Psylocke Reclaims Her Space – “Fallen Angels #1” Review

Writer: Bryan Hill / Artist: Szymon Kudranski / Marvel “I prefer you this way. Fearless. Certain. A little disturbed.” As the final series in the first wave of the Dawn of X, Fallen Angels delves into the paranoid, meditative, and noir-tinged side of the apparent utopia on Krakoa.  In the wake of the assassination of Charles Xavier (X-Force #1 for those not reading all the tie-ins), the mutant nation finds itself on lockdown as mutants like Psylocke, Cable, and X-23 grapple with the reality that they were not made for peace. A grim and complex existentialism lies at the heart of this series thus far and plays perfect counterpoint to the more lighthearted series such as The Marauders and New Mutants. The combined talents of Bryan Hill and Szymon Kurdanski merge seamlessly, creating a cinematic pace and tension in the narrative from panel to panel.

Like the debut issue of any team-centric series, Fallen Angels reads quite classically, but breaks up the narrative with two parallel stories that collide with a major revelation about a long-thought missing member of Psylocke’s family. The biggest draw of the series is the fact that Psylocke is the central character. No, not Betsy Braddock. She’s off pulling Excalibur from a stone and being the new Captain Britain. This Psylocke is the finally emancipated Kwannon, the Japanese assassin who was trapped inside of her own body when The Hand replaced her consciousness with that of Betsy Braddock’s. In last summer’s Hunt for Wolverine m…