Shadow and Flame with Magik

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Marvel Letters Pages

Posted by John Klein III on February 28, 2025
Posted in: Bragging Rights. Tagged: Deadpool, Exceptional, Letters, X-Men. Leave a comment

I’ve been lucky enough to get three letters printed in Marvel Comics, and thought I should keep track of these for easy reference.

Deadpool V3 56

in 2001, I should have been more mature than to author this letter.

. . .

X-Men V7 11

. . .

My third letter printed in Exceptional X-Men 6

. . .

I need to get a letter printed in Magik’s ongoing series for the trifecta, but I’ll update this post if I’m lucky enough to get any additional letters printed.

. . .

Update : March 19, 2025

I did it! I completed the trifecta, and got my fourth letter printed in Magik V2 3

. . .

I got my fifth letter published!

Exceptional X-Men 8

I’m hoping they are getting multiple Lockheed requests, but I do worry it is just me who is requesting it.

I love the Lockheed digital comic, and am waiting to buy it in print, BUT! I want more content. Please

. . .

I got my sixth letter published!

I love every single page of Magik V2 4. I sent a letter every issue as I was super worried no one would send letters, and I need Marvel to know this title is loved. LOVED!

. . .

I got my seventh letter published!

. . .

I got my eighth letter published!

. . .

I got my ninth letter published!

I had to thank the Exceptional X-Men team for bringing back Lockheed. I’m super happy they got other letters thanking them too.

. . .

I got my 10th letter published! And Gwenpoole name dropped me later! Wha?!

Screenshot

. . .

I got my 11th letter published in X-Men V7 27 !

I thought sending in a letter for Book of Revelation wasn’t going to end up anywhere, but here we are!

Screenshot

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Marvel May 2025 Solicitations

Posted by John Klein III on February 25, 2025
Posted in: Solicitations. Tagged: Solicts. Leave a comment

Follow along as I look through the May 2025 Solicitations for Marvel

https://www.comicreleases.com/2025/02/marvel-may-2025-solicitations

Trades

Secret Wars, Gallery Collection, sounds amazing. Maybe not at $125.

Phoenix : The Death & Rebirth of Jean Grey Omnibus sounds like everything you would want. $150
Collecting New X-Men (2001) #128, #139-141 and #146-154; X-Men: Phoenix – Endsong #1-5; X-Men: Phoenix – Warsong #1-5; Avengers vs. X-Men #0-12; Jean Grey (2017) #1-11; Generations: Phoenix & Jean Grey; Phoenix Resurrection: The Return of Jean Grey #1-5; and material from Point One (2011) #1.

I would love to have the Krakoa era collected in omnibi format!
X-Men : Age of Krakoa – Doawn of X Omnibus Vol 1, $150
Collecting X-Men (2019) #1-7; X-Force (2019) #1-8; Marauders (2019) #1-8; Excalibur (2019) #1-8; Fallen Angels (2019) #1-6; New Mutants (2019) #1-7; Wolverine (2020) #2-3; Giant-Size X-Men: Jean Grey and Emma Frost; and material from Wolverine (2020) #1.

All New X-Men by Brian Michael Bendis Omnibus, $125, is such great reading!
Collecting All-New X-Men (2012) #1-15 and #18-41 and Guardians of the Galaxy (2013) #11-13.

Wolverine : Revenge is a pass for me

Psylocke Vol 1 – Guardian for $18 is a deal!

Sentinels : Necessary Monsters for $18, has an interesting premise, but ultimately, doesn’t matter.

What If Galactus for $16, I really like the Rogue story, and the Gambit one was okay. Hulk was fine.

Dazzler : World Tour for $18, I had a fun time with it. Don’t take the mystery of the main villain too seriously.

X-Men : Raid on Graymalkin for $16, we’ll see how important this was with X-Manhunt, but it had some good moments.

X-Men : Age of Apocalypse Vol 2 – Reign for $45, doesn’t make sense to me to break up each series by an issue, if I can’t read all of Generation Next in one volume, then what’s the point?

. . .

