Fallen Angels #5: Conscience is Purpose

Where do we begin with an issue like Fallen Angels #5? Despite taking a wonderful deep dive into the ramifications of Psylocke’s past, exploring the underbelly of Krakoa where laws matter little and even bringing in an exciting cast of characters, the series still doesn’t feel like it knows what to do with all of these intriguing narrative elements.

There is one silver lining that remains constant throughout this entire series and that is Psylocke. She is a character that feels fleshed out with a well-developed arc, her motivations are made clear and her budding relentless personality make for a solid basis for the story. It’s the other characters that throw this series off and Fallen Angels #5 makes this much more clear. X-23 had mostly been reduced to a Wolverine knock-off up until this point but this time we get Bling! and Husk added to the group as well. With little time devoted to the characters they eventually just don’t add much of value to the story.

All of the exciting aspects of this story dealing with Psylocke’s continuing internal discovery seem to be lost in this overly complicated plot involving Apoth and their agenda to reinvent the world in their image. Right when it feels like we are on the verge of something truly heartfelt and powerful for Psylocke we are whisked away to her gathering a team to go punch a baddie.

With such a solid list of names regarding who is all involved in this series, the visuals could be an absolute powerhouse. Unfortunately the consistency just isn’t there in Fallen Angels #5 to take things to the next level. Awkward anatomy is still present and the facial expressions sometimes feel cold. There are still plenty of moments where Psylocke shines though, especially in her meditative state. The decorative panel layout and heavy shading are truly enjoyable, but not enough to cover the distractions that are also present.

Ultimately, Fallen Angels #5 feels like the issue where it is most clear that everything simply isn’t coming together like it should. There are moments of brilliance in both the writing and artwork that will keep fans of certain characters on board, especially Psylocke. But it just doesn’t do enough to stand up with some of the other stronger X-titles currently on the shelves.