Devil's Reign X-Men #1 (spoilers)

[jmc247]

Good Witches and Bad Witches

Summary: We find out that Elektra had been playing the role of bad witch killer hit woman for Kingpin. In the past Emma acted as the good witch manipulator for the obese mob boss.

Kingpin sends his flunkies to the mutant's tree house. Lorna plays with US Agent. Jean makes sure everyone properly knows he is the mayor now and they have to respect his authority and have to give up the tree house rather than fight for it.

Rogue isn't happy and gets a dig in at Emma. The X-Men show up to talk to Kingpin's flunkies. Rogue castigates Rhino for not turning a new leaf after befriending Gambit. Lorna says in a way Electro doesn't understand that she doesn't mind killing her and ending up in the hole but is stopped by Jean.

Emma shows up and saves the day. She makes clear the tree house is legally protected under a UN Blue Helmets like arrangement. Kingpin stands down but comes up with a new plan.

Review:

It was strong start to the mini. It is probably easier to understand if one reads the rest of the background of Devil's Reign. It was an issue of contrasts between bad witch Elektra's way and good witch Emma's way of getting things done. One could draw some of the same parallels between Lorna and Jean in the issue.

I enjoyed Lorna's flirtatious passive aggression with US Agent. The issue is in keeping with the Jean of X-Men Red and she received her new costume. The art by in large got the job done. The issue was above all a tour de force for Emma Frost.

[Diammandis]

Had to go back and read the issue again because I really thought that Rogue was finally being written somewhat interesting by Duggan but, she wasn't being snide towards Emma tbh she was more just pointing out that if the treehouse becomes property of Fisk, it would become public property for literally everybody. It wasn't really shade towards Emma imo.

The issue was pretty good though, but I feel like the whole thing was set up and for what's to come, a lot could have been teased prior in marauders or something, given that this is a3 issue mini. I enjoyed the contrast Emma made between her work and Elektras though that was fun and it was nice to imagine them working together. Kingpins revelation towards the end was quite interesting too, I expected that he was going to reveal something sinister Emma has done but it looks like he may frame her for the murder of the child just to get her thrown in prison, which looks to be the case going off the final issues cover. Overall it was a very solid issue and I am enjoying Emma becoming more interconnected with the larger MU.

[LordUltimus]

What the hell, Jean? You have to obey Fisk's whims? I thought the whole point of Krakoa was that they don't have to abide by human rules anymore.

[Subliminally]

Had to go back and read the issue again because I really thought that Rogue was finally being written somewhat interesting by Duggan but, she wasn't being snide towards Emma tbh she was more just pointing out that if the treehouse becomes property of Fisk, it would become public property for literally everybody. It wasn't really shade towards Emma imo.

The issue was pretty good though, but I feel like the whole thing was set up and for what's to come, a lot could have been teased prior in marauders or something, given that this is a3 issue mini. I enjoyed the contrast Emma made between her work and Elektras though that was fun and it was nice to imagine them working together. Kingpins revelation towards the end was quite interesting too, I expected that he was going to reveal something sinister Emma has done but it looks like he may frame her for the murder of the child just to get her thrown in prison, which looks to be the case going off the final issues cover. Overall it was a very solid issue and I am enjoying Emma becoming more interconnected with the larger MU.

That part left me on empty in terms of hype. I mean Emma has connections with people who can literally go back in time and prove she didn't do this or hell just summon the little girl's spirit.

[Ambaryerno]

What the hell, Jean? You have to obey Fisk's whims? I thought the whole point of Krakoa was that they don't have to abide by human rules anymore.

Still better than what Duggan did to Laura. It’s not like scans of her kicking Tasky’s ass in ANW aren’t the FIRST THING THAT COMES UP if you Google “X-23 vs Taskmaster.”

[Subliminally]

Still better than what Duggan did to Laura. It’s not like scans of her kicking Tasky’s ass in ANW aren’t the FIRST THING THAT COMES UP if you Google “X-23 vs Taskmaster.”

I didn't know that was a thing. I googled and it is in fact a thing. So who has memory loss?

