, 2021
This volume contains two stories: first, the first appearance of X-23! and second, a story about the Hellfire club.
So after a bumpy first volume where Chris Claremont returns to the helm of the X-Men, he begins to pick up steam with this second volume. I found it to be much more enjoyable and it felt very organic. Where the first volume had to re-establish the "Claremontian" vibe to it, here things just fell into place, complete with the love triangles brewing between team members. Leave it to Claremont to craft an interesting love triangle between Storm, Wolverine, and Nightcrawler.
I really like the first appearance of X-23, even if we get just glimpses of her as a rounded out character. It's more of an appearance where she is pretty much just feral - but she does have a few lines of dialogue. It's interesting to see how she first came into the picture, knowing how big a part of the X-Men she will become down the line. Next we have the Hellfire storyline, and that was ok. It has to do with the Hellfire club trying to do good, except for a certain member who apparently comes back from the dead.
I'm totally back on board with Claremont's X-Men, even if it is the "default" version of series. And while the recent highs of the Morrison and Whedon run do make this feel a bit antiquated, it still feels, at the same time, comfortable and familiar. Recommended for old school fans of the X-Men.
So after a bumpy first volume where Chris Claremont returns to the helm of the X-Men, he begins to pick up steam with this second volume. I found it to be much more enjoyable and it felt very organic. Where the first volume had to re-establish the "Claremontian" vibe to it, here things just fell into place, complete with the love triangles brewing between team members. Leave it to Claremont to craft an interesting love triangle between Storm, Wolverine, and Nightcrawler.
I really like the first appearance of X-23, even if we get just glimpses of her as a rounded out character. It's more of an appearance where she is pretty much just feral - but she does have a few lines of dialogue. It's interesting to see how she first came into the picture, knowing how big a part of the X-Men she will become down the line. Next we have the Hellfire storyline, and that was ok. It has to do with the Hellfire club trying to do good, except for a certain member who apparently comes back from the dead.
I'm totally back on board with Claremont's X-Men, even if it is the "default" version of series. And while the recent highs of the Morrison and Whedon run do make this feel a bit antiquated, it still feels, at the same time, comfortable and familiar. Recommended for old school fans of the X-Men.
July 14, 2025
Updated Review From 2025 Readthrough:
This is fine. Claremont's interpretations of the X-Men are rarely aligned with what other writers are doing, and that's still the case here. X-23 in particular doesn't feel like the same character from her first two appearances in Marvel books.
The Hellfire story is pretty messy and filled with Claremont's usual Can We Trust This Once Criminal X-Man? It's over the top and not really important to the X-chronology but it's a serviceable story that's more forgettable than terrible.
***
Original 2018 Reveiw: Most of the reviews of this volume are fairly brief. Probably because reading this era of Claremont's run is exhausting. He manages to churn out a confusing set of stories, whilst overexplaining every panel.
The X-23 story had the potential to be interesting but rather than coming to a conclusion, it just sort of stops. And, as per usual, the Hellfire story is a confusing mess of conflicting characterizations and unnecessary redirects.
Check it out for the Alan Davis art, if you're a fan, or if you're an X-23 completist. Otherwise, I'd avoid this.
This is fine. Claremont's interpretations of the X-Men are rarely aligned with what other writers are doing, and that's still the case here. X-23 in particular doesn't feel like the same character from her first two appearances in Marvel books.
The Hellfire story is pretty messy and filled with Claremont's usual Can We Trust This Once Criminal X-Man? It's over the top and not really important to the X-chronology but it's a serviceable story that's more forgettable than terrible.
***
Original 2018 Reveiw: Most of the reviews of this volume are fairly brief. Probably because reading this era of Claremont's run is exhausting. He manages to churn out a confusing set of stories, whilst overexplaining every panel.
The X-23 story had the potential to be interesting but rather than coming to a conclusion, it just sort of stops. And, as per usual, the Hellfire story is a confusing mess of conflicting characterizations and unnecessary redirects.
Check it out for the Alan Davis art, if you're a fan, or if you're an X-23 completist. Otherwise, I'd avoid this.
September 25, 2020
3.75 stars. I’m having some fun with Claremont’s return to Uncanny X-men. 2 story arcs in this volume. The first deals with X-23. Someone killed some people attacking mutants in District X and the X-men are on the case to investigate. Gotta Love X-23.
2nd story has Sage going after Viper and Shaw on her own. Wondering what’s going on with that, the X-men follow. After some fighting, a plot twist or two and a surprise villain, the X-men save the day. Fun stuff.
2nd story has Sage going after Viper and Shaw on her own. Wondering what’s going on with that, the X-men follow. After some fighting, a plot twist or two and a surprise villain, the X-men save the day. Fun stuff.
June 29, 2019
The art of Alan Davis is terrific but the plot is not so good. I enjoyed more in a visual way than in its literature
February 14, 2023
Chris Claremont continues his XSE storyline that he started back in X-Treme X-Men. Bishop, Marvel Girl, Nightcrawler, Sage, Storm, and Wolverine are the internationally sanctioned (?) police force of the mutant population. This collection covers two cases.