Godzilla vs X-Men 1, I really wish this was set during the 80s. Since it is the 90s, I doubt Kitty Pryde or Excalibur will be involved. If they are, I’ll buy this on the day it comes out.

Doom Academy, 4 of 5, issue one was fine but I think I’m not going to track this mini anymore.

Doom’s Division, 3 of 5, Karma isn’t referenced, but hopefully she is still involved in this mini.

One World Under Doom, 4 of 9, Doom vs Dormammu, just feels like this is a pass for me.

Avengers 26, still dealing with Doom, no Storm reference nor is she on the cover.

Giant Size X-Men 1, Ms. Marvel goes back to the original Giant Size X-Men 1. Hopefully we see Sway & Petra in this. I’m mostly interested in the Dark Phoenix, Age of Apocalypse, and House of M one-shots, but we’ll see how the bookend events work out.

Spider-Man & Wolverine 1, by Marc Guggeneim and Kaare Andrews, should be a fun time. I’ll see if any X-Men I care about show up in this.

Fantastic Four Fanfare, 1 of 4, I like the Marvel Fanfare logo being reused here.

Vision / Scarlet Witch, 1 of 5, celebrating the 50th anniversary of their wedding, which doesn’t feel right, but that’s just how time works. One of my favorite Marvel couples.

Spider-Verse vs Venom-Verse, 1 of 5, oh dear, I thought this was already started!

Gwenpool, 1 of 5, original Gwen Stacey is back, and she’s killing people. This feels unnecessary. Unless she’s going after Norman Osborn, Mysterio, and Mendal Stromm.

. . .

Wolverine and Kitty Pryde 2, with only three covers, none featuring Lockheed. I’m committing to this series, the first comic I’m buying of the month. Probably get the Alan Davis cover, but none are really jumping out at me.

. . .

Rogue : Savage Land, 5 of 5, only four covers, so that shows some restraint.

Cable : Love and Chrome, 5 of 5, first two issues have been great.

Wolverine 9, new storyarc, with Bad Marauders’ Harpoon and Vertigo coming after Logan. I don’t care for Harpoon.

. . .

Psylocke 7, since this month looks like a lighter week, maybe I’ll get this issue as Magik is on the cover, and the series has been pretty stellar. Plus, they visit Rogue’s team? That should be fun.

. . .

Magik 5, neither cover excites me, so I’ll get the Peach Momoko Design cover. I love Dani Moonstar sticking around for another issue.

. . .

Phoenix 11, who could be Jean’s long lost love?

Laura Kinney 6, Gabby is back!!! Can Jonathan not be too far behind? Please.

Storm 8, the only title to be directly dealing with X-Manhunt fallout. Thor is on the cover, but not referenced. Maggot is creating a tournament, which sounds fun. Involving She-Hulk, Juggernaut, Gentle, Big Bertha, and others.

. . .

Exceptional X-Men 9, we are committing to Mister Sinister for another month! The fourth comic I’m buying in May. There is a variant cover, but Kitty is on the main cover, so that’s good enough for me.

. . .

Uncanny X-Men 14, we learn the secrets of Haven House, and Outliers are still around, so this should be good.

Uncanny X-Men 15, double shipping, and with a Mystique cover for some reason.

Weapon X-Men 4, the first issue was very good, so this should still be good. Still needs a lady on the team.

X-Factor 10, reads like a final issue to me. Looks like NYX and X-Force quietly ended in April. Two titles that were great.

X-Men 16, I’m happy to see Russell Dauterman is still doing his costume gallery covers, this time with Cyclops. I’m hoping he eventually gets to Magik & Kitty Pryde covers, he said they are on his long list to do, he just needs to be asked by Marvel.

 . . .

JMS writing a Hulk and Doctor Strange one shot is interesting.

What IF Donald Duck was Iron Man? is a pass for me.

It’s Jeff : Jeff Week 1, reprinting It’s Jeff Infinity Comics 25 – 36, and Jeff Week 1 -5. Lockheed isn’t in 25 – 36, and Week 1-5 seems to start with Spider-Man, then move onto Devil Dinosaur, then Fury Jr, and Lockjaw. Fandom didn’t post any character appearances.

