Fallen Angels #6: Is that Her Winnin’ or Losin’?

We’ve finally reached the conclusion of Fallen Angels, a book that aims to establish Psylocke as her own individual character with a new future away from Elizabeth Braddock, but also to look at the underbelly of Krakoa and how those who don’t always belong can still find a place. After six issues there is really only one question to ask…

Does it succeed at any of this?

Despite all of it’s flair and willingness to take a darker approach to both the narrative themes as well as the visuals, Fallen Angels #6 is ultimately an exercise in futility. It’s simply not enough to bring all of the different elements together in a way that truly resonates. Instead, we get a climactic finale that dissolves as quickly as it began without leaving the reader inspired for what’s to come with these characters.

The Psylocke development remains strong, but takes a strange turns with the manifestation of literal butterfly wings. While I appreciate the visual significance and the symbology of the butterfly for this new vision of Psylocke, it adds a layer of camp to the story in a place that didn’t feel natural. I loved her stern mentality and straight up badass abilities though. She is without a doubt the star of this series and fans will find a lot to love even if the overarching narrative leaves something to be desired.

The artwork is still inconsistent, unfortunately. There are both beautiful splash pages and misshapen character anatomy in Fallen Angels #6, which just emphasizes the conflicting experience both this issue and this series overall leaves you with. The potential is outstanding, and the execution shows glimpses of brilliance, but it just doesn’t come together like it really could have. There are too many questions ignored or left unanswered, as well as awkward characterizations that don’t come into focus, for Fallen Angels to capitalize on the strengths that are present.

Overall, Fallen Angels #6 concludes a series that may be sought after by fans of Psylocke for some time to come, but just doesn’t add enough substantial weight to the Dawn of X lineup to stand out.

This one is a miss.