One part paranoid and two parts menacing is the recipe for a modern Magneto that’s faithful to what’s come before.
Written by Cullen Bunn
Illustrated by Gabriel Hernandez Walta
Colors by Jordie BellaireOnce the deadliest, most feared mutant mastermind on the planet, MAGNETO is no longer the man he once was. After falling in with Cyclops and the X-Men, Erik Lehnsherr became just one more pawn in another man’s war. But now, determined to fight the war for mutantkind’s survival on his own terms, Magneto sets out to regain what he’s lost…and show the world exactly why it should tremble at the sound of his name. Magneto will safeguard the future of the mutant race by hunting down each and every threat that would see his kind extinguished—and bloody his hands that they may never be a threat again.
There was a time when Magneto was one of the most fearsome faces in the Marvel Universe. While he’s still been a big player in the major events of recent Marvel history, he hasn’t carried with him the same type of clout that he’s had in the past. Dare I say, Magneto’s even become something of a softy these days. Maybe that’s going a little too far, but hey, paling around with Cyclops on mutant reclamation projects is a far cry from having formed the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants and terrorizing New York City.
Now that he’s left the Cyclops mutant revolution behind to go rogue, Cullen Bunn gets the opportunity to put more of the edge back on his character. Throwing him amongst a group that you’re ultimately supposed to sympathize with on some level means the edge gets softened a little. Bunn quickly dismantles that idea by having him do something shocking, but entirely within character, when his path crosses that of an anti-mutant activist. That’s not to say that Bunn takes away the character that Bendis was developing in “Uncanny X-Men.” Bunn’s Magneto is not a confident leader of men at this point. What he’s witnessed in his time with Cyclops has turned him into a paranoid agent that lives in the shadows, pondering the motivations of everyone around him – even the cleaning lady of the indistinct motel he’s been staying at. Bunn’s Magneto is a complicated and noble enough character, while being someone who is decidedly evil.
While the character is a compelling interpretation, I’m afraid that the plot that the issue sets up here isn’t as compelling as it could have been. Magneto is out for vengeance on behalf of mutantkind, as he is wont to do. But with a plot that looks to steer him further away from what’s going on in the other X-books, and one that pits him against some third-party as a greater evil, “Magneto” doesn’t feel as definitive or important as it could. There’s a strong potential for character study in “Magneto”, but this isn’t a #1 issue that immediately grips you with a compelling twist or a truly stunning moment.
Gabriel Hernandez Walta’s style is incredibly fitting for the sort of paranoid, undercover tone that Bunn’s plot is calling for here. Walta uses a loose, expressive style that makes the opening moments of the issue particularly gripping. Magneto has come to town, and everyone has taken notice of this, down to the baristas at the local coffee shop. The way that Walta frames a confrontation with Magneto, but most especially what Magneto leaves in his wake, is particularly chilling. The greatest panel of the issue sees Walta doing some heavy-lifting, serving to shock the reader and redeem the character a little bit. Jordie Bellaire’s muted brown and grey color choices serve the idea that Magento is a paranoid man who hides in a motel room, but I hope that both Walta and Bellaire are afforded the opportunity to draw on Magneto’s infamous color scheme more in future issues.
That one chilling moment is really the only opportunity to draw visual, colorful parallels to that scheme. Part of the problem is inherent in the current design for Magneto – a man who has symbolically shaved his head and dresses decidedly less flamboyantly. A strong argument can be made that this is entirely fitting for a man working from the shadows. On the other hand, this is a “Magneto” comic book, and part of what makes Magneto so iconic is his costume, colorfulness, boisterousness, and public visibility. This issue works as a visual tease toward that image of Magneto as a icon, but only minimally so. The character, and the book itself, will be stronger if Walta gets to do a more iconic visual version of the character. The art is technically strong, but right now, the effects are muted.
One issue in, “Magneto” looks to be a comic that is going to rely on the strength of the character work and an appreciation for subtle art if it’s going to gain a readership. Cullen Bunn gets the character right, and it’s one of the most satisfying interpretations of the character in years. Walta delivers the dark menace that we’ve been missing for a while. But “Magento” is not an iconic-feeling comic, and appears to be slow-playing its way along at this point. It’s one to keep tabs on, but not necessarily essential.
Final Verdict: 6.9 – Browse
