Immortal X-Men #12: Riding For A Fall

Political machinations, murder, and intrigue abound as the infrastructure of Krakoa crumbles beneath what remains of the council. Gillen isn’t pulling any punches in the lead-up to what promises to be an absolutely eviscerating event. But beyond even the murders, the coup, and a veritable ocean of blood and betrayal, the narrative structure of this issue was, by far, the most interesting thing about it.

This story is told from the perspective of The Chronicler — the seemingly omniscient narrator who is now controlling Rasputin’s actions. As such, the actions of our faltering protagonist are projected via a lens composed of narrative tropes, literary techniques, and references to the bleakest of Russian writers. I was a little disappointed that, given that so much of this event hinges on magic, Gillen didn’t sneak a reference to Mikhail Bulgakov in there somewhere. Still, The Master and Margarita are, perhaps, too hopeful for the tone that he desires to produce.

It was also nice to see that the absences of Storm and Nightcrawler are being treated as temporary, with both characters expected to return rather than being refillable gaps in the roster.

Without succumbing to spoilers, there were a few disappointments to be had, despite the otherwise excellent writing. It’s upsetting that the X-Books launched Pride month with an arguably avoidable foray into the Bury Your Gays trope. Certainly, there were other routes available for Gillen to get where he was going without slaughtering a queer woman. It’s also something of a letdown that Mother Righteous’s magical technique appears to be copied directly from Zatanna. I know that Si Spurrier created her, and so she is, therefore, by necessity, an unimaginative retread of a character, but Gillen is usually more inventive than that.

Lucas Werneck’s art appears to improve every issue, gaining verve and narrative depth with every panel he produces. David Curiel’s colors are smooth and gilded or dark and lurid, depending on the requirements of the scene, and his work serves to highlight and deepen the genius of the line work.