On the Rise of the Powers of X side of the latest X-Men even we got the set up of Charles Xavier hunting Moira MacTaggert. Moira has certainly been built up as one of the biggest villains in the franchise right now. Though this mission won’t be easy as Enigma, the godly A.I. clone of Nathaniel Essex, is hunting Xavier’s strike team. With time running out on mutants survival how will the latest chapter of this X-Men event go? Let’s find out with Rise of the Powers of X #2.
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Kieron Gillen
Artist: R.B. Silva
Colorist: David Curiel
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
SOLICITATION
“THE LAST HOPE—OUTSIDE OF REALITY! Outside time and space is mutantdom’s last hope. Floating between dimensions, hiding from a Dominion who wishes to crush them. Can Xavier and his crew survive? And when we find out their plan, will we want them to? The end of the Krakoan Age continues in this epic tale split in two!” – Marvel Comics
REVIEW
Rise of the Powers of X #2 doesn’t progress the story of the latest crossover event much further than the first issue of this series. We start and end in a very similar spot. It does speak too Kieron Gillen and R.B. Silva as a creative team even if this is the case the character beats work. That character work can’t overcome the lack of plot development, but it makes things better than it should be.
It is the character work that Gillen and Silva really excel at in Rise of the Powers of X #2. The way Professor X, Rasputin IV, Cypher, Rachel Summers, and Mother Righteous interact is spot on. Their dynamic gets over how we are at the endgame for the Krakoa Age. This mission Professor X set them on is all or nothing. Their dialogue all speaks to that.
The various duo dynamics within these five characters help to elevate the character work. While they are all on this mission together there are things some know that others don’t. Rachel Summer’s stands out in this way as she is so in on her part of the mission, she isn’t seeing what Professor X is doing.
This makes what Professor X is doing as he’s made it his mission to kill Moira feel even more personal. The entire Krakoa Age started with them. Gillen does a good job making the case, it has to end with them.
At the same time Enigma is a constant threat throughout this issue. Though their impact isn’t as great as it should be. It does feel like this event already has hit a point where our characters are going around in a cycle. Given how much development we got during Fall of X we should be seeing more from Orchis. We aren’t seeing that and it does make all the build up for Orchis to not hit like it should.
The biggest problem is that the urgency isn’t felt like it should be. Every second that passes from panel to panel should have a sense of desperation with it. Silva does his best to get that mood with the design. But there is a pacing problem with the dialogue not reflecting the artwork. It’s to bad because Silva does deliver a lot of great artwork that gives Rise of the Powers of X a big event vibe.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Rise of the Powers of X #2 has a lot of good character work. Unfortunately, the pacing lacks the urgency this event should have after everything that happened in Fall of X. We basically end this issue where we started. There’s been to much set-up that happened in the lead up that this latest X-Men crossover should be going all out from beginning to end. It doesn’t fully feel that way four chapters into Rise of the Powers of X and Fall of the House of X.
Story Rating: 5 Night Girls out of 10
Art Rating: 7 Night Girls out of 10
Overall Rating: 6 Night Girls out of 10