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A.X.E.: Death to the Mutants #1
- Writer:
- Kieron Gillen
- Artist:
- Guiu Vilanova
- Letterer:
- Travis Lanham
- Cover Artist:
- Esad Ribic
- Publisher:
- Marvel
- Price:
- 3.99
- Release Date:
- 2022-08-17
- Colorist:
- Dijjo Lima
The war between the Eternals and the X-Men has reached a tipping point, with the shockwaves of the conflict having far-reaching consequences on the human world. To cement himself as the Prime Eternal, the otherwise crafty and cunning Druig enlists the help of Uranos the Undying to rout out all mutant life deemed by him as excess deviation. Now, Ikaris and the splinter group of Eternals opposing Druig need to act fast or risk losing innocent lives, a mission the Eternals have dedicated themselves to for eternity. Written by Kieron Gillen with art by Guiu Vilanova and Dijjo Lima and lettering by VC's Travis Lanham, A.X.E.: Death to the Mutants #1 from Marvel Comics gives the Eternals in exile a chance to end this bloodbath once and for all.
A.X.E.: Death to the Mutants #1 begins with a small recap of the fomenting situation. After being abducted on suspicion of being on the wrong side of the war, Sersi leaves the Avengers base for Lemuria, learning about Ajak and Makkari's bold plans on the way. The priests want to make a new Celestial, a just God, unlike the one they had before. As Phastos goes off to help in the creation of the being's body, the other Eternals, namely Ikaris, Sersi, Thena, Kingo, and Sprite, dive into a pit to gather evidence of Progenitor's wrath upon the Deviants. Armed with all the knowledge they need, the Eternals launch a sneak attack on Olympia with a distracted Druig keeping track of the ongoing tides of war.
A.X.E.: Death to the Mutants #1 takes place sometime during the events of A.X.E.: Judgment Day #2, running behind the scenes as the war rages on Krakoa. The issue, at first, familiarizes readers with the grave circumstances weighing down upon the Eternals in exile and uses the meandering pace to account for every character on the board. Once the game gets going, the story gallops from one plot point to another without holding back. As usual, The Machine's witty quips are a source of amusement throughout the script, with the narration making detailed observations of all the plots and schemes that are otherwise not exposed through dialogue. Writer Kieron Gillen keeps the issue enthralling till the last, taking a few twists and turns along the way that accelerates the narrative towards the main storyline. The book goes a bit further, however, giving the Eternals in exile a chance to voice their dissent.
Guiu Vilanova's lines are rough and rugged around the corners, with heavy inkwork creating encroaching shadows that follow the characters like gum on a shoe. From the deep, dark craters outside Lemuria to the long corridors of Olympia, the reason the inks imprint on the atmosphere so well is because of the late Dijjo Lima's propensity for lightening the panels in bright color schemes and glowing lights. The duo paints the jolting action with animated energy, framing the sequences in a wide variety of shots, each from a different angle. While the big moments seem to have been crafted with great care, the faces, on the other hand, look jarring at times due to the limited range of expressions.
A.X.E.: Death to the Mutants #1 is, for all intents and purposes, a filler one-shot, showing a different facet to the crossover event that the main title cannot fit into its schedule. Contrary to the flashy style in which the Eternals operate, this issue features a more stealth-like approach, which pays dividends by the end. Although how much it affects the outcome is yet to be seen, the story nevertheless deepens the Eternals' civil disharmony and exposes the incompetence of Druig for all to see. Despite the well-paced narrative, A.X.E.: Death to the Mutants #1 is not without its cons, trying to tie multiple plot points together. In the end, the Eternals in exile picking a side looks to be the book's only goal.