The X-Men corner of The Marvel Universe is loaded with characters and content right now. Jonathan Hickman and Rod Reis are checking in with the mutant assassin Fantomex to flesh out his character and move the plot forward for the new stable of giant-sized one-shots. Will Fantomex fit in with the rest of the pieces in Krakoa? Will Hickman and Reis be able to find a place for Fantomex in a complicated continuity loaded with characters? With an X-Men event on the horizon and Marvel Universe proper event underway can Hickman find a place for these one-shots? Also, will Hickman’s collaboration with Reis be able to capitalize on the best aspects of his impressive art? Let’s take a deeper look at “Giant-Size X-Men: Fantomex” #1 and find out.
Written by Jonathan Hickman
Illustrated by Rod Reis
Letters by VC’s Ariana MaherHICKMAN AND REIS TAKE ON THE WORLD!
The hit creative team of Jonathan Hickman & Rod Reis (NEW MUTANTS) turn their attention to the covert activities of the Weapon Plus program’s Weapon XIII! A bred killer who chooses the life of a gentleman super-thief, Fantomex has always defied expectations… For example, who would expect him to break into the World, the artificial realm of his creation? And then again? And then… again?
Reis and Hickman get this issue started out on the right foot. The creators return to the origins of the Weapon Plus Program and show the ominous beginnings of Fantomex. Hickman continues his streak of infusing humor and conflict in scenes like this that make sure “Giant-Size X-Men: Fantomex” #1 matches the status quo with the rest of the line. It can be argued that this issue is set up for a further payoff that is still yet to come. Hickman and Reis re-establish the personality of Fantomex and scratch the surface of his ties to Krakoa. There is so much about this character and his role to Krakoa that goes unanswered but this issue is an incredibly solid start.
It is really daunting to consider how many unanswered questions readers still have from the two introductory Hickman X-Men series being “House of X” and “Powers of X.” There are so many lingering plot threads and this issue is in the business of asking more questions as opposed to answering old mysteries. The background of Fantomex and lingering mysteries surrounding the character are still utilized well to tell a story flowing with mystery. Jonathan Hickman’s script bends time to the will of the story. This narrative constantly keeps readers on their toes by flipping between time periods and establishing lots of different cast members. The true genius of the issue is when Hickman starts recontextualizing continuity from other Fantomex stories and reexamining them for this tale.
Artist Rod Reis is able to depict the absurdity of Fantomex with an impressively creative artistic vision. The World becomes incredibly chaotic within a few panels of any given page. Thanks to incredibly creative layouts and design I always found that Reis maintained a sense of control all the way through the bombastic art sequences here. There are still a few drawbacks to Reis as an artist including his lack of facial details. However, these details are easy to overlook when there is a large green octopus in the background of a panel. “Giant-Size X-Men: Fantomex” #1 has an inspired and beautiful color palette from Reis and is loaded with shockingly beautiful visuals. Sometimes I wish the panel borders were better defined as well.
This tale has a heavy sense of mystery that is not resolved in this issue. I would have liked this story better if there was a clear sense of where we can expect to see Fantomex’s story next. This script lays down a strong foundation for the character that could span an entire mini-series at the very least. While I am sure Hickman is going to go into detail and better craft a way to connect Fantomex with the next stages of Krakoa, I wish this issue was the one to do it. Early on in his “Avengers” and “New Avengers” titles, there was a similar period with a lot of questions and no answers.
Continued belowIf you can set aside expectations and your burning Fantomex questions there is a lot of fun to be had in “Giant-Size X-Men: Fantomex” #1. Hickman has whip-smart dialogue and a great intro sequence that flesh out Fantomex’s origins. If you have any familiarity with Rod Reis as an artist, this issue still has a couple of welcome surprises. The visual direction is incredibly stylized and really captures the randomness and beauty of The World. Hickman and Reis use continuity to their advantage, showing readers how Fantomex is a product of his unorthodox environment. The blend of science and action strikes a great balance here.
Hickman and Reis don’t talk down to their readers, they expand the scope of Krakoa to be even larger. Thankfully, the last couple pages of the story even offer a few hints at where you can see Fantomex next. While I applaud the ambition in the script, I still wish Hickman wasn’t keeping so many X-related secrets from readers as they will have a negative impact at a certain point. Reis is a wonderful artist that really matches the tone of these comics incredibly well. I hope Hickman will continue to have him draw The World and things that go bump in the night at Krakoa. Even with a couple of reservations, it is pretty easy to recommend this issue for anyone curious about the mutant. This is a really great way to get some context on who Fantomex is and where he might be headed next.
Final Verdict: 7.9 – “Giant-Size X-Men: Fantomex” #1 unearths a few decades in the life of a mutant thief.
