Sins of Sinister #1 is written by Kieron Gillen, illustrated by Lucas Werneck, colored by Bryan Valenza, and lettered by VC’s Clayton Cowles. It’s published by Marvel Comics. When the X-Men formed the sovereign nation of Krakoa, they welcomed friend and foe alike. And among those foes was Nathaniel Essex, better known as the mad geneticist Mister Sinister. Sinister has been scheming in secret to overthrow Krakoa’s ruling body and insert himself as its lord and master, and now that time has come, as he’s managed to infect Professor X and the others with his mad science.
Ever since the Age of Krakoa began, fans have pointed out that inviting someone like Sinister onto the island was a powder keg waiting to explode. And if that’s the case, then Sins of Sinister #1 is the match that sets it ablaze. Gillen’s script moves at a steady clip, showcasing the lengths that Sinister has gone to in order to cement his dominance. Gillen also pays homage to previous X-Men writer Jonathan Hickman’s work on House of X/Powers of X, especially when the narrative leaps forward ten years in the future.
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Bringing Gillen’s script to life is Werneck, who previously joined the writing on Immortal X-Men. I’m fairly certain that at this point Werneck is incapable of drawing people who aren’t pretty. Mister Sinister sports long flowing hair and a thick beard, making him look rather dashing—at least in mutant mad scientist terms. The same goes for Emma Frost and Nightcrawler, even when giant red diamonds are inserted into their heads. Werneck even references House of X in the opening pages, albeit with Sinister in Xavier’s place. All of it is rendered in rich colors by Valenza, with the tone shifting based on the location. Krakoa remains a sunny, lush paradise, but New York under Sinister’s thumb has the dark, glittering aesthetic one might see in a post-apocalyptic world.
But Sinister’s machinations aren’t just limited to Krakoa. A series of guest artists start to show how far-reaching his influence is, with everyone from the Fantastic Four to the Avengers undergoing horrific changes. These artists include: Geoff Shaw (Thanos Wins), Marco Checchetto (Daredevil), Juan Jose Ryp (Year Zero), David Baldeon (Ben Reilly: Spider-Man), Travel Foreman (Immortal Iron Fist), Federico Vicentini (X Deaths of Wolverine), Carlos Gomez (Amazing Spider-Man), David Lopez (Captain Marvel), Joshua Cassara (X Lives of Wolverine) and Stefano Caselli (Inferno).
Together they produce what amounts to a massive jam piece, as each artist depicts a significant part of Sinister’s rise to power. Shaw gives Thanos a grisly fate, while Vicentini has a Sinister-infected Magik lay waste to Thor’s home of Asgard. What makes it especially chilling is Cowles’ captions, which matter of factly lay out the damage Sinister has wrought. After all, this isn’t the first time Gillen has written a series that’s brought apocalyptic change.
Sins of Sinister #1 more than lives up to its name, as the mad scientist rewrites the Marvel Universe in his own image. This comic proves that the Age of Krakoa still has plenty of gas in the tank, especially with creators like Gillen and Werneck at the helm. But it’s only the beginning, as the following weeks bring new glimpses into this strange and twisted world.
Sins of Sinister #1 is available wherever comics are sold.
Sins of Sinister #1
TL;DR
Sins of Sinister #1 more than lives up to its name, as the mad scientist rewrites the Marvel Universe in his own image. This comic proves that the Age of Krakoa still has plenty of gas in the tank, especially with creators like Gillen and Werneck at the helm. But it’s only the beginning, as the following weeks bring new glimpses into this strange and twisted world.
