With Age of Revelation in full swing after last week’s Overture, it’s now time to expand on the universe set 10 years into the future with X-Men tie-ins! One of the most intriguing is World of Revelation, which is an anthology. That means multiple points of view and angles on the Age of Revelation, and more importantly, extensive world-building. The first issue features three essential tales: the first directly connects to Overture, the second reveals the locations of Hulkling and Wiccan, and the third depicts the dire journey of a human survivor.
Kicking things off is “The Message” by Al Ewing and Agustin Alessio. Set entirely on Arakko, this story starts with a masked character receiving Bae the Blood Moon’s message that must reach Apocalypse. That makes it feel like a direct continuation of one of the story threads in Overture, and thus required reading. Told in a prose style with one to four panels per page, Ewing follows this masked stranger through all sorts of Arakko locations. All the while, his narration explains what he encounters and the developments of Arakko ten years later.
Alessio does a fantastic job of creating a mythical feel with painterly panels that complement the prose. The final few panels reveal who the masked man is, as well as the point of view of Apocalypse in vivid blues and yellow.
Poor Franklin.
Credit: Marvel Comics
Next up is “Never Let Me Go” by Steve Foxe and Jesus Merino. The story opens in the heat of an attack by Wiccan and Hulkling on Revelation, taking place moments after the virus was released. This is more of a love story than an action or adventure tale, as Wiccan is “babled” by Revelation, and much of the story shows us what Hulkling does to get his husband back. Through his request for help, we see various aspects of the Marvel universe, as well as the devastation the virus has caused. It’s horrifying and an ending that’ll cement their love, even if it’s tragic.
The art is mostly great, with lots of detail and a cartoony vibe. There’s a panel or two of Hulkling looking oddly huge, with a tiny head, but it’s not prevalent in every panel.
Closing out this issue is Ryan North and Adam Szalowski’s “Epoch of Revelation,” which focuses on Franklin Richards. Currently human in continuity, we learn early on that the entire Fantastic Four have died, but he survived and turned into a mutant. It’s not a cool mutant with powers, however, but a red, grotesque creature that can barely survive. It’s a darker tone for sure, although North lifts up Franklin’s desire to make sure everything heroes did prior to Revelation mattered. His mission is sound, and it builds towards a reveal that’s positive, even if it’s not going to help anyone in the current setting.
The art in this tale has a thinner line, not unlike Carmine Di Giandomenico’s style, though a little rougher at this stage. Szalowski’s close-ups of Franklin’s deformed face are disheartening and help you see he’s in pain.
World of Revelation #1 is a powerful expansion of Marvel’s bleak new era, showcasing how varied tones and perspectives can deepen a crossover event. From mythic journeys to tragic romance to grotesque survival, the anthology delivers on both scope and intimacy, making it a must-read tie-in for anyone invested in Age of Revelation.
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