Control is at the center of Magik Vol.2: Shadows of Resistance. Illyana Rasputina’s latest trade paperback arrives this week from Ashley Allen, Jesús Hervás, Germán Peralta, Matt Horak, Arthur Hesli, Pablo Villalobos, VC’s Ariana Maher, and Darren Shan, and was collected at Marvel by Jennifer Grünwald, Daniel Kirchhoffer, Lisa Montalbono, Stacie Zucker, Adam Del Re, and Jay Bowen. Recently, Illyana has reached a new understanding of herself and the nature of Darkchild. However, the hunt for Liminal left other parts of Magik’s life in uncertain territory. With more control in her life, could Illyana set everything right again, or would the attempt lead to even greater consequences?
Allen and her collaborators are clearly interested in honing in on a study of Magik’s character. The previous arc had Yana facing Liminal, a demon lord whose human origins mirrored her own captivity in Limbo in several key ways. These parallels unearthed Magik’s internal conflict with Darkchild. This struggle gave way to new insight: Darkchild is not quite a distinct demonic entity to be suppressed and more akin to a set of physical traits and coping mechanisms that Illyana developed to survive Limbo’s abuses. This development of her metaphysical autonomy is remarkable, but the process has left Illyana feeling vulnerable. Further, her new freedom did not prevent her mentee Cal from falling into danger, nor did it bridge the uncomfortable gap between Magik and Dani Moonstar. What better time for a rebellion to erupt in Limbo?
Shadows of Resistance collects Magik #6-10, kicking off the arc with the bombing of the NYC Limbo Embassy. The attack was an assassination attempt on Madelyne Pryor, successor to Queen Rasputina in Limbo’s monarchy. Despite the heavy-handed effort, the encounter leaves the Goblin Queen bruised but otherwise none the worse for wear. That doesn’t stop Magik from feeling the need to step in and avert another potential crisis between Limbo and Earth. Working with a telepath doesn’t guarantee clear communication though, as the two sorceresses misinterpret each other’s intent repeatedly. Maddy fears that Magik’s involvement will undermine her sovereignty and end with Yana retaking Limbo’s throne. Illyana has no desire to rule, but fears that handing Limbo responsibilities off to another has become a burden for Madelyne rather than a boon. Quickly squashing the nascent rebellion in Limbo’s wasteland, Raspuntina and Pryor do eventually see each other’s perspective, and find an agreeable solution. Still, Magik can’t help but wonder if a firmer hand in either her or Maddie’s reigns could’ve kept the rebellion from ever forming…
With the question of control in mind, the latter four issues of the book loop back towards some familiar characters and plot lines from the first arc. Thankfully, Magik’s unresolved tension around Dani, Cal, and the Society of the Eternal Dawn are all bound up together, so seeking out one problem leads her to face them all. The Society is very reminiscent of W.A.N.D. but with a Minority Report-style bent for prosecuting mystical pre-crimes. Their involvement via Dani in the Liminal crisis made sense, but Illyana is sickened to learn that the case isn’t quite closed. The seal meant to trap Liminal in Cal’s body has warped into a full body possession. Worse, the Society has a shocking lack of guidelines on whether to enforce the death penalty or pursue a more restorative solution. What follows is a trippy adventure of magical action and an intriguing new antagonist.
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Eloise Bennett, a.k.a. Embodiment, is the sorceress at the head of the Society as well as a mutant with limited precognitive gifts. Her mystical elders isolated her and abused her for years in order to use her X-gene for their own gain. Despite her mother’s sacrifice to free Eloise and burn down the community that harmed her daughter, Embodiment recreated such a structure through the Society. Liminal acted as a foil for Illyana by challenging the ways she suppressed Darkchild, and her attempt to erase Limbo from her life entirely. Embodiment serves a similar narrative function, this time confronting Magik with her burgeoning desire for more control over her life, reproducing the harm she suffered as a result. At the end of the day, Magik and Dani solve their differences, Cal’s mind is freed from Liminal, and Illyana defeats Embodiment. Notably, Magik doesn’t kill Embodiment, meaning this Black swordswoman-sorceress-mutant with a fascinating backstory could return at any time—assuming she can find her way back to Earth.
Shadows of Resistance is such a treat in the art department. Hervás, Peralta, and Horak meld their ink styles together so cleanly, even when the story warps Magik, Dani, and Liminal’s eyesight in issue #8. Their portraiture is also pleasing, especially when depicting Illyana, Moonstar, and Embodiment. Equally key to the artistic accomplishment is Hesli’s coloring. The eerie glow of spellwork becomes so entrancing under his pen. The trippy neons of issue #8 contrast nicely with the sepia tones in Embodiment’s backstory. His consistency in coloring makes the collaboration between inkers feel even smoother as well.
There are some slight problems with dialogue, mainly in issues #6 and #7. It’s difficult to pinpoint whether it’s the writing or the way it’s lettered, but more than once I was left needing to reread a page. It’s worth mentioning that issues #6 and #7 have miscommunication baked into their plots, either between Magik and the Goblin Queen, or between Illyana, Dani, and Liminal, but that’s not what I’m referring to. The moments in question left me unsure if I was following certain panels or word balloons in the correct order. Thankfully, this did not become a structural fault in the book, and instead remained a few isolated incidents.
Illyana Rasputina’s action-packed character study continues in Magik Vol. 2: Shadows of Resistance. Guest starring fan favorites like Madelyne Pryor and Dani Moonstar, Magik’s journey continues as she grapples with her own sense of control over her life. Magical mentee Cal and the murderous Liminal return to lead Yana right into the lair of an exciting new antagonist as well. It’s a great read for Magik fans, and this story of self-reflection and growth sets our heroine up nicely for her follow-up title, Magik and Colossus. Maybe Illyana’s improved wellbeing can rub off on Piotr, Lord knows he needs it.
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