REVIEW: ‘Imperial War: Exiles’ Issue 1

Imperial War Exiles Issue 1 is published by Marvel Comics. Written by Steve Foxe and Jonathan Hickman, with art by Francesco Manna and Davide Tinto, colors by Erick Arciniega and letters by Clayton Cowles.

Xandra, Empress of the Shi’ar Empire, faces a coup from the Superguardians. But her parents are coming to rescue her: Professor X and the resurrected Lilandra.

This issue is a tie-in to the Imperial event, but actually connects to something far beyond it. It is directly linked to the X-Manhunt crossover that spread through the X titles. The attack on Xandra was what caused Xavier to act out and carve a wedge through the mutant community as he fought to escape Earth. Therefore, this story feels separate from the rest of the event. Imperial War Exiles Issue 1 takes place far from the frontline of the Imperial forces. It takes place on Chandilar, the throneworld of the Shi’ar.

It’s alarming to see the Imperial Guard as the enemies in this one-shot. They are usually battling alongside Gladiator; they are there to protect and fight for the Empress. There’s a split structure that can be confusing, flashing between points in time. This makes the plot unstable and somewhat hard to follow. This is especially the case when there is so little explanation or recap of what happened before.

The start is disconcerting and shaky, but exciting. When the action begins, the comic gets more violent and much quicker. It becomes clear just how momentous the events in Imperial War Exiles Issue 1 are. Not only does it shatter the leadership of the most stable empire in the galaxy, but it scatters the survivors. It also becomes clear that this is the beginning of a new series and a new team, one that doesn’t belong to any empire.

Imperial War Exiles Issue 1 is a serious space opera. It’s a revolution, one that had the pretense of being for the good of the everyday people. Electron, the leader of the rebellion, talks a great deal but perhaps doesn’t stick to his proclaimed principles. He may have ideas of being less violent and rejecting the excesses that the previous rulers lived under, but there are already signs that this is going wrong. The comic opens with Xandra and Deathbird about to be executed, a real sign of the regime change.

The Superguardians’ rebellion means Xandra has lost her protection. Only the brutal and vicious Deathbird was there when she was captured. She’s another sign of how the Shi’ar act, with a violent sense of honor and dignity. But the darkness of Imperial War Exiles Issue 1 is relieved slightly by a family reunion. Xavier and Lilandra are present, and their impact on this war is fascinating.

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Xavier adds a whole different quality of time in this alien world, as the only Earth resident in the entirety of Imperial War Exiles Issue 1. He is calm but serious, gentle and yet firm at the same time. He and his wife really do bring shades of ’70s X-Men comics. Xandra now has more grown-ups at her side, and their decisiveness perhaps shows that she was too young to take the throne after all.

The art is fantastic, again calling on nostalgia whilst looking modern at the same time. The design of each character is spectacular, especially the royals. They have an iconic armor that has terrific detail, but it is the intricacy of their facial markings that excels. It’s like extreme mascara, but it adds a fierce, angular quality to the faces of Xandra, Lilandra and Deathbird. Depending on their role in the conflicts over time, the Imperial Guard have been both friends and foes.

But in Imperial War Exiles Issue 1, they look nefarious and dangerous. There are so many of them, and each one has its own unique concept and power, heralding from various worlds in the empire. They are also illustrated without pupils, which makes them even more sinister.

Xandra looks so young. She carries a regal sense of composure, but not that hardened demeanor that the others who have been through so much present. Xavier’s helmet had always intrigued me with its design, because it makes him so cold. You can’t see his face, and thus his intentions or feelings remain hidden.

The planet of Chandilar isn’t depicted in extraordinary detail, but there’s enough to demonstrate its location, and it also provides the notion that the start of Imperial War Exiles Issue 1 takes place in the aftermath of an enormous and devastating battle. And there is more to come, drawing blood and showing a divide between the sides.

The colors are phenomenal. There is an array of tones as all of the Superguardians stand before Xandra and Deathbird, who has a suit of armour almost exclusively coated in purple herself. However, these shades aren’t overwhelmingly bright or vibrant, as that would alter the tone of the entire issue to something more positive. The lettering is brilliantly clear and easy to read.

Imperial War Exiles Issue 1 can be considered an ode to Chris Claremont and John Byrne. And yet there are huge and staggering changes to their Shi’ar legacy. So much of this one-shot feels rewarding as Lilandra returns home. Coming into this book cold with no understanding of what’s come before is not recommended, but it’s not impossible to pick up on what’s happening.

However, it is amazing to obtain a resolution for Xavier and his dogged attempt to rescue Xandra. It’s been a long time coming. So much of Imperial has felt like sequels to stories throughout Marvel’s cosmic history, and this one-shot has that taste in an X-Men context. But it’s also a prequel for something more, keeping the cosmos running and flowing.

Imperial War Exiles Issue 1 is available where comics are sold.