Magik and Colossus #3 // Review
There's a rather large number of people watching Illyana fight in an arena. They're watching her in a pit as they look in on her from above. She's been fighting for quite some time. Every time she defeats an opponent, they bring out a new one. She’s much smaller than the people she’s being forced to fight, but she feels like she could hold out forever. With any luck she might not have to do so in Magik and Colossus #3. Writer Ashley Allen continues a deeply enjoyable brother/sister action series with artist Germán Peralta and colorist Arthur Hesli.
Illyana is in a bit of a bind. Her kidnapper wants her to use her magic. If he uses her magic, then it will kill her. Not right away, of course. Overtime. She's about to find out what that's like with her next opponent. He’s a Russian mage named Ygor Koaz. The old mage is deeply wounded inside...animalistic. Illyana has worked with him before in the past. Doesn't exactly want to beat the hell out of the old man. So she's going to have to work out a way to work with him in order to defeat the man who has captured both of them.
Allen set up a very compelling and interesting conflict for Illyana that also allows her an opportunity to explore some of the deeper psycho-emotional drama that's going on in the lives of both of the title characters. The pacing on the drama is quite clever. This is no small accomplishment given the fact that Allen is moving back-and-forth between present, past, Illyana and her brother. Allen gives both characters plenty of space on the page to be themselves. It's a deeply appealing two-person adventure that continues to show what a clever writer Allen is.
Peralta smartly modulates the distinct combination of different atmospheric elements that Allen is developing in the script. High tire. From back room of a shady Russian bar, two shadowy Arena to someplace else entirely...Allen is giving the art team a workout. They are really good job of making every place seem very distinct. Each drama and each bit of action feels like it's coming from a distinctly different place. It would be all too easy to make it all seem to vaguely rush and leave it at that. Peralta and Hesli bring everything to the page in a way it really respects the distinct personality of the script.
The dynamic between brother and sister, and this particular relationship hasn't really had a chance to be explored in full depth or detail over the course of the decades since they've been introduced. Alan is doing a marvelous job of not only exploring them and what their lives are like and what their personalities are like, but also telling some really interesting stories from a corner of the Marvel universe that doesn't often get a whole lot of attention. It's very cool stuff that wouldn't have much difficulty at all carrying an open-ended series for many, many years.
