Hellions is the sleeper hit that became a megastar as the Reign of X era continues at Marvel Comics. It’s the kind of superhero comic that’s filled with edgier characters, a ripe sense of humor, and plenty of personalities. That goes for its eclectic crew who haven’t gotten along too well over the last sixteen issues — in Hellions #17, they need to band together one last time.
As the cover reveals, Orphan-Maker is aiming to get his baby “brother” back after it was kidnapped by an evil organization called the Right. He hasn’t loved how his surrogate mother Nanny has been giving it all the attention, but family is family. Considering how dangerous and powerful he is, the Hellions set off to stop him from doing something stupid. The worst case scenario is killing humans, as that’s breaking one of only a few mutant laws.
Much of this issue, including the beginning, is focused on building the team back up. Most of these characters don’t want to work together anymore, or at least have had a falling out with select members. Psylocke sets out to do something about Orphan-Maker, and in her act of leaving the entire team comes together. It’s a nice moment that shows these characters have killed each other and treated one another rather poorly, but they’ve built a bond up over the last year’s worth of issues.
Time for a dangerous mission.
Credit: Marvel
Once the team is more or less back together, this issue goes into action overdrive. The Right has a compound that you simply can’t walk into, but luckily for the Hellions, they have powers aplenty. Artist Stephen Segovia does a good job giving each character an exciting moment as they take out the Right’s guards. They’re working as a team for once, which is rewarding.
Orphan-Maker may steal the show in the issue, though. The character has always been a bit odd and seeing him go through and react to pain is impressively done. The character is merciless, and yet Wells finds a beat to show his frailty and humanity. This series has always been good at capturing the monstrousness of each character, but also their pain and relatable emotions. That is once again shown here especially with Orphan-Maker and his actions. The very final image reveals Orphan-Maker as a man who lost control, but can he really help it? It’s clear he’s encountered a trauma of his own making and will soon pay for it.
You won’t find a lot of laughs in this issue, however. A goofy Right member didn’t quite work for me, but your mileage may vary. For the most part, though, this issue is focused on the characters banding together and the great pain Orphan-Maker is going through in the final scene.
With Madelyne Pryor popping up next issue, it’s anyone’s guess where these characters go from here. One thing’s for certain, however: they’re a more cohesive team than ever. It’s also certain Orphan-Maker will be seeing repercussions very soon in what is an exciting and action-packed issue. Hellions #17 is sparked by an emotional ending in more ways than one.
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