In the final battle for the Multiverse, the Planeswalkers have taken the fight to the Plane of Amonkhet! What will be the consequences? Find out in Magic #10 from BOOM! Studios.
MAGIC #10
Writer: Jed MacKay
Artist: Ig Guara
Colorist: Arianna Consonni
Letterer: Ed Dukeshire
Editor: Kathleen Wisneski
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
Cover Price: $4.99
Release Date: January 5, 2022
Previously in Magic: The plane of Ravnica is under siege! Planeswalkers from throughout the Multiverse join forces to keep their enemy under control. But even with the alliances forged by old rivals, do they have the strength to defeat all the undead of Amonkhet – and face off against Marit Lage?
A GRAND FINALE
Magic #10 opens with Ajani in Dominaria, frustrated that he is not on the front lines of the battle. Jaya Ballard arrives, injured, but has news from Amonkhet. I must say that having some knowledge of the planes and Planeswalkers in Magic helps a lot in grasping what is going on. Even so, I like that they do mention names, because at this point in the story, practically everyone is involved to some degree.
The plane of Amonkhet is where the final battle takes place. Several Planeswalkers have gathered here and are fighting off the relentless legions of the dead. We get a nice montage of them which sums up not only what their power specialties are, but what they’re fighting for. Chandra Nalaar, Angrath, Samut and Basri Ket, Saheeli, Karn, Teferi, and Arlinn Kord do their best to hold the line.
But this is not the only battle. Marit Lage returns and finds a formidable alliance of Planeswalkers working against her. Kaya, Vraska, Ral Zarek, Jace Beleren, and Liliana Vess link their powers together, using their magic as though it were like computer coding, overwriting the minds and souls of the undead army and changing their focus. The army falters and stops, and the Planeswalkers fall back to Dominaria – all except Jace and Vraska.
Jace has a connection to Marit Lage, and he realizes that if he goes anywhere, Marit Lage can follow him. To protect the Multiverse, he is prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice and remain on Amonkhet. Vraska figures this out and decides she wants to stay with him.
But when Kaya realizes Vraska did not travel with them, she has other ideas. She returns and tears Vraska away, bringing her back to Dominaria. They were friends, but this incident may drive a wedge between them.
Kaya, Vraska, and Zarek return to Ravnica and their Guilds. The alliance has served its purpose and it is time for life to return to normal. But as they walk down the street, they hear the whispers, whispers about Planeswalkers and the trouble they cause…
SOLID AND ENERGETIC
There is a lot going on in Magic #10, and it involves so many characters. That said, it does a good job depicting all of them. The Planeswalkers all have distinctive looks which are portrayed well whether we see them close up or from more of a distance. The final battle scenes are a montage, which works well. Between the establishing shot on Amonkhet, some of the individual panels, and a terrific overhead view, we get the idea that there are vast hordes of undead. The story is not about fighting them individually; it is about outsmarting Marit Lage.
The battle of wills is also a montage, but instead of seeing it in the desert colors of Amonkhet, it is in blues and purples. I like this use of color to differentiate the physical battle from the mental battle. There are also some cool effects with light and glowing which does help make this seem all the more magical. The color effect is toned down a little when Jace and Vraska have their final scene, but it keeps us linked to the after-effects of that use of magic. It’s a nice connection.
BOTTOM LINE: AN ENJOYABLE PORTRAYAL OF THE PLANESWALKERS
Magic #10 is just what you want from a story about the Planeswalkers of Magic. We get to see them doing what they do best. They can set aside their differences for a greater good. And we get the hint that, while they have saved the day, their troubles are not quite over.
Dear Spoilerite,
At Major Spoilers, we strive to create original content that you find interesting and entertaining. Producing, writing, recording, editing, and researching requires significant resources. We pay writers, podcast hosts, and other staff members who work tirelessly to provide you with insights into the comic book, gaming, and pop culture industries. Help us keep MajorSpoilers.com strong. Become a Patron (and our superhero) today.
Magic #10
Working together, the Planeswalkers fend off the attack by Marit Lage!
-
Writing7
-
Art8
-
Colorin8
By day, she’s a mild-mannered bureaucrat and Ms. Know-It-All. By night, she’s a dance teacher and RPG player (although admittedly not on the same nights). On the weekends, she may be found judging Magic, playing Guild Wars 2 (badly), or following other creative pursuits. Holy Lack of Copious Free Time, Batman! While she’s always wished she had teleportation as her superpower, she suspects that super-speed would be much more practical because then she’d have time to finish up those steampunk costumes she’s also working on.