Ilyanna Rasputina never stood out to me across all the comics I’ve read. That seems appropriate, however, given that in the comics I have seen her in, she seems happy to be in the background. Her main function in most X-Men stories seems to be acting as the team taxi, teleporting them where they need to go. However, Magik #1 thrusts the Mutant magician into the center ring and proves she deserves a place there.
Our issue opens with demons stalking the streets of Juneau, Alaska, near the current home of the X-Men. For some reason, the demons are only attacking Mutants, seemingly taking them away somewhere or killing them and devouring the bodies. This is a matter of concern to Magik, who has experience fighting demons after growing up in Limbo. The fact that the demons offer a convenient excuse to skip the surprise birthday party she didn’t want is a happy bonus.
However, it soon becomes apparent that there is more to the demons than meets the eye. The demons are merely a symptom of something bigger, failing wards that contain a great evil. It will fall to Magik to step up and face this evil, even as her own inner demon struggles to free itself.
Magik #1 a solid entry point to X-Men comics
On the surface, Magik #1 is not your usual X-Men comic. The plot concerns a magical menace that Ilyanna faces without a team to back her up. However, Ashley Allen takes care to plug the usual Mutant hero tropes into the story, like Ilyana dealing with bigotry from the people she fights to save. Unlike many heroes, however, she does not suffer this abuse in silence. Ilyanna may be a good person, but that doesn’t mean she’s nice. This edge to her personality is made clear along with her backstory. Allen also smoothly explains Ilyana’s many powers, such as the soul-forged sword which is her weapon of choice.
The artwork by Germán Peralta suits the story well. There is a subtle darkness to Peralta’s aesthetic, which seems to hint at hidden evils in the details. Unfortunately, these details are sometimes lost among the inks in the panels depicting action past the middle distance. This is a minor flaw, however, in an otherwise perfect marriage of script and art, with the colors of Arthur Hesli highlighting the finished art quite well.
Those like myself who are unfamiliar with the rich history of Ilyanna Rasputina will find Magik #1 to be an excellent introduction. X-men fans will likewise find this to be a welcome spotlight on an often overlooked hero.
Grade: 8/10
Magik #1 is now available at comic shops everywhere.
