Today, X-Men Blue: Origins #1 by Si Spurrier, Wilton Santos, Oren Junior, Marcus To, Ceci De La Cruz, VC’s Joe Caramagna, and Sarah Brunstad has finally arrived. Since the one-shot about Mystique and Nightcrawler’s confusing past was announced, readers have waited with bated breath to see if Marvel would actually pull off a retcon for the ages. The ties that bind Kurt, Raven, and Irene have finally been brought to light in a stunning story that feels worth the wait.
It’s clear that Marvel wants this story to be accessible to any reader, hence it being a one-shot rather than another installment of Uncanny Spider-Man. This also means a lengthy exposition period is placed at the top of the issue to give the audience the necessary background about Kurt and Raven’s status quo in the midst of the Fall o X. I could have done without the mischievous White Bamf being used as the expositor and “Greek chorus,” of the issue, but that is more a matter of personal taste as I found him distracting from an otherwise moving and heartfelt story.
Previous attempts at telling the story behind Kurt Wagner’s birth have been largely unsatisfactory. “The Draco” story arc is perhaps the most infamous telling, partly for its characterization of Raven as well as unintentionally confusing many about whether or not Nightcrawler actually has demonic ancestry or not. Rather than ignore this in favor of a new story, the events of “The Draco” prelude play a key part in leading Mystique and her son to the truth. Raven’s mind took a serious hit trying to fight off Charles’ mental commands at the Hellfire Gala, but a little magic from Kurt brings healing and unforeseen revelations.
Charlie Jane Anders and Steve Foxe are given special credit in the issue’s opening, and it’s clear that both writers helped inform the queer elements at play in the story, so that even superhero fantasy maintains lived authenticity. Mystique and Destiny are Nightcrawler’s biological parents. The first child that the two of them ever conceived from love. Raven’s abilities allow her such fine control over her form that she was not only able to generate any requisite human secondary sex organs, but she even ensured that the child would inherit traits similar enough to Azazel’s that he would assume he fathered the child. That last part was done under Irene’s direction, and Mystique did not know that her wife had already planned to sacrifice the son she carried in her womb.
But my love mine, all mine, all mine
Credit: Marvel Comics
Irene disappearing shortly after giving birth only for Raven to also lose the baby, this creative expression of Mystique and Destiny’s love, is heartbreaking enough. But the story does not end there; it isn’t complete without addressing what came after and why it took so long for the truth to break free. For the sake of the world, Irene sacrificed her and Raven’s chance at raising their child, but they turned to Charles Xavier for help years later when they found they could no longer live with the pain of losing their son. Erasing the memory of the cost, removing Irene from the memory entirely, Raven’s subconscious fabricated what we previously accepted out of what was left. For the first time in decades, Mystique feels a love for Kurt that she had never meant to forget.
Mystique is given so much room to monologue and emote through the issue, and Santos, Junior, To, and De La Cruz are key to bringing the feeling of these moments home. The Hopesword shattering through Raven’s mental blocks, remixing various flashback images as the telling shifts and grows, and Mystique’s cycling from rage to pain to tears again and again all sing. Yet, Nightcrawler and Mystique’s final embrace might be the most breathtaking and intimate of all.
Personal enjoyment of the White Bamf aside, there’s really only one thing holding this issue back. Destiny is consistently portrayed at the age she is now following her resurrection: nebulously between 25 and 45. However, readers know that Irene Adler is over a hundred years old at this point. While her mutation certainly gave her a long life the first time around, all evidence given so far means she should be much older than presented in the issue. Of course, such an extreme geriatric pregnancy would be a hard sell for some audiences, so it is unclear if this de-aging was intentional or not.
X-Men Blue: Origins #1 is a triumph. It adds further development to Marvel’s most iconic queer couple as well as harmoniously reframing decades of messy continuity disputes. Spurrier’s previous work in the X-Men’s Krakoan era has drawn fair criticism of late, in particular his treatment of women of color. This issue contrasts as a stark high note, one that Uncanny Spider-Man #5 hopefully sticks the landing on.
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