Contains spoilers for Tempest (2024) #1!
The X-Men franchise just revealed the most popular mutant in the Marvel Universe, and it’s not Wolverine, but rather Storm Who managed to rise above the warring relations between the public and the world’s greatest mutant heroes. However, with Storm making an announcement in her comic that turns the public against mutants again, the popularity may be short-lived.
Storm #1 – written by Murewa Ayodele, with art by Lucas Werneck – continues the character’s rapid ascent in Marvel Comics, as the longtime fan favorite. X-Men Powerhouse became one of the pillars of the X-Franchise new “from the ashes” era. Narrative at the beginning of the premiere issue Reveals that Storm is the most popular mutant with the general non-mutant public.
In addition to being a long-time pivotal member of the X-Men, Storm’s high-profile marriage to Black Panther, and her renewed Avengers membership, have clearly contributed to her in-universe reputation.
X-Men reveals that Storm is the mutant hero with the best reputation in the Marvel Universe
Storm #1 – Written by Murewa Ayodele; Art by Lucas Werneck; Color by Alex Gomes; Lettering by Travis Lanham
If the first issue is confirming anything, however, this is Storm’s fall from grace, at least temporarily. in Storm #1, she discovers that a disaster at a nuclear plant was due to the manifestation of a young mutant’s powers. Storm decides she can’t hide this from the world and, despite knowing what it will do to the reputation of mutants, announces it publicly. While this is the honest thing to do, there is little upside to be found. Storm knows that this will negatively impact the public’s opinion of mutants and, by association, of her.
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Among the mutants with a high public profile, Storm is one of the few without some sort of public controversy. Professor X has always been controversial among humans for his activism, and the one-two punch of Krakoan State, followed by Xavier seemingly killing humans in Fall from the house of X Made him a union with everyone. Cyclops and Magneto, the other most popular mutant figureheads, don’t fare much better. Both of them have been considered terrorists at various times in the past and are not making any effort to be popular now.
Storm’s prominence in the Marvel Universe offers a different perspective on the perception of mutants
A more complicated picture
The last one from the ashes Status Quo is an X-Men era that is fascinated with, if conflicted about, mutant popularity among the general public. Teams like X-Factor seek and receive public approval – admittedly manufactured – while Cyclops’ X-Men team maintain a frosty relationship with the wider world. Readers can buy that different people feel differently about mutants, but some sort of set status quo would be nice. Taking the oppression of mutants seriously requires that oppression be clearly defined, and not just something taken for granted.
Storm’s actions in her solo book should be felt in other titles, especially when the books are reportedly about the public’s perception of mutants and the X-Men.
The most successful examination so far has come in the new NYX series, which showed the spectrum of mutant acceptance and made the tensions feel like a core part of the book. With the line so supposedly interested in the question of human/mutant relations, the hope is that books like Storm And NYX Can lead the way in actually taking the questions seriously; Storm Actions in her solo book should be felt in other titles, especially when the books are reportedly about the public’s perception of mutants and the X-Men.
Storm #1 is available now from Marvel Comics.