The Fall of X period of X-Men comics has been rife with danger as mutants are scattered, as we see in Realm of X, with many dead. Torunn Grønbekk and Diogenes Neves continue to craft a unique angle on an X-Men story in a miniseries that blends fantasy tropes with mutants and the multiverse.
Realm of X continues to be character-centric, with Magik at the center, who is still reeling from the fact that her powers aren’t working. Grønbekk dances around the remaining mutants stranded on Vanaheim well, like Typhoid Mary, who is bored as hell, and Marrow, who is ready for a fight. As they work to escape Vanaheim, Saturnyne plots, and she’s got a plan to use Curse to get what she wants.
This issue does more to set up Saturnyne, although it remains to be seen what she’s truly after. Truth be told, a lot of the mysteries in this series remain mysteries even by the end of this issue. Conflicts arise, but they are rather small, like bounty hunters attempting to snatch a few of our heroes. The setting and fantasy tropes are strong with this one, so if you like those elements, you’ll enjoy this, but I was hoping for a bit more progress on the plot and more insight into the bigger problem to be resolved. The stakes are sort of in stasis as we wait for heroes or villains to act.
The flashback to the Hellfire Gala was one of the stronger scenes.
Credit: Marvel
Neves’ art is great at capturing environments and backgrounds. The forests and castles look as you’d expect from a fantasy tale. Marrow gets a badass moment that’s worth seeing as bones sprout from her palms. Meanwhile, Saturnyne may be cast in white like a hero, but colluding with a bound woman who floats upside down helps remind us she’s a bad guy, at least in this tale.
Some characters can look too cartoonish, like Typhoid Mary, who has big eyes and can look awkward. When she’s close to kissing a guy helping her learn how to swordfight, the angle is strange and doesn’t work. The dynamic of that scene is a bit lost due to the angle of the moment.
Probably the most intriguing element is Curse, who is largely absent in this issue. She’s being manipulated by Saturnyne, but her powers are far too risky, so care is taken to make sure the manipulation is worked out. A key flashback to start the issue helps add context to Curse, who thinks she’s been left behind, and you’ll connect with that experience. There also seems to be some explanation as to how these characters got to Vanaheim buried in this flashback.
Realm of X #2 is a good issue if you’re invested in these characters and like fantasy, but it feels a bit stale as it limps along the main plot. As a fan of fantasy and loving the location visuals and setting, I want Realm of X to soar, but this second issue leaves you wanting.
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