dark WEB: X-men #1 *spoilers* REVIEW

[PolarIceFire]

"The holidays are magic, and that's bad news this year."

-- J. JONAH JAMESON

We open with the preview pages, wherein Magik's giving a truncated version of her history in Limbo, all the way up to now when she transferred rulership to Maddie. Then it's Manhattan and their holiday outing, and the shit's about to hit the fan. Cyke mentions the magical organ playing, Jean's sensing city-wide disturbances, and 'Yana's like uh-oh, please don't let this be a major F-up on my part. She does of course try to "mask" her worry with her signature swagger, but you can tell she's probably trying to convince herself as much as anybody else. Sure enough, next it's pure chaos in Central Park, as inanimate objects become something akin to nightmarish children's toys and literal demons from Limbo descend upon the denizens of NYC for a midnight snack - it's TERROR in the streets! 'Yana takes this opportunity to mention the contract that prevents anything Krakoa related, like The Treehouse, from the horror that surrounds them. (OMG, this girl, she gets us into so much trouble!)

*credits pg.*

Forge stands tall in spite of the absurdity of the situation (doesn't he have a bit of a magical background?) as he prepares to take on a teeth-gnashing, man-eating scooter, using the titles of Village People songs as taunts. He dispatches it with a new gun he quickly whipped up, full of fast-acting flora that pretty much immobilizes these surreal, 'Maximum Overdrive' monsters instantaneously. The vicious little scooter's a whiner not surprisingly and starts crying about how they were just hungry and wanted to eat people, what's wrong with that, lol? (Ya can't make this stuff up, it's just nuts!)

Malevolent mannequins ready to devour and who knows what else got a group of bystanders cornered, but Forge gets 'em good with his li'l flower pistol. THE ART on this page is BEAUTIFUL, and our man Jonathon Silvercloud has never looked SO SEXY, that I can remember. He's not just HOT, he's oh-so PRETTY! I am truly WOWED by Reis' art here, even more than I already was with his work in New Mutants. Forge contacts Synch and together they figure out the T-house is off-limits and that can maybe be used to their advantage.

ICEMAN's on the scene (who's spikey do made me think of Jack Frost), along with Cyclops, Jean, and Magik, as they battle the funhouse baddies surrounding them. Jean, Scott, and 'Yana decide they must go to Limbo to confront Maddie, while Bobby and Angelica will stay behind to protect The Big Apple. Jean says they'll grab Havok, who's fighting angry shopping carts down the street. (I saw Jwat's mention of this in their post earlier before I signed off and immediately thought of myself at Wally World, AKA Walmart - HATE that hole!)

Jack & Jill, the demonic jackhammers, die professing their love for each other as Firestar cremates them. A hideous horned and winged fiend divebombs Bobby, who then thinks that's the one he and Angie should follow. This damn thing proceeds to the top of CP's giant Xmas tree, and then (can't believe I'm saying this) drops a deuce (craps some scat) down into it, apparently infecting it with dark magic. Needless to say, but it "comes to life" frothing at the mouth, uttering profanities, and licking its chops as it's ready to (VISUAL) FEAST, in what's the most messed-up but hilarious scene yet. Both Wells and Duggan aren't right, there's something wrong with them, but in the best way. It moves to gobble up the local rink's ice-skaters like so much candy, but Bobby (ART) says not today, my pinecone kaiju. He directs Firestar to LIGHT IT UP, which she indeed does, sorta regrettably. Then it's...

THWIPP!...

it's SPIDEY!! Again, the ART, I just can't get over it - it's INCREDIBLE! They have some banter and Peter makes a small 😬 comment, but I forgive him, he's a li'l out of sorts these days (I think). Pause for brief horny moment, as Iceman slides some innuendo Petey's way, telling him that he likes how the webslinger... SWINGS! Thatta boy, Bobby, try and get yourself some of that world famous, Parker poon. Bobby & Spidey go to town (not on each other, unfortunately), and in the process, discover they're both going through their own, separate (but together) clone sagas at the same time (while recalling the last one). Once more, art is stunning, can't say it enough. At the end of this sequence, we see that X-Men Monday preview panel of the three of them, and Humpty Dumpty, broken Bobby.

