June 2014

• Title: Magneto #5
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Cullen Bunn
• Artist: Gabriel Hernandez Walta

It’s not every day Magneto makes a new friend, but then again it’s not every day the master of magnetism catches someone following him for unknown purposes and chooses not to react rashly. With a complicated past tied to his own (which Magneto isn’t yet aware), Briar Raleigh offers the once self-appointed savior of Homo Superior vital intelligence on his enemies. Given the fact that the young woman’s injuries were initially caused by one of Magneto’s attacks it’s unclear just what Briar’s true purposes are, where she’s getting her intel, or who she is working for.

Although I liked the idea of Magneto walking the Earth like Caine from Kung Fu, Briar’s introduction does open the comic to several new possibilities. The introduction of an unknown quantity not only gives someone for Magneto to interact with but offers an ongoing mystery about her motives. I’m on the fence about giving the reader much more information about the girl than the title character receives, but I’d suspect Magneto has his own suspicions which will serve him well. Worth a look.

[Marvel, $3.99]