Comic Book Review: Demon Days: X-Men #1

Demon Days: X-Men #1

Marvel Comics

Writer: Peach Momoko

Letterer: VC’s Ariana Maher

I’ve always been a big fan of X-Men books, especially as of late. Hickman’s line has been fantastic so far, though I can’t deny that it’s nice to get something fresh sometimes. Peach Momoko is here to give us something new. In fact, Momoko has given us something special with Demon Days: X-Men #1. This debut is gorgeous and breathes new life into some characters while also infusing them with some Japanese folklore.

In Demon Days: X-Men #1, Psylocke is wandering through Japan in an alternate Marvel universe. Her character runs into a village of humans feuding with oni. Amongst them is Orochi, a mythic monster in the form of a snake (Who looks a lot like Venom). The village needs help handling the snake, so Psylocke agrees to aid them.

Peach Momoko does a stellar job of integrating the Marvel universe into Japanese folklore. Many characters are both subtly and not so subtly integrated into the store. There is a giant red ogre named Hulkmaru, a wolf named Logan, and a few other characters like resemble some iconic characters but don’t share their names. It’s a lot of fun catching all of the characters and easter eggs in this issue. What is more impressive is that the issue isn’t just fun fanservice. The story moves along fantastically well with strong pacing and silly smooth transitions between panels.

As fun as the Marvel references are, it’s Momoko’s gorgeous art that makes this book a must-read for X-Men fans. The style feels like it’s pulled right of manga, with bold lines and expressive characters. The character designs are superb, with each having a creative take on their iconic appearances. The colors are breathtaking, with a certain airy and dynamic tone that makes each panel feel like a work of art.

This new creative take on the X-Men is an absolute joy to read. Any fans of X-Men will want to give this a read. What makes Demon Days so nice is that it can also appeal to non-X-Men fans if the person reading it just loves manga. The storytelling is so fantastic that this book doesn’t have to be an X-Men book. It’s gorgeous, fun, and worth your time.