As an X-Man and headmistress of the Jean
Grey School for Higher Learning, Storm must find a balance between being a hero
and mentor. From looking for missing children to aiding Forge with a machine
that will relieve drought in Kenya, she is determined to make the world a
better place on her own terms.
Storm
Volume 1: Make It Rain collects Storm
#1-5, written by Greg Pak and illustrated by Victor Ibañez.
In this volume, Greg Pak provides an
intimate and informed character study of one of the X-Men’s most iconic heroes.
There’s affection in the way he writes her, as a confident and competent woman who
is also conflicted and flawed. His dialogue is on point and most of the
standout moments from this collection occur in exchanges between the
characters, especially those between Storm and Beast. Their longstanding
friendship is felt in the way they converse with one another and he becomes the
anchor for this otherwise episodic volume.
The plot of Make It Rain strays from the typical six issue arc formula used by
most other modern superhero comics. Instead Pak takes the titular heroine on a
series of adventures that see her travelling the globe in an attempt to be a
more proactive force for good. He makes great use out of characters from Storm’s
past – Callisto, Forge, and Yukio – as a means of highlighting her legacy and
impact on those around her. Where Pak really makes his mark, however, is in the
two issues wherein Storm grieves over the death of Wolverine. The opening pages
of issue 4 alone are particularly searing as she is taken out of Earth’s
atmosphere in order to release the sorrow and anger within her. The storyline
that follows where Storm becomes Yukio’s champion in a gladiator ring is cliché,
but Storm’s reflections on Wolverine throughout are memorable and poignant.
While Make
It Rain is admittedly very light on plot, it is an incredibly well-written
examination of Storm and who she is as a woman and as a hero. Pak provides readers
with a multi-dimensional view of the character, which should hopefully be enough
to convert a reader or two into fans. Victor Ibañez’s art is also a major selling
point of this collection. It’s expressive, expansive, and sometimes even
visceral. I love the way he draws Storm. He captures her elegance and her
beauty without sexualizing her. If anything, this volume is worth a read just
to gaze at his artwork. As a major Storm fanboy, Make It Rain gives me almost everything I could ask for – gorgeous art,
great dialogue, and nuanced character work – all that’s missing is a higher
stakes and more action.
RATING:
B+
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