The X-Men books, at their core, are about change. Marvel’s merry mutants have gotten married, died (and came back – more than once), and even gained new powers. In a genre that’s often been resistant to the very idea of change, the fact that one of the most popular superhero franchises in the game embraces it has made for some great stories. Now, with the Fall of X, Uncanny Spider-Man #1 from Si Spurrier, Lee Garbett, Matt Milla and Joe Caramagna shows how Kurt Wagner, aka Nightcrawler, deals with the latest changes for mutantkind.
Orchis’ attack on humanity has scattered the X-Men to the winds, forcing them to find new methods to defend a world that’s returned to fearing and hating them. In Kurt’s case, that means borrowing a spare costume from Spider-Man and using his teleportation powers to fight street crime. His antics are starting to land him on Orchis’ radar…and it turns out that some of the web-slinger’s enemies want a piece of this new Spider-Man.
Spurrier’s been sticking with Nightcrawler throughout the Krakoan Age, and exploring one of the core tenets which has made the teleporter such a fan favorite X-Man: his faith. Way of X explored building faith in a world where mutants couldn’t die, Legion of X was about keeping the faith, and now Uncanny Spider-Man explores what happens when that faith is tested. Some people become atheists, others find strength in their beliefs…some choose to be superheroes. However, Spurrier makes this feel like less than a gimmick by drawing comparisons between Peter Parker and Kurt Wagner – despite everything life has thrown at them, they continue to fight the good fight, even if it’s hard.
Garbett first came to my attention after his work on The Death of Doctor Strange, and here he delivers a simultanously transformative visual look for Nightcrawler. Kurt’s Spider-Man costume is, in a word, amazing: it manages to incorporate the same color scheme as his X-Men uniform while also featuring the same stylized spider-emblem and wide white eyes that are associated with Spider-Man. I’m going to be real: this may be the coolest Spider-Man suit since Kaine Parker’s Scarlet Spider. Garbett also packs the issue with plenty of teleporting, swashbuckling action that you’d expect from a book starring Nightcrawler.
Finally, Milla delivers a muted color palette that hints at the darkness surrounding mutantkind. Most of the book is shrouded in shadows, with the only light coming from the red and gold shining armor of the Stark Sentinels (which makes for a sinister sight). Ironically, Nightcrawler’s dark blue suit is laced through with blood red accents, which cuts a menacing sight that’s at complete odds with his personality. Caramagna continues to bring a level of detail and attention to the data pages sprinkled within the issue – especially SpiderStans.com, which I wish was a real website. Pun completely unintended.
Uncanny Spider-Man #1 weaves a tangled web for Kurt Wagner, as he dons a new identity and continues to keep fighting the good fight. It’s far from a gimmicky title, but another entry into a solid character study – and something worth reading, whether you’re a Spidey fan, an X-Men fan or both.
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