The horns of war bellow battle formations. An army of mystics drenches the soil in blood sacrifices. Storm and the Scarlet Witch face impossible choices as an interdimensional invasion draws nearer. Will their friendship stand the test of imminent destruction, murder and bloodshed, or will it foster resentments? Storm: Earth’s Mightiest Mutant #2 is written by Murewa Ayodele, drawn by Federica Mancin, colored by Java Tartaglia and lettered by Travis Lanham.
Here’s the quick review of Storm: Earth’s Mightiest Mutant #2: More of the same, take it or leave it.
Everything I’ve said about previous reviews procedurally applies here. It’s grating as a writer (and I’m sure as a reader) to hear the same issues rehashed week after week, with nothing new learned and nothing substantive gained.
Yet if you’ve read what I’ve written, you know why I continue to write about Storm: There are so few Black characters (and writers) with ongoings, and I feel obligated to support something that isn’t for me in the hopes that, eventually, I’ll get something I can call my own.
Eventually.
(What does “my own” look like? It’s Al Ewing’s Krakoa work, Ta-Nehisi Coates’ and Cheryl Lynn Eaton’s takes on Black Panther, it’s Cody Ziglar’s take on Miles Morales. It’s Chuck Brown’s Black Manta, it’s Sanford Greene’s Doom. It’s a long list of great work!)
Still, as I write this the sun is shining. I had a snowball a day ago. My runs are getting quicker. My therapist is doing great work.
So in the spirit of looking at sunshine instead of shadows, I want to highlight the things I appreciate about the issue and the run.
Storm looks great
So often comic readers, reviewers and sometimes even comic companies overlook the “graphic” part of graphic novels. I’ve probably not done enough gushing over the work of artist Federica Mancin, colorist Java Tartaglia and letterer Travis Lanham. They are doing amazing work all around: Storm looks great in a non-generic way. They’ve chosen to give her a wrestler-like appearance (see: Jade Cargill), and it works! There’s an abundance of detail, including the coil of her hair (a lesson I hope is passed down to the artists for the newly announced Bishop series). Her skin tone is warm, colors are bright, action is crisp — the art keeps you tethered even when things get expansive.
The ambition is grand
Of my many critiques of the post-Krakoa era, scale is one of my bigger issues. Mutants went from running world politics to being isolated in the bayous of Louisiana and the frosty exurbs of Alaska. Teams that once took out bastions of bad guys now willingly secede when a group of less than 10 interlopers kidnaps one of their own in the midst of hundreds of mutants. It’s a harrowing, I’d argue sickening turn of events … that’s not at all reflected in Storm. She has a city-sized sanctuary. She has a team of Gundam (“Storm Engines”). She’s having battles with abstract entities. EVERYONE has a cameo (except T’Challa, which, lol, I have guesses as to why). I’ve argued there’s too much going on, and I maintain that’s true. However, I would much rather too much than too little; I would much rather grand swings that don’t always connect as opposed to tepid bunts (which also do not always connect). Storm may be the last mutant on Earth who remembers who she is, and for that, I appreciate writer Murewa Ayodele.
The lore is deep
Do you know Storm has magic? Do you remember her ancestors? Do you know how that one event that happened years ago shaped her? Ayodele not only chose to go wide with Storm, but to go deep into the throes of her (and mutandom’s) stories for inspiration. And while yes, again, it can be a lot to sort though (ergo why this issue had to have the one-page synopsis), it’s a testament again to how much the character has gone though, and how much that experience plays into her choices going forward.
The love is real
I haven’t talked much about this particular issue, and there’s a reason for that: To talk about specifics would be to talk about shortcomings, and I want to focus on the good. So rather than pine on about the multipage digression from the maidens of the Crimson Cosmos or her Charles Xavier-ish “we’ve got to be better to the people who’ve been bad to us” monologue, I’ll focus on the good: We hear Storm’s thoughts, finally direct and unfiltered; Scarlet Witch feels better placed here than other cameos; that unwieldy plot feels maybe a bit more manageable. There’s a lot of intention here — a lot of love is evident. And this, above all, is why I continue to come back. We are all aligned on wanting the best for the titular character. Even if I don’t always love the execution, the intent is enough to keep me invested.
See you all next month.
Buy Storm: Earth’s Mightiest Mutant #2 here. (Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, ComicsXF may earn from qualifying purchases.)
A proud New Orleanian living in the District of Columbia, Jude Jones is a professional thinker, amateur photographer, burgeoning runner and lover of Black culture, love and life. Magneto and Cyclops (and Killmonger) were right. Learn more about Jude at SaintJudeJones.com.
