Having taken over Karima Shapandar’s body, Arkea Prime uses the Omega Prime Sentinel form to take over the Jean Grey campus systems.
Escalation drives the action as the waking Arkea fights off Beast and Rogue, while the rest of the X-Men scramble to contain the threat and regain control over the X-Mansion and safely locate Jubilee and her infant.
Kitty Pryde eventually makes contact with Arkea and comes to grips with being the one thing that can put the mechanical body out of commission. The only problem — stopping Arkea means losing any hope for reviving Karima Shapandar.
It’s a quick-paced issue that races from start to finish. It’s clear that Arkea has the ability and modus operandi to become a formidable foe for the X-Men, and as they chase her down in the Blackbird, the remaining students and teammates back at the mansion discover one of her little surprises.
Olivier Coipel’s pencils are amazing, and this issue’s pages are packed with detail and movement. Coipel knows how to draw dramatic action, and the panels barely contain what’s going on. From Rogue and Arkea trading blows to Pryde’s melee skirmish, the visuals are clear and easy to interpret.
Coipel’s characters look solid, existing in dimensions rather than the flatness of the page. A team of colorists — Laura Martin, Matt Milla, and Christina Strain — worked on this issue painting it with a brilliant palette that lifts the art off the page.
The colors also influence the atmospherics, from the rooms locked down in red-alert to the moody cockpit of the Blackbird. It’s evident the artistic team spent a lot of time and energy into this issue’s artwork.
With the introduction of Arkea complete, Brian Wood’s story continues to move forward at breakneck speed. Not that there’s no time for characterization — Kitty gives Karima every chance to prove she’s somewhere in that mechanical body — and Storm leads the team with a poise that’s becoming of her. Kudos to Wood for the respect he has for the characters. They’re able, powerful, and ready to defend.
X-Men #2 shows how important this title is to Marvel’s stable of X-Books. It’s got heft and drama — even heft in its drama. In its writing and in its art — the book is sharp and streamlined for maximum entertainment.
X-Men #2 (2013)
Marvel
Words: Brian Wood
Pencils: Olivier Coipel
Inks: Mark Morales, Scott Hanna, and Olivier Coipel
Colors: Laura Martin, Matt Milla, and Christina Strain
Letters: Joe Caramagna
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