Powers Of X #4
More light is shed on the relationship between Krakoa and Xavier in Powers Of X #4, by writer Jonathan Hickman, artist R.B. Silva, colorist Marte Gracia, and letterer Tom Muller. This issue also drops some interesting little tidbits that could shed light on several things that have been going on lately and ends in a rather disturbing fashion.
Back in X-Men Year One, Xavier and Magneto go and see Nathaniel Essex, Mister Sinister. After some shenanigans with the multiple iterations of the man, a deal is struck between the three of them. Although one of them won’t remember why they’re upholding it until they’re told about it. In the recent past, Xavier takes Doug Ramsey to Krakoa to begin communicating with the island creature and working with it to build something new. Doug translates a story about the island’s origin and the role a prominent X-villain played in its survival. Finally, in X-Men Year One Thousand, the mutants have a plan to survive the Phalanx and become one with them, even though the Phalanx have no need for biological beings.
After the bombast of House Of X #4, this issue slows things down a bit and serves to shine some light on a few things. There are two entire pages of Sinister Secrets. Which give cryptic clues to things happening on Krakoa in the present and that could all inform what Hickman does later in his run. There’s an infographic that breaks down how the systems that Doug designed on Krakoa work and who runs each one. Doug being the first mutant that Xavier brings to the island, makes perfect sense. Xavier may be in telepathic communication with Krakoa, but without someone who could understand its language and use his knowledge. While also designing a way to make it all work, the future Xavier envisions on the island would be for naught. Doug Ramsey has always been an underutilized character. Some people look at his translation powers as weak but forget that binary is a language. Multiple languages make up computer programming, and Doug understands them all. It’s nice to see Hickman use the character to his fullest potential.
The Krakoa origin scene is intriguing. Without going too much into it, Krakoa was once part of something much bigger. It was attacked by a mysterious enemy who was routed by a familiar face to X-fans. It’s one of those scenes that scream there’s more to this than meets the eye and is probably a set-up for something to come. It gives just enough to tell a complete origin of the living island while also being vague enough to be played with later on down the line. The Phalanx storyline in X-Men Year One Thousand is still a bit obtuse, but coming into focus. It doesn’t really fit with anything else in the book. With only one recognizable character in Nimrod and it will be interesting to see what Hickman does with it. It doesn’t really feel like it’s setting up anything for the future of his run. The Phalanx of the present would have very little use for present-day humanity’s machines. What happens next in this time is anyone’s guess and it feels a little tacked onto the rest of the events. Hickman has plans for nearly everything he does, so there’s a very good chance the pay-off to this storyline will be great. However, right now, it just feels like it’s there just to be there. That said, it’s chilling to watch Nimrod stare at the Phalanx knowing what kind of being it is and what it might see in the Phalanx.
R.B. Silva’s art is pretty great. He introduces readers to Krakoa’s face, and it’s very lovely. He and Marte Gracia work together to make the island lush and beautiful. Gracia’s coloring is just so magnificent throughout the issue. Another part where the two of them gel so very well is on the Krakoa origin scene. It’s done mostly in shades of black and red, except for the savior of the island. Who is his trademark color (telling which one would be spoiling who it is) and it’s visually striking to see him. The Phalanx design is so striking, and it’s because of Silva and Gracia’s work. It looks a bit like the old design, but there’s something about it that isn’t quite solid and it feels very liquid. The black and yellow coloration is eerie and perfect for this race of machines.
Powers Of X #4 plants a lot of seeds. Hickman, instead of picking up where the last issue of House Of X left off, tells a story that shines a light on a lot of things, while also giving hints of things yet to come. The Phalanx storyline is the only clunky part of the issue, but that’s only because it’s tough to see how it plays into present-day of mutantkind. The art by R.B. Silva and Marte Gracia is just gorgeous. The two of them work together so very well and present a lot of great imagery. This one definitely slows things down a bit, giving readers a chance to breathe after the last two issues of House Of X. Even though it sets up a lot of future stuff. It also raises some very interesting questions about the present of both books and what might be going on. It’s a great ride.
