After the fall of Krakoa, mutantkind has gone their separate ways. But what path did Raven Darkholme choose? From the ashes, discover her journey in Mystique #1 by Marvel Comics!
MYSTIQUE #1
Writer: Declan Shalvey
Artist: Declan Shalvey
Colorist: Matt Hollingsworth
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Editor: Darren Shan
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $4.99
Release Date: October 16th, 2024
Previously in Mystique: Mystique has been a villain, a hero, and everything in between. With her shapeshifting abilities, she can be anyone she wants—except she remains unpredictable. Now that the mutant nation of Krakoa is gone, how will Raven reintegrate into human society?
Mystique #1 opens with Maverick leading a team to hunt down Sabretooth. However, it’s not Sabretooth—it’s actually Mystique in disguise. Using her shapeshifting powers, Mystique eliminates Maverick’s team and interrogates him about a device called Protozoa and the new SHIELD. Meanwhile, Nick Fury Jr. works behind a desk for an underfunded SHIELD. His father shows up and presents him with a case file on Mystique. Lacking the resources to go after her, Nick is initially stuck, but when Mystique sets his house on fire, he gathers a small team to hunt her down. However, the person they find—and accidentally kill—isn’t Mystique, but someone wearing a Destiny mask.
I really enjoyed what they did with Mystique during the Krakoan era. We discovered the truth of Nightcrawler’s birth and saw Mystique grow as a leader on the Quiet Council. When I opened Mystique #1, I was hoping for a continuation of that character development. This book, however, is not that. In the end notes, Declan Shalvey mentions that this story is intended to return Mystique to her role as a villain. Handling such an iconic character must be a challenge for any creative team. The writing shows excellent potential, and I like the dynamic of pitting Nick Fury against Mystique. Still, I hope we’ll also see some empathy developed during the Krakoan age as Mystique settles back into her traditional role.
The art is strong, but I’m not sure it’s my style. I can’t quite articulate it, but it leans more toward iconography and cartoon-like aesthetics than the hyper-realism that has become common in Marvel Comics.
During the Age of Krakoa, mutants were portrayed as a united nation capable of breaking apart and coming back together. The new mutant comics are reverting to the status quo, which hasn’t thoroughly captivated me yet. Mystique #1 does a great job within the new X-Men mythos, but I’m still not sold on the overall direction. That said, I give this comic 3.5 out of 5 stars. It offers a good, consistent narrative arc with solid art that I think will set up future stories.
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.
Mystique #1
Mystique #1 reintroduces Mystique as a villain, surrounded by mystery and danger.
-
Writing8
-
Art7
-
Coloring7
Christopher Rondeau is a storyteller based in Tulsa, OK. Finding himself with little work, he ended up creating a job as a Game Master full time on the internet. Chris spends most of his days reading everything he can, writing bad fiction, and watching old Digimon cartoons with his daughter. Sometimes you can find him Dungeon Mastering a podcast or streaming on twitch. Recently, he has completed his Master's degree with a focus on collaborative storytelling. Find out more at https://rondeaucreator.com
1 Comment
I was really disapponted with it – Shalvey is an incredible artist and writer, but Mystique’s Krakoan characterization was the best fit for her in ages. Krakoa is done, it overstyed its welcome for me, but this feels so much like regression, I really hope this goes somewhere interesting, I will give it a few issues. I will say, I love his artwork. He is growing as a writer, he did an Aliens comic as a writer I really liked, but I am so lukewarm here.