The first takes them to District X searching for a missing human. She is the daughter of a notorious crime boss ready to take justice into his own hands, the X-Men have only a few hours to uncover the truth before things get worse. Things get more complicated when they learn that the attacker's signature closely mirrors Wolverine creating some uncertainty about what they may be facing.
The second sends Sage back into the Hellfire Club. The White Queen joins the team as they confront familiar threats. A larger conspiracy that includes Robert DaCosta (New Mutant's Sunspot), the Black King Sebastian Shaw, the Black Queen Selene, Donald Pierce, Courtney Ross, and Viper. The X-Men enter the fray to stop the mutant slave trade and determine where Sage's loyalty really lies.
There are a lot of common and overly familiar themes from Claremont in this run. The first tale is a very obvious and traditional superhero trope: the misunderstood actions of a new hero. On the positive side, this is X-23's first introduction to a core X-Men title. The second tale is a retelling of a relatively recent Claremont story regarding the mutant slave trade by the rich and powerful. This time, however, I enjoyed the return of the Hellfire Club Lords Cardinal in this version.
The first takes them to District X searching for a missing human. She is the daughter of a notorious crime boss ready to take justice into his own hands, the X-Men have only a few hours to uncover the truth before things get worse. Things get more complicated when they learn that the attacker's signature closely mirrors Wolverine creating some uncertainty about what they may be facing.
The second sends Sage back into the Hellfire Club. The White Queen joins the team as they confront familiar threats. A larger conspiracy that includes Robert DaCosta (New Mutant's Sunspot), the Black King Sebastian Shaw, the Black Queen Selene, Donald Pierce, Courtney Ross, and Viper. The X-Men enter the fray to stop the mutant slave trade and determine where Sage's loyalty really lies.
There are a lot of common and overly familiar themes from Claremont in this run. The first tale is a very obvious and traditional superhero trope: the misunderstood actions of a new hero. On the positive side, this is X-23's first introduction to a core X-Men title. The second tale is a retelling of a relatively recent Claremont story regarding the mutant slave trade by the rich and powerful. This time, however, I enjoyed the return of the Hellfire Club Lords Cardinal in this version.
September 2, 2020
Totalmente passável, só prestei atenção no quadrado amoroso entre wolverine, tempestade, rachel e noturno, mas nem me lixei pra contra quem que eles tavam lutando. E by the way, mancha solar branco ????? Q é isso ? Virou New Mutants ?
October 11, 2022
This volume contains two story arcs. The first one introduces X-23. It's pretty good. The second one, focused on the Hellfire Club, is not.
January 4, 2014
What I admire about this is that it sticks with the format of the old x-men comics--narration, reduced gore, characters loving to talk about their powers (anyone else tired of reading "healing factor" all the time? As a term, it barely makes sense, why do even the villains use it?)and a plot-centric storyline that can get weird fast. I'm not sure if all that holds up well against modern comics however, even if the art does. It's one thing to be reading classic x-men and accept the style as part of it's time. It's another to try it on a more recent title.
I picked up this one trying to follow X-23's story, but it added almost nothing to that. The tragic death machine that is X-23's character is lost, she talks a little, she kills some guys, and then it's over. If you're following her, skip it.
If you are a fan of the Dark Pheonix Saga, or following Rachel Grey, don't skip this one. It expands that story, revisits the hellfire club and completely relies on you remembering that episode of the Dark Pheonix Saga. So there's some lore and progress for x-men fans, but not too much more.
I picked up this one trying to follow X-23's story, but it added almost nothing to that. The tragic death machine that is X-23's character is lost, she talks a little, she kills some guys, and then it's over. If you're following her, skip it.
If you are a fan of the Dark Pheonix Saga, or following Rachel Grey, don't skip this one. It expands that story, revisits the hellfire club and completely relies on you remembering that episode of the Dark Pheonix Saga. So there's some lore and progress for x-men fans, but not too much more.
February 9, 2018
Qualifier: I read this on a quest to learn more about X-23 after having read most of her stand alone appearances. I hadn't read the books immediately before. And that made it confusing as hell and not all that engaging. Maybe it would be better with more context, but to me it was just "meh."
December 18, 2021
The Cruelest Cut (#450-451) - Wolverine and the X-men are introduced to X-23.
Chasing Hellfire (#452-454) - Not bad story. Art is good. Some treachery and trickery, never really sure who is on whose side. Not sure about the fledgling relationships going on here.
Chasing Hellfire (#452-454) - Not bad story. Art is good. Some treachery and trickery, never really sure who is on whose side. Not sure about the fledgling relationships going on here.
June 24, 2024
Nobody writes about the Hellfire Club, in all their pervy glory, like Chris Claremont.
