Comic Review: X-Men: Black: Emma Frost #1

X-Men: Black: Emma Frost #1

Marvel Comics

Writer: Leah Williams

Artist: Chris Bachalo

X-Men: Black didn’t have the best of starts with Magneto, but has fortunately improved since the first issue. The series has been a great place for new X-Men readers to get a solid dose of each character. It’s also been nice for fans of specific characters, who get to benefit from the spotlight in their own story. Next up is Emma Frost, a fan-favorite for sure.

I’ll admit, I’m not the biggest Emma Frost fan, but I’m not out to get her either. I’ve mostly just had issues with her ridiculous costumes throughout the decades. Despite this, I can recognize that she has been an interesting character. She is constantly in control and never remains on one “side” of the war. In X-Men: Black, all of Emma Frost’s best qualities are on display, and for the first time in the series, this is a must-read for fans of the character.

Like the rest of the Black stories, the titular character is well written. Emma Frost has enlisted the help of the X-Men to take down the Hellfire Club. The character has great moments throughout the issue, as she manipulates other characters to achieve her goals. Leah Williams not only writes a great Emma Frost but an interesting story as well. It’s pretty simple looking back, but the read itself is enjoyable, and Williams executes everything well.

The art is far from my favorite part of the book, but it does get the job done. The action in the panels flow well, and nothing distracts the reader from the events in pages. Unfortunately, most of the characters have sharp features, and it doesn’t exactly suit them. In some panels, the characters look fine, but it’s when the panels zoom in on a face that the problems become evident. Some of the characters just don’t look like themselves, and if it wasn’t for their defining features or costumes, you’ have no idea it was them. Still, nothing looks outright offensive, and the art gets the job done.

Emma Frost is a wonderful look at the character and is the strongest entry in the X-Men: Black series. Despite the shaky art, it’s a fun read, with an expected but satisfying twist in the end. As the only issue in the series to really bring something new to the mythos, this is a great issue for new readers and Emma Frost fans.