Hellions #12
The Hellions crash the Hellfire Gala in Hellions #12, by writer Zeb Wells, artist Stephen Segovia, colorist David Curiel, and letterer Ariana Maher. Hellions is always a madcap good time, and what's more fun than a bunch of psychopaths crashing a ritzy party? This issue answers that question expertly.
Sinister, Havok, and Psylocke are invited to the Hellfire Gala and leave the rest of the team to train. The three mingle, with Havok trying to get "clarification" on why they won't resurrect Madelyne Pryor. The rest of Hellions, though, decide to crash the party, and shenanigans ensue, eventually resulting in a brawl as Wild Child tries to attack Daken for dating his ex-girlfriend Aurora, one that Greycrow tries to stop but pulls the rest of the team into it. Magneto has Magik remove them, and they watch the fireworks go off just as an unlikely return happens.
Wells captures exactly what happens when a bunch of people with issues go to a fancy party with an open bar. There's a lot of genuine good character development before things get really crazy. Havok's obsessions with Madelyne Pryor's resurrection is one of them. Havok's relationship with Madelyne has always been interesting, and it's been a bone of contention for him since this book's first story arc. However, it's still a weird thing for Havok to fixate on- in the end, she always tortures him. Havok's mental issues are one of this book's great unresolved plot lines, and this is yet another example of them- his desire for a woman who hurts him. Elsewhere in the issue, Kwannon and Greycrow continue their courtship, and Greycrow proves just what kind of person he is- someone who is always ready to fix the problems of the few people who he cares about.
The most entertaining part of this issue, of course, is the shenanigans. From Nanny following Sinister around, drinking too much, and mocking him to Orphan Maker begging to drink to Wild Child doing his alpha male thing with Aurora and Daken, starting the whole brawl, this issue is just a lot of fun. The Hellfire Gala has a lot of storytelling potential. This issue shows one of the interesting things that can be done with it- what happens when the last people anyone would want at the party do exactly what everyone thought they would. There's nothing revolutionary about this issue- it's just a lot of fun, full of great little moments that make for a good read. Plus, the cliffhanger ending promises to keep this book interesting in the months to come.
Segovia's art does a fantastic job of getting the jokes across and selling all the emotional action. One of the best scenes is when Havok watches Magik get rid of his team- there's the shock of the moment, and then, when Polaris asks if they should do something, Havok turns away and takes a drink. It's a wonderful little scene, and Segovia's art gets it all across, just like he does with the rest of the jokes in the issue.
Hellions #12 is a fun comic. The Hellfire Gala isn't a traditional multi-part story, so there's a certain amount of wheel-spinning that has to go on, and this issue does it entertainingly. Wells and Segovia do a fine job with this one, fitting in character development, a lot of great moments, and an ending that bodes well for the future.