REVIEW: ‘Inferno,’ Issue #3

Inferno #3 is written by Jonathan Hickman; penciled by R.B. Silva, Stefano Caselli, and Valerio Schiti; inked by Adriano Di Benedetto; colored by David Curiel, and lettered by VC’s Joe Sabino. It is published by Marvel Comics. Picking up after the second issue, the cracks in Krakoa’s foundation began to show as Magneto begins to question the actions he and Professor X have taken to form their new mutant nation. Flashbacks reveal Cypher’s connection with the island of Krakoa and the secret formation of the anti-mutant organization Orchis.

This issue is Hickman as his best, as he starts to connect the threads of his larger narrative. The reason why Destiny wasn’t allowed to be resurrected, how Krakoa feels about being the base of a mutant nation and the true purpose of Nimrod are laid bare in this issue. Not only does Hickman’s script pay off for fans who have been following the Krakoa era since House of X and Powers of X, but it’s also a reminder of how intricate and engaging his narratives are. This isn’t the first time he’s done a long-form superhero story—  his work on Fantastic Four, Avengers/New Avengers, and Secret Wars was essentially one colossal story—  but he’s truly redefined the X-Men mythos. I’m glad other writers will continue in his stead.

Silva, Caselli, and Schiti each tackle a third of the issue. Schiti illustrates Mystique and Destiny’s meeting with Emma Frost; Caselli draws Magneto, Professor X, and Moira MacTaggert’s scene; finally, Silva handles the scenes at Orchid. Each scene is not only integral to the story, but it also has its own visual flair. Emma’s White Palace represents everything she is, beautiful and impenetrable to all but those she wishes to enter. When Magneto and Xavier discuss the future of Krakoa, the sun is setting-representing the end of the paradise they worked hard to build. And Orchis’s space station orbits the sun, signaling the destruction they wish to visit upon the mutant race.

Curiel is more than up to the task of giving each one of these scenes a visual identity of their own, as his color art changes in intensity depending on the setting. The scenes in the White Palace are bright and eye-grabbing, with Mystique, Destiny, and Emma all wearing white. Both Magneto and Xavier are wearing black clothing as if to represent the darkness weighing on their souls. Nimrod and the Omega Sentinel’s bright color scheme stands out against the reddish-orange flare of the sun, and that same color extends throughout the “history lesson” of Orchis. Sabino’s lettering helps shape the design pages throughout the issue, with the standout being the timeline of Orchis; one of the pages has an omega signal divided into the important points of the timeline.

Inferno #3 begins to show the cracks in Krakoa’s foundation as Jonathan Hickman’s tenure on the X-Men nears its end. With only one issue, and a cliffhanger ending spelling doom for three of Krakoa’s leaders, the X-Men’s future is once again about to undergo a seismic change.

Inferno #3 is available now wherever comics are sold.