Storm: Earth’s Mightiest Mutant #5 – Deep Love Draws Hatred

Storm is engaged in a battle for not just the planet but for her soul. Having broken her bond with Eternity, Storm is now chased by Eternity’s sister, Death. Having defeated a variety of storm Gods, Ororo finds herself no longer hunted by Gods but demons sent by Death herself. To save the world and save herself, Storm will have to escape back to her universe first.

This review is brought to you by Nerd Initiative’s Megan and Shawn!

Creative Team

Writer: Murewa Ayodele
Artist: Federica Mancin
Color Artist: Javier Tartaglia
Letterer: Travis Lanham
Cover Artist: R.B. Silva
Cover Color Artist: David Curiel

Writing

Megan: I have loved everything Murewa Ayodele has done with Storm and it’s so unfortunate to see this run ended early. Murewa has cooked and cooked with Storm, and everything he’s brought to the series has only deepened my affection for the character. While he wasn’t given much of a choice to end this run, he did pull of the ending in a beautiful way that shows how much of a powerhouse Storm is, inside and out. So, when you’re on your way to the comic shop to purchase your new issue of Storm: Earth’s Mightiest Mutant #5, keep all of this in mind.

In this issue, we see every part of what’s been running Storm’s life come to fruition. The energy was electric, the emotions were understandably high, and Storm has a moment of realization that she truly needed to find. Learning where all of the tragedy has come from, Storm is able to come to terms with who she is and knows what she needs to do. Along with the current story, we also get a glimpse of Storm as a child with her mother that hit home. Seeing her learning from her mother as a child and then to see Storm bring those same teachings to her daughter was beautiful and felt like a circle was completed. I left this run having all the respect in the world for Murewa Ayodele and the depths he’s brought to Storm as a character. I’m grateful for all the work he’s done with such an iconic character who deserves the best.

Shawn: I’m sad to see this series end. It’s very clear that Murewa Ayodele had more story to tell, and that was cut short by short sightedness. Storm: Earth’s Mightiest Mutant marks the second story series from Marvel this year that was unnecessarily cut short. While Ayodele’s writing in the first 80% of this story is brilliant, it’s clear there was more to be said, and it was forced to be cut short. This series should have been given at least 10 issues to really breathe, but alas, the story that was being crafted was too deep for the current world of comics.

Ayodele will go down as one of the best to ever write Ororo Monroe. This issue and this series do nothing to alter that fact. In fact, I think this issue may be some of the best work Ayodele has done on Storm because it’s clear he was weaving a story meant to be much deeper, yet still manages to wrap it up in as satisfying a way as possible. It’s a shame that even an Eisner nomination couldn’t encourage Marvel to really see this through. I wanted to see more of Jericho Drumm as the Avatar of Death. I wanted to see more of everything. Ayodele crafted a beautiful series both in the last Storm series and this one. Storm: Earth’s Mightiest Mutant deserved better than it got from its publisher.

Art

Megan: If there’s one thing that’s guaranteed about this run, it’s that the artwork will be nothing short of stunning. Federica Mancin, Java Tartaglia, and Travis Lanham made sure that holds true until the very end of the run. Storm: Earth’s Mightiest Mutant #5 end on a gorgeous note and gives you a look at the high quality work that’s been prevalent in every issue written by Murewa. The artists truly made this something magical, whether it be Federica’s incredibly detailed drawings that you could get lost in or Java’s colors that make it hard for you to look away.

Shawn: Federica Mancin, Java Tartaglia and Travis Lanham crafted a really beautiful final issue. It starts with Mancin’s beautiful lines. There’s clear attention to detail, whether it’s the flower pattern on an old couch or pattern’s weaved into the outfit of a character, Mancin’s line work focuses on crisp, clear details.

Java Tartaglia saved his best coloring for last. Simply put, Storm is radiant. Mancin puts her in a variety of looks in this comic, and Tartaglia colors them all perfectly. The glow added to Ororo’s hair perfectly accentuates her look. Travis Lanham feeds off this and ensures that the art is clear in each story. Using the cover font for the final panel was a beautiful touch from Lanham.

Final Thoughts

Megan: 9.1/10. Even in the complicated situation Murewa Ayodele was in with the run being cut short, he still stuck the landing and gave us something beautiful. The creative team should be extremely proud of the things they’ve done in this run. They gave us beautiful artwork, and incredible story, and a whole lot of heart.

Shawn: 8.5/10 While the 5th issue of this series wasn’t as satisfying as it should be, I don’t hold that against the creative team. This was a beautiful and heartfelt story. It resonated deep within my soul. As much as I mourn the end of this series, I mourn the loss of potential for what it could have been if it had been allowed to breathe.

Overall Grade: 8.8/10

Did you like how Storm ended? Let us know in the comments