Still waiting for Lovable Lockheed to get a physical printing.

. . .

Ultimate Wolverine 5, we are introduced to Ultimate Sabretooth, and I think I’m done preordering this. If Kitty Pryde shows up, I’ll buy that issue of whichever comic.

Ultimate X-Men 15, Armor is still the central focus, as she should be. I do feel a little detached from the new Ultimate Universe.

Now that I know Kitty Pryde exists, but isn’t being seen, I feel like this isn’t the universe for me. Hopefully she survives issue 3 of Ultimate Wolverine.

. . .

West Coast Avengers 7, featuring Wonder Man, who I have zero interest in.

Deadpool/Wolverine 5, is this the final issue?

Iron Man 8, dealing with Doctor Doom.

Hellverine 6, featuring the first full appearance of Hell Hulk!

Aliens vs Avengers, 4 of 4, now featuring the X-Men, who were in the second issue. Now I’m excited.

Star Wars 1, so Marvel didn’t lose the comic license, I wasn’t sure if Dark Horse offered a competing bid.

. . .

I used DCBS for my April books, and loved how easy it was, so I’ll do the same for May. Titles I’m committing to :

Wolverine and Kitty Pryde 2

Psylocke 7

Magik 5, the Peach Momoko cover

Exceptional X-Men 9, and maybe I get both covers? I’ll see what my total is.

What are you interested in?

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X-Men Die By The Sword

Posted by John Klein III on February 14, 2025
Posted in: Review. Tagged: Bowland - Simon, Claremont, Die By The Sword, Exiles, Fernandez - Raul, Ro - Rob, Santacruz - Juan. Leave a comment

Excalibur has joined the Exiles in their Crystal Palace baseCat Pryde is asked to check in on the Captain Britain Corp in the Starlight Citadel, and sees as army of Furies being led by Mad Jim Jaspers X-Men : Die By The Sword 2

— John Klein III (@jackalsiii.bsky.social) 2025-02-13T20:34:36.635Z

Brian Braddock is still unconscious, so Cat Pryde recruits a Storm & Nightcrawler from a world without superpowers, so they're both doctors, to try to help Brian outX-Men : Die by the Sword 3

— John Klein III (@jackalsiii.bsky.social) 2025-02-13T20:45:34.766Z

Cat Pryde in her Monitor Gal era X-Men : Die by the Sword 4

— John Klein III (@jackalsiii.bsky.social) 2025-02-13T20:52:21.227Z

Cat Pryde is exhausted, and sleeps at the monitor as Dave & Patty Cockrum say their goodbyes Betsy Braddock and Sage join the Exiles! X-Men : Die by the Sword 5

— John Klein III (@jackalsiii.bsky.social) 2025-02-13T21:00:25.841Z

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Best X Issues of 2025 – January

Posted by John Klein III on January 31, 2025
Posted in: Retrospective. Tagged: 2025, Exceptional. Leave a comment

As we end January, and happy birthday to me! 🙂

Our current standings for #BestXIssuesOf2025 are

  1. Exceptional X-Men 5
  2. Magik 1
  3. Laura Kinney : Wolverine 2
  4. Psylocke 3
  5. Storm 4
  6. Uncanny X-Men V6 9
  7. Uncanny X-Men V6 8
  8. Ultimate X-Men 11
  9. Ultimate Wolverine 1
  10. Mystique 4

I imagine at some point, the list will be nothing but Exceptional X-Men and Magik with Ultimate Wolverine, but until we get there, other titles have a list.

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Marvel April 2025 Solicitations

Posted by John Klein III on January 27, 2025
Posted in: Solicitations. Leave a comment

Follow along if you would like

https://www.comicreleases.com/2025/01/marvel-april-2025-solicitations

I’m hoping we are getting a Godzilla / X-Men oneshot.

Joe Kelly taking over Amazing Spider-Man and getting a new number one sounds fun.

Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe One Last Time 1 of 5, I’ll be checking this for character appearances. Avengers, and it is a fun callback to when he was the Superior Iron Man. And Doctor Octopus is involved, so they thought of everything.

