(W) Al Ewing (A) Stefano Caselli (CA) Russell Dauterman RATED T+ In Shops: Apr 06, 2022 SRP: $4.99
WHO CAN SAVE THE RED PLANET? The mutants of Arakko spent millennia scarred by war – but on what was once called Mars, they’re learning to live in peace. STORM knows the red planet needs something greater than a queen. But ABIGAIL BRAND has other plans, along with an unstable VULCAN on her side and CABLE keeping his own secrets. Welcome to X-MEN RED. It’s a new world…and someone has to fight for it.
When it comes to dual X-Men teams, it often feels like one of the teams is the “also rans”. Two teams of heavy hitters has happened but even then, there feels like a bit of a rivalry between them. Too often it’s just the personalities that really define the difference. X-Men Red #1 is an intriguing entry in the “Destiny of X” line of X-Men comics in that its focus is not on the X-Men of Earth, instead it’s a terraformed Mars, dubbed Arakko. Lead by Storm, the planet features mutants from Krakoa and Amenth, a combination that opens things up to a literal world of new characters.
With a world of possibilities, writer Al Ewing does a nice balance of old and new. There’s classic X-Men characters like Sunspot and James Proudstar (aka Warpath), newer X-Men like Vulcan, and then members of Amenth, generally new to readers. But, at the center of it all is Storm and Magneto, two heavy hitters who have shaped the X-Men throughout the decades and look to do so again in X-Men Red #1.
What’s interesting is Ewing’s focus. A world so knew has lead both Storm and Magneto to reflect on their past. Infinite possibilities of what to build has caused each to think about what they’ve done, what they’ve shaped, and how they’re viewed. Magneto, going by Max, is the most interesting of all the characters. His weariness shows a man who has recognized his failures and short comings and in many ways tired of the struggle. He’s the battle hardened vet shaped by years of abuse, torture, and hate, and forged from the horrors of what mankind can do. In his journey he meets a member of the Amenth who also was forged from bars and torture. The duo together bond over their pain and suffering. Ewing presents a Magneto who’s almost poetic in his musings, far displaced from his much more focused and planned statements during his leadership of Krakoa. The debut also directly takes on the opening of House of X/Powers of X when it comes to Storm and Magneto who both showed off nationalist tendencies. Max is directly confronted about his beliefs and views by his new friend who challenges a lot of the status quo.
Stefano Caselli‘s artwork is fantastic. Along with Federico Blee on color and Ariana Maher‘s lettering, the comic is a blend of fantasy and future. It’s a strange new world that doesn’t feel too alien to connect with. A bar fight involves a simple table being smashed over an individual that looks like a normal table. But, that bar is full of characters who look like something out of a sci-fi adventure. That sits side by side as Max and his new friend talk in fields that look straight out of feudal times as Max builds a castle of his own. The juxtaposition of it all is not lost and quite nice as worlds combine to forge something new, a brotherhood.
The question going into X-Men Red #1 is whether it can be more than just “X-Men on Mars”. The debut issue sets a groundwork that’s intriguing and interesting with conflict to come and political machinations and drama to keep things interesting. It’s a solid debut that promises a bright future for the once red planet.
Story: Al Ewing Art: Stefano Caselli Color: Federico Blee Letterer: Ariana Maher Design: Tom Muller, Jay Bowen Story: 8.35 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.4 Recommendation: Buy
Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Wednesdays (and Tuesdays) are new comic book day! Each week hundreds of comics are released, and that can be pretty daunting to go over and choose what to buy. That’s where we come in
Each week our contributors choose what they can’t wait to read this week or just sounds interesting. In other words, this is what we’re looking forward to and think you should be taking a look at!
Find out what folks think below, and what comics you should be looking out for this week.
Alice Ever After #1 (BOOM! Studios) – A new take on Alice in Wonderland? Yeah, we’re in.
Batman Beyond: Neo Year #1 (DC Comics) – It’s Terry’s first year without Bruce Wayne brought to us by Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing, and art by Max Dunbar. We’re beyond excited for the combo of creative team and character.
Devil’s Reign #6 (Marvel) – The event wraps up and we have no idea where it’s going from here.
