X-Men of Apocalypse Alpha #1 Review
Return of The Apocalypse X-Men
To their greatest surprise, the X-Men of the Age of Apocalypse timeline have somehow survived their final battle with Apocalypse and the destruction of their entire world. In X-Men of Apocalypse Alpha #1, the heroes of this world are not done fighting as the struggle continues. Stricken with a plethora of questions by the X-Men’s fearless leader, Magneto, a discovery is made by the maniacal Mister Sinister. Luring the X-Men to reclaim Forge from capture, Forge himself is responsible for revealing that their timeline is the correct timeline and the main universe is the incorrect timeline. The only way to correct it is to travel to the main Marvel universe and set things right.
Written by Jeph Loeb (Hulk, Cable, Batman Legends), X-Men of Apocalypse Alpha #1 begins with a strong introduction to the beloved characters fans are familiar with. While these are apocalypse characters, their terms of being on the same side of the coin are heavily different. After the events that happened in Age of Apocalypse, the X-Men were supposed to be no more than a closed-off storyline with one minor escapee avoiding the same experience as the rest of the X-Men. The takeaway from this comic book is not only about the pacing as to how the book reads through, but also how well Jeph thought about incorporating the previous experience right before everything ended through Magneto’s narration. While readers who have read the preceding series get nostalgia, new readers get a brief recap of details to help catch up to speed with what’s going on now in this comic book. Returning to continue a strong, compelling story, Loeb makes it clear that fans will appreciate where this may lead with the main universe’s X-Men comic books into the picture. Speaking of pictures, an omega-level mutant makes his grand return to comics gracefully as he is fully powered and not happy to see the Apocalypse X-Men.
Illustrated by Simone Di Meo (Fantastic Four, Fire Power, Absolute Batman), the artwork is beautifully crafted to fully immerse a reader in the story. The inclusion of panels where characters can stand out while reading is a great addition to storytelling beats. For X-Men of Apocalypse Alpha #1, Meo’s colors blend well with his inking and pencil work. It’s almost as if his level of detail is rooted in composing scenes that feel like they’re jumping off the page at a reader. The feeling of reading this comic book is like a full-frontal front row seat to a dazzling movie with eye-catching visuals. With much dedication to crafting this book for Loeb, Meo’s creative vision flourished perfectly for this kind of story.
On that note of flourishing, Richard Starkings (Alpha Flight, Animal Man, Astro City) and Tyler Smith (Conan the Barbarian, The Flash, Green Lantern) kept the nostalgic Age of Apocalypse captions the same to represent the significance of this world’s imprint on comic book history. As with a new story in a once-thought non-existent world, not much change, and that must include the captions of the story. X-Men of Apocalypse Alpha #1 is lucky to have Starkings and Smith as letterers, as their work is an amazing addition to the team.
The artwork in the comic book by Simone Di Meo is rich in artistic choices and gives readers a sense of intrigue.
Overall, X-Men of Apocalypse Alpha #1 is a fantastic read. Writing and art are incredible and a joy to read. This is the start of an event coming that might make a difference, where both worlds either fall or one can be saved. Don’t miss out on this one! Copies are available at your local comic book store or online, where you can purchase them.
Comic Details
Writer: Jeph Leob
Artist: Simone Di Meo
Letterer: Richard Starkings, Tyler Smith
Cover Artist: Simone Di Meo
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Release Date: September 10, 2025
Rating: 5/5
About the Author
Howard Smith Howard is a passionate collector and avid reader of comics & manga. His love for all things pop culture extends beyond the pages of comics, as he is a seasoned gamer with an appreciation of quality storytelling. As he is always on the hunt for rare collectibles, he manifests an opportunity to celebrate his fandoms. Follow along for new discoveries and changes in the world of entertainment.
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