To LIMBO, and the gang's all here, including (FINALLY!) Alex (AKA Havok, the BODY) Summers. Magik has teleported them a ways away from Maddie's place, in hopes of not tipping her off, but the Goblin Queen says, lol... I DON'T THINK SO, bitches! She sends a huge boulder hurling towards them, at which point the Summers bros have a brief bonding moment over having rocks thrown at them (meta?). Jean flexes and grabs a hold of it with her TK, then quickly determines it's a distraction while sensing another strange presence in their immediate area, but it's too late. Magik yells "NO, SLEEP DEMONS", as tiny fairy-like creatures flit around them, sending them into a slumber in no time flat. (The fairies are proud of themselves, the li'l bastards.)

Back in NYC, the naughty tree is still running amuck and having a field day, as it's about to eat a puppy. The Amazing Friends coordinate to save the doggie and roast this carnivorous conifer once and for all. As they do, it starts barfing up a bunch of black goo - GROSS! As it dies burning from Firestar's flame and lamenting mankind's evilness, Angelica gets one of the best LOL moments & most perfect panels so far, as she remembers her Dad's upcoming visit to see the tree. It's an absolute keeper and a true DELIGHT, which has singlehandedly endeared me to her character more than anything else up to this point. Firemen tell them to stop helping 'cause they're only making things worse, which is when Iceman decides to wrap it up in a flash-freeze, frozen block. The AF realizes this is all probably not gonna go down too well and they're right, as the crowd starts booing them. Bobby's the first to get indignant, naturally, while that damn Spider-Man makes a crack about their KEEBLER Treehouse - how dare he make fun of us! He then says the three of them together as a team sucks, lol... THIS GUY!! That's when Normie O. contacts him and he's gotta go, but not before warning them to never get cloned. I am just... LOVING THIS, SO MUCH!!!!...

[But am gonna break for a brief intermission. Just gotta PM prompt from Jbenito... and am hungry, stomach's growling. Sorry it's taken/taking so long, but got a late start, and am just so immersed... ABSORBED, in it. Will edit in the rest/what comes after this point ASAP, won't be too long, promise to hurry.

OK, nibbled a bit to get rid of the grumblies, closed all the curtains, checked the pellet stove, went to the loo, and I'm... BACK!]

Finale(?) EDIT: LIMBO... we're now at the Goblin Queen's decidedly GOTHIC, castle abode. Maddie has Jean and Illyana trapped in some sort of powerful, suspended animation-like magic spell. Meanwhile, the Summers Brothers are being held as captives in one of her sky... DUNGEONS!! Scott's pissed that Maddie's apparently went off the deep end again, after "feeling sorry" for her, while Alex is like... no, you don't get it, but I do. Here, Havok begins what seems like a confessional, of how he empathizes with her and all that she's been through. But not before Cyke disapprovingly notices his attire, as Alex was dressed in his ripped 'n' torn, Goblin Prince rags, while out. He tells Scott to stop trying to avoid the issues between them, and with Maddie, so they can finally reconcile their differences and difficult pasts. Havok's determined but Cyclops wants no part of it, not now and probably not ever. That's his thing, pretend like it's not there and maybe just maybe... it'll go away. SUDDENLY, and sadly, before they can go any further... the GOBLIN QUEEN ARRIVES, and as Scott demands they be released, she mocks and belittles them. Then, she angrily and PAINFULLY just... incapacitates them. They're left in chains, and lying on the floor, as she declares...

[PolarIceFire]

[JB]

Fantastic recap! I'm laughing all over again. I don't know if it was because it was early in the morning and I was still half asleep delirious, but I laughed so hard at the sleep demon scene. This panel produced laugh tears with how cute and comfy they look:



The demons with their little pillow/bed sheet capes, and the one with the animal slippers. I feel like I should edit my X-Books Awards entries for funniest moments.

This was a lot of fun but then I like how serious the tone instantly became at the end. I'm glad the Summers brothers are already encountering Maddie, rather than it happening in a later issue.

[Mercury]

Jean taking charge, catching a mountain, and gifting Magik with “a lovely bit of asteroid [she] plucked from high orbit around our planet...while saving the world when the Eternals attacked”... (I love Firestar’s gift to Synch and Synch’s gift to Jean, too. I really do love the strength and decisiveness with which Duggan imbues Jean.

Mama served.

[Mutant_Lover]

2D00E77E-1AA2-41F3-BF83-A59BC580FE86.jpg

The shot we’ve been waiting for

[PolarIceFire]

Fantastic recap! I'm laughing all over again. I don't know if it was because it was early in the morning and I was still half asleep delirious, but I laughed so hard at the sleep demon scene. This panel produced laugh tears with how cute and comfy they look:

... The demons with their little pillow/bed sheet capes, and the one with the animal slippers. I feel like I should edit my X-Books Awards entries for funniest moments.

