“Be gay, do crimes!” Declan Shalvey certainly took this philosophy to heart when writing and illustrating the gritty spy thriller Mystique: Most Wanted, which positioned the iconic X-Men antihero against the relentless Nick Fury Jr. Raven Darkhölme is always gay (for Destiny, specifically), and she is literally always doing crime. Overall, I enjoyed this five-issue mini for what it was, but I was not as surprised by the twists as I had hoped, and I wish Raven and Irene’s relationship was even more front and center.
Mystique felt like a true continuation of Raven and Irene’s story from the Krakoan Era, something I really appreciate in X-Men’s From the Ashes era, and it is clear that Shalvey has real respect and love for the titular Mystique. The trade paperback itself is quite nice, similar to other five-issue trades from Marvel. The trade includes not only a bunch of gorgeous full-size variant covers (like the ones from Mateus Manhanini and David López shown in this review) but also a lovely letter from Shalvey about his journey writing the book.
Marvel
Mystique successfully did what Shalvey set out to do: reestablish Raven as a certifiable villain, but one with a strangely inspiring moral code and mission. Raven’s goal throughout the book is to erase herself from existence, wiping all records of her from S.H.I.E.L.D.’s servers, so that she can protect the ones she loves, namely her family, Irene, Nightcrawler, and Rogue. It is sweet and sentimental in the dark, twisted way we are used to from Mystique, and the book ends with Raven sacrificing her health and abilities to save her loved ones from future pain.
Unsurprisingly, Declan Shalvey’s art in Mystique sets the perfect tone for the grittier spy thriller, rough around the edges with explosive action. In particular, I was absolutely obsessed with how Shalvey depicted Mystique shape-shifting… it was really gross, and added the perfect touch of body horror to the book. From Raven’s intense encounter with Avalanche to her brutal murders of countless S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, Shalvey’s art continues to be as dynamic and engaging as always. Shout-out to series colorist Matt Hollingsworth and letterer Clayton Cowles, who worked closely with Shalvey to make sure both color and lettering blended beautifully together!
Marvel
Unfortunately, I was not as gagged by the twist reveals in the final issue as I had hoped. I felt like it was pretty obvious that Nick Fury Sr. was actually Raven, that Destiny was not dead and instead working with Mystique, and that Raven had been impersonating Fury Jr. as well. Maybe I just watch too many murder mysteries, but for a supposedly complex, twisted spy thriller, the big reveals felt sadly predictable. I didn’t dislike the reveals, and in general, I felt like the final issue stuck the landing, but I just wasn’t as shocked as I had hoped I’d be.
While I enjoyed the fact that the present incarnations of Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. were explored in the series, I did feel resistance to just how heavily the story leaned on Fury. Yes, Mystique was the villain being hunted down by the heroic spy, but at the end of the day, I did not pick up this comic to read about a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent trying to get his groove back. I loved how Shalvey depicted the relationship between Raven and Avalanche, and of course, Raven and Irene, and I would have loved more exploration of her relationships with other Brotherhood members.
I liked Mystique: Most Wanted, even if I didn’t love it. I am glad it was a short, self-contained story that didn’t drag on, and I think it continued Mystique’s complex development as a morally busted antihero exceptionally well. I wasn’t very impressed by the twists and turns, and I wish the story had focused less on Nick Fury, but overall I liked the purpose of Raven’s mission and her interactions with various characters. Shalvey’s art was perfect for the tone of the tale, and I still can’t get over the gross body horror peppered throughout. If you’re a fan of Mystique, spy thrillers, or unique artistic styles, I would recommend picking up this short, engaging trade paperback.
You must be logged in to post a comment.