Uncanny Avengers: Lost Future (Comics) | Review

A ragtag crew was assembled by Old Man Rogers with one mission: force humans, mutants and Inhumans to work together as a unified front. Sounds noble until you realize the team members barely tolerates each other, Deadpool's bankrolling the entire operation and Spider-Man quits before the ink even dries on his membership card.

Lost Future kicks off the All-New, All-Different Marvel era with a lineup that reads like a fever dream– Rogue, Human Torch, Quicksilver, Doctor Voodoo, a brand-new Inhuman named Synapse and yes, Wade Wilson proudly wearing an official Avengers badge.

The premise alone generates questions. What qualifies Deadpool for Earth's Mightiest Heroes beyond deep pockets and Steve Rogers' inexplicable soft spot? Why would anyone think throwing a terminally ill Rogue, a snarky Johnny Storm and a perpetually annoyed Quicksilver into the same room would promote harmony?

Gerry Duggan (Infinity Wars, Punisher Kill Krew) doesn't dodge these questions. He weaponizes them. This isn't your standard superhero team-up where everyone gets along after one inspirational speech. This is messy, contentious and surprisingly grounded in its dysfunction.

The story takes place after Secret Wars, positioning the Unity Squad as a bridge between three increasingly hostile species on the brink of war. The Terrigen cloud unlocking Inhuman abilities is actively poisoning mutants worldwide, making Rogue one of the few X-Men still operating publicly despite her rapidly deteriorating condition.

The team's baptism by fire arrives when Boston faces a biological nightmare courtesy of the Shredded Man, an eco-terrorist advocating mass extinction. Cable arrives from a devastated future, bringing dire warnings and futuristic weaponry to an already volatile mix.

What works about Lost Future is how Duggan refuses to let anyone off easy. Spider-Man's objections to Deadpool aren't played for laughs– Peter Parker genuinely walks away rather than compromise his principles. That departure sets the tone for everything that follows.

The Red Skull sub-plot simmers throughout, carrying over from Rick Remender's original Uncanny Avengers run where the villain grafted Professor X's brain to his own. When the team raids one of his hidden vaults hunting for Xavier's stolen brain, they encounter what appears to be Gambit working alongside him in the shadows.

Except the Cajun is actually the Red Skull using Charles Xavier's telepathic powers to manipulate perception. It's a clever reminder that this threat predates the current roster, tying Lost Future to the franchise's mythology while establishing new conflicts for this makeshift team.

The volume balances multiple storylines without losing focus. Synapse grapples with her newfound Inhuman heritage during a tense visit to their stronghold. Quicksilver and Deadpool respond to an attack on the Avengers Mansion, now operating as a theme hotel– a detail speaking volumes about shifted superhero status.

Cable discovers he can't return to his timeline, forcing him to confront a present where his warnings might not prevent catastrophe. Rogue's Terrigen poisoning isn't just a plot device– it's a constant reminder that being on this team might kill her, yet she stays anyway.

Johnny Storm provides levity but his jokes mask legitimate concerns about whether this makeshift family can function under pressure. Even Deadpool, usually deployed for comic relief, carries subdued energy. Wade's desperate to prove Rogers' faith in him wasn't misplaced, giving his inclusion unexpected weight and purpose.

The Shredded Man works as an antagonist because his philosophy challenges the team's fundamental premise. How do you promote unity when someone's solution to planetary survival is eliminating most of humanity? The eco-terrorist angle avoids simplistic villainy.

Duggan excels at character beats that reveal personality through conflict rather than exposition. Rogue's frustration with Wanda comes from earned history. Steve Rogers' conviction that this team can work reads as inspiring and slightly delusional. The pacing keeps six issues brisk without rushing emotional beats.

When Synapse confronts what being Inhuman means for her identity, the moment lands because Duggan doesn't treat it as a detour from the plot– it is the plot. This volume examines what unity costs on a personal level, making each character's sacrifice feel meaningful.

Artist Ryan Stegman (Absolute Carnage, King in Black) handles primary art duties splitting the difference between exaggerated expressions and genuine horror. His design work shines during the Shredded Man sequences– these aren't sanitized battles but visceral reminders of what's at stake when biological threats run unchecked.

Carlos Pacheco (Cable: Conquest, X-Men: Schism) steps in for two issues with trademark clean, dynamic linework. The transition feels seamless thanks to Richard Isanove's coloring, which maintains visual consistency and heightens atmosphere without overwhelming pages.

Duggan's writing balances momentum with breathing room. Dialogue feels specific to each character rather than interchangeable quips. The volume's tonal management deserves recognition– Lost Future operates as superhero action, slow-burn horror and examination of forced collaboration without undermining itself.

Stakes feel immediate, character work runs deeper than surface banter and artwork delivers spectacle and substance. Duggan juggles multiple threads without losing sight of what makes the Unity Squad compelling: watching disparate personalities navigate impossible situations.

Lost Future revitalizes Uncanny Avengers by leaning into dysfunction rather than papering over it. This isn't a team finding their rhythm– it's a collection of strong personalities barely holding together under Steve Rogers' watchful eye and Deadpool's generous checkbook, confronting threats that require uncomfortable alliances.

What makes this volume succeed is its refusal to pretend unity comes easy. The Unity Squad concept works if it acknowledges how difficult bridging species divides is, especially when one group's salvation poisons another. Duggan shows heroes trying despite personal cost.

The volume sets up ongoing threads while delivering a complete story about surviving your first impossible mission together. The Shredded Man gets resolved. Cable's situation evolves. The Red Skull remains a looming threat. These aren't loose ends– they're foundations for sustained storytelling that continues in subsequent volumes.

For fans who appreciate earned team dynamics, Lost Future delivers. For readers tired of teams that gel instantly, this offers a refreshing alternative. And for anyone who wondered if Deadpool could work on an Avengers roster, Duggan provides a compelling argument.

Uncanny Avengers: Lost Future collects Uncanny Avengers (2015) #1-6 by Gerry Duggan and Ryan Stegman. It's available in trade paperback from Marvel, as well as digitally through Amazon Kindle, ComiXology and Marvel Unlimited for readers who prefer online access.