X Of Swords: Creation #1 is written by Jonathan Hickman and Tini Howard, illustrated by Pepe Larraz, colored by Marte Gracia, and lettered by VC’s Clayton Cowles. It is published by Marvel Comics. Long ago, the mutant race lived on the island of Okkara but a great war erupted, splitting the island into two: Krakoa and Arrako. In the present, the Swordbearers of Arrako have returned to threaten the paradise the X-Men have built. Meanwhile, Otherworld’s Majestrix Saturnyne launches a grand plan after using tarot cards to read the future.
Get BWT in your inbox!
Get BWT in your inbox!
A lot happens over the course of X of Swords: Creation. But at 68 pages, the one-shot has plenty of room to lay down the main story threads and it doesn’t let up on the action. And it feels appropriately epic. The X-Men literally cross time and space, and magic is involved. Such a blending of genres normally wouldn’t work, but Hickman and Howard manage to pull it off.
Of all the X-Men who appear in Creation, Apocalypse gets the biggest focus. He once dwelled on Okkara and has a connection to Arrako, which makes him the perfect point of focus. Other mutants get their time to shine, including Havok and Polaris. In fact, next to Apocalypse, the Summers family gets the lion’s share of storytime and play a role in one of the issue’s biggest revelations.
The only fault with the story is that it’s built upon events in previous titles, including Hickman’s X-Men and Howard’s Excalibur series. For fans who haven’t caught up on the “Dawn of X” storyline, there are certain references they might not get. I highly recommend reading those stories, as well as the House of X and Powers of X miniseries before reading this one-shot.
Larraz is no stranger to illustrating the X-Men’s adventures, having worked on the aforementioned House of X miniseries. Here he brings the grandeur that a storyline such as this deserves. From the vastness of space to the lush vegetation of Krakoa, the locations in this comic range in variety and design. The characters also feel visually distinct. Apocalypse towers over nearly everyone, while Saturnyne carries herself with regal grace. The Swordbearers of Arrako also look extremely alien, and you can tell they have a connection to Apocalypse with their Egyptian themed design.
Garcia’s colors also help bring the story to life. Otherworld in particular feels rather hellish, with dark skies and fire burning in the background. In contrast, Krakoa is perpetually lit with near angelic rays of sunlight, adding to the “mutant paradise” angle. The X-Men’s costumes also pop with color, whether it’s Magneto’s all-white ensemble or Rachel Summers’ red-and-yellow X-Factor uniform.
X Of Swords: Creation #1 is an epic start to the X of Swords crossover, boasting story and art worthy of an event series. Fans of the Dawn of X storyline will be in for a treat, and hopefully, this momentum is continued throughout all 22 parts of the event.
X Of Swords: Creation #1 is available wherever comics are sold and through Comixology using our affiliate link.
X Of Swords: Creation #1
TL;DR
X Of Swords: Creation #1 is an epic start to the X of Swords crossover, boasting story and art worthy of an event series. Fans of the Dawn of X storyline will be in for a treat, and hopefully, this momentum is continued throughout all 22 parts of the event.
