Storm and the Brotherhood of Mutants #3
(W) Al Ewing (A) Alessandro Vitti (CA) Leinil Yu
Rated T+
In Shops: Apr 12, 2023
SRP: $3.99
One thousand years in the future, the Empire of the Red Diamond has located Fortress Arakko – the burning Last Castle at the heart of the Storm System! The only hope for the universe lies in bringing a long-lost legend back to life? Ororo of the Storm returns to the Sinister Age for the final battle!
It’s been 1,000 years since Sinister’s experiment began. 1,000 years that have led to destruction, death, war, a plan completely spiraled out of control. Sinister is now attempting to right his wrong, searching for the one weapon that can correct everything. Immoral X-Men #3 adds another glimpse the the mad world Sinister has wrought and adds more wrinkles to the end game for this event.
Kieron Gillen continues the interesting thread of Sinister’s journey as he and Rasputin IV travel through space in hopes of finding clues to take them to the weapon to correct the madness. It’s an interesting journey that feels much more like a travelogue than anything else. There’s some action and very interesting moments but much like the event as a whole, it’s a sliver of a narrative.
That “sliver” is partially what has made Sins of Sinister so interesting and so frustrating at the same time. Each issue takes place at a different point in this event. The first issues are 10 years, second 100, and third are 1,000. And thus, they’re just a moment of time. Each issue hints and teases the story at this point forcing readers to piece together what has happened. It also leaves a lot wanted. Everything presented could be a story unto themselves with a full miniseries dedicated to what’s shown. But, we’re given just a glimpse of where things are at, pieces of a puzzle where we can infer the picture but never get to see all of it. That’s both original and frustrating because what’s presented is so interesting. I want to know how we got to each of these points.
The art by Alessandro Vitti is interesting and feels like it’s both grounded in a way and also a world gone mad. With color by Rain Beredo, lettering by Clayton Cowles, and design by Jay Bowen, the art adds so much to the story. We need to infer and figuring out where things stand from the visuals as much as by what’s said. The two need to work hand in hand to really deliver all the information we need. Here, we get a lot of that with teases and hints as to where the mutant legion have taken the world. The visuals drive home the corruption, like rot that has spiraled out of control.
Immoral X-Men #3 is good. It also leaves me wanting a lot more. How the three issues remaining for the event will be able to tie things up and get things somewhat back to the way they were should be impressive. Hopefully, it’s a bit more of a straight narrative than the event so far. Overall, it’s something original, but it’s originality that leaves things in a frustrating place as well.
Story: Kieron Gillen Art: Alessandro Vitti
Color: Rain Beredo Letterer: Clayton Cowles Design: Jay Bowen
Story: 8.0 Art: 8.0 Overall: 8.0 Recommendation: Buy
Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Purchase: TFAW – Zeus Comics – comiXology/Kindle
Immoral X-Men #3 (of 3)
(W) Kieron Gillen (A) Alessandro Vitti
(CA) Leinil Yu (VCA) Salvador Larroca
Rated T+
In Shops: Apr 05, 2023
SRP: $4.99
THE EXPERIMENT ENDS? Year 1 was the start of the experiment. By Year 10, it was filling a petri dish. By Year 100, it had cracked the glass and spread across the desk. Now it’s been 1000 years, and the lab is filled by the writhing, pulsing sins of sinister and all the lab staff have been devoured. Everyone is in hell. The upside: this includes Sinister.
Storm and the Brotherhood of Mutants #2
(W) Al Ewing (A) Andrea Di Vito (CA) Leinil Yu
Rated T+
In Shops: Mar 22, 2023
SRP: $3.99
BATTLE OF THE X-PLANETS! 100 years from now, the Empire of the Red Diamond battles the Cosmic Coalition to decide the fate of a universe. One is the twisted creation of Nathaniel Essex. So is the other one. But between the two… there are rebels. Ororo lives, and her Brotherhood fights on – in an epic space battle that means life or death for everything that exists!
Storm and the Brotherhood of Mutants #2
(W) Al Ewing (A) Andrea Di Vito (CA) Leinil Yu
Rated T+
In Shops: Mar 22, 2023
SRP: $3.99
BATTLE OF THE X-PLANETS! 100 years from now, the Empire of the Red Diamond battles the Cosmic Coalition to decide the fate of a universe. One is the twisted creation of Nathaniel Essex. So is the other one. But between the two… there are rebels. Ororo lives, and her Brotherhood fights on – in an epic space battle that means life or death for everything that exists!
Hail the Pax Krakoa! Or perish! But to this hell age is born a hero. Say hello (again) to Rasputin IV…but what can one good chimera do in a universe of sin? The first century of Sinister’s plan has come to an end…and whether it’s better or worse may depend on the symbol on your forehead. Immoral X-Men #2 delivers a wild ride of an issue full of betrayal and (H)hope.
Told mainly from the perspective of Hope, Immoral X-Men #2 takes place 100 years after “Sins of Sinister” launched. The X-Men are waging war on a galactic scale crushing enemies with chimera bombs, wiping out all dissent. It’s the type of horrors that they experienced themselves on a grand scale. “Sins of Sinister” is a story about plans out of control and this is the perfect example of exactly that.
Writer Kieron Gillen delivers an intriguing issue that might be one of the best of the bunch. It stays focused on the issues that have spawned out of Sinister’s plans, and lays out the regret Sinister has for it all. And, it delivers a little hope that we might have a hero(es) who will correct the past, literally.
And that’s adds a little more depth to this event which spins the fractured, broken, twisted, apocalyptic future. Usually the individual who has caused the splinter in time is resolute and sure in their rule. Here, we have a villain that sees their mistake and flaw. And, they might want to correct it. Something we desperately need in the real world.
