Resurrection of Magneto #1: A Stormy Journey for A Dream

The X-men are in deep…. trouble. And no one stays dead in comics except Uncle Ben and Batman’s parents. Oh. Wait.

Luciano Vecchio delivers what may be his best work yet, paired with the incredible color artist David Curiel, the comic opens on a powerful image of Magneto. The colors are terrifying and akin to where he is, and the addition of the helmets surrounding him are a nice nod to X-history but may hold a much deeper meaning. As the colors transform taking us away from Magneto, we see the red and purple turn into purple and then gold as the story zeroes in on Storm.  Every aspect of Storm is wonderfully designed, from her hair, to her movements, her powers, etc.

This shift right off the bat takes the reader on the true lead of this story and her journey to find the person whose entire existence centered on protecting mutants from the worst of humanity. Well, here’s the worst of humanity. “We must fight together” Magneto had told her as he died, and she states in the present to Adam Brashear, “or society will destroy us simply for existing.” Given current X-men continuity it seems that is exactly what is happening.

Vecchio brought his A game to the fight scenes and drew some amazing imagery for Storm’s big battles in this issue. He and Curiel deliver a textured villain, and vibrant landscapes that are equal parts, charming, eerie, and out of this world. The appearance of a former foe, and his hulked-out design is really well done. The art gets creative with its use of space and panels without it being distracting. It is instead used to make Storm even more powerful.

Al Ewing’s writing jumps off the page as much as the art, with an almost poetic thoughts coursing through Storm. The story is visually stunning, one of the most artistic issues of recent memory, with great design, color, and as mentioned earlier, textures, that give off the feeling of what the place not just looks, but what it is made from. There is also some amazing visual parallels between Storm and Magneto that remind readers of the powerful connection these two have.

There are a lot of layers for Storm to peel back if she has any hope of finding Max and bringing him back to the world of the living. And what kind of man will he be when she does? This is one of the many questions at the core of this comic. Life, death, and afterlife are now on a new path as the road to resurrection is no longer a yellow brick road, and on this path, there remains a woman on a journey to find some sliver of  hope, and maybe even a renewed dream. A woman of action who has suffered so much and who’s heart is in turmoil.  The fall of Krakoa has hardened Storm, and her dreams crushed by the weight of bigotry and hatred. Will Magneto be what she hopes he is?

Ewing is having a great time getting into Storm’s head and Vecchio and Curiel provided a strong beginning to a journey that will lead to Magento’s return and perhaps much needed hope for the mutant nation now broken, scattered and afraid. The dialogue and story are strong and the visuals compelling. It is hard to predict where the story will go. But it will be beautiful no matter which way it goes.