This was a lot of fun but then I like how serious the tone instantly became at the end. I'm glad the Summers brothers are already encountering Maddie, rather than it happening in a later issue.

Aw, man, thanX so much. Same, the enjoyment I got from this was on a whole nother level, like off the charts. The tone, the pacing, the balance of character usage, it was all there. I wouldn't change one, damn thing, at all. And if I didn't mention the art enough, I'll do it again, 'cause this is the best I've ever seen from Reis. After this, he's right up there w/Larraz, Dauterman, Schiti, Werneck, Caselli, etc. In fact, for me, he's leapfrogged a few and cozied up right next to Pepe & Russ. And you're on the money with the comedic jokes & laughs, but it was also an adventurous thrill ride at the same time, which is a mighty fine line to walk.

As for those little imps, the Sleep Demons, the one with the slippers got me, too. When I noticed it, I had to look closer and was like, what in the... OMG, that's some funny shit, right there. I couldn't hate on 'em after that, they were just too cute. Especially w/their high five(s) at the end, for a job well done. I wanna see them again, and hope we do.

Speaking of endings, yes, the shift to a more 'dark', grim, and serious moodiness for the finale was the chef's kiss. I LOVED this moment between Alex & Scott and am praying we get more just like it. Everything to do with The Amazing Friends was pure magnificence, as well. I don't care what Spidey says, they were a freakin' riot together.

I can't stop, and won't stop, RAVING ABOUT THIS... for a long time to come. As I told you in our PM exchanges, I think this has likely eclipsed Duggs' HfG special now, as my single, favorite issue of the year. During my break while reading/reviewing, my first thought was how soon will I be able to get this in a collected, graphic novel format (both soft & hard, probably), so I can read it all together over & over, and over & over, again. 'Til I can recite every line and have photographically memorized every panel, would be the goal. OH, and an ANIMATED version, too. With Wells/Kubert & Duggs/Reis totally involved in the creative process(es) of it. That would be a must, their hands would hafta be all over it, just like with the comics. GOD, I feel like so... ELECTRIFIED, by it, I don't know how else to put it. It's like I'm just... walkin' on air, now. What a great buzz I got from this, I just can't get over it.

Gotta go get somethin' real to eat now, tho, those snacks weren't enough. BUT... I'll be back!

[PolarIceFire]

But not before commenting on...

2D00E77E-1AA2-41F3-BF83-A59BC580FE86.jpg

The shot we’ve been waiting for

THIS! Damn, the tongue bath I'd give him!!

[JB]

2D00E77E-1AA2-41F3-BF83-A59BC580FE86.jpg

The shot we’ve been waiting for

I truly wondered if we would see the epic costume again and Duggan and Reis delivered. I love Alex's expression.

PolarIceFire, your energy is contagious. Thank you for that! I really enjoyed this too, a perfect mix of light and dark. The confrontation between Maddie and Scott and Alex was teed up so well and then we still have the confrontations between her, Jean, and Magik. Again, I'm glad we're going right into it with the group of them. No time to wait!

I'm looking forward to seeing more of Forge, Iceman, and Firestar in action. And Synch can start taking innocents into the Treehouse to protect them. 2 more weeks until the next issue!

[Mercury]

Aw, man, thanX so much. Same, the enjoyment I got from this was on a whole nother level, like off the charts. The tone, the pacing, the balance of character usage, it was all there. I wouldn't change one, damn thing, at all. And if I didn't mention the art enough, I'll do it again, 'cause this is the best I've ever seen from Reis. After this, he's right up there w/Larraz, Dauterman, Schiti, Werneck, Caselli, etc. In fact, for me, he's leapfrogged a few and cozied up right next to Pepe & Russ. And you're on the money with the comedic jokes & laughs, but it was also an adventurous thrill ride at the same time, which is a mighty fine line to walk.

As for those little imps, the Sleep Demons, the one with the slippers got me, too. When I noticed it, I had to look closer and was like, what in the... OMG, that's some funny shit, right there. I couldn't hate on 'em after that, they were just too cute. Especially w/their high five(s) at the end, for a job well done. I wanna see them again, and hope we do.

Speaking of endings, yes, the shift to a more 'dark', grim, and serious moodiness for the finale was the chef's kiss. I LOVED this moment between Alex & Scott and am praying we get more just like it. Everything to do with The Amazing Friends was pure magnificence, as well. I don't care what Spidey says, they were a freakin' riot together.

