Sins of Sinister rages on with the release of Immoral X-Men #1. Taking the place of the still ongoing Immortal X-Men for the next few months, this series continues to shed light on the deliberations of Krakoa’s Quiet Council. Ten years into a future shaped by Mister Sinister, the Quiet Council consists of mutants corrupted by the genetic manipulations of Sinister. Injected with Sinister’s own personality, Charles Xavier, Emma Frost, Hope Summer, and Exodus have grown independent of Sinister, and have their own plans for the world. Immoral X-Men #1, written by Kieron Gillen with art by Paco Medina, inks by Walden Wong and Victor Olazaba, colors by Jay David Ramos and Chris Sotomayor, letters by VC’s Clayton Cowles, and design by Jay Bowen, showcases the cracks that have formed in Sinister’s twisted future.
With the world firmly under their control, the Quiet Council works to keep it that way, while some of its members simultaneously turn their attention toward dominion of the cosmos. The four original Sinister-infected X-Men, Hope, Emma, Xavier, and Exodus, have splintered off. They see the larger galaxy as an impending, cataclysmic threat. Preparations must be made now if they are to survive the inevitable onslaught from galactic powers in the Marvel Universe. Sinister, however, is just supremely frustrated that his clones aren’t following his every order blindly anymore.
Gillen continues to innately understand every character he writes. This issue is easily the most comedic of the Sins of Sinister stories so far, as Gillen leans into the absurdity of an entire Quiet Council led by varying clones of Sinister. It’s funny, fascinating, and distressing seeing Sinister versions of these iconic characters. They maintain their core personality traits — Xavier is obsessed with his dream, for instance — but their actions are amplified to a level that comes with being Sinister. This issue features plenty of scheming, as the various versions of Sinister try to get the upper hand on each other. The main Sinister remains angered by the mysterious disappearance of his secret lab containing his Moira machine and just wishes he could reset the timeline again. Emma is a standout addition in this issue, readers can feel how in control she is, and it’s thrilling to read.
The art is consistent throughout. Upon initial inspection, it’s difficult to notice there are multiple artists working on this issue, a testament to how well their artistic styles blend together. Having multiple artists telling one story can run the risk of incongruity, but both Medina and Wong put in excellent work that maintains visual consistency. Most of the issue is expository, but each artist makes pages exciting with animated expressions. Action, when it does pop up, is swift and decisive.
Both the inks and colors work together to bring the artwork to life. Shadows are heavy in some areas, contrasting brilliantly with the highlights of blue or silver in those same scenes. The lighting sets the mood in any particular scene, and the difference between the sunlit grounds of Krakoa and the musty interior of one of Sinister’s labs is striking. Cowles’s lettering is routinely excellent. One of the best in the industry, he lays out speech bubbles in even, compelling ways and utilizes sound effects for moments of comedy and drama perfectly.
As with every Krakoan-era X-Men title, there are data pages sprinkled throughout. The design work from Bowen takes center stage here, maintaining a visual language consistent with everything that’s come before, but uniquely twisted to reflect the aesthetic of Sinister. This issue is more subtle with its action than previous issues from this event, but just as pivotal in its content. There are plot threads established that will surely have major ramifications for the event once it reaches the one-hundred and one-thousand-year marks. With Immoral X-Men #1, Gillen and the rest of the creative team deliver an absurdly enjoyable entry in Sins of Sinister.
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