Sinister’s Six #1 review — An unlikely group unites under Marvel’s most infamous geneticist

X-Men comics are no strangers to exploring dark potential futures and timelines. Age of Apocalypse. Old Man Logan. Days of Futures Past. Time and time again we’ve been given bleak glimpses into the worlds that could await us, and rarely, if ever, have they carried much in the way of hope for humanity, mutant or otherwise. Now, with Age of Revelation, Marvel gives us yet another glimpse into a potential future that could await the Marvel universe, and of course the X-Men are at the center of it. Which, of course, means lots of new comics for us, showcasing familiar characters in new ways. Or, y’know, at least as new as they can be after so many variations on a similar theme.

*Mild spoilers ahead for Sinister’s Six #1*

So a bit of backstory in case you haven’t read other Age of Revelation books. The story takes place ten years (or X years) in the future, after a virus known as the X-Virus (really hammering in a theme here, aren’t they?) spread across the United States as a result of a gene bomb detonating. The explosion killed millions, and the survivors found themselves changed into mutants. Affected areas are now controlled by the heir of Apocalypse, Doug Ramsey, now known as Revelation. Some mutants have chosen to follow him as his Seraphim and Choristers, while others work to fight back or simply survive. So…basically Age of Apocalypse again, just with more biblical terminology. 

Anyway, Sinister’s Six begins in what used to be upstate New York, where Misty Knight and Coleen Wing are working on mapping the area for S.H.I.E.L.D. Who exactly S.H.I.E.L.D is in this timeline is a mystery, one that’s left unanswered as the two Heroes for Hire find themselves suddenly attacked. Coleen is shot by Domino, then Felicia Hardy—now mutated into a literal Black Cat—leaps in to attack them alongside Omega Red. The Heroes for Hire, however, prove to be more difficult combatants than their attackers seem to have anticipated, turning their newly-gained mutant abilities against their assailants. The odds quickly turn against the pair, though, as Lady Fantomax and Havok join the fray. Outgunned and outnumbered, the two tell their assailants to simply “kill them and get it over with.” 

To their surprise, however, the unlikely group of attackers reveal that the pair aren’t their targets, but rather are the bait for their true target: Venom. It’s not clear yet who is wearing the symbiote, but whoever it is, this version of Venom seems more savage than normal. Something deemed as “curious” by Mr. Sinister when the group brings Venom back to their base in the Appalachian Mountains. There, it’s revealed that the group is working for Sinister (if the title of the book hadn’t already given that away), who is seemingly looking for a cure for the X-virus. Of course, this is Sinister, so it seems highly unlikely that his intentions are genuinely altruistic, or whether his goal is truly what he claims it to be. Something that at least a few of those working for him should understand and anticipate, given his history with the various mutant teams over the years. 

Written by David Marqez, Sinister’s Six is admittedly a bit of a mixed bag. While the premise is interesting, it ultimately suffers from simultaneously assuming readers are at least aware of the overarching premise of Age of Revelation while also providing far too much exposition, usually from Sinister. And while some of the exposition is interesting — and admittedly useful for those of us who haven’t read the other Age of Revelation titles yet — it makes the story feel a bit clunky at times. Some of this can be forgiven as a “first chapter” sin, as the book needs to set itself up and unfortunately that requires some degree of explanation. The problem, however, is that the story can’t seem to decide whether it wants to move forward as if the reader knows what’s going on with the world or whether it wants to explain everything, leading to a frustrating mixture of exposition to characters that should already know what’s going on and speaking about specific things that it just assumes we already know about. I’m all for a good bit of mystery in a story, especially when said story deals with a familiar world that has been drastically changed into something unfamiliar, but if that’s what the story wants to do then it should do just that. Tell me what I need to know to follow the story and let me figure out the rest as it goes. 

That’s not to say that Sinister’s Six isn’t an enjoyable book, however. I like the concept of a group of unlikely allies being brought together under an even more unlikely leader. The mystery of what could have brought this group together to begin with — much less what could possibly have motivated them to trust Mr. Sinister, especially Havok — is something that is hopefully explored in future issues. Beyond those particular mysteries, though, is another one that could prove even more compelling. One that has personal stakes for Havok. 

The artwork for the issue was another high point. Rafael Loureiro’s illustrations are sleek and crisp, with the designs of the new suits each member of the team wears being a standout element for me. I loved the tactical look of them, which both made them feel like some special-ops group working from the shadows while also making it clear who they were working for. The contrast between their uniforms and the brightness of their base, the Vale Sinister, further emphasizes this black-ops aesthetic, while also hinting that there is more to what Mr. Sinister is working on than merely a cure for the X-virus. For what better way to hide some dark secret than beneath a shiny, pristine exterior?

Overall, Sinister’s Six #1 is a decent start to what could prove to be an interesting storyline. While much of the Age of Revelation crossover event seems geared to be an updated Age of Apocalypse storyline (at least from what I’ve seen thus far), this story presents a concept that could prove to do something new and cool. Or it could prove to simply be yet another tale of Sinister manipulating people for his own twisted ambitions. Only time will tell.  

Sinister’s Six #1 is available now from Marvel Comics.