ICYMI! X-Men The Wedding Special #1: Be Gay, Do Crimes

Something Borrowed, Something Blue

Words: Kieron Gillen

Art: Rachel Stott

Color: Michael Bartolo

This was a fun, character-driven setup for the stories which followed. Gillen cemented the dynamics of this almost-functional (if you turn your head and squint) family while still saving room for the fun and chaos to follow. This was, in many ways, the strongest and most satisfying story of the bunch. It’s always strange to see Mystique acting maternal, but never fear, her recent upswell of love was balanced by the thoroughness with which she counted her bullets. 

Rachel Stott’s art was fun and fluid, with special attention paid to facial expressions and fancy dress. Michael Bartolo’s colors were rich and added a touch of dramatic flare to an otherwise lighthearted story. 

Wedding Gatecrashers

Words: Tini Howard 

Art: Philip Sevy

Colors: KJ Dias

It was great to see Betsy and Rachel share an extended moment of loving bliss (seriously, they’re the healthiest relationship in the Marvel universe right now) and the story hot even better once Gatecrasher and her goons became involved. Philip Sevy’s art is always a treat, and it was wonderful to see him play with the more detailed paneling that print allows. KJ Diás provided a delicate, watercolor palate which further enhanced the magic of the story. 

Get Mystique A Gift

Words: Tate Brombal

Art: Emilio Pilliu

Colors: Irma Knivila

It’s always fun to witness Wolverine playing teacher. In this instance, he was leading a group of queer kids through a multiversal romp with the ostensible goal of buying Raven a wedding gift. The reality, of course, was a little bit different. This was an enjoyable, if one-note, story that had a good time with the themes of the book. It was a little bit jarring to see Anole being depicted as a young teenager again (wasn’t he a bartender a few months back?) but aside from this it was a pleasurable read. 

Emilio Pilliu was having a blast with the art. His characters dripped with energy and life. Irma Knivila’s colors were appropriately vibrant. 

Epée Is Truth

Words: Yoon Ha Lee

Art: Stephen Byrne

This was a disappointing story. I was excited about it, due to the title and the fencing premise, but the metaphor seemed forced, the swordplay was an afterthought, and the plot only seemed to exist to serve Iron Man’s story. It wasn’t terrible, but it didn’t quite scrape ‘good’ either. 

Stephen Byrne’s art was appropriately psychedelic. 

The Thief’s Surprise 

Words: Wyatt Kennedy

Art: Jenn St-Onge

Colors: Brittany Peer

What kind of wedding has the reception before the ceremony? Well, to discover the answer to that question, you’ll have to read this final story. I will say that it was frenzied, fun, and surprisingly sweet — an appropriate end for a book of this type. 

St-Onge’s art was fluid and fun, a good tonal match for Rachel Stott’s earlier contribution. Peter’s colors were fun and vibrant, with just a hint of gravitas. 

This was a fun, though inessential read. It’s nice to see so many non-male creators gathered together in one book. It’s a pity that Marvel only seems to break out this level of diversity for Pride.