There are a lot of comics out there, but some stand out head and shoulders above the pack. With “Don’t Miss This,” we want to spotlight those series we think need to be on your pull list. This week, we’re taking a trip to the red planet and exploring mutant politics in “X-Men Red.”
Who’s This By?
“X-Men Red” is written by Al Ewing, a big name in comics, particularly Marvel. He’s written everythign from the Avengers (Mighty, Ultimate, New, and US) to the Inhumans, including the deservedly-praised “Immortal Hulk” and the 2020’s event comic, “Empyre.” Marvel readers know his name and know the level of quality they’ll get from his comics.
It’s illustrated by Jacopo Camagni, who also has an extensive list of comics he’s illustrated both in and out of Marvel. Marvel readers will recognize him for his work on “Trials of X,” “Captain Marvel,” and “S.W.O.R.D.,” or even for “Deadpool the Duck,” while readers who look outside the House of Ideas will also know him for comics like “Nomen Omen” and “Arcadia.”
The color work is complements of Federico Blee, who can also be seen providing the color work for Marvel’s “Darth Vader” and “Avengers” comics. Readers may also recognize his colors from 2021’s “Black Panther,” or, if we look on DC’s side of the industrym “Dark Crisis: Big Bang” and “Worlds Without a Justice League – Batman.”
It’s a team with an incredibly impressive amount of experience between them, and well-deserved accolades all around.
What’s it All About?
During the first Hellfire Gala, the X-Men terraformed Mars. Then they brought the mutants of Arakko there, with all their warrior ways, to give them a planet to live on.
“X-Men Red” is about all the politics, violence, and intrigue that follows. It explores the transition for the Arakki mutants from a life of endless war to a time of peace, and the struggles that it involves. And it introduces and develops unique, new characters while thrusting familiar ones into new roles and duties.
While previous issues have explored the political state of Arakko, delved into the characters, and played a key role in the events of “A.X.E. Judgment Day,” the current story involves the return of Genesis and the war she brings with her. At the same time, Storm is struggling to balance her dual roles on Krakoa’s Quiet Council and Arakko’s Great Ring, as well as her relationship with her fellow Mutants, and is finding each one a different challenge.
Storm takes the center stage for these stories, but each member of the cast brings something new and interesting to the table, whether it’s their powers, bombastic personalities, or seeing how familiar and unfamiliar characters interact in this new environment and recovering society.
All the while, we’re moving ever closer to the “Fall of X,” so things are about to get even more crazy.
What Makes it So Great?
“X-Men Red” is one of the most engaging and unique X-family titles we’ve had in a while. It explores entirely new territory, between life on Arakko (formerly known as Mars) and the culture of the Arakki people, introduces a wide array of new characters, and brings in new conflicts and challenges for its characters.
Al Ewing’s writing is consistently top-tier, between his grasp of the characters and storycrafting. The methodical pacing keeps us engaged and drawn into each scene, before he hits us with an action scene that propels it all into mutant mayhem of the best kind. As the comic explores each character, Al gives us a look into their psyche, driving motivations, outlooks, and conflicts, while crafting high-stakes scenarios that put the characters in real risk while showing off what they can do.
Plus, it builds on the Arakki people, their society, and their history while bringing us into their world. We really get to learn about Arakki society, and all the depth it has to it while working within their “survival of the fittest” warrior culture. Often times it’s through the eyes of characters who, like us, are unfamiliar with the Arakki ways, so we get to learn about it alongside them.
All the while, it looks great, with artwork by Jacopo Camagni and colors by Federico Blee. Camagni’s illustrations bring these characters to life, no matter what strange designs the characters may have. The vast array of Arakki characters all have increasingly unique, otherworldly looks to them, and each one is given a nice balance of detail to make them stand out from the page.
Continued belowThe same can be said for the set pieces, which can include massive battles along an ivory tower, cityscapes, Martian (sorry, Arakki) landscapes, and everything in-between. Some scenes are overflowing with detail, while others are kept more scarce to focus on the characters in them, but they’re all brimming with clear artistic intent and excellent framing.
At the same time, Federico Blee’s color work helps accentuate all the details and really make the characters pop. The red landscapes and space sunsets are absolutely aglow with beauty, while energy and lightning crackle brightly off the page to illuminate the immensity of the characters’ power. The lighting and shading brings out Camagni’s designs and illustrations all the more, making the entire comic look great.
Where Can I Read it?
Issue #13 of “X-Men Red” comes out this week, so you can find it at your local comic shop or online at Comixology or Marvel.com. You can catch up on issues 1-10 in trade paperbacks, available in comic shops, bookstores, and online, as well as issues 11-12 wherever comics are sold.
