REVIEW: The Children Of The Atom Burn Out In 'Ultimate X-Men' #19
- Keith M.
- 1 hour ago
- 2 min read
This review contains minor spoilers for 'Ultimate X-Men' #19.
From the very beginning, it was clear that Ultimate X-Men wasn’t going to be a traditional mutant story. Gone were the familiar names like Charles Xavier, Cyclops, and the rest of the classic team. Instead, Peach Momoko set out to build a world around a group of young girls wrestling not only with their own emotional struggles, but also the weight of being mutants targeted by a cult eager to exploit them. It’s been a bold, unique journey, and with issue #19, we finally arrive at the kind of explosive team conflict that defines so many memorable X-Men arcs.
The issue picks up with Surge and the Children of the Atom clashing against Maystorm and her X-Men, featuring some of Momoko’s most stunning work to date. The fluid motion, the burst of color from mutant powers in combat, and a full-page spread of Natsu (this universe’s Cyclops) unleashing her optic beam—it all makes for a visual experience that lingers long after the page turns. The battle, however, is abruptly interrupted by the arrival of Maester, now transformed after injecting himself with the MY-X formula in a bid for power.
Thanks to the formula, Maester appears in a shadowy, monstrous form, overwhelming both the X-Men and Hisako, who arrives to aid the fight. But the most surprising return is Kageyama, as the story briefly pivots to reveal he survived the raid on the Children of the Atom’s base. He doesn’t seem happy that his power was and is being used, which is fair. He was manipulated after all. Realizing how deeply he’s been used, Kageyama takes control of his fate and reaches out to the Maester who’s been using his powers and ends the Maester’s life in a brutal but redemptive moment.
While the artwork and character moments shine, the ending left me a bit conflicted. On one hand, it’s cathartic to see Kageyama gain closure after everything he’s endured. On the other hand, it feels abrupt, leaving a massive vacuum in the world’s power structure. Still, with the fall of the Children of the Atom and a fractured landscape ahead, the story is wide open, and I’m eager to see where Peach Momoko takes the X-Men from here.
About Ultimate X-Men #19
Release Date:Â September 03, 2025
Written by:Â Peach Momoko
Art by: Peach Momoko
Cover by: Peach Momoko
Page Count: 30
Synopsis:Â SHADOWS OF THE KING AND THE ASTRAL PLANE! Has Hisako been saved?! A climactic battle between Armor and Shadow King in the Astral Plane! But what secrets does Kageyama still hold? And what of the Children of the Atom's dependence on his power?