Storm Faces Numerous Trials to Help Erik in “Resurrection of Magneto” Issue 1 – Review

Writer Al Ewing and artist Luciano Vecchio deliver an incredibly layered look at Storm’s journey through the afterlife to help the Master of Magnetism in the Resurrection of Magneto issue 1.

I have to start by saying that Resurrection of Magneto issue 1 exceeded all expectations for me. I knew Ewing was getting ready to offer something fun to the Storm fandom but this… this was incredible! I can’t wait to see what the remaining three issues in this miniseries have in store and how the narrative will change Storm and Magento as the X-Men franchise is ushered into a new age after the ‘Fall of the House of X’.

The issue opened with Storm having a nightmare about Magneto needing help. Ororo didn’t waste any time reaching out to Blue Marvel (Adam Bernard Brashear) to access a gate to the Waiting Room. For those who might not know, the Waiting Room happens to be a plane of existence created by the Scarlet Witch. It’s a place where mutants are supposed to wait after dying. Wanda created it to allow mutants (who died before Cerebro could create a backup of them) to be brought back via the Resurrection Protocols that were introduced during the Krakoan era.

I liked Ewing’s take on the Waiting Room. There was never any guarantee that the souls of dead mutants would wait around in such a place forever. Instead, Storm learned that they were given the opportunity to select a path. From my understanding, one of the paths included embracing death, and apparently, many took it.

If you think about it, not every deceased mutant would want to come back to life, right? Some might want to experience some kind of an end. Having said that, we’re talking about comic books, so such decisions can be changed depending on how a writer wants a particular story to go.

Tarn being the one to greet Storm inside the Waiting Room was an interesting choice. Even though he acknowledged Ororo’s potential as an Omega-level mutant Goddess, wanting a rematch because of his ego was such a Tarn thing to do. Vecchio and color artist David Curiel knocked it right out of the park with the visuals as Tarn transformed into a gigantic mutated monster.

The stunning visuals continued as the story shared Storm’s journey through a handful of trials and what Magneto had to deal with. The panel with Magneto being analyzed by the Phalanx Dominion was wonderful!

Talking about the Phalanx Dominion, when I tell you I screamed seeing how Ororo chose to interact with them. The Phalanx Dominion outright described Ororo as, “You are of greater interest. Worthy. Useful. Consumable.” And not only that, but Ororo was able to hurt the Phalanx Dominion even if said level of pain was comparable to a sharp sting. I don’t think certain fans grasp just how much of a feat that was.

Along with showcasing Storm’s immense power, the issue also took time to dive into certain relationships. I liked how Ewing brought back older comic book panels featuring Storm and Magneto to assist readers in understanding why Ororo was willing to undergo such a dangerous journey. The two Omega-level characters have gone through a lot over the decades of storytelling in Marvel Comics which has led them to a place of sharing a mutual sense of respect for each other.

The chapter also confirmed Ororo’s romantic relationship with Craig of NASA. Apparently, Ororo enjoyed being with Craig because with him she didn’t have to worry about being a leader, superhero, etc. Craig being human allowed Ororo to let her guard down. She even likened being in his presence to “My rooftop in Japan”, a callback to Ororo’s time with Yukio.

Look at Ewing giving “Storm is queer” fan theories new content in 2024. Ha!

The third relationship was between Ororo and her ancestor Ashake. Fans have been waiting for years for Marvel Comics to allow a writer to explore more of Ororo’s magical ancestry and Ewing came through. Ashake served as a guide to Ororo as well as the readers.

According to Ashake, the Waiting Room was made of magic and that meant that symbols held power. Ororo, as a symbol, was the avatar of life. There was a reason behind her being allowed to operate in such a manner in a non-physical realm. Ororo’s faith in symbolism was also a reason she was able to hurt the Phalanx Dominion. The narrative included a bunch of tarot card-related symbolism. And I’m sure there was more going on that readers more familiar with tarot card reading and certain belief systems would be able to point out. 

As for Storm’s relationship with herself, she again asked who she was. We know that Storm’s a mutant, Goddess, Queen, and more. We have been through that. However, in my opinion, Ewing’s a skilled enough writer to make me care about such a theme being mentioned again. I want to see more of how Ewing perceives Storm.

According to this particular issue, Ororo understandably felt a whole lot of emotions after learning about the fall of Krakoa. She was busy with Genesis during the events of X-Men Red. Even after the unfortunate incident that took place during the Hellfire Gala, Ororo couldn’t offer much help as her fellow mutants continued to fight against Orchis.

With Ororo reaching out to bring Erik back to the world of living, I can’t wait to see the duo come in at the last moment to lend a hand to the X-Men team operating on Earth and put an end to Orchis. There’s a reason Orchis kept Storm occupied via the Genesis War on Arakko. With the dust settled, Storm’s counterattack should be glorious.

All in all, I don’t think I have enough words to describe just how appreciative I am of Ewing giving the Storm fandom such a story. Even though the Resurrection of Magneto is only a 4-issue miniseries, I can tell it’s going to provide readers with a well-written exploration of Storm as well as Magneto as they are put through difficult trials to judge who they are as characters.

The solicitations for what’s to come in the X-Men side of comic books have already revealed that Magneto will indeed return from the dead. However, I trust Ewing to make the journey toward such a return special.

What did you think of the Resurrection of Magneto issue 1?

Let us know.

Author: Farid-ul-Haq

Farid has a Double Masters in Psychology and Biotechnology as well as an M.Phil in Molecular Genetics. He is the author of numerous books including Missing in Somerville, and The Game Master of Somerville. He gives us insight into comics, books, TV shows, anime/manga, video games, and movies.

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