I can't stop, and won't stop, RAVING ABOUT THIS... for a long time to come. As I told you in our PM exchanges, I think this has likely eclipsed Duggs' HfG special now, as my single, favorite issue of the year. During my break while reading/reviewing, my first thought was how soon will I be able to get this in a collected, graphic novel format (both soft & hard, probably), so I can read it all together over & over, and over & over, again. 'Til I can recite every line and have photographically memorized every panel, would be the goal. OH, and an ANIMATED version, too. With Wells/Kubert & Duggs/Reis totally involved in the creative process(es) of it. That would be a must, their hands would hafta be all over it, just like with the comics. GOD, I feel like so... ELECTRIFIED, by it, I don't know how else to put it. It's like I'm just... walkin' on air, now. What a great buzz I got from this, I just can't get over it.

Gotta go get somethin' real to eat now, tho, those snacks weren't enough. BUT... I'll be back!

I love that you loved it. I did too. It doesn't top the HfG issue for me--toi much Jean goodness in that--but this was wonderful. Also, as I noted in Jean’s thread...

Scott can be so adorable sometimes. He knows where his home and heart are. 🥹

[Havok83]

Dark Web was so good today!

How amazing that Reis did the art? The limbo demons felt very reminiscent of Blevins art ont he original Inferno with a coat of Sienkiewicz

Duggan has REALLY come into his own as X-men writer. Year 2 has been amazing so far.

[Rift]

This was so, so much fun. I especially loved the monsters and all their one-liners. I'd love to see Duggan bring some of this energy onto the main book.

[JB]

Dark Web was so good today!

How amazing that Reis did the art? The limbo demons felt very reminiscent of Blevins art ont he original Inferno with a coat of Sienkiewicz

Duggan has REALLY come into his own as X-men writer. Year 2 has been amazing so far.

Agreed on all fronts. I was skeptical about year 2 but I've enjoyed it way more than I thought I would.

[jwatson]

Agreed on all fronts. I was skeptical about year 2 but I've enjoyed it way more than I thought I would.

He is definitely getting there but i have not enjoyed year two as much as year one because i feel i felt 5 issues detaching from the cast of year one. I didn't realize the gala would be so brutal in real time but posters like Grunty did warn. lol. But it's more me than the actual story.

[PolarIceFire]

It seems we're not alone in our HYPE & PRAISE for this, as these early reviews echoing pretty much the eXact same energy demonstrate:
https://comicbookroundup.com/comic-b...rk-web-x-men/1

10 ComicBook.com - Matthew Aguilar
Dec 14, 2022

If the goal was to get me invested in "Dark Web," mission accomplished, and if the mission was to deliver one of my fave Marvel team-ups of the year? Well, looks like they knocked that out of the park too. Read Full Review

9.0 AIPT - David Brooke
Dec 14, 2022

If you want action and great callbacks to X-Men elements, Dark Web: X-Men #1 is a full-on blast. It leans into the wacky fun of demons assuming control of inanimate objects, features many superhero fight scene action, and promises significant revelations for key characters like Havok and Cyclops. As far as tie-in comics go, this issue is even better than the series launch! Read Full Review

9.0 Comic Watch - Dustin Gebel
Dec 14, 2022

Dark Web: X-Men #1 is by far the best issue of the crossover so far thanks to its tight, economic storytelling paired with a grounding in well-cultivated continuity and character growth. Duggans script benefits from the splitting of the X-Men, allowing for Magik and Havok to play vital roles in the Goblin Queen's arc while Iceman and Firestar can reunite with Spider-Man for a solid action sequence. Reiss art and colors are perfectly matched for this crossover and its various elements, thanks to his work on New Mutants, illustrating demon-infused objects with the same care as the handling of Madelyne Pryors betrayal. This is a tie-in that is a must-read for both X-Men and Dark Web readers, reveling in the collaborative nature of serialized, shared-universe comics. Read Full Review

[MythicalChicken]

It seems we're not alone in our HYPE & PRAISE for this, as these early reviews echoing pretty much the eXact same energy demonstrate:
https://comicbookroundup.com/comic-b...rk-web-x-men/1

It was fun and i was also heartened that both alex and scott are just witnesses to what Maddy wants, and not necessarily what Maddy wants. That may not bode well for jean and illyana but im keeping faith.