Step right up to the first issue of Storm! Ororo Munroe, Windrider, leader of the Morlocks, Queen of Wakanda, Headmistress of the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning: she has gone by many names and titles. But Storm will always be what her friends call her and what her enemies whisper to each other when she appears. Here begins the journey of this character, shaped by a plethora of adventures, triumphs and hardships.
This issue opens up with Ororo dealing with her own thoughts. Much has happened as of late with her in the comics: she was married to the Black Panther and was queen of Wakanda, she recently took the position of headmistress at the mutant school not run by Cyclops, and has had an on again off again relationship with Wolverine. This story seems to set up the theme of her finding her place once again in the world. The plot shows her helping a village survive a tsunami, while the village itself is rife with political turmoil which includes the hatred of mutants, which is something she is all too familiar with. It then skips to her duties as headmistress, and how she must deal with the day to day of the students that reside there, much like Charles Xavier once had to do the same. Without being too heavy handed on either front, the story moves along at a good pace to set up what will most likely be intertwining plot points throughout the length of her series.
This issue is written by Greg Pak, and drawn by Victor Ibanez, with colors by Ruth Redmond. Greg Pak is no stranger to the X-Men Universe, and brings a solid script to this first issue. The way he skips from place to place doesn’t feel rushed or forced, and the times where Storm is in her own head feels true and organic. Ibanez also draws the cover, with a very sassy Storm looking back over her shoulder at the reader enticing you to pick up the book and open it. Her hair and costume harken back to the hey-day of the character in the 80’s when she was headstrong and vying for leadership with Cyclops. The colors of the book are muted, which provide extra emphasis when she unleashes her bright flashes of lightning upon the scene.
The “Best There Is”:
In my opinion, it is the marriage of the script and the art that make this an enjoyable comic. The turmoil that Storm feels trying to find her place, trying to help the people of that poor village, and trying to deal with the problems of a school, translate beautifully to her character as a whole. The art is not over the top, and expresses that turmoil through great use of color to depict strife and elemental fury. Favorite moment is the beginning when she is depicted as flying in street clothes, and then immediately morphs into costume, as she thinks on how she is older and (hopefully) wiser. Looking forward to more from this creative team and this solo title.
The “Isn’t Very Nice”:
There is a moment, when she is wanting to interfere with the politics of the village she is trying to help, and talking on the phone with Beast back at the school. She is defiant to his warnings for her to tread lightly in the situation, and he even addresses that she was once a queen, and understands politics. This is exchange is unnecessary because of how much her character has changed since she was queen. Any and every iteration of her while she was married to the Black Panther was her understanding the nature of politics, even if she disagreed with them. She has her own convictions, sure, but it seems like a big step back in that one scene for a character that has grown so much over the last few years.
CBH Score: 3 out of 5 stars.
Points for a good first start, but let’s all buckle up and see where it goes.
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