Magik #4 // Review
Dani and Illyana are fighting demons in Ecuador. It’s nothing new for them. They’ve known each other for years. They’ve fought alongside each other against things much worse than a few purple gargoyle-like things above the misty beauty of Cloud Forest. So it’s a perfect time to have a bit of a conversation about decisions that Illyana has been making. Dani is concerned in Magik #4. Writer Ashley Allen continues an enjoyable run with one of the more under-rated New Mutants in an issue that is brought to mage and panel by artist German Peralta and colorist Arthur Hesli.
Illyana has something inside her. Something called Darkchild. It’s a menacing power that could easily get WAY out of hand. Dani’s concerned that Illyana might be getting a little careless with it. It’s understandable. Of course...Illyana might not be paying real close attention. (She’s slicing a demon in half with her soul sword as Dani’s trying to get her to talk about it.) The two of them have been working together for a long enough that they are able to have a deep conversation while dealing with a small army of demons. Some problems, however, are a lot more difficult than a demon army.
As intense as the interpersonal drama can get in an X-Men-related title, it's not often that a pair of characters are allowed a chance to get this clothes. I mean, it's fun to have them go through an entire conflict together where they're really hashing things out. And the physical danger is only a small portion of what's actually going on in the book. So much of it is delivered in simple dialogue between the two of them. It's fun to see that play out with Allen’s wit and heart.
Peralta has a really deaf handle on the difference between spectral magic and demon based radiance. Perlalts cleverly modulates between that and a serious drama between the two characters and question. there is something in the battle pastor of both characters that actually engages them in emotionally and what they're communicating through their dialogue with each other. It's not often that that feels as vivid as it does here. Nice to see a couple of characters look so familiar work together as well as they do on the page visually.
These two characters have been through a lot together, and not all of it fits into the current continuity. The continuity between the two of them going back to like...1984 doesn't exactly make a whole lot of sense in the current issue. (Otherwise they’d be like...50+ years old now.) However, there is an emotional connection between the two of them that feels quite vivid. there's a strong connection between the two of them. That really fits the overall dramatic rhythm of what Allen is doing. It's cool to see her. It's cool to see the way it all comes together. Very well executed. As always...Allen shows herself to be one of the better young talents in mainstream comics today.