One World Under Doom, 3 of 9, everyone is mad at Doom. This feels like an event I can skip out on.

Doom Academy, 3 of 5, after reading the Midnight Suns mini, I’m in the mood for a Strange Academy revisit, so I’m hoping this series has that vibe.

. . .

I had to reread the solicit for issue one, just to make sure Karma wasn’t on that cover. Adding Karma definitely gets me interested in this series.

. . .

Predator vs Spider-Man could be fun, just waiting for the X-Men to fight either the Predator or Aliens, or both!

Marvel Rivals 1, just makes me really wish I could afford a PS5

. . .

as soon as they announced this miniseries, I took a breath to get ready for how many variants I was going to buy. BUT! There’s only one cover with Lockheed on it, so I’m only buying that Marcus To cover, and it looks gorgeous. The first comic I’m actually preordering this month.

. . .

Weapon X-Men 3 is still a title full of bros

Uncanny X-Men 13 is still focusing on the Outliers, so I like that as I love Calico.

. . .

X-Men 14 is the first cover in the solicitations that reveals we are being treated to Marvel Bullpen Bits legend, Chris Giarrusso, variant cover series. A callback to the Official Marvel Handbook connecting covers.

So I’m committing to getting the ones that has Kitty Pryde and Magik, if those two show up on any of them. We got Lockheed, so I feel like their chances are high.

I’m excited to see what the huge image is going to look right.

also, Magik should be in this issue of X-Men, so that’s nice.

X-Men is double shipping too, which I’m not sure if this title needs that treatment.

. . .

Phoenix 10, probably has my favorite supporting cast in comics right now. Phoenix vs new friend, Adani.

Storm 7, she’s battling all of the thunder gods, minus Throg.

NYX 10, vs Mojo

X-Factor 9, Archangel is back, but even more devilish looking

Psylocke 6, I like the solicit being purposely vague.

X-Force 10 is also X-Force 300, proving why legacy numbers are important. Another X-Title where the overall plot isn’t doing much for me, but it has Rachel Summers, and I want to read her adventures, so here I am.

Laura Kinney : Wolverine 5, guest starring Winter Solider

. . .

Kitty is on both covers, and I have been missing getting Carnero’s proper cover, so maybe I’ll get that one. This is where I would love if I had a comic store closer to me than being an hour and a half away (one way). But there is also the Giarrusso variant to consider. I might preorder the Carnero cover, and if the Giarrusso cover features Kitty (could not happen, as many of these covers don’t relate to the title character(s)) get that one.
Poor Axo already getting a clone, and having to deal with Sinister.
My third issue I’m preordering.

. . .

Wolverine 8 is also Wolverine 400, so fun!

Sabretooth : Dead Don’t Talk, 5 of 5, this is ending.

Cable : Love and Chrome, 4 of 5, penultimate issue.

. . .

Hopefully you, dear reader, enjoy just having the image, I’m liking how clean this looks.

I’m definitely not buying the Campbell cover, so I’ll blind preorder either the Momoko or Resch cover. Dani Moonstar is guesting in this issue, so it’ll be nice if either of those covers feature her.
My fourth issue I’m preordering this month.
If this title was simply a team-up title for Magik, that would be enough for me.

. . .

Kid Juggernaut 1, is printing the digital Marvel Voices that didn’t feature any of my favorite characters, but nice it is getting a physical copy. I’m still waiting for Lovable Lockheed to get a physical copy.

Rogue Savage Land, 4 of 5, the variant covers keep being full of cheesecake, but the interior for issue one was delightful.

Ironheart : Bad Chemistry 1, so that there will be a trade by the time the show comes out on June 24, 2025 (a day before my lovely wife’s birthday)

. . .

Ultimate Wolverine 4.
Ultimate Kitty Pryde is referenced in the solicit, but it reads like she won’t be in this issue. I’m going to preorder that sweet Magik solo cover, so even if Kitty isn’t in it, I’ll still get that Ultimate Magik content I crave. My fifth issue of the month.
Hopefully Kitty survives issue 3, if she dies, I’m going to be done with this Ultimate Universe. I’ll casually follow Magik’s adventures, but my heart won’t be in it.