[carmoc1234]

i see this story playing out two ways:

A) Elektra kills the girl and Emma uses her powers to cover it up, which involves mindwiping several heroes (the ones on the next issue cover) and police officers making her an accessory in the murder, but she gets way with because of krakoa laws or something else convenient.

B) Elektra does not kill the girl and instead has Emma help make the kid a ghost in the wind, tricking fisk and making him look foolish at the end of the story. she still does all the shady mental stuff to the other heroes though and there are no most likely no repercussions (in either scenario).

i feel like B is more likely as this is written by duggan in the krakoa era and he wont make emma involved in child killing,

[BobbysWorld]

Yeah my gut assumption is this mini will end with the revelation that Elektra and Emma faked the girl's death before ever reporting back to Fisk, because they knew Fisk would demand she be killed to cover up any knowledge of his involvement, should Elektra and Emma's connection to him ever be discovered.

[justanotherclassic]

Definitely an interesting set up issue. One complaint I had is that Jean honestly felt very...passive?

[Tank]

Definitely an interesting set up issue. One complaint I had is that Jean honestly felt very...passive?

Agree she was way too passive. Someone please find Jean’s spine. Morrison’s Jean wouldnt have tolerated Fisk like current care bear Jean.

[Starchilde]

Agree she was way too passive. Someone please find Jean’s spine. Morrison’s Jean wouldnt have tolerated Fisk like current care bear Jean.

I have to agree I didn't like that she just said "well Fisk's the mayor we have to do what he says"... REALLY? why!
Cmon Jean you were the one who threatened your friends with Warren's sofa as a wepaon bc they were being too passive and didn't want to rejoin the fight for mutants back in the day >

[Harpsikord]

I don't think Jean was really being passive - I think she was trying prevent an international incident. She wasn't towing to Fisk, she makes a snide remark about him being the mayor, and she makes it clear to USAgent that she wasn't planning on letting him into the Treehouse any time soon. All of the X-Men other than Polaris were pushing for a peaceful resolution, and they got it. It has nothing to do with Jean. Also... I just don't think Jean felt that the Thunderbolts were at all a threat. If she did she would've reacted very differently. This was issue one of the mini, where only the base concept is being explored. That's clearly going to change.

As far as the conversation between the team, Jean is smart and knows how to pick her battles. Them no longer being based in New York wasn't going to change anything that the X-Men did but one of them being apprehended for illegal power usage in New York City would, or one of them doing what would for all intents and purposes be a terrorist activity if they ended up killing one of the Thunderbolts, especially so publicly. Cameras are already on the X-Men because of their current position. This team doing anything in New York is an inherently bigger deal than other heroes or teams because they were ambassadors to the US even before Emma made the treehouse into a consulate. If Walker and the T-Bolts had further pushed for a fight, Jean would've stepped up. She is a pacifist but she also embodies the concept of "**** around and find out."

Anywhere, here's a word from one of our sponsors (CBR user Mercury): There are three points that I think are getting overlooked: (1) She was being snide and sarcastic when emphasizing Kingpin’s “Mayor” title; (2) she was being shrewd and levelheaded in agreeing with Scott about the bad optics that a fight against an official of the city’s law enforcement in the middle of New York City would bring; and (3) she wasn’t being a pacifist because, ultimately, she made it clear to Frisk that “open[ing] the gate,” as he demanded she do “won’t be possible.”

[Pumpkin King]

The issue was pretty good though, but I feel like the whole thing was set up and for what's to come, a lot could have been teased prior in marauders or something.

Some of it was already teased in Marauders, with the Lourdes flashback establishing the Emma/Fisk connection.

[Fantasy Free Me]

To be honest I think Jean was right... They could've fought and completely demolish the Thunderbolts but that would've been just falling into Fisk's plan. I don't see her as acting passive but smartly.

[Del torro]

What the hell, Jean? You have to obey Fisk's whims? I thought the whole point of Krakoa was that they don't have to abide by human rules anymore.

Jean is such a wet blanket smh. Should have let Polaris rip that team a new one