Working on an X-Men comic can be both a blessing and a curse. The blessing is that creators have 60 years of history to draw upon, and a rich tapestry of characters as well. The curse is that some creators will focus only on the “big name mutants” like Cyclops or Wolverine, or create new mutant sets that crowd out an already robust roster. Thankfully, Ashley Allen and Edoardo Audino are aiming to finally give a beloved mutant the spotlight in Moonstar #1.
Following the Fall of Krakoa and the events of the Magik series, Dani Moonstar has returned to her parents’ home in Chicago, trying to figure out her next steps. But two former members of the Society of the Eternal Dawn – the secret society Dani joined to prevent mystical disasters – come to her for help. Due to the events of The Immortal Thor #25, a death-generating blade known as Dainsleif has found its way into the hands of a warrior who seeks to end the “curse” of life everywhere. Can Dani deal with her past and make sure there’s a future for the entire world?
This marks Allen’s third X-Men miniseries following Magik and Magik & Colossus, and at this point, it’s becoming clear that she has a gift for writing the weirder, wilder corners of the X-Men universe. She not only knows Dani’s history inside and out, but also uses it to her advantage; Dani first discovered her mutant powers at her parents’ house, and it’s also where she confronted one of her biggest fears in the iconic “Demon Bear” storyline in New Mutants. She also has a personal tie to the crisis at hand, given that she was once a Valkyrie and one of the few people who still remembers Asgard, giving her an edge. Props to Allen for being one of the few X-Men writers to use the broader events of the Marvel Universe to shape her story, as the fallout from The Immortal Thor is a storyline rich in potential.
Marvel
The biggest thing that Allen keys into about Dani Moonstar is her belief in a better tomorrow. It’s a belief that’s shared by her parents, as her dad tells her her optimism is her greatest strength and encourages her to help the Society despite their checkered past. Given how the X-Men and the superhero genre in general often have parents die, be distant, or turn into villains, it’s great that Dani has her parents as a bedrock to lean on.
Audino also makes Moonstar #1 into one of the most visually appealing books in this week’s stack, thanks to a sleek, anime-esque style. On a single page, he recaps the key parts of Dani’s origin in a way that will ease new readers into the story and please longtime X-fans. The action sequences are also incredible, as the sight of Dani riding her winged horse, Brightwind, is crafted to look as majestic as it would in real life. Audino also doesn’t stop there, sketching out an incredible battle between Dani and a legion of the undead that’s equal parts action-packed (thanks to the energy arrows and illusions Dani casts) and terrifying (because, well, zombies).
However, the true terror lies in how Audino sketches Kyron, the warrior seeking to bring eternal death to Earth. Kyron has the build and design of a classic Viking warrior, given a sinister edge by his flowing black cloak, jet-black blade, and burning red eyes. Arthur Hesli provides the colors responsible for transforming Kyron into a walking vision of death, while Clayton Cowles’ lettering adds the right dash of menace to his Asgardian speech.
Moonstar #1 is both a much-needed spotlight for Dani Moonstar and the kind of story only she could lead. It also starts to cement Ashley Allen as one of the top X-Men writers, and I can’t wait to see which one of the mighty mutants she tackles next.
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