Thoughts

Back on the Main Title, and its striking how this comic has evolved. This issue contains all the hallmarks of the era. The appearance of Warlock’s Dad ties the title in closely with the developments in New Mutants. We get more detail about Rachel’s background and her story, incrementally revealed in the issue without really being the story. The melodramatic stories of major characters tick along nicely and it all leads to a dramatic finale.

Its very much a comic comprised of lots of lovely little moments for many of the characters. Without ever really adding up to a story. Even Warlock’s Dad – who the cover would suggest is the main antagonist – turns up without it leading to any sort of resolution. Of course, you’d expect that in the pages of New Mutants but it makes this issue such an oddity that nothing really gets resolved. Rather than a beginning, middle and end – its all middle, middle, middle. Which is something that Claremont often got accused of – especially with his long arcs – but so far hasn’t really been the case.

The epilogue though is where this broadly lightweight issue suddently comes crashing into a dark grimness. The sequence is genuinely shocking, forming a great cliffhanger.

Fun Panel

Romita Jr does a really excellent job with Warlock. I’ve said before – he’s a character who conceptually seems tailor-made for a universe illustrated by Sienkiewicz, but Romita Jr makes him fit his style very well.

Romita Jr’s style also works in the build-up to the reveal of the villain. Stuff that has been effectively killed by Warlock’s Dad – transformed into lifeless statues – hit home given the more realistic style of the art. This is recognisable stuff, but something is wrong.

None More Claremont

There’s an interesting sequence here – where Nightcrawler suffers the consequences of not respecting Rogue’s boundaries. A point she has to properly lay the law down over.

This seems so incrediblhy modern now – Nightcrawler’s “fun” ignoring of Rogue’s boundaries and then the consequences. It’s a moment that has aged incredibly well.