. . .

Ultimate X-Men 14, Shadow King is still the ongoing threat of the series. I do feel bad for how much I was enjoying this series until Ultimate Wolverine came out, and started featuring the mutants I love.

Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur turn 10! That’s pretty cool.

. . .

The sequel to Dazzler’s previous miniseries, but now we’re having a fun play of Contest of Champions with Concert with Champions. Dazzler and all of the musically inclined characters are going on the road!

. . .

Deadpool / Wolverine 4, they are fighting Stryfe. Going to look amazing with Joshua Cassara’s art.

Every month, I scroll right pass the Spider-Man titles, and there are so many of them, yet, not a one that stands out to me enough to get interested.

West Coast Avengers 6, vs Avengers

Iron Man 7, issue 4 didn’t have any Emma Frost content, so we may have moved on to what I was looking for any crumb to hold onto.

TVA, 5 of 5, 2 felt like a step down from 1’s surprising high quality – too much TVA business for me, so I’m clearly in the minority, but it has Gambit and Jimmy Hudson, so I’m committed to finishing the series.

Hellhunters, 5 of 5, final issue.

Hellverine 5, vs Mephisto

. . .

April 2025 has me buying the most comics, and for five months at least, that is going to be the number.

Wolverine and Kitty Pryde 1, the Marcus To variant
X-Men 14, the Chris Giarrusso Lockheed variant
Exceptional X-Men 8 (cover to be determined)
Magik 4 (cover to be determined)
Ultimate Wolverine 4 (the solo Magik cover)

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Midnight Suns, the Comic

Posted by John Klein III on January 24, 2025
Posted in: Review. Tagged: Fabela - Antonio, Magik, MidnightSuns, Sabino - Joe, Sacks - Ethan, Zagaria - Luigi. Leave a comment

#MidnightSuns 1just a typical day at Strange Academy with Blade as a guest lecturer, when Dessi has a vision the entire magic community can seeLogan keeps mentioning how he didn't see it, in a fun running gagAgatha takes Dessi to an unknown, but safe locationIssue ends with Doom not pleased

— John Klein III (@jackalsiii.bsky.social) 2025-01-23T15:47:32.498Z

#MidnightSuns 2I love Magik's confidence going up against Doctor DoomI love Nico's absolute respect for MagikI love how four against one are the odds Doom prefersClea shows up, recognizes the vision involved the MS, so she banishes them to a different realm.That's one way to prevent the vision

— John Klein III (@jackalsiii.bsky.social) 2025-01-23T16:13:54.101Z

#MidnightSuns 3Magik can't use her powers, but can use her soulswordDamn, Magik is funnyI really miss Magik & Nico's friendship, but maybe we can get more of that in her ongoing?A lame magical Tony Stark gives them cool costumes, that are not in the game. So that's a confusing/interesting choice

— John Klein III (@jackalsiii.bsky.social) 2025-01-23T16:52:07.470Z

#MidnightSuns 4How does Magik's red horns work? Are they fancy head thingies, or is she allowing a part of her darkchilde to be stylish?I love Logan references Magik's sweet leadership skills & how Kate Pryde would be proud A random zoric names the team, and Magik likes the name

— John Klein III (@jackalsiii.bsky.social) 2025-01-23T17:56:48.889Z

#MidnightSuns 5Magik gets the job of explaining the plot thus far, and how they are going to winWe see a glimpse of The Haven from the gameIf the game was more successful, this would have been a fun DLC with new costumesI wonder if the upcoming Doom Academy will starch my itch for more of this?

— John Klein III (@jackalsiii.bsky.social) 2025-01-23T18:31:32.325Z

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#NotMyUntilDawn

Posted by John Klein III on January 18, 2025
Posted in: Film. Tagged: Until Dawn. Leave a comment

#NotMyUntilDawn

I can’t tell you how excited I was for the movie adaption of Until Dawn, one of my favorite games ever.

Then we got the trailer

Thanks to Sony Pictures Entertainment for hosting their own video

I knew not to expect any of the original cast to show up in this, even though the bulk of them are still acting – Hayden Panettiere, Brett Dalton, Jordan Fisher, Rami Malet, and Nichole Sakura.

