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Written by: Declan Shalvey
Art by: Declan Shalvey
Colors by: Matt Hollingsworth
Letters by: VC’s Clayton Cowles
Cover art by: Declan Shalvey (cover A)
Cover price: $4.99
Release date: October 16, 2024
Mystique #1, by Marvel Comics on 10/16/2024, sends the shapeshifting mutant on a mission to steal sensitive information, prompting Nick Fury Jr. to hunt her down.
Is Mystique #1 Good?
Meh. That’s about as much enthusiasm as I can muster for Mystique #1. Not exciting enough to get the imagination gears turning and not terrible enough to at least generate thoughts of outrage, Declan Shalvey’s corner of the From The Ashes era just sits there like a sad jellyfish washed ashore on a cloudy day. Poke it with a stick for some perverse amusement, and you’ll only get two minutes’ worth of enjoyment before you walk away from sheer boredom.
Mystique #1 begins with the titular character (maybe) narrating the world’s turn to information and data as the most valuable form of currency. Two weeks earlier, we caught up with a black ops team led by Maverick in Germany to capture Sabretooth as a favor to SHIELD. The mission is FUBAR’d when it turns out Sabretooth was never really there. It was all a ruse to lure Maverick into the open by Mystique because she wants intel on something called Protozoa. After killing the team and seriously wounding Maverick, Mystique presses Maverick to give her what she wants.
With very little effort, Declan Shalvey gets the issue off to a strangely convoluted start. If Mystique wanted to corner and extract intel from Maverick, why concoct an elaborate ruse to get him to an abandoned industrial plant in the middle of Germany? Mystique’s strength is her ability to infiltrate, beguile, and distract by assuming the identities of people close to her target. This approach is about as far from Mystique’s strengths as possible.
Meanwhile, Nick Fury Jr. makes the best of his new role as a lower-level operative in the CIA. One day, he’s approached by Nick Fury Sr. with intel about and an extensive history file on Mystique. Senior trusted Junior to do the right thing with the information. Later, Fury receives a report about an incident in Germany, so he makes the connection that Mystique is on the move and needs to become the Agency’s top priority.
Nick Fury’s involvement comes out of the blue and only progresses with several poorly executed logical leaps. Why would Fury’s father suddenly come out of nowhere to give him a file about Mystique’s life? Why would Fury suddenly be sent a report about Mystique’s ruse in Germany against Maverick? Even if SHIELD isn’t what it once was, why is the CIA passing around files in plain manila folders with little or no security?
The issue ends with Fury’s house getting blown up by Mystique (just because), Mystique stealing the fortune of an heiress who supports anti-mutant groups, killing several innocent people in the theft, and Destiney meeting her fate in a hail of gunfire.
What’s great about Mystique #1?
Great? Nothing. This comic is, if I’m being incredibly generous, non-offensive. Declan Shalvey sets the stage for a mystery surrounding something called Protozoa, so that’s something. As a bonus, Mystique’s voice is fairly well done.
What’s not great about Mystique #1?
The central premise, execution, and setup range from confusing to convoluted to bland. Mystique is not an A-Tier mutant character, so to get readers sold on her story, there needs to be a hook with stakes and consequences, some reason to get invested in Mystique’s mission. Instead, you get Mystique doing things, and that’s not nearly enough.
About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.
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Final Thoughts
Mystique #1 is a bland, convoluted affair that finds the shapeshifting mutant engaging in spycraft and murder for top-secret information. Declan Shalvey’s tale won’t move the needle in any direction, so you’ll have forgotten this comic exists before you turn the last page.
5/10
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