Review: A.X.E.: Eve of Judgement #1

A.X.E.: Eve of Judgement #1 has two fundamental missions. First the book needs to draw in a broad audience to kick off the crossover. Second the book needs to help us understand and care about the Eternals. In spite of the increased exposure from the films this is still a team lost readers know very little about. Unfortunately this book fails entirely on both fronts. Instead of defining the team through an everyman character readers can relate to, this book is narrated by the earth itself.

Rather than focusing on key characters, the title page lists 101 characters and where they sit. What we do know is that the Eternals have learned that when any one of them is resurrected, a human dies. They have simultaneously learned of the X-men resurrection technology on Krakoa. Druig and his team recognizes the X-men as too powerful and see mutants as Deviants given new form.

The issue begins with the earth relieved to have a quiet day with the Avengers and X-men enjoying life. Druig has climbed to the top of the Eternals command chain. He is not willing to rest easy and starts off immediately asking Domo how to kill all the mutants. He spends the issue trying to kill off Krakoa and the mutants in one quick swoop with an anti-matter bomb but fails to achieve this as a remote attack. This sets up a need for a more direct attack in the crossover.

On Lumeria a small group of Eternals including Sersi and Ikaris have become disenchanted with their fundamental mission of stopping all Deviants at any cost. On The Exclusion, Phastos is imprisoned along with others as he plots a populist rebellion. On Celestia a priestly group working with Phastos have captured Sinister. Thena works with a Deviant as they manage the horror inflicted by Thanos. The issue ends with Druig’s failure leading him to visit Uranos.

The art throughout the issue is beautiful but dull. Pasqual Ferry does not do enough to differentiate the various worlds and characters. The colors by Dean White are interesting but everything still feels muted due to a lack of detail in the background. This book tries hard to help us understand the current landscape of the Eternals. Unfortunately this issue creates too much distance through its impersonal narrator and dull art. It sets up why the Eternals want to take down the X-Men but piles on too many other conflicts and priorities not clearly central to the story.

Writing: 2 of 5 stars
Art: 2.1 of 5 stars
Colors: 2.5 of 5 stars

Overall: 2.3 of 5 stars

Writer: Kieron Gillen
Art: Pasqual Ferry
Colors: Dean White
Publisher: Marvel Comics

Author Profile

M.R. Jafri

M.R. Jafri was born and raised in Niagara Falls New York and now lives with his family in Detroit Michigan. He's a talkative introvert and argumentative geek. His loves include Star Wars, Star Trek, Superheroes, Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers, Transformers, GI Joe, Films, Comics, TV Shows, Action Figures and Twizzlers.