I was super excited to learn Peter Stormare was in the movie.

But this trailer killed all of my enthusiasm for the movie.

Now, if they were to announce an Until Dawn 2 game, and have this be the story of that? Sure, I’ll be all for this movie, and what a brilliant way to get promote a game.

even if they went with an alternative title, that implied this was set in the same universe, such as Until Dawn : Loopers, or something, but to call it plainly, Until Dawn?

It isn’t a movie about a class reunion

It isn’t about the Washingtons

Even if the wendigos are in this, and I can only assume, if they are surviving 13 repeated nights, with each night being a different horror creature, one of those will HAVE to be a wendigo, just means someone was aware they should at least have the faintest connection to the game.

I’m surprised they didn’t just call this Dark Picture Anthology: Loopers, or something. At least promote that series of games.

I wonder how many script changes did they get before they finally got to the shooting script?

I had this whole plan of taking Walker D to it, I was going to replay the game, and now, all of that is gone.

Maybe I watch it once it streams somewhere?

#NotMyUntilDawn

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BattleWorld : Siege

Posted by John Klein III on January 16, 2025
Posted in: Review. Tagged: Andrade, Battleworld, Coelho - Jorge, Gillen, Siege, Stokoe - James. Leave a comment

or Siege V2, if you are so inclined

Agent Brand and Leah talk about Magik, who is missing for a week(I only vaguely remember this mini) Siege V2 1

— John Klein III (@jackalsiii.bsky.social) 2025-01-15T21:59:06.170Z

Turns out Leah and Magik are an item in this Battleworld Realmalso, first and last kiss we've ever seen an Illyana have Leah is committed to finding Magik – as she should be Siege V2 2

— John Klein III (@jackalsiii.bsky.social) 2025-01-15T22:08:27.213Z

while looking for the Magik mention, I completely overlooked when Kitty Pride was introducedSiege V2 2

— John Klein III (@jackalsiii.bsky.social) 2025-01-15T22:26:52.212Z

Lockheed and Kitty Pride (a collective of tan cats that share a consciousness) fight off an army of Ultrons Magik & Leah meet up, destroy an army, and catch up with Agent Brand, just to tell her that they are leavingSiege V2 3

— John Klein III (@jackalsiii.bsky.social) 2025-01-15T22:18:08.903Z

the conclusion!Lockheed has fallen 😦 , as Kitty Pride keep defending until the Thors show upSiege V2 4

— John Klein III (@jackalsiii.bsky.social) 2025-01-15T22:35:24.464Z

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Exceptional X-Men Flashback Sequences

Posted by John Klein III on January 14, 2025
Posted in: Retrospective, Review. Tagged: Carnero - Carmen, Ewing - Eve, Exceptional, Sabino - Joe, Woodard - Nolan. Leave a comment

I’ll update this as we get more of these, if we get more of these – which I sincerely hope we do.

Imagine an entire History of X-Men miniseries done by Eve Ewing, Carmen Carnero, Nolan Woodard, and Joe Sabino? I know i have.

Exceptional X-Men 2

From Uncanny X-Men 129

. . .

Exceptional X-Men 3

. . .

Exceptional X-Men 4

From X-Men V6 25

. . .

Exceptional X-Men 10

From New Mutants V1 15

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Magik V2 1

Posted by John Klein III on January 10, 2025
Posted in: Review. Tagged: 2025, Allen - Ashley, Hesli - Arthur, Magik, Maher - Ariana, Nakayama - David, Peralta - German. Leave a comment

Magik’s first issue of her first ongoing came out on January 8, 2025.

Writer : Ashley Allen

Artist German Peralta

Color Artist : Arthur Helsi

Letterer : VC’s Ariana Maher

I treated myself to the David Nakayama cover.

Ashley Allen wrote the incredible Blood Hunt : Magik ongoing (thus, earned the right to write Magik’s ongoing).

German Peralta drew the Age of X-Man : Prisoner X is where I recognize his work from, and Cable 155 – 159.

Issue opens with someone chasing someone else down a street in Juneau, Alaska.