But the issue gets more intriguing as the cracks are shown within the out of control Quiet Council leadership, hinting at the ever growing chaos to come regarding their vision and direction for their people and world.
The art by Andrea Di Vito is solid giving us a sci-fi world that’s dark but light at the same time. There’s a cloud that hangs over everything but avoids the gloom of so many broken future storylines. With color by Jim Charalampidis and lettering by Clayton Cowles, the comic delivers a world that is slightly twisted and horrifying in many ways. There’s also the cool flash and concepts as we get to see Sinister’s work of the twisted mutants of the future he’s molded and grown.
Immoral X-Men #2 is an interesting issue. It doesn’t feel so much like a sliver of a greater story but a story itself. It shows off the potential of this event which started strong but turned bumpy in its structuring. Unfortunately, the next issue jumps ahead in time leaving us to put pieces together as to what happened between issues. And that’s the thing about “Sins of Sinister” and this particular issue. Unlike others, where we have to spend so much time guessing what has happened, this focuses on what is happening and where things go next. Like the story overall, it shows not what was, but what can be.
Story: Kieron Gillen Art: Andrea Di Vito
Color: Jim Charalampidis Letterer: Clayton Cowles Design: Jay Bowen
Story: 8.3 Art: 8.2 Overall: 8.25 Recommendation: Buy
Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Purchase: Zeus Comics – comiXology/Kindle
Immoral X-Men #2 (of 3)
(W) Kieron Gillen (A) Andrea Di Vito
(CA) Leinil Yu (VCA) Mahmud Asrar, Todd Nauck
Rated T+
In Shops: Mar 15, 2023
SRP: $4.99
PUTTING THE “DIE” IN DIAMOND AGE! Hail the Pax Krakoa! Or perish! But to this hell age is born a hero. Say hello (again) to Rasputin IV…but what can one good chimera do in a universe of sin? The first century of Sinister’s plan has come to an end and whether it’s better or worse may depend on the symbol on your forehead.
Nightcrawlers #2 (of 3)
(W) Si Spurrier (A) Andrea Di Vito (CA) Leinil Yu
Rated T+
In Shops: Mar 08, 2023
SRP: $3.99
100 YEARS SINCE THE SINISTER ERA BEGAN… WAGNERINE and her gene-spliced assassins are HOLY THIEVES, servants to a cosmic cult. Let the HEIST LITURGY be spoken! Loot the ashes of Asgard! Raid the tombs of Otherworld! Pick the pockets of the Marvel Universe and build the sacred weapon! And let us bear witness to the final fate of the First…the fallen fiend who was once known as NIGHTCRAWLER.
“Sins of Sinister” has taken a different approach to events. Instead of more linear narrative told across a main title with tie-ins, we get an opening comic, three main comics, and then a finale. But, those individual series is where it gets intriguing. Instead of a story told across a few issues, each group of issues takes place in a time period. The first is 10 years after Sinister’s plan takes place, the second 100 years, and the third 1,000 years. So, instead of a flowing narrative, each issue has felt like a one-shot teasing the world. Nightcrawlers #2 takes place 100 years from the beginning of the event’s story focusing on the gene spliced holy thieves.
Written by Si Spurrier, Nightcrawlers #2 feels like continues the the overall concept of the event. The Nightkin were freed from Sinister’s control in the first issue, now serving Mother Righteous. 100 years have gone by and things have gotten out of control once again.
Mother Righteous is up to something having her Nightkin stealing artifacts from across the cosmos. It’s become a cosmic cult, following whatever Righteous’ plan is. But as she’s “a Sinister,” you can only trust what is said so much. Instead cracks are formed as lies begin to pile up and Righteous’ control isn’t as tight as expected. From the Nightkin’s perspective, things also spiral as it’s clear things aren’t as righteous as presented to them. It’s a solid concept but one issue is far too short to explore it.
The art by Andrea Di Vito is interesting. With color by Jim Charalampidis and lettering by Clayton Cowles, there’s a need for the visuals to tell a lot of the story, and they do. Small details add to let the readers know where things stand and where the world is at this point. The way someone is dressed, the look they give at a moment, it all comes together to add a little more depth to what’s going on. The chimera aspect of the characters too is key, with the visuals hinting as to what’s going on and who they are. It all comes together in an entertaining enough way.
Nightcrawlers #2 isn’t bad, but the format for “Sins of Sinister” doesn’t help the ambition. Each issue has teased the world and narrative and each could have easily expanded delivering more of a flowing story. Instead, the event feels like numerous one-shots taking place in a shared world where we need to piece together the details. It’s an interesting concept and idea but there’s a lot here and a lot thrown at readers that’s good and deserves to be fleshed out and expanded upon.
Story: Si Spurrier Art: Andrea Di Vito
Color: Jim Charalampidis Letterer: Clayton Cowles Design: Tom Muller, Jay Bowen
Story: 7.75 Art: 7.75 Overall: 7.75 Recommendation: Read
Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Purchase: Zeus Comics – comiXology/Kindle
Nightcrawlers #2 (of 3)
(W) Si Spurrier (A) Andrea Di Vito (CA) Leinil Yu
Rated T+
In Shops: Mar 08, 2023
SRP: $3.99
100 YEARS SINCE THE SINISTER ERA BEGAN… WAGNERINE and her gene-spliced assassins are HOLY THIEVES, servants to a cosmic cult. Let the HEIST LITURGY be spoken! Loot the ashes of Asgard! Raid the tombs of Otherworld! Pick the pockets of the Marvel Universe and build the sacred weapon! And let us bear witness to the final fate of the First…the fallen fiend who was once known as NIGHTCRAWLER.