GILT #1 (AHOY Comics) – A time travel urban fantasy. We’re intrigued.
Joneses #1 (AWA Studios) – A suburban family must hide their superpowers from those that fear them.
Lead City #1 (Red 5 Comics) – There’s not enough Western comics, so we’re excited when one debuts.
LEGO Ninjago: Garmadon #1 (Image Comics/Skybound) – The toyline comes to Skybound and we’re intrigued to see what the publisher primarily known for adult comics does with the property.
Marauders #1 (Marvel) – Kate Pryde is back with her crew and a refocused mission. With new crewmates, this is an intriguing direction for the series and its brand-new creative team.
The Ocean Will Take Us #1 (AfterShock) – Something’s lurking in the waters of Almanzar Bay – and when Casey March tries out for the swim team, he learns firsthand that messing with the social order of his new high school can have dangerous – even deadly – consequences!
The Rocketeer: The Great Race #1 (IDW Publishing) – This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Rocketeer! Celebrate with a brand new miniseries.
Spider-Punk #1 (Marvel) – The concept is just fun. We’re in for that alone.
Third Wave 99 #2 (Scout Comics) – We thought the series was about surfing culture and clothing but nope, there’s undercover cops and drugs. Not what we expected at all.
West of Sundown #1 (Vault Comics) – A beautiful vampire must flee monster slayers in New York City and reclaim the ancestral soil that restores her undead flesh. But much has changed in the rough frontier town where lots of monsters have settled.
Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons #2 (DC Comics) – Taking us through the history of the Amazons, the first issue set a high bar with a beautiful and haunting story matched with some of the best art of the year. Here’s hoping the second issue comes close to matching it.
X-Men Red #1 (Marvel) – Get your ass to Mars. With Destiny of X kicking off, the focus shifts to the mutants of Arakko and their growth on Mars.
(W) Al Ewing (A) Stefano Caselli (CA) Russell Dauterman RATED T+ In Shops: Apr 06, 2022 SRP: $4.99
WHO CAN SAVE THE RED PLANET? The mutants of Arakko spent millennia scarred by war – but on what was once called Mars, they’re learning to live in peace. STORM knows the red planet needs something greater than a queen. But ABIGAIL BRAND has other plans, along with an unstable VULCAN on her side and CABLE keeping his own secrets. Welcome to X-MEN RED. It’s a new world…and someone has to fight for it.
This May, Marvel Comics honors Asian Pacific American Heritage Month with variant covers highlighting some of its most prominent Asian and AAPI characters! The AAPI Heritage Variant Covers will be drawn by acclaimed artist Dike Ruan, known for his incredible work on Shang-Chi, and colored by artist Neeraj Menon. Adorning the covers of Marvel’s hottest ongoing series, these stunning pieces are bursting with energy, showcasing Shang-Chi, Ms. Marvel, and more iconic heroes using their extraordinary gifts in stunning circular portraits! Here are the six heroes getting the spotlight in this year’s celebration:
Shang-Chi
Ms. Marvel
Sunfire
Wong
Wave
Mondo
Check them out now and collect all six AAPI Heritage Covers throughout May!
Prepare to enter the Destiny of X, the radical next era for your favorite X-Men titles! Ushering in the second age of Krakoa, Destiny of X will see the emergence of new enemies, the formation of new X-Teams, and bold paths for your favorite characters. It all kicks off later this month and right now, fans can peek ahead to discover what’s to come this June in their most anticipated X-Men ongoing series!
Gerry Duggan and Pepe Larraz present the grand climax to the Krakoan X-Men’s first year inX-Men #12! On the eve of the Hellfire Gala, threats have closed in on the X-Men from all sides. The secret machinations of Doctor Stasis, the terror of Gameworld, even the threat of the X-Men’s own secrets getting out…it’s all led to this!
