After more than two years as the chief architect of X-Men's comic world, writer Jonathan Hickman is leaving Marvel's mighty mutants. However, before he departs, he's set to burn a few bridges in Inferno, a four-issue mini-series that ties up Dawn of X's loose ends and pits the Quiet Council against itself while Orchis ploys to wipe out mutants for good. Hickman and artist Valerio Schiti give Inferno a hot start with a masterful cliffhanger that will leave fans crying out for more.

Inferno #1 begins with the scientists aboard the Orchis Forge reflecting on the many times the X-Men infiltrated their base. As they slowly realize the secret behind Krakoa's longevity, the story flashes back to Moira MacTaggert's third life, where she came face-to-face with Destiny and was killed for her transgressions. Now in her tenth life, Moira is confronted by Magneto and Professor Xavier, who need her help taking down Orchis. However, if Moira is going to help the X-Men she'll need something in return. How will the newest member of the Quiet Council respond to Moira's demands?

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In Inferno #1, Hickman brings the journey that began in Dawn of X full-circle in the book's first pages by recreating House of X's famous opening. Furthermore, there are echoes of Powers of X, New Mutants, and X-Men throughout the issue -- showing the X-Men fighting Orchis, the Quiet Council in disarray and Moira scheming. Of these, the reappearance of Moira MacTaggert and her inevitable confrontation with Mystique seems to be the most enticing. The conflict of interest between the Quiet Council and Mystique has been a ticking time bomb in the X-Men books for years, and it now seems like Moira is about to set the fuse aflame. If the closing pages of this are anything to go by, the upcoming explosion will have catastrophic consequences for the X-Men.

Schiti recently finished off a run on S.W.O.R.D. that crowned a new mutant leader, so he's well-equipped to handle the epic scale of Inferno. The book's opening fight scene between X-Force and Orchis is filled with deadly details that immediately establish the cost of failure for the X-Men. Additionally, Schiti makes the Orchis Forge feel like a real place due to its dense panels depicting futuristic machinery, which creates an engaging visual contrast to the naturalistic beauty of Krakoa. David Curiel's colors compliment Schiti by adding a necessary layer of dread and severity to the story. Curiel controls the light and creates distinct atmospheres through his work, such as when sunshine breaks through trees on Krakoa or bio-stasis tubes glow on the Orchis Forge.

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Inferno is the culmination of years worth of storytelling, and as such, needs to be rewarding for long-time fans and new readers alike. Luckily, this aim succeeds for both parties. Though the X-Men have kept their secrets hidden from the rest of the Marvel Universe, Hickman lays out the crucial plot points from the last few years with charts throughout the book. These pages dump exposition onto the laps of readers but make the story much more accessible. In addition, the issue revisits past events from new perspectives, expanding on what has come before. Many fans will say that you have to read all of Hickman's work before you read this -- and it's helpful if you want to -- but it also works as a standalone story.

It goes without saying that Inferno is one of the hottest X-Men stories of the year. The mini-series has been heavily promoted for the past year as it plays with some of Marvel's biggest names in the Dawn of X line-up. Still, Hickman, Schiti, Curiel, and the entire creative team surpass expectations with an explosive debut issue that captures the epic scale of the X-Men. Inferno #1 is an absolute must-read for existing fans, and the excitement surrounding the quality of this series will surely spark the flames of passion in new readers. Hickman's final X-Men story is sending the writer off in a blaze of glory.

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