‘X-Men: Red’ #12 brings on the Genesis War

After Jon Ironfire’s harrowing arrival in X-Men: Red #11, this issue takes a step back to show how this quest first began. White Sword reflects on the wars of their past, before turning to Ironfire. The mutant has served him loyally for millennia, but White Sword believes his greatest task is ahead of him. Ironfire is given the sword Purity and sent to spread the word.

Before he goes, however, White Sword frees him from his obligation. His burdens are lifted, but White Sword will no longer be able to heal him. Ironfire is alone in the world again. Genesis approaches White Sword’s stronghold, and Ironfire rides to carry the word.

The 99 who remain behind continue to stand firm. They shoot down a Summoner, drawing the ire of the Horsemen. Pestilence infects a few of the 99 with a zombie-like disease. The soldiers demand that White Sword hides, but the general approaches all the same. He casts away the infection and faces Genesis.

White Sword notes that Apocalypse is missing, but he is given no answer to explain why. As his men bleed, Genesis demands to know where Purity has gone. No answer — or quarter — is given. They trade insults, and then Genesis lifts her staff and demands that White Sword bends the knee. The staff compels, and White Sword gives in after a fashion.

It’s a war won with little bloodshed. The same cannot be said for the war with Arakko that will soon burn through X-Men Red.

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Ironfire reports directly to the Brotherhood and the Night Seats, who intend to raise the matter with the Great Ring. There is some bickering, but they all share an interest in seeing Arakko survive and come to a resolution quickly. Storm is, after all, a better arbiter than anyone on the planet.

Unfortunately, by the end of X-Men Red #12, it may already be too late. Genesis steps through an Okkara Gate — which grows from no seeds — and observes a desolate area of Arakko, filled with dead. She shares her observations with a mysterious face, who urges her to go to war. It’s quickly revealed that the woman who had been feeding Genesis information about Arakko is Marianna Stern of Coven Akkaba.

Orchis welcomes Genesis to the Sol system. Please enjoy your stay.

There’s a lot to love in X-Men: Red #12, which is typical for the book. The Brotherhood’s conflicts retain their urgency, and Storm really feels like she’s at the end of her rope. While there isn’t much Arakko in this issue, every panel that features the Brotherhood retains the quality that has kept this book at the top of the X-Men line.

Unfortunately, the art isn’t quite up to par for X-Men: Red. Camagni’s work doesn’t really live up to Stefano Caselli’s masterful art on X-Men: Red so far. There’s a connecting splash page featuring two full pages of Genesis’ army leading an attack on White Sword’s castle. The army does look vast, but there’s barely any detail, and the monsters approaching the building look somewhat generic. It doesn’t help that they’re all colored the same way. For a splash that’s supposed to set the stage for an entire war, it just isn’t enough.

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The skill of White Sword’s soldiers also feels like it has taken a massive dip for X-Men Red. What was once an army that could take over the world collapses at the first strike of an illness and is only saved by White Sword’s intervention. They seem to fall into chaos just at the sight of Genesis’ soldiers. It’s been a long time since X of Swords, and a quick refresher on White Sword’s army would have been useful. As it stands, they seem to collapse at the first sign of a threat. Hardly a great victory for Genesis.

The reintroduction of Marianna Stern is interesting, but it hardly seems like the callback is completely necessary. The fact that every villain across the X-Men line is slowly being revealed to be a part of Orchis actually feels less threatening than it is tiring.

The point of X-Men Red and the X-Men as a whole is supposed to be about a group of people protecting those who hate and fear them. The mutant metaphor itself is supposed to compare them to real-world groups that face similar discrimination. Having Orchis gathering every single enemy makes it look less like a metaphor for prejudice and more like the insinuation that all hate comes from one source, which just isn’t true.

If the X-Men actually had enemies pouring in from all sides, their coming collapse would feel like the inevitability it really is after Sins of Sinister. Instead, there’s one source bearing down on every book in the line. It’s helping to connect the books again, but it’s making everything feel repetitive and wiping away some of the stakes. Something needs to get Arakko out of the picture as the Fall of X approaches, but it feels like it could have been accomplished without borrowing from Orchis and old Excalibur plots.

There’s definitely good to be found in X-Men: Red #12, and it’s a great setup for the coming Genesis War. Yet, with Orchis ties being expanded and diminished art quality, it’s a low point for the run so far. Still, it’s worth reading, if only for Sunspot and Nova’s bickering and White Sword’s fascinating development.