Inferno #4

Inferno #4 brings Jonathan Hickman's tenure on the X-Men to a close, but it also solidifies his influence on the mutant heroes' mythos. Read Full Review

Hickmans legacy on the X-Men isnt going to be nearly as good as his legacy on Fantastic Four and Avengers/New Avengers. Part of the problem is that he didnt get to personally finish his story; part is that too many of the writers he handpicked dropped the ball that he gave them. Multiple X-Men books have been straight up bad and Hickmans own work on X-Men often felt like it was treading water as well. X Of Swords was not a good story by most metrics. Inferno is the best the X-Men or Hickman has been since HoX/PoX. However, the problem comes in that, once again, its just a really well done typical Marvel event book. It tells a story and sets things up for the next publishing initiative. The creative team does a great job and this is a wonderful read. It doesnt save Hickmans run from being kind of disappointing, though. Read Full Review

We may not have received every answer nor was each issue of each series revolutionary, action-packed, or cluttered with edge of your seat excitement. But overall, INFERNO #4 closes Hickman's chapter in one of the most astonishing, climatic, and dynamic stories since HOXPOX kicked his saga off! Read Full Review

Inferno's sticks the landing in a big way, delivering top-tier interpersonal drama and setting the stage for future books. Read Full Review

With unpredictable factions and unions among mutant leaders forming constantly, new threats (and probably a few old ones we haven't seen again, yet!) the safety that seemed certain on Krakoa is gone. The mutants only hope may rest on whether Douglas Ramsey can repeat what Professor Xavier asked of him when he first arrived on Krakoa. Can he figure this one out? Read Full Review

Inferno #4 is a deep comic that shows us the cracks in the Krakoan government! Read Full Review

Inferno #4 is an excellent end to Jonathan Hickman's legendary run on the X-Men. There was so much done here that Hickman leaves you even more excited for the X-Men franchise's future than when Inferno started. And that is really all you can ask for from the end of a creative run as Hickman leaves plenty of room for future X-Men writers, artists, and editors to explore a future with unlimited potential. Read Full Review

Inferno #4 (Hickman, Schiti, Caselli, Curiel, & Sabino) draws the Hickman era to a close in the most Hickman way possible. The various threads he had placed over the past year come together in the gorgeous finale. However, the lack of character or continuity era subtracts from what could have been. Read Full Review

A well-told story that bookends the time of writer Jonathan Hickman on the X-Men, Inferno #4 features some major revelations, as well as a hint at what is to come next for Marvels mutants. Read Full Review

Inferno #4 is a fitting end to Hickman's run. It ends his take and direction for the X line and hands it off to new creators allowing them to plant their own flags while not totally being shackled by his rules. He's opened the sandbox a little further to allow others to create. By shaking things up himself, it also doesn't feel like others are undoing what he has envisioned, it's his choice in some ways. It's a diplomatic ending that's befitting delivering an almost meta finale. Read Full Review

And, as ever, there is fantastic art from Valerio Schiti and Stefano Caselli, who seemingly continue to outdo themselves each time they take to a page. Read Full Review

It's a fascinating and compelling way to end this era, even if it can't quite match the brilliance of how it all began. Read Full Review

Well-written characters, exciting fights and some big moments definitely make this issue worthwhile, but I don't think it's some grand shift to X-Men comics that it was hyped to be. Read Full Review

thecomiccookebook

Jan 05, 2022

Wow. Not surprising that yet again, Hickman nails the ending of his run but also keeps it open for the other writers to expand and explore new concepts with the groundwork he established. His goal was simple: fix the X-Men. And I believe he has done that. Hopefully post-Hickman is still compelling but I just have to applaud him for making the X family of books a talking point again.

