A special one-shot, released for the Age of Revelation event, World of Revelation #1, is comprised of three short stories written by three creative teams. The result is one of the most intriguing books in the event so far.
“The Message” is the first of the three short stories, written and drawn by Al Ewing and Agustin Alessio. It depicts the story of a Messenger who travels through Arakko to deliver a vital Message from Bei Blood-Moon to Apocalypse himself. It is a continuation of Bei’s story in Age of Revelation Overture #1. Here, the unique art is so unlike anything else published by Marvel over the last few years that it is transfixing and engaging.
The majority of the story is presented in a picture-book style, with images that depict the events described in the text. Al Ewing’s knowledge and love of Arakko, the mutant civilization on Mars, is apparent. Deep references are made to those who enjoyed X-Men Red, Ewing’s book during Krakoa, and for those who enjoy continuity and story lore, this one is for you. Alessio’s art evokes the cover art of science-fiction books from the ’70s and ’80s; unique, realistic in a sense, yet still fantastical and distinctive. It’s a wonderful visual experience, and the rich world-building pays off with a spectacular ending, as the Messenger is revealed to be someone we know very, very well.
“Never Let Me Go” is the second short story, written by Steve Foxe, and drawn and coloured by Jesus Merino and Will Quintana, respectively. It tells the tragic fate of the Young Avengers in the Age of Revelation, and shows the terrifying, dehumanizing power of Revelation that he can bring to wield against his enemies. Wiccan and Hulkling lose their fellow Young Avengers and take the fight to Revelation, only for Wiccan to be “Babelled,” a process that removes the power of communication of all forms from a victim. Hulkling spends the rest of the story futilely attempting to reverse this, to bring his husband back.
It’s a tragic story, but a romantic one too, one that shows the depth of commitment between these two characters. Foxe is able to portray that effectively through his writing, but the art, by comics veteran Jesus Merino, may not be the best for this story. While Merino is a good, seasoned artist in his own right, the traditional superhero art used for this short story contrasts quite jarringly with the other two artists on this issue, and doesn’t feel like an effective fit for the tragic romance story Foxe is putting to the page. Still, the story is a memorable one, not only for its sadness but also for its contribution to the world of Revelation.
“Epoch of Revelation” is the final story of the issue, written by Ryan North and drawn by Adam Szalowski and coloured by Cris Peter. It tells the story of the tragic fate of the Fantastic Four in the Age of Revelation. Following Franklin Richards, who has been mutated by the X-Virus but stripped of his reality-warping powers, Franklin must survive alone in a world that killed his family and made itself inhospitable for human life. He focuses his attention on a project, a collection of knowledge to help future generations when the world recovers from the X-Virus and all the violence of the Age of Revelation. He stores this knowledge with H.E.R.B.I.E. and ventures out each month to collect more.
Ryan North is a skilled, intelligent writer, and in just a few short pages, he crafts one of the most heartbreaking and devastating stories in the entire X-Men line this whole year. Szalowski’s art is unique, reminiscent of the style found in some webcomics and horror comics, and it complements the story told here very well.
World of Revelation features three distinct stories, each one contributing to the somber, bitter world the X-Men and the Marvel universe find themselves in. It’s a collection of works that features three writers putting out some of their finest X-Men work so far, enhanced in the case of the first and last stories by the exceptional work of the artists. While not all the stories are equal in quality, each of them leaves an impact and is memorable in its own way.
‘World of Revelation’ #1 Review: The X-Men, Young Avengers & Fantastic Four’s Tragic Fate
World of Revelation features three distinct stories, each one contributing to the somber, bitter world the X-Men and the Marvel universe find themselves in. While not all the stories are equal in quality, each of them leaves an impact and is memorable in its own way.