We see Magik was having a nightmare. I love that Kitty Pryde and Dani Moonstar are there. I imagine Beast is there as he’s currently on X-MEN with her. Cyclops and her are best buds, so that makes sense too. Illyana has a closer tie to the Storm who existed with her from her origin mini series, Magik & Storm. Events that occur there are the main reasons I like to think of why Magik & Storm are not that close. Even though they served together on Kieron GIllen’s Uncanny X-Men Volume Two, as part of Cyclops’ Extinction Team. Cannonball represents the boys of New Mutants.

Illyana wakes up, and I absolutely love that she is wearing a, Magneto Was Right shirt. He is her greatest teacher from her original New Mutants days. I also like how she could have easily worn a, Cyclops Was Right shirt but this is a more fun option.

I also adore how she has a New Mutants, original recipe, class photo, and a photo of her and Kitty. So we get that Kitty and her are still close. I thought the picture of Kitty came from Uncanny X-Men 600, because of the gray in her suit, but I think that is something else now.

Be nice if Kitty had a picture of Illyana in her room, but she barely has an origami Lockheed on her shelf, so she’s not decorating her current room with pieces of her past – which is a real shame.

That is further added by the fact that Kitty had called Cyclops to tell him that today is Magik’s birthday.

I also love how this is her birthday, Kid Omega implies she is having a quarter life crisis, so if she’s about 25, that feels right to me. Though Exceptional X-Men Kitty Pryde strikes me as a gal into her 30s, but Illyana could easily be in the 25-28 age range.

Comics disclosure is complicated, but also, Illyana has been de-aged and aged, that she could be floating anywhere from mid-twenties to early-thirties.

So it is her birthday, but also 2025 marks her 50th year in publication, so it works on a meta level as well.

This surprise party goes over better than the one Nico throws her in Midnight Suns.
(Starts around the 18 minute mark)

All of the attention is too much for Illyana, and she overhears a news report about missing kids, and like we learned from one of my favorite Uncanny X-Men Volume 3 stories, issue 33, Magik likes to rescue mutants when she’s not busy saving the world.

I do love how quick Cyclops is to explain her quick exit. He completely gets Illyana, and her intimacy issues.

In Juneau, we are introduced to Cal and Ren Isaacs, and their grandmother, Anges – the perfect grandmother name. Someone is hunting mutants, and there are jerk protestors who want these two mutants to leave the city.

Magik arrives, and any new readers are immediately shown Magik’s public persona, as well as get an explanation for her soulword.

Magik deals with the demons, and introduces herself to the Isaacs family. She gets her mission statement to protect the other mutants, and deal with the protesters.

Magik misses one of the students, who turns out to be our big bad, the Crow Demon. Who actually is working for the Liminal – a mysterious new organization.

Allen has set up so many threads to pull for future stories that it is bonkers.

The Crow Demon and Magik get into an intense fight, that we see Magik use her other magical skills, and not just swats at him with her appropriately sized sword.

Unfortunately, while Magik is trying to get her bearings, Crow Demon kills Ren. Agnes is trying her best to create a protection spell.

Unfortunately, we lose Agnes as well.

Magik and Cal have Agnes’ spellbook, and they are going to pursue the Demon Crow.

I like how Cal is aware of his grandmother’s abilities, so it isn’t like Magik has to explain to him how mutants and magic work, separately or together. Magik tells him she will pursue the threat, but he insists on coming along.

And that is the first outstanding issue of Magik’s first ongoing.

I’m excited to see Cal be part of, hopefully, her ever growing supporting cast.

Issue ends with someone prophesizing about Magik’s Darkchild persona, that is on the edge’s of Illyana’s mind.

I can’t wait for issue two. I treated myself to the Mark Brooks cover.

as bitter of a pill as it is 😀

. . .

My only goals for this series is that we get 50 issues of it (at least), and a crossover with Exceptional X-Men, that doesn’t necessarily have to also crossover with X-MEN. Though I can only imagine we will get a Magik – X-MEN – Psylocke crossover eventually, as those are three easy enough books to crossover as they share the same cast members.

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