The latest issue in Illyana Rasputina’s solo series, Magik, sees writer Ashley Allen and artist Germán Peralta finally explore the inner workings of the mysterious new group, The Society of the Eternal Dawn. While not the most explosive or exciting issue, Magik #7 successfully establishes Magik and Dani’s new mission and prepares readers for Illyana’s latest struggle with her main “big bad,” Liminal.
Magik #7 does a solid job of balancing the classic relationship with New Mutant heroes Magik and Moonstar, while featuring the new group of Eternal Dawn characters, grounding the “newness” of the Eternal Dawn with a key relationship in Illyana’s lore. Personally, I am excited that Magik and Liminal’s arc didn’t end at issue #5. Lately, it seems like ongoing series, even major titles like X-Men, have these “capsule” arcs, instead of longer, more established storylines. Similar to the Storm solo, Magik has a dynamic plot with various moving parts, but a single major story drives the series.
Marvel
The previous issue was incredibly fun, an adventure with Limbo featuring the iconic Goblin Queen Madelyne Pryor, and while a one-off issue like Magik #6 may not have any major impact on a larger series, plots from the issue continue into Magik #7. Specifically, I really enjoyed seeing Illyana utilizing her new Wraithsword alongside her Soulsword… she is just such a badass warrior, and seeing her with two epic swords was a blast. I also appreciated the interiority that Allen showed in Illyana, having her reflect on the way Illyana and Madelyne have unsuccessfully ruled Limbo when compared to The Embodiment’s control over the Eternal Dawn.
Unsurprisingly, Germán Peralta’s art is gorgeous in this issue, particularly the more demonic elements of the story, like Liminal’s possession of Cal and Magik’s Darkchild form. His use of light and shadow is excellent, and Arthur Hesli’s coloring really shines off the page. I truly love the final page of the issue, featuring The Embodiment clutching the blackened heart of Liminal. The background coloring looks like an old demonic scroll, aged by ink and time, making the seemingly benevolent Eternal Dawn seem much more sinister than their purported mission positions them as.
Marvel
I am glad that Dani is remaining a major player in this series, and will be partnering with Illyana to retrieve the mysterious artifact that could separate Liminal from Cal, and save the young magician that Magik cares so much about. The tension between the two feels genuine, enhanced by the internal narrative we see of Illyana wrestling with their friendship, and I look forward to seeing their friendship grow and deepen. Also, it is so fun seeing Magik actually accept her Darkchild persona and use it to her advantage. This has been discussed for years and never truly come to fruition, so happy to see Magik truly embracing the powers she gained from her traumatic history in Limbo.
My main critique of this issue is that it very much feels like 20 pages of exposition, rehashing what has happened with Liminal, and preparing the reader for this next Eternal Dawn arc. In some ways, I get it. This series has been pretty action-packed and filled with the introduction of many new characters, plus the last issue was a much-needed break from the Liminal plot. However, it still felt a bit stiff, with a lot of narration, introductions, and like I said, general exposition. The brief fight between the Exemplars and Magik was exciting, but there was no real threat of harm, and no consequences for the short standoff. I just wanted a bit more action, or magic, for a character as exciting as Illyana Rasputina.
Overall, I enjoyed Magik #7. My critiques of its overly expository content don’t make me consider this issue “bad,” just closer to an 8 in my book than a 9, which earlier issues of the series easily obtained. Ashley Allen has continued to masterfully capture Illyana’s tone through her growth, acceptance of the Darkchild, and relationship to heroism. Germán Peralta’s art continues to impress, and made the issue engaging even when it involved a bit too much talking and explaining. This issue does its job well, preparing readers for the next major Magik arc… and I am excited to see where the adventure takes us.
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