Kieron Gillen teams up with artist Michele Bandini for a Hellfire Gala story ripe with drama, revelations, and betrayal from a shocking uninvited guest in Immortal X-Men#3! Emma Frost will do anything to protect the children, including the metaphorical child that is the Hellfire Gala. Last year’s was a fantastic success. She would not like it if someone ruined the second. She would not like it at all… The events of this year’s HELLFIRE GALA will lead directly into Gillen and Valerio Schiti’s A.X.E.: JUDGMENT DAY, the next Marvel Comics crossover epic launching this summer. Stay tuned next week for more HELLFIRE GALA announcements. Featuring a cover by Mark Brooks!
In Benjamin Percy and Robert Gill’s X-Force #29, X-Force make their last stand AGAINST KRAKOA, THE ISLAND THAT KILLS LIKE A MAN! As Cerebrax captures and turns the mutants’ powers against them, it sets its sights on the biggest mutant of all — Krakoa itself! A fight this big is going to take all the power X-Force can muster…and the true Omega to live up to his potential! With a cover by Joshua Cassara.
Wolverine runs out of allies to trust in Benjamin Percy and Adam Kubert’s Wolverine #22. Wolverine is trapped in an adamantium prison, and it’s probably Deadpool’s fault. But the betrayal of Maverick stings worst of all! Just what is so valuable in that briefcase that it pits mutant against mutant…against C.I.A.?
Mutantkind’s great Otherworld quest is in jeopardy in Tini Howard and Bob Quinn’s Knights of X #3. Gambit and his team gain a momentary victory over the Furies in Crooked Market, but as the group is hit by another wave of attacks by Merlyn’s army, Rachel Summers’ connection with Captain Britain is severed before she can call in reinforcements. In Sevalith, the Captain and her team face off against blood thirsty vampires as they seek out a lethal potential ally. Their quest required ten knights to begin, but no one said anything about the end. A knight dies here – and the hateful quest goes on. With a cover by Yanick Paquette.
Meet the FIRST GENERATION OF MUTANTKIND in Steve Orlando and Eleonora Carlini’s Marauders #4. The Marauders have gotten some jailbreak mixed into their heist! Pryde and her crew might’ve convinced Xandra to confront the Shi’ar’s crimes against mutantkind together, but the fanatical Kin Crimson are ready to defend those secrets to the death. What hidden truths and horrors does the Shi’ar Chronicle hold? Deep in a pandimensional prison lies the answer – but will it unite two societies in progress, or destroy them both? Check out the cover by Kael Ngu.
Al Ewing teams up with Juann Cabal, Andrés Genolet, and more for a harsh lesson about the Martian way of death in X-Men Red #4! Recent revelations threaten to profoundly alter the Destiny of X – and Arakko isn’t immune from the fallout! With the clock ticking down to interstellar war, Storm faces a Galactic Illuminati… Magneto attends a meeting of his own that might decide both their fates…and Roberta Da Costa ponders a recent return from the grave alongside the strangest guest star of all! With a cover by Russell Dauterman.
Nightcrawler’s squad faces a divine threat in Si Spurrier and Jan Bazaldua’s Legion of X #3. An Arakkii fugitive god is lurking somewhere in the shadows of Krakoa, and Weaponless Zsen must track them down or face destruction at the hands of the terrifying Ora Serrata. After hitting a number of dead ends, Zsen and Nightcrawler turn to the astral plane for answers. Meanwhile, Pixie lures the Skinjacker out of hiding with the help of Juggernaut and…Dr. Strange?! Dike Ruan‘s cover is below.
Fall into the looking glass in Vita Ayala and Rod Reis’ New Mutants #27. With her Soulsword shattered, Magik spirals into unfamiliar territory as she confronts her legacy in Limbo – dragging Mirage and Wolfsbane down with her! And while Magik faces the demons of her past, present, and future…Madelyne Pryor inches closer to the throne. Leinil Francis Yu provides the cover.
Rising out of the ashes of Inferno and emerging out of the vital time-travelling mission in X Lives of Wolverine/X Deaths of Wolverine comes The Second Krakoan Age of X-Men: DESTINY OF X! Mutantkind is reshaped once more, as Krakoa’s greatest triumphs and most crushing challenges still lie ahead. The possibilities are endless as your favorite ongoing X-series embrace their future!
