The Mistress of Magnetism gets her time in the sun in a spotlight issue from Gerry Duggan, Javier Pina, Ze Carlos, Erick Arciniega and Clayton Cowles.
Tony Thornley: So Cori, I remember a big part of why you were interested in this series was continuing with Lorna’s journey. With this issue in the bag, what do you think of her journey so far?
Cori McCreery: Well it certainly did something with her, that’s for sure. I suppose we should get right into it then.
Our Doctor Of Magnetism
Cori: Sigh. This is not really want I wanted when I wanted a continuation of Lorna’s story. This is her focus issue, and gives us the flashback of her “campaigning” for a spot on the X-Men, along with some decent character moments, and a continued use of her new title (codified in Trial of Magneto). But the thing is, some of this felt like a backslide to me, and I hate that. Lorna had made so much progress in finding herself in X-Factor only to have that all basically erased when Jean decides for her that she needs to run for the team. It’s yet another case of Jean pushing someone into something she thinks is good for them without consideration for how they feel. While not as egregious as outing Bobby Drake, it’s the same vein of reasoning and it really stinks.
Tony: I liked that Lorna got the spotlight, but you’ve got a good point. That’s especially after one of the Gala issues already had Lorna discuss it. From there it felt like the next evolution of the progress she’s been making. From this issue, you’re right, it feels like partly a backslide and partly Jean being the butt-in big sister. And I didn’t think of that while I was reading because I did like the present day scenes.
This is why we have these discussions. Thank you.
Cori: Yeah, I loved the way she was portrayed in the present day (or recent past) sequences (with one exception that I’ll get to in a second). I especially loved how she dealt with a potential nuclear meltdown, which allowed her to put her doctorate to use. I’m just so glad that that part of her character isn’t something that’s going to be mentioned once and then forgotten forever.
As to the one thing I didn’t really love about the present day sequences, it’s that she used an unconscious Laura as a weapon. Especially while she’s spent the issue questioning her own agency, it really leaves a bitter taste in my mouth for her to strip Laura of hers. Especially because that is Laura’s biggest trigger point, to be used as a weapon against her will.
Tony: I absolutely agree about that. Laura’s reaction rang hollow too (and her aside to Synch was weird, right?). She’s more than a weapon, and unfortunately Lorna just used her as one. Plus- unless her resurrection changed things- her metal is only in her claws. Hate to be nitpicky, but that whole part of the issue just didn’t work.
Cori: Pretty much. Lorna shouldn’t have done it, Laura’s reaction to it should have been stronger, and it seems that both writer and artist need a refresher on Laura’s structural makeup.
Progress
Tony: As great as it’s been to have these character spotlights, I feel a bit frustrated that the series hasn’t seemed to do much more than spin its wheels. We did just incremental progress with the Dr. Stasis plot (but only a little), but it’s been two issues now since we were told half the team was going to blast into space to track down Cordyceps Jones with barely a hint of that plot still being in play.
I’m still liking the series in general, but I want to see some progress. I want to LOVE it.
Cori: For a series that had billed itself as big, bombastic superhero nonsense, the actual issues have been anything but that. They’ve had decent fight sequences, but even those have been bogged down by the fill-in artists. When you promise Pepe Larraz, we want to see Pepe Larraz. Especially in this issue, some of the faces particularly in the Gala flashback looked very off model. I get that writers are writing for the trade nowadays, but also this issue took like five minutes to read, which isn’t a great return on investment.
Tony: Yeah, the Ze Carlos drawn flashbacks stuck out like a sore thumb. I didn’t dislike Pina’s work, but it again felt like an artist doing an impression of Larraz, rather than their own thing. And that fill-in quality definitely contributed to the wheels-spinning feeling.
Cori: I agree completely. There were times that Pina felt almost like Larraz, but not quite, and those were the scenes I enjoyed the most. Lorna being most upset about her sunglasses and her basic white girl coffee? Perfect.
Tony: And Lorna in her hard hat. I absolutely loved that panel.
But still, we need to see some forward momentum.
Cori: We did get a smidge of forward momentum towards the end of the issue at least.
Care To Comment?
Tony: So we’re now five issues in, and three of them have ended in communal dinners. As much as I’m frustrated with the episodic nature of the series to date, I kind of like this trend? I almost wish the Ben Urich scene had happened prior? It’s just a lot of fun and incredibly endearing.
Cori: I’ll agree here. I absolutely love the idea of the X-Men being this team of heroes that are trying to set themselves up as relatable and friendly. That’s usually been the Fantastic Four’s schtick, but even Sunfire is more likeable than Reed. I’m also really loving how the Urich story is playing out, and specifically the ethics he’s showing by giving Cyclops a chance to do damage control before the story comes out. How bout you?
Tony: I think I said in our first issue recap, I think Ben is one of the Marvel U’s best supporting characters. The way Duggan approached this plot so far has been great, and this issue absolutely continues it.
I think where it rings false for me is in how Ben approached it. Supernatural resurrection is a known quantity in the Marvel Universe. I mean, just the Infinity Gauntlet alone would make the greater universe aware of it. So for Ben to say “seems like a superhero has conquered death!” is kind of weird. I think it would have worked a little better with something like “many heroes have died and returned, but you seem to be the first for it to happen to, and here you are virtually the next day.”
I don’t know, maybe that’s just like Laura’s non-metal skeleton, in that I’m being too picky. I really like this plot, and I love that Ben basically gave Scott not just an opportunity to comment but a warning that mutantkind’s enemies have this information too. Overall, I think it works, and I really like it. More of this.
Cori: That’s a very valid point. I think it’s going to be interesting to see it play out either way.
X-Traneous Thoughts
- We all thought last issue’s Krakoan tease- The Doctor Is In- was referring to Doctor Stasis. Happy to see that while it was, it was also a reference to Lorna!
- I’m still giddy over it. Doctor Lorna Dane and Alex Summers (ABD)
- While I know that Laura’s skeleton wouldn’t allow for it, I really want a version of the Fastball Special where Lorna just yeets a Wolverine at someone.
- I still want to know what being the HR director of Orchis entails.
- Krakoan: Captain Krakoa
Tony Thornley is a geek dad, blogger, Spider-Man and Superman aficionado, X-Men guru, autism daddy, amateur novelist, and all around awesome guy. He’s also very humble.
Yes, it's Cori McCreery—strange visitor from DC fandom who came to Xavier Files with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal critics. Cori, who can leap tall buildings in a single bound, race a speeding bullet to its target, bend steel in her bare hands, and who, also works as an editor for a great Eisner winning website, Women Write About Comics, fights a never-ending battle for truth and justice.
