REVIEW: ‘NYX’ Issue #2 (2024)

NYX (2024) #2 is published by Marvel Comics. It was written by Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly, with art by Francesco Mortarino, and colors by Raúl Angulo and Joe Sabino. This issue is part of the “From The Ashes” relaunch of the X books. In it, Wolverine (Laura Kinney) starts hunting for the missing mutants, going undercover for the truth.

NYX (2024) #2 demonstrates that the stories will venture wherever they like. A new character takes the series in a different direction. It may have seemed like the emergence of Hellion and the rest of the Stepford Cuckoos and telepaths would have been the priority. But Laura Kinney has set her sights on getting the missing mutants back. There is a brilliant structure and pace, with Wolverine going further and further undercover until she finds the person responsible.

Laura almost always runs or fights, moving across the city and wrapped up in her own mysteries. As a crime syndicate is infiltrated, the book gains the air of a teen crime drama. NYX (2024) #2 increases the size of the city, filling New York with mutants again. The reveal at the end of the book changes the issue altogether.

The villain is unexpected, raising far more questions than answers. This leads to a brutal and horrifying battle, reading the book’s stakes and concept just as the subway fight did in NYX #1. Even though the book has a grounded theme of community, Jackson and Lanzing can still stretch the genre, returning to those places of safety and comfort by the end.

Any book with a Wolverine in it will have the tone brought down. The dialogue and the characterisation in this issue are sensational. The chapters seemingly focus on one character at a time, so they fit the individual’s personality. For Laura, that means stepping into the underworld of New York.

NYX (2024) #2 is tinged with sadness, but this issue shows how badass Laura is. She can be a vicious fighter who cuts off those around her, but the things she has missed out on growing up sometimes resurface. She is hardy and yet vulnerable at times.

The other characters are there, perfectly interlaced in the story. Ms Marvel shows up, regaling Laura on what she learned in the Subway. Prodigy also bumps into her. They are a community. They are not exactly best friends yet, but they encounter each other. Their stories move parallel, and it is fascinating to see them move.

The dialogue has some exciting features. The exposition is executed by Laura asking questions. As she does so, the answers come through captions, not a direct response from the character she is interacting with. This is the first time I have seen this method, and the new idea forces the reader to pay more attention. As the true villain appears, the fourth wall begins to be shattered, and the dialogue becomes a horrifying monologue by one of Marvel’s most grotesque villains.

The art is terrific. It’s a violent, grizzly issue that starts to twist the city and the characters within it. At the heart of this issue is Wolverine, who is illustrated superbly. In her first appearance within the chapter, she is causing severe harm to someone. And from there, her ruthlessness continues. Even out of costume, Laura’s eyes bore into the soul with danger and steel. The city looks amazing, brought to life for all the wrong reasons in this melancholy iteration of the book.

The redesigns of costumes are impeccable. Wolverine’s appearance in her suit makes her fierce, with her hair like a mane. The villain she faces is much bigger and more imposing than Wolverine, yet the more diminutive hero is unphased and willing to go in for the kill. It’s a fight that is shockingly visceral. The injuries are jarring and ruthless. But there are some great examples of how to show Wolverine’s healing factor kicking in and working.

The colors don’t just stick with one tone for a page, relentlessly changing and evolving to pique interest and denote the locations. Wolverine’s home is all yellow, suggesting that it is her safe space. Inside a nightclub, the panels turn red and intense. And on New York’s streets, it is a mixture of everything, where any color can appear. The lettering is interesting. The font for Laura’s narration is small and intricate, which makes the reader slow down and pay attention to it, taking it in with more consideration.

NYX (2024) #2 branches out and broadens horizons. Switching protagonists has made the series even more fascinating. A layer of unpredictability has been added to the comic. The villains bring even more. And the whole comic evolves to fit the figures themselves. The first issue did feel like a Ms. Marvel comic. This one has the air of a Wolverine book, with a darker tone and grittier injuries. And yet Jackson and Lanzing still return the characters to one another, keeping the others nearby and maintaining the send of community.

NYX (2024) #2 is available where comics are sold.