The rulers of Krakoa strive to hold mutantkind together, no matter how much they want to tear each other apart in Kieron Gillen and Lucas Werneck’s Immortal X-Men #1
Kate Pryde enlists a new crew to rescue rescue mutants and unravel a vital mystery stretching two billion years into the past in Steve Orlando and Eleonora Carlini’s Marauders #1
Mutantkind has taken over Mars and now they have to fight for it. Join Storm, Magneto, Sunspot, and more as they strive to save the red planet from war in Al Ewing and Stefano Caselli’s X-Men Red #1
Krakoa’s deadly strike team deals with the mind-melding new threat known as CEREBRAX as Benjamin Percy and Robert Gill launch an all-new arc in X-Force #27
Captain Britain recruits nine knights to join her on a magical quest for the holy grail of mutantkind in Tini Howard and Bob Quinn’s Knights of X #1
As numerous new threats begin to close in on Krakoan’s first team of X-Men, an old enemy emerges as Gerry Duggan continues his hit run on X-Men alongside artist Javier Pina inX-Men #10
Nightcrawler assembles a squad to bring justice and peace to Krakoa and protect mutantkind from its most soul-crushing threats yet in Si Spurrier and Jan Bazaldua’s Legion of X #1
Magik and the recently resurrected Madelyne Pryor compete for the throne of Limbo in Vita Ayala and Rod Reis’ acclaimed run of New Mutants, igniting the all-new ‘Labors of Magik’ arc in New Mutants #25
Wolverine continues to take on mutantkind’s most brutal missions… with some unwelcome help from Deadpool as Benjamin Percy and Adam Kubert continue their masterful run on Wolverine in Wolverine #20
Get your first glimpse at what’s to come in in the all-new Destiny of X trailer, featuring never-before-seen artwork! And enter the Destiny of X starting on March 30!
The next era of X-Men is on the horizon! With fresh new titles, exciting creative team changes, and cast shakeups, Destiny of X will be a season of radical transformation for the X-Men line and its characters. The possibilities are endless as the second Krakoan age begins over the next few months. And right now, fans can discover more about what’s to come this May in their favorite and most anticipated X-Men ongoing series!
JUDGMENT DAY IS COMING! Tying together current story threads in Avengers, X-Men, and Eternals, writer Kieron Gillen and artist Valerio Schiti bring you the next Marvel Comics epic this summer. See the first seeds planted for this upcoming saga in issues of Kieron Gillen and Lucas Werneck’s Immortal X-Men! May’s Immortal X-Men #3 will dive into one of the most fascinating objects in the X-Men mythos: Destiny’s diaries! Over one hundred years ago, Irene Adler wrote twelve books. A sequel is long overdue. Check out the cover by Mark Brooks!
The main team of Krakoan X-Men won’t be safe from the effects of Judgment Day either! Creative powerhouses Gerry Duggan and Pepe Larraz continue their hit run in X-Men #11. The women of the X-Men are heading for the hottest action in the galaxy…Gameworld! But if it’s true that the house always wins, our X-Ladies might be in over their heads…
THE QUEST IS REVEALED in Tini Howard and Bob Quinn’s Knights of X #2! Betsy Braddock has assembled her Knights! Their mission: to save Otherworld from Merlyn and his powerful henchmen…by finding the holy grail of mutantkind. But Otherworld is vast, and innumerable armies stand in their way. When Merlyn targets the Crooked Market, a safe haven for mutantkind, the Knights must split up. Will Captain Britain find the grail? Will Gambit lead the others into a deadly trap? Death looms over the Knights — in more ways than one. Yanick Paquette provides the cover.
Meet Mother Righteous in Si Spurrier and Jan Bazaldua’s Legion of X #2! Legion is offered an unholy deal by this major new character, the self-proclaimed wheeler-dealer of the astral plane. But is the price worth the prize for a young man stuck in his father’s shadow? Meanwhile, the Skinjacker grows bold. Not content with stealing identities of other mutants, he turns his powers on the Legion of X… And while newly arrived Arakki badass Weaponless Zsen has a beastly clash with a dangerous X-Man, her chaperone Nightcrawler is otherwise engaged – giving a massage…? With a cover by Dike Ruan.
