Illyana Rasputin has quite a heavy chip on her shoulder. Born a mutant, the younger sister to Colossus was abducted and forced to live in a demonic 
realm called Limbo. Since her return she has attempted to forge a path as member of the New Mutants and the X-Men as the dark hero Magik.
Illyana is once again fighting the good fight as a member of Cyclop’s new team, a job she does not take lightly. In fact, she makes a point here to prioritize investigating a mutant disappearance over celebrating her own birthday. Her avoidance leads her to straight into a conflict with a few of her least favorite things: mutant-hating bigots, demons, and an evil magical entity bent on death and destruction.
Magik sets the stage for a fun new series in the life of one of the X-Men’s most intriguing members. Writer Ashley Allen has a good handle on Illyana and manages to condense her complicated backstory into an exposition-filled dream sequence that serves as a great refresher and introduction to the Magik of today (she does wisely skip past the whole death by Legacy Virus thing which would’ve just complicated things). Allowing Magik to confront the inner demons of her past by fighting and decapitating actual demons proves cathartic, all the while showing how she leans into the darkness but only for the sake of doing good and helping others. Allen really GETS Illyana and that’s enough to justify this book’s existence IMO.
One of my biggest issues with the story, which has become basically a trope at this point, is the systematic murder of any new, young mutants. The first occurs at the very beginning, with the actual death occurring off-panel, while yet another takes place later on. We barely get a glimpse of what their mutant abilities are before they are dispatched, likely to never be seen again. Maybe the constant violence on the news has jaded me but I’m growing tired of seeing the oft-graphic deaths of children and young adults in my entertainment.
That said, there is still plenty to enjoy, particularly in the art department. German Peralta nails both the action and quieter moments with his dynamic style and thoughtful character designs. Arthur Hesli’s colors really pop, especially in the Limbo-centric flashback sequences. This is a really nice looking book with a style that matches the current crop of X-books while standing out on its own, much like the book’s star herself. Magik is another solid entry in the post-Krakoa era and a great introduction to a character who has been through so much but too often gets sidelined or exploited as the hot, goth teleporter with the big sword.
MAGIK #1
4.99
Credits
- WRITER: ASHLEY ALLEN
- ARTIST: GERMAN PERALTA
- COLORIST: ARTHUR HESLI
- LETTERER: VC’S ARIANA MAHER
- EDITOR: DARREN SHAN
Credits (cont)
- ASST EDITOR: NOAH SHARMA
- PUBLISHER: MARVEL COMICS
