X-Men #16

Krakoa and Arrako try to reach common ground in X-Men #16, by writer Jonathan Hickman, artist Phil Noto, and letterer Clayton Cowles. In the aftermath of X Of Swords, the Quiet Council attempts to get things back to normal, but there are a lot of changes to deal with and some obstacles that might be impossible.

Cyclops, Prestige, and Cable watch as Arrako appears. As they await the two islands' joining, Krakoa and Arrako recoil from each other. Cypher and Krakoa go to have a meeting with Arrako, and afterward, Cypher reports to the Quiet Council that the two islands are so different that reconciliation may be impossible. Xavier and Magneto go to Arrako and meet up with Isca, giving her a Krakoan gateway plant so Arrakoan mutants can come to Krakoa. She informs them of the differences between the two islands- Arrako is a place where the powerful have power and don't respect niceties. Later, Xavier and Magneto ask Marvel Girl and Cyclops to join the Quiet Council, but they refuse so they can focus on the X-Men. Xavier asks who will be on the team, and Cyclops decides to let the people of Krakoa vote on who should be on the team.

This issue deals with the fallout of X Of Swords, and… there's not really much else that can be said about it. Honestly, it just kind of feels like it's wheel spinning, which is a problem that Hickman's X-Men in particular but most of Dawn Of X has been suffering from. There's nothing with set-up, and Hickman is writing things very well but so far, very little has happened of any importance since House Of X/Powers Of X. The closest thing to anything important was the Mystique issue. Other than that, most of the plot points just haven't mattered. While the single-issue story structure of most issues of the book have been novel, and there have been some good stories, it's all empty.

This issue is a perfect example. It feels like it's setting up something, but nothing really happens. Krakoa and Arrako have been sundered for millennia and have nothing in common, so it makes sense they wouldn't join back up immediately. Will this be important in the future? Probably. Is it hard to guess that the Arrakoans would be a warlike people that only respected power? No. Could this have been layered over a few issues while more interesting things happened? Yes. In fact, the only thing that feels important about this issue is the reveal about the upcoming X-Men election. Other than that, this is a well-written issue, but it feels empty.

Phil Noto's art is beautiful. He really captures the lush Krakoan landscape, and his figure work and character acting are top-notch. He uses colors to contrast the difference between Krakoa and Arrako- Krakoa is green and vibrant while Arrako is orange, like autumn leaves. It's a subtle bit of visual storytelling that works very well.

X-Men #16 is a well-written comic, but it doesn't feel like anything important. It's a problem this book has been having for a long time. Hickman is a great writer, and there's nothing really wrong with this issue and how it's written. It just doesn't feel like anything special. Noto's art is the issue's saving grace, but even then, there's just something empty about the whole affair. It's just setting things up. The wheels are spinning, but the car isn't going anywhere.

Grade: C-