Thoughts

The action switched this issue from high adventure in the deepest Amazon, to team melodrama in contemporary Rio. It’s a nicely drawn portrait of the city here, by Marvel standards. There are recognisable stereotypes, but we’re not talking the extreme examples of Scotland, Irelanc or Germany. The issue genuinely tries to portray a modern city, with modern city problems.

Problems that include Sunspot’s father – being set up here as a member of the Hellfire Club, The father/son relationship being presented here is interesting – contrasts that you feel could set up some fascinating storytelling. His father is ruthless, cynical but smart and measured. Sunspot is hotheaded but also an idealist trying to do what’s right. Reading this back it feels a shame that I don’t think its an antagonistic family dynamic they ever fully explored.

I do find it more interesting, though, than Rahne’s extreme religiosity. Her strict presbytarian upbringing only ever really seems to manifest it in her being shocked by the modern world, followed by lot of internal self doubt and loathing. Rinse and repeat. She does this again here, slipping into a Catholic church (!!) to pray. Making religious doubt central to a character feels like something that could work for the lead in a title but its a tricky thing to focus on in a team book, meaning the concept never gets fully explored. Whereas Nightcrawler’s positive Christianity can be a useful feature for the character and his role in a team dynamic – Rahne is just limited to how her strict beliefs can interplay with the others. Which just means seeing the same thing over and over again, without any interesting payoff.

Finally the issue focuses on Amara – a stranger in the modern world. Struggling to cope with both it and her new mutant powers. There’s some nice moments of mutant alienation that suit the title although its a slight shame that the storyline agains seems to head in the direction of woman becoming too all-powerful and that engendering corruption and disregard for life. We’ve already been here with Phoenix, Storm and Carol Danvers. This adds little new, especially as we still don’t know much about Amara yet.

Fun Panel

A great image of fantastical excess – not something Buscema gets a lot of chance to do on the title.