Sollywoods

Jan 05, 2022

I can always count on Hickman to deliver a satisfying ending! From secret warriors, the FF, Avengers and now X-Men. I would love it if he wrote guardians of the galaxy or just overall did the marvel cosmic stuff. I wasn't sure how one more issue could wrap up what was started but it did. Now... I don't plan on keeping up with any X-Men titles after this so it didn't make me want to see what happens next. It did just satisfy me with an ending to a great story while leaving this easily open for future writers. This was one of the easiest 10's I've given. This is why I love comics, for stories like this!

Psycamorean

Jan 07, 2022

A great ending that closes stuff out, while still leaving plenty to explore.

cincyfan

Jan 08, 2022

The X-Men books have always been my favorite since I started reading comics in the late '80s and what Hickman has done has been phenomenal! This whole inferno story was perfection to me ending with this final issue that was handled perfectly as well. This is a powerful story that leaves so many options for the next chapter in the X-Men saga. I love the X-Men and I absolutely the world Hickman has built. Although this was Hickman's last issue the writers of the other x-books have also been phenomenal so I have no doubt this will continue to be fantastic. As a diehard X-Men fan thank you to the entire creative team for such a brilliant run! Some would say chef's kiss but I'll say Jeff's kiss lol

Julhin

Mar 03, 2022

Thank you for everything Hickman, what a joy it was to feel excited for every new Issue of X-men that was coming out during your run.

Avanvolk

May 01, 2022

Jonathan Hickman has given the X-Men their best treatment in decades. He will be sorely missed. Hopefully the continuing X-writers will carry the torch well. Inferno's only flaw was it's length. I wanted more, but boy am I thankful for what I got.

Screaming Enigma

Jun 03, 2024

Awesome stuff once more. Something I'm really glad about here was that it had both had the finality that should come with a miniseries and the end of a phase, while also leaving the potential for a lot more story to be told going forward. Everything here was just so damn good. I enjoyed the stuff with Orchis a lot more, though that's probably largely attributed to the fact that it was Karima and Nimrod fighting Charles and Erik. Either way, it was super intense and I enjoyed it. Additionally, what really made this issue for me was the conversation between Mystique, Destiny, and Moira. Hickman has the great ability of making characters talk with each other so engaging, and this was another example of that. Cypher showing up at the end was co ol as well. All things considered, the landing was definitely stuck here and whatever comes next has a lot to live up to. more

CrazyforRAMU

May 16, 2022

For all the "inside baseball" talk about how Mr. Hickman was rushed to a premature ending, I thought this finale was fully satisfying and exquisitely scripted. It did a formidable job revealing twists, tying up loose ends, and leaving the playing field in a fascinating position for the next stage of the X-story. The prose is all at least good, with a lot of the dialogue (from Doug's entrance onward) rising to all-time great. On the art front, there are a whole lot of magnificent panels. The two artists collaborate wonderfully, creating one consistent tone. But there were a few points (mostly in the action scenes) where the visual flow got hard to follow. It's still a beautiful comic, just a very slightly improvable one.

Miracleman92

Aug 12, 2023

Goodbye Jonathan Hickman's X-Men. There were ups and downs but overall this has been the best X-Men run in a long long time. I'm grateful Hickman ushered in the age of Krakoa. So grateful that I'm actually glad his initial plans to put the X-verse back into the Marvel sandbox were dropped. I want Krakoa to stay. And I hope it stays for many more years.

Toonstrack

Jan 05, 2022

A few minor issues with power scaling and such is not nearly enough to sour the fantastic writing here. This basically resolves a lot of ongoing plot threads for the time but I have to say that its done well. In true Hickman fashion things feel epic and the decisions matter. Agaun there's some conveniences here and there. But conveniences can never be completely avoided, only well hidden in a story. Such is the nature of storytelling. And these ones are hidden well enough. The character work is on point, Charles and Mags are written very well. Every other character behaves as you'd expect them to. Mystique cares for nothing but herself and her loved ones. Emma Frost is vindictive and arrogant. Destiny is Destiny. Her powers wor k when they need to and don't when they don't. Agaun; all in the service of storytelling so its alright. But Cypher has a great showing here, as he is one of Hickman favorites itd no surprise he's done well. All in all this is a strong read. Lots of cloak and dagger and grand statements on fate and the future, but what are the X men if not grandiose? more

