Nov 15

Psylocke #1 harnesses her Feminine Rage in this Martial Arts Noir

About Psylocke #1

Writer: Alyssa Wong

Artist: Vincent Carratù

Colorist: Fer Sifuentes-Sujo

Lettering: Ariana Maher

Publisher: Marvel Studios

Cover Artists: Mahmud Asrar and Matthew Wilson, Stanley “Artgerm” Lau, Hicham Habchi, Tran Nguyen, Yasmine Putri, Rickie Yagawa and Alex Sinclair

Publication Date: November 13th, 2024

Psylocke #1 Review:

Alyssa Wong and Vincent Carratù bring us back to a post-Krakoan world where the Kwannon variation of Psylocke is reeling from her post-traumatic stress and loss of the life she was starting to live on the infamous living island. After a recent contract winds up, she eventually returns back to the X-Men only to have Cyclops put her on leave while they go on a mission - all but guaranteeing she won’t be returning to active duty until she learns to look after herself. It’s here where Vincent Carratù artwork hits into overdrive as the mutant enhanced aerobatics of Psylocke’s is other worldly and fantasy-like. To insane Couching Tiger Hidden Dragon levels.

Journeying into the arms of John Greycrow, she opens up to him, after almost stabbing him in the eye with her psyblades, telling him of the trauma she’s still experiencing from being raised by brutal assassin organisation, The Hand. Fer Sifuentes-Sujo’s colours are dynamic, highlighting a surrealistic tone with a brief flashback. This scene is heartfelt and the echoes of her past will resurface later in the issue but it’s a much needed respite before she’s sent on a solo mission by Devon Di Angelo.

A mission which eventually sees her tricking her way into a party of thieves, rapists, class traitors and liars aka CEOs, the Elite, Politicians and 1%ers. So, like I said - thieves, rapists, class traitors and liars. Leading to an onstage announcement by agents of A.I.M. that an auction is about to begin. An auction of five mutant children so the buyers can extract MGH (Mutant Growth Hormone) from them. Sparking unrestrained anger as flashbacks of her childhood blurs over the present scene of children about to be trafficked into slavery and experimentation.

Enraged, Psylocke attacks them from the crowd, only to be interrupted by Android bastard extraordinaire and on-again off-again Hellfire Club member, Donald Pierce, before one of his armed guards slaps on several patches of MGH. Turning him into this giant dragon-like behemoth of kaiju-like proportions. Proportions which Psylocke easily subdues and results in the destruction and the saviour of the children (I hope). But all is not clear as the issue leaves this climax on Psylocke standing over the body of the armed guard turned dragon turned guard while her background is the burning ruins of the club she ventured into.

Alyssa Wong has harnessed Kwannon’s feminine rage into a bold and decisive weapon. There was always the dilemma of this first issue venturing into side-quest territory and being little more than ticking the fan-favourite box. But I can see what Wong and the rest of the team are doing here. There’s shades of martial art noir in this antihero extravaganza. It’s a tempered double-edge sword of justice and vengeance. There’s a darkness to it which allows for light to peak through despite the most grim of storylines. And that’s why Psylocke #1 is My Kind Of Weird.