Inferno # 1 review: Marvel’s start to another era-defining X-Men book

Two years ago in Jonathan Hickman House of X # 1, a few words transformed Marvel’s X-Men comics: “While you were sleeping, the world changed.” At Dawn of X, the X-Men cemented their island, Krakoa, as a national refuge for mutants. In the follow-up event X of spades, they were reunited with their lost siblings, and the recent Hellfire Gala established Mars as Planet Arrakko, setting the X-Men on a galactic stage.

While the X-Men have scaled their position in the universe and gathered their power, however, secrets and tensions have simmered beneath Krakoa’s surface (and sometimes quite literally). Now Professor X, Magneto, Mystique, Destiny, Emma Frost, and the hidden Moira X are entering a conflict that threatens to doom the entire nation in the new book. Hell, which began on September 29.

Who is making Inferno?

Jonathan Hickman returns and joins Valerio Schiti’s pencils, David Curiel’s colors, Joe Sabino’s lettering, and, as in all Krakoan X-Comics, Tom Muller’s design work. Hickman started this era with the two titanic series that were one, House of X and Powers of X. Schiti most recently released SWORD with Al Ewing, and his talent for drama is as striking in the political machinations here as it was in the space opera of that title. It’s a team that lives up to the incredible pedigree of HoXPoX.

What is Inferno about?

House of X and Powers of X established that Moira MacTaggart, a former ally of the X-Men, was secretly a mutant with the power of reincarnation. In her previous nine lives, Moira had discovered that mutants were always doomed to extinction, as the creation of Artificial Intelligence always led posthumans to accelerate their evolution much faster than Mutantkind’s natural evolution, and eventually became at one with the Dominions, a divine machine. beings liberated from the limits of space and time. The creation of the Krakoa nation and all that it has involved – the unification of all mutants, the exploration of mutant technology, and the creation of the mutant resurrection – has apparently been in the service of his plan to finally find a way to defeat this. inevitability.

In one of her previous lives, Moira had also become an enemy of Destiny, Mystique’s currently deceased wife. While they have claimed that Krakoa is for all mutants, Professor X and Magneto have hypocritically used their power to ensure that deceased mutants they believe are a danger to the nation or themselves remain deceased. They have denied Mystique’s demands to reunite with his wife, a decision that threatens to cost them dearly.

What Hell begins, several threads have begun to converge. The first great posthuman intelligence, Nimrod, has not only connected, but has repeatedly defeated the X-Men. Several seats on the Silent Council that governs Krakoa have been vacated, creating a power vacuum. Those who have remained in power have crossed various ethical lines, creating new tensions between factions within the land. Moira herself appears to have developed plans that go beyond what Xavier and Magneto have been allowed to know. Finally, Mystique has received posthumous instructions from Destiny to burn down the place. Mutantkind has never been stronger, and yet Mutantkind feels about to explode as political schemes divert attention from the great threat ahead; no one can be trusted at a time when trust is most vital to survival.

Why is Inferno happening now?

Hell is he conclusion to the Hickman chapter of the X-Men story. Rather than follow his original plan, which, according to his description, would appear to end the entirety of the current status quo, he chose to write one last event. Hell should allow other creators to continue exploring this rich space while also providing a satisfying thematic conclusion to the first act of HoXPoX.

Are there any required reading?

With the intention of concluding the events that began with HoXPoX, the two series are pretty important readings. Further, X-Men # 6 and X Men # 20 sets out two of the major incident incidents of the crossing. Beyond those 18 numbers, the current series of Hell, X-Force, and Marauders They are not required, but are more likely to enrich the experience. Weather Hell # 1 It doesn’t focus much on the characters, the marketing of the series indicates that the characters from those series – Colossus, Emma Frost, Psylocke and Bishop, will play major roles. Additionally, each series features secrets, sins, schemes, and hypocrisies that are likely to become relevant to Hellconflict as it progresses.

Inferno is good?

Hell # 1 skillfully juggles its many plots and characters while going back and expanding on the bold concepts that introduced this period. Schiti creates a political debate on the conclusion of the subject that is as shocking, as powerful as the massacre that initiates the subject. While Hickman’s recent work has suffered from a lack of momentum, Hell, from the first page, it promises acceleration. Every person who works on this comic is doing their best work, and the resulting issue is a piece with the best of the X-Men comics. Even Hordeculture, a set of geriatric villains that your critic once found insufferable, is a pleasure to read.

Hell promises to be a return to HoXPoX in all but one way: Hell you are not alone. The ideas, stories, and character arcs here aren’t just from Hickman. He does not write as an author who concludes his story in isolation, but as a contributor among many to a great work. Hell it would be a different story without the many Dawn of X and Reign of X titles, (more especially the singular Hellions), and Hell it would read very differently if it was the only title in the line to be released, or the only title that felt this bold. This is definitely not the case: The Onslaught Revelation, SWORD, and Magneto’s trial each has recently taken a step in their own exciting direction.

Hell has the opportunity to overcome HoXPoX because it functions as a celebration of what makes superhero comics such a unique and compelling genre: stories that take place in a shared universe created by many, many voices. There are great soloists in each and every medium, but only in this medium, and in this genre, you can find such an eye-catching chorus.

A panel that appeared

Image: Valerio Schiti / Marvel Comics

Hell begins with an incredibly surprising image set, apparently, in the near future, when Emma Frost resurrects Magneto and Professor X. She stands on them wearing what has become Xavier’s symbol, granting her a position of power in this society and what his face hides: Brain’s mask. It is an inversion of the defining image of HoXPoX, and it promises exciting twists in the next few issues.

Hell # 1 is available wherever you choose comics and digital providers.