RiseLegend

Jan 05, 2022

This is a great finale to this short but sweet series. I definitely didn't see this ending coming. I did not want the Hickman era to end, but it does feel like a good end and a new beginning. It feels like a new era. The new X-Men era opens up a lot of great possibilities. There's definitely some things left unresolved but you can tell someone else or who knows maybe even Hickman can pick up these story threads later. The art is also amazing. A lot of crazy action and great character moments that made me pause and appreciate a job well done. Pick this up if you like great character moments, awesome action, and of course love for the X-Men.

Onomatopoeia

Jan 05, 2022

The grace in which Hickman left this story is admirable. He could have left this in shambles, but instead, he built something that any writer can appreciate and will look back on with praise. I have loved the last few years of X-Men and it revitalized my fondness of the characters that started back with Morrison's run. I admit that my faith faltered during 'Inferno,' and while the story was rushed at times, it did have a satisfying end. Cypher was... incredible. I would have laughed had you told me he would be (in my opinion) the MVP of this storyline, but man was he spectacular here. The Quite Council needed conflict to grow, so kudos to Mystique and Destiny. I didn't think they would win me over, but here we are. I thought I would feel defeated after this run, but I am pleased to say how wrong I was. more

Colleen St. Lucie

Jan 06, 2022

My only gripe is Moira's characterization-- and her honesty to Mystique and Destiny which didn't make sense to me. But otherwise a solid conclusion, and Hickman will be missed.

Kalaoui

Jan 06, 2022

It is the best ending we could have considering the situation the X-Office is in right now and that's not a bad thing necessarily. Hickman delivered the ending that ties up some loose ends in spectacular fashion and sets up future writers to play around in his sand box until he comes back someday (one can dream!). We'll never know what the real thing would have been but I'm glad I was there and this issue delivers. We can't get a true HOX/POX ending but this a fitting 2nd course. Valerio Schiti and Curiel were outstanding here and the style and inking kept changing in key scenes and I loved it for that. Kudos to them!

Loafy Trophy

Jan 06, 2022

Hickman sticks a near perfect landing here, providing both major revelations and some great building blocks for the next phase of books, Destiny of X. He's a true master of intricate plotting. The Magneto/Charles vs Orchis fight was full of rich moments between the two old friends and the callback dropped on Erik by the Omega Sentinel at the end was absolutely terrifying. Every moment between Mystique, Destiny, and Moira had me on the edge of my seat, before Doug Ramsey swooped in to save the day through the power of negotiation and cooperation. It really highlighted his character's evolution the last three years, while positioning him as a power player on Krakoa going forward. Just really inventive stuff all around, that's about a ll I have to say. Oh, and I'm also convinced that this isn't the last we'll see of Hickman on Krakoa, as it felt to me like he intentionally left some meat on the bone to come back to. more