May 18, 2021
Minute Progress
OVERALL RATING: 3 stars
Art: 4.5 stars
Prose: 3.5 stars
Plot: 2.75 stars
Pacing: 3.75 stars
Character Development: 2.75 stars
World Building: 2.25 stars
A small improvement over the last installment. A bit too dialogue heavy given the circumstances but the plot was somewhat complex for the final issues which made up the majority of the story. The X23 stuff was a bit of a misfire. Things just come out of left field too much which is just too ridiculous just for battle sake (for instance Geech). It just felt too dubious to resonate in too many instances... And that goes for the last trade too. Claremont is just not for me it seems.
OVERALL RATING: 3 stars
Art: 4.5 stars
Prose: 3.5 stars
Plot: 2.75 stars
Pacing: 3.75 stars
Character Development: 2.75 stars
World Building: 2.25 stars
A small improvement over the last installment. A bit too dialogue heavy given the circumstances but the plot was somewhat complex for the final issues which made up the majority of the story. The X23 stuff was a bit of a misfire. Things just come out of left field too much which is just too ridiculous just for battle sake (for instance Geech). It just felt too dubious to resonate in too many instances... And that goes for the last trade too. Claremont is just not for me it seems.
August 30, 2017
Continuing the great x-read of 2017...
I read this a bit out of order as this is the comics introduction of X-23. That story was pretty decent. The Hellfire club story, though, was a bit of a mess and probably needed another issue or two to breathe - it just felt really rushed and a bit confusing. Maybe it is just that I still loathe Sage as a character and really don't understand why Claremont continues to push her to a place of importance.
I read this a bit out of order as this is the comics introduction of X-23. That story was pretty decent. The Hellfire club story, though, was a bit of a mess and probably needed another issue or two to breathe - it just felt really rushed and a bit confusing. Maybe it is just that I still loathe Sage as a character and really don't understand why Claremont continues to push her to a place of importance.
June 11, 2025
Most of this volume was also throwbacks to earlier content. The hellfire club came back but not really.. actually they were just disbanding some slave traders. but alas! Someone escaped from jail (who was that guy? I don't know) and made things complicated.
I know Claremont is the OG but I have t liked this run from him. I think if you haven't read his arcs.before it's not worth digging into this, just get the major plot points somewhere.
I know Claremont is the OG but I have t liked this run from him. I think if you haven't read his arcs.before it's not worth digging into this, just get the major plot points somewhere.
November 17, 2025
Much better book than the first volume. This one is actually entertaining and interesting. The first story introduces a fan favorite to the main cast for the first time. The second story is a lot more Claremont-sy and it just feels familiar and right. Not to mention my very first introduction to Andy Park, instant favorite. Now I gotta follow him over to Tomb Raider. Btw Lara cameos in here. Nuff said.
February 16, 2020
This is so much weirder than you would expect. To put it into perspective, it's significantly weirder than Milligan's contemporaneous run on adjectiveless X-Men.
It's really about, alternatingly, women's appearances and women's empowerment. And Claremont's love for Sage, a character no one else has ever or will ever care about.
He makes it work as much as he can, to his credit.
It's really about, alternatingly, women's appearances and women's empowerment. And Claremont's love for Sage, a character no one else has ever or will ever care about.
He makes it work as much as he can, to his credit.
July 7, 2017
Even better.
Chris Claremont Vol.2 is just as fantastic as Vol.1, the action and artwork is excellent. I am glad to read them.
Chris Claremont Vol.2 is just as fantastic as Vol.1, the action and artwork is excellent. I am glad to read them.
September 4, 2017
Blah blah blah....more of the same.
June 25, 2018
Decent-ish. I disliked how quickly they moved away from X23. I'm going to assume that this TPB is gonna be pretty significant when X23 becomes a bigger character.
July 14, 2023
A fun entry in the X-Men saga with shenanigans at the Hellfire Club underpinning most of this volume. A fun read with some interesting character developments.
May 8, 2024
3.5-
April 5, 2007
Its a Wolverine clone - but she's a hot chick! What more does a fan-boy want? Not plot or well written dialogue surely. Oh weapon-x program, when will you stop forcing young, feral mutants to struggle with their humanity and the thin line that holds the inner-beast in check while tortured by inner-demons and memories they can't trust?
July 3, 2009
This is not the beginning of the Uncanny X-men, and I regret jumping in because I can tell I missed so much. There is a Rachel Grey that must be explained somewhere else, and I would really like to know about her. This is an ok story, I enjoyed it...but I do not recommend taking the read whichever one you can find, out of order approach I have been taking...
October 28, 2013
The only really good thing about this book was that X-23 shows up for the first time. And she's awesome. But they find her and they have a really cool fight, and then they go off and do something else and don't mention her again.
Also, Emma and Rachel get into it, which was also pretty awesome.
So basically I liked those two fights, but wasn't really in to the actual plot of the trade.
Also, Emma and Rachel get into it, which was also pretty awesome.
So basically I liked those two fights, but wasn't really in to the actual plot of the trade.
March 10, 2011
The Xmen versus the Hellfire club again. Also the debut of X23 in the comic. Could have been better.
March 7, 2011
Better than the previous volume, mainly because of Laura. But Claremont's writing is still mediocre. The art's still good.
May 19, 2024
x-23 makes her Uncanny debut controlled by others.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews