The X-Men have disasters to handle around the world on a daily basis and Firestar takes center stage in this X-Men Annual issue!
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X-Men Annual 2022
- Writer:
- Steve Foxe
- Artist:
- Andrea Di Vito
- Letterer:
- VC’s Clayton Cowles
- Cover Artist:
- Stefano Caselli, Federico Blee
- Publisher:
- Marvel
- Price:
- $4.99
- Release Date:
- 2022-12-21
- Colorist:
- Sebastian Cheng
In the Krakoan era, the X-Men’s roster rotates every year with a psychic vote held among the mutant population on Krakoa. The current iteration of the team, consisting of Jean Grey, Synch, Iceman, Havok, Cyclops, Magik, Forge, and Firestar, is still relatively new. Firestar has spent her life as an Avenger and an X-Man, embracing her mutant heritage and her superhero identity. With her ties to both human and mutantkind, Firestar could be the bridge that Krakoa needs. In X-Men Annual 2022, written by Steve Foxe with art by Andrea Di Vito, colors by Sebastian Cheng, letters by Clayton Cowles, and design by Tom Muller and Jay Bowen, readers get a glimpse at the X-Men’s day-to-day operations.
This annual follows the X-Men as they break into smaller units to tackle situations around the world. Cyclops and Firestar head to a hospital in Florida to investigate a medicine shortage. The situation escalates as the villain, Whirlwind, who has a history of clashing with Firestar, sets out to destroy the hospital.
Firestar isn’t exactly a staple X-Men character, so many readers might not be familiar with her. This issue introduces her to a wider audience. Foxe does a wonderful job giving Firestar a strong voice while giving new fans a sense of her history. He also crafts an entertaining story that serves as a reminder of just how fun X-Men comics can be. Readers will come away with a clear understanding of who Firestar is and her place on Krakoa while also seeing a fun issue of the X-Men working effectively as a team.
Di Vito tackles the art wonderfully. There are a ton of different locales on display as the X-Men travel the globe, and each space feels fully realized and unique. The action is explosive and dynamic, making great use of the variety of powers on the team and also utilizing compelling panel layouts from page to page. Firestar is a major highlight of the issue, drawn with beauty, ferocity, and strength across a multitude of scenes. This issue covers a wide range of tones, from action to comedy and even briefly horror, and the art conveys them all perfectly.
Cheng’s colors accentuate and elevate the art beautifully on each page. Every shade is rendered smoothly, and highlights pop off the page. Cheng’s bright palette is sure to catch readers’ eyes and invite them to appreciate the art. Cowles’ lettering is just as excellent. Text balloons and narration boxes are placed effectively, and some words are given a different font size or style for added emphasis. Sound effects add another layer to the action in intense moments. Muller and Bowen’s design work is utilized in a couple of data pages that appealingly convey relevant story information.
Overall, X-Men Annual 2022 is an incredibly satisfying one-shot. It’s fun to see what the daily life of the X-Men is like, and Firestar shines at the center of this issue. While it doesn’t move the plot of the ongoing title forward, this issue is a welcome break in the regularly scheduled programming. With X-Men Annual 2022, Foxe and the rest of the creative team deliver an exciting, character-focused issue that hits a plethora of high notes.
