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Madelyne Pryor is one of the saddest characters to ever see print in an X-Men book. She’s had a painful history that has resulted in a desire for revenge above all else, and not a single person can blame her.
The time for payback is nigh in Hellions #2, written by Zeb Wells, with art by Stephen Segovia, colors by David Curiel, letters by Cory Petit, and designs by Tom Muller. Stephen Segovia and Rain Beredo provide the cover.
A Violent Group Of Mutants
Hellions #2 opens with a quote:
“Those whose violence you do not understand have often seen horrors you cannot imagine.”
It’s poignant and incredibly timely as it’s relevant to not only to this book but the world-at-large right now. And so there is a catharsis here, where violence is being used, or at least directed, in a helpful manner. It’s a form of group therapy for these troubled souls, and one they revel in when given the chance. There’s no condemnation of violence, rather just Wells asking that you put yourself in their shoes and try not to judge them simply for being violent.
Hellions #2 | Marvel (2020) 
Hellions #2 | Marvel (2020)
Still, the team is, frankly, a mess. The only “sane” ones here are Psylocke and Havok and even they aren’t too confident of themselves. There’s constant toe-stepping and the risk of a fight breaking out is seemingly perpetual. It makes for the most thrilling team dynamic of any of the current X-books. Where else do you see a mutant kill another mutant simply for being just the absolute worst? No, really, Empath was the absolute worst and this was far too gratifying.
A Horrifying Discovery
The purpose of the team’s first mission is to destroy Sinister’s clone laboratory, as it is pretty outdated next to the resurrection protocols on Krakoa right now. Surely they were going to run into some resistance or some type of monster left behind by Sinister. Instead, they discover the original Marauders have been strung up on the ceiling, seemingly dead or dying.
Segovia and Curiel really know how to make a creepy panel that fills you with dread. The old team looks positively lifeless, like victims in a horror movie. Minimizing the dialogue on the page was a brilliant move, letting the image really sit with you in all of its morbid glory. Wells clearly has faith in his artists and they are not letting him down at all.
The Goblin Queen Returns
As the tension builds and the fear has peaked, Madelyne Pryor comes onto the scene. She is positively dazzling here as Wells wastes no time in making her feelings known towards the Hellions. Every word out of her mouth is dripping in malice and seething hatred, and boy does it hit HARD.
There is such unreserved, downright evil glee in her expressions that Segovia nails. I could not possibly sing the praises of this page enough, as an astonishing unison of dynamic art and brilliant dialogue. The tension between the panels is just delicious, making this one of the most dramatic entrances in recent comic history. She’s just plain terrifying, in the best way.
A demonstration of Madelyne’s power pours fear right into poor Alex’s heart. His history with her, more than anyone else, is downright life-threatening. If you like your romance with a dash of murderous intent, look no further than the Goblin Queen and her Goblin Prince.
This is the kind of insane, sexy, terrifying energy that Inferno evoked so long ago, and I am having the time of my life reading it. Madelyne deserves to be treated as a legitimate threat, and to be handled by someone will give her agency and ambition, things she has lacked in the past from other writers.
A Masterclass In Fight Scenes
Fight scenes in comics are pretty hit-or-miss. They can be bogged down by too much action or even worse, too much dialogue laying over the action. But every once in a while there will come a scene that is so deftly handled, so well done, that you leap out of your seat and cheer in celebration. I feel like it’s overreaching to say this is the best fight scene in comics in all of 2020 so far.
There is a brilliance here that can’t be overstated. The foreground essentially stays the same, with Nanny trying to save herself, while the background depicts blow after satisfying blow. The way that the environment reacts to the fighting is a testament to Segovia’s skill at action sequences, and Curiel brings out the absolute best in his work. I am enamored with this page.
Should You Check Out Hellions #2?
The way the issue wraps up leaves you with so much suspense for the next issue, with chaos spewing all over the place and what happens next is total uncertainty. This is the most exciting X-book right now and I am astonished to be saying that.
Had anyone told me six months ago that after two issues, Hellions would ascend to becoming my favorite X-book, I would have punched you in the mouth and called you a liar. Instead, here we are. I worry that the time it took to put out Hellions #2 will cost the series readers, as attrition at this stage in a series is inevitable anyways. I encourage you to re-read the first issue for context but don’t give up because it took so long to get here.
Now that shipping has resumed I am hopeful for the series’ future as one of the fan-favorite X-books. If you love the misfits and the outcasts, if you want to see a rumble that is going to dazzle you and leave you in tears laughing if you want to see a woman rise up from the ashes of convoluted history to take back her throne and seize power, this is the book for you.