Launched in last month’s hit Marauders Annual #1, Steve Orlando continues his new run alongside artist Eleonora Carlini in Marauders #3. Panic in Shi’ar space! The Marauders are prisoners of the Kin Crimson, a secret society stretching back billions of years, who outrank even the Shi’ar Majestrix…or so they think. But Captain Pryde and the Marauders aren’t giving up, not with the Shi’ar holding the last survivors of mutantkind’s first generation hostage. With the weight of history looming like a nuclear threat, can Kate Pryde convince Xandra to side with mutantkind against her kingdom? With a cover by Kael Ngu.
Vita Ayala and Rod Reis’ acclaimed run heats up inNew Mutants #26. While the queen is away, demons will play! A new queen has taken the throne of Limbo — Madelyne Pryor, A.K.A. the Goblin Queen! Meanwhile, separated from Limbo, Magik faces an enemy she thought she had banished long ago… With a cover by Leinil Francis Yu!
Wolverine masters Benjamin Percy and Adam Kubert take Logan deeper and deeper into DANGER in Wolverine #21! Outnumbered and surrounded, Wolverine unleashes his berserker rage, and Deadpool embraces his deadly fighting skills in a last ditch effort to save mutant lives. But what’s with all the Robot X-Men, and what do they have to do with the X-Desk?
And over in Percy and Robert Gill’s X-Force #28, Cerebrax stalks the island of Krakoa, and no one is safe! Its hunger for minds is insatiable…but what happens when it absorbs the minds — and powers — of the most powerful mutants?! X-Force will have to STEP. IT. UP. – and Kid Omega leads the way! Check out that cover by Joshua Cassara!
And expect planet-size power grabs and enormous omega-level feats in Al Ewing and Stefano Caselli’s X-Men Red #3. Tarn the Uncaring waged war and torture on Arakko for centuries. He’s the most hated being on Mars…and he sits on their ruling council. Abigail Brand has a plan to remedy that — and reap the rewards. So does Roberto Da Costa. But only one of them can win…and Tarn’s going to make at least one mutant pay the price for it! With a cover by Russell Dauterman.
Last year, mutantkind took a bold leap into the future when they terraformed Mars in the game-changing one-shot, Planet-Size X-Men. Now home to the mutants of Arakko, the Red Planet has never shined brighter or been more dangerous… Mastermind writer Al Ewing, known for his acclaimed work on Immortal Hulk, will pen an all-new X-Men book this April that will deal with both the promise and the threat that Arakko represents to the Marvel Universe. Joining Ewing will be artist Stefano Caselli whose dynamic and dramatic storytelling skills have already graced X-Men books like INFERNO and S.W.O.R.D. And providing the book’s main covers will be superstar Russell Dauterman, who also designed Storm’s stellar new costume.
X-Men Red will see mutantkind divided over what’s next for Arakko. Major players like Storm, Magneto, Sunspot, Abigail Brand, the mutants of the Great Ring, and many more all have different hopes—and fears—regarding Arakko’s uncertain future. A place of mystery, strength, and endless conflict, Arakko needs something more than just a team of heroes to defend it. Who will rise to the challenge?
X-Men Red #1 asks the question: WHO CAN SAVE THE RED PLANET?
The mutants of Arakko spent millennia scarred by war — but on what was once called Mars, they’re learning to live in peace. Storm knows the red planet needs something greater than a queen. But Abigail Brand has other plans, along with an unstable Vulcan on her side and Cable keeping his own secrets. It’s a new world…and someone has to fight for it.
X-Men Red #2 asks the question: WHO CAN TAME THE RED PLANET?
The mutants of Mars spent millennia worshipping war — and on what they now call Arakko, they’re keeping up their violent ways. Abigail Brand knows the red planet needs a firm ruler in charge. But Storm has other ideas, along with a broken Magneto in her corner and Sunspot making his own moves. It’s a new world… and someone has to claim it.
Mutants have found a new homeland. Now they must fight for it. Don’t miss the first two issues of X-Men Red when they hit stands this April!