I Review Comics

Feb 05, 2022

Inferno #4 - An Ending Writer: Jonathan Hickman | Artists: Valerio Schiti & Stefano Caselli Review ✍ With Inferno #4 the Jonathan Hickman era of X-Men is finally over. This series isn’t a triumph or tragedy it is simply an ending. The Mystique/Destiny subplot is resolved. Moira X is outed and we get a fairly epic confrontation between Xavier-Magneto and Nimrod and Omega Sentinel. The issue also sets up the status of the X-Men going forward. Inferno #4 is entertaining and makes up for the series lackluster start. Although I’m happy with the resolution of the series I can’t say I’m interested in this overarching storyline without Hickman. The main reason that I dropped 95% of the X-Men line was that the Dawn of X storyline got too big and didn’t seem to have a firm direction. Many of the writers weren’t up to par and Even Hickman checked out over time. With over a dozen titles and muddied direction, the investment in the Krakoa age of X-Men didn’t seem worth it if this was the outcome envisioned. If you loved House/Powers of X, Inferno is a worthy follow-up. There are some genuinely awesome moments. The standoff between The Mutants and Orchis may be one of the most memorable fights I’ve seen in years. The book also pays off with an amazing cliffhanger that I won’t spoil. Nimrod is as menacing as ever and is one of the few villains that maintains intensity just by appearing in a panel. The intensity of the Orchis fight is perfectly executed by script and art direction and the main reason I won’t sell this book short on merit. Inferno shows Xavier and Magneto at their Apex and it's beautiful to see if you’re a fan of these characters. If you’re happy with the current direction of X-Men you’ll be getting more of it going forward. I wish I could be more excited about this issue but the overall story feels disjointed. and rushed. I’m not a fan of this incarnation of X-Men as many of them have been acting out of character for years now. Figuring out why the X-Men were acting so weird was one of the most interesting aspects of the for me and now it seems that it will never be resolved. The creators are too invested in the underlying socialistic utopian theme that Krakoa represents and aren’t gonna let it go anytime soon. In Short: Inferno #4 The end of an uneven era of storytelling For More: https://ireviewcomics.substack.com/ more

Merlyn

Jan 05, 2022

I love Hickman and I think I can say without exaggerating even a little bit that he made history with the X-Men these years. HoX-PoX is enough to cement him as one of the fundamental writers for the X-Men, there have been decades before him when the X-Men were stale as a franchise and he radically changed that. So I'm thankful for that. As per this... well, it's good but I would lie if I'd said it was spectacular. It's rushed as hell and that's not his fault, the other X-Men writers made him rush it and Marvel approved it which is a shame on their part, but at the end of the day, this is the comic I have to read and you can tell this is very rushed. A lot of stuff seems made up on the run while throwing away stuff we've established in the p ast so that's a shame. On the other hand, as someone who never gave a crap about any New Mutants, he made me like Cypher, so that's got to count for something. All in all, this is a decent conclusion but my rating is this high mainly because of Hickman's overall work for the franchise rather than this particular issue, otherwise I would've rated it lower. Farewell, Jonathan, you did a great job with HoX-PoX and here you were given lemons and the lemonade didn't taste that bad, it was quite decent. Good luck on the next Marvel project, my guess is it will be the Miracleman book teased in Timeless! more

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• TSMack
• Onomatopoeia
• Rachit Mittal
• Hydro-Man

Hydro-Man - Jan 8, 2022

Very well put, Merlyn. A decent but rushed ending to what has been my favorite era since New X-Men. A real shame the X-Office let the other writers decide where the franchise would go. No offense to them, but they aren’t the draw. If Hickman hadn’t set things up with this bold new direction, their books wouldn’t be getting the attention they are now. We’ll see if they can keep the momentum. Doubtful but some of the new titles look decent. Hickman on Miracleman would be nice…

DDJamesB

Jan 12, 2022

It's a very interesting book but, it also had some parts that felt not needed. I do wish Hickman would stay around to see this story out.

Federico Liguori

Aug 09, 2022

Twists, twists and other twists! Great event and sweet farewell to Hickman. He surely changed X-Men.

SinceAge7

Jan 10, 2022

Missed opportunities....thats all I can say after reading this.

Jawsh

Jan 05, 2022

Fantastic artwork here as always. And there are some cool characters moments too. Just wish that it did not feel like the major players here were put on hold for two years for this to happen. It all feels inconsequential and too quickly paced. This issue alone could have been an entire arc in one series. Hickman wrote "heavy is the head. now wear your crown" I supposed this is him putting it down.

maelstron

Jan 05, 2022

Weak end to Hickman ternure on X-men books

Jeff Plaza

Jan 05, 2022

I love Hickman and his run on Xmen has been legendary. That said, I feel this issue was very rushed and not satisfying to this story or his overall xmen story. Hopefully, the xmen people will call him up again when sales start declining and need his next phase of the story.

Brannon.44

Aug 03, 2025

Made me wish comics didn't have to have never ending stories.