Writer: Ann Nocenti
Art: Sid Kotian, Andrew Dalhouse, and VC’s Ariana Maher
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Price:$3.99
Release Date: May 24th, 2023
With her mutant ability to control the weather bolstered by her top-notch fighting skills, she’s a formidable opponent like no other! But when an elemental power emerges near the Xavier Mansion, it’ll take Storm to the limit of her powers and beyond as Storm #1 by Ann Nocenti begins to unravel! Get ready for an electrifying all-new series showcasing Storm’s days of rocking her mohawk and leading the X-Men, as she faces an all-new villain that will threaten to tear her apart from her team…and what she thought she knew about herself!
If you’re interested in this comic, series, related trades, or any of the others mentioned, then simply click on the title/link to snag a copy through Amazon as you read the Storm #1 Review.
THE DISPATCH
Who is Storm? Well, that’s what Ann Nocenti is trying to figure out. She’s always mimicked those around her. From a thief, to a weather goddess, the punk rock leader of the Morlocks, and even the head of Mars, Storm has always been able to manipulate to her surroundings and become someone… new. Constantly changing with the times, Storm adapts and is more fickle than a teenage girl. This becomes the major focus of Storm #1. However, any fan of the character knows the way she changes with the times. So, what was the point of the issue?
That’s actually the point of this review… I don’t know. There was a ton of monologuing from Storm that felted way over the top and a bit over dramatic through a majority of Storm #1. Ultimately, very little action or story makes up the foundation of Storm #1 while Nocenti throws out trope after trope related to the character. Moreover, readers get dated dialogue, extremely funky art, and 90s designs and tropes that quantify the gimmick Nocenti desired. Yet if you came searching for something new, you won’t really find it here. If you came searching for a story or plot, it’s almost nonexistent.
Moreover, the ridiculous random biker dude that is jammed into Storm #1 as a throwaway character is probably the weird superhero/ villain that Storm toils against at the end of the issue completing the 90s premise Nocenti was aiming for in the first place. However, that’s the problem with the entire issue. Writing and art have gotten better since the 90s. We don’t need the same style or writing just to make it feel like the time. Additionally, the story was extremely surface-level. Sure, that makes it easy to pick up but also low-key exciting for actual fans of the character. Where was the depth for any character involved?
Lastly, I just wanted to point out a line that made me chuckle as soon as I read it. I love the line from Xavier that a “telepathic mind probe is an invasion of privacy”. He talks about a slippery ethical slope afterward. Really? Does that ring any bells to current X-Men readers? I don’t know… you know… the entire HOXPOX era on! So, in the 90s he was against probing people’s minds but somehow changed his mind in order to back up every mutant’s mind for resurrection, which is somehow not an invasion of privacy… I just found it funny is all.
ART
Sid Kotian and Andrew Dalhouse aim for a specific 90s feel but miss the mark entirely through Storm #1. The big eyes for the characters, funny facial expressions, warped body designs, and busy renderings made this issue lack a strong appeal. Additionally, the coloring was too bright in certain spots and too dark in others causing my eyes to lose focus while reading many of the jam-packed word balloons cluttering some of the smaller panel layouts. The random underwater scene was hard to interpret what was happening while Professor X looked extra creepy and villainous as our team found themselves randomly at home. Mixed with the lack of substance surrounding this story, the art could have been the saving grace of Storm #1. Sadly, that was not the case this week.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Storm #1 is cluttered with forced dialogue, 90s character tropes, and surface-level entertainment. The story itself is almost nonexistent while it felt like a summary/ bio-pic of who the character is until the final five pages when a new character was introduced. If you came looking for the current era Storm, you came to the wrong book. If you love the character, I don’t even know if you’d like the issue. The story is flat and the characterizations were so overdone that they almost appeared comical for the time period. There was very little plot to further the story and the art was lacking, to say the least. I’d stay clear of this series unless you’re a diehard Storm fan or collector in love with the mutant weather goddess. Let me know what you think, have a great week, and God Bless!