‘Magik’ Review: Soulsword, Sorcery, and Self-Acceptance

Some X-Men have origin stories. Illyana Rasputin has a full descent into hell, literally, and came back out the other side wielding a sword made from her own soul. That’s the kind of character history you can build a phenomenal solo book around, and after ten incredible issues, the Magik ongoing series has wrapped, going so much further than its already amazing debut.

Who Is Magik?

So, no secret: we love Illyana, but if you’re new to her, here’s the quick version. Illyana Rasputin first appeared as an unnamed child in Giant-Size X-Men #1 back in 1975, introduced simply as Colossus’s little sister. That changed completely once the demon sorcerer Belasco dragged her into Limbo, where years passed for her in what were only seconds on Earth. She survived by mastering sorcery under brutal circumstances, eventually forging the Soulsword from her own soul and taking Limbo’s throne for herself as Magik. That experience also gave her a darker side, the Darkchild, a demonic alter-ego she’s spent decades either fighting or, more recently, learning to live with. She joined the New Mutants after escaping Limbo and later the X-Men proper, and if her face looks familiar outside the comics, that’s likely Anya Taylor-Joy, who played her in 2020’s The New Mutants film. It’s the mix of her sharp wit, badass fights, and constant growth that made her a fan favorite, and this solo series finally gave all of that room to breathe.

Meet the Creative Team

This is actually Ashley Allen’s first ongoing series, which is wild given how confident the writing feels throughout. Allen broke into comics with the one-shot X-Men: Blood Hunt – Magik, which reportedly performed even better than Marvel expected and directly led to this ongoing series getting greenlit. She’s also written Legion of Doom for DC and Marvel Zombies: Black, White & Blood, and she’s currently pursuing an MBA at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business alongside her comics career. Germán Peralta, who handles the bulk of the interior art, has previous credits on Black Panther, Loki, and Green Arrow, and his work here gives Illyana’s world the right mix of grounded and otherworldly.

A Character Who Finally Gets to Just Be Herself

What made this series shine is that it never lost Magik’s voice. Every page had her personality stamped on it, unapologetically herself, but also showing us that she’s grown into a woman who no longer runs from the Darkchild, but embraces her as part of who she is. That balance of strength and vulnerability is what makes Illyana so compelling.

Issue #6 Steals the Show

If I had to pick a favorite, issue #6 takes the crown. Madelyne Pryor’s guest appearance was perfect. Two women who know what it means to be tied to Limbo, each burdened by what they’ve inherited, and each trying to twist that pain into purpose… It was such a strong parallel, and so well written.

Dani, Liminal, and a Cast That Delivers

And Dani! Having Dani Moonstar join Illyana for part of the journey was a treat, especially given how far back their history goes as founding members of the New Mutants together. Their chemistry has always been electric, and this series gave us some of the best moments between them in years. That said, we need to talk about Liminal. He started off as a vicious villain, but when he ended up in Cal’s body (and no, I don’t condone possession… buuuut), he became one of the funniest parts of the series. That added levity balanced out the darker themes beautifully.

Final Thoughts

What I really appreciated about this series overall is that it gave Illyana the room to breathe. A solo book lets her explore corners of herself that team books can’t always dive into, and Ashley Allen made the most of that space. This series was everything I wanted in a Magik solo and more. It was personal, weird, heartfelt, and hellishly fun. She deserved this spotlight, and she owned every panel. Soulsword raised high, Darkchild smirk firmly in place, Illyana reminded us why she’s one of Marvel’s best characters.

It stings that it ended at ten issues, but we also got an incredible collection of covers along the way. If you missed it, the first trade paperback dropped earlier in September 2025, and volume two arrives in February 2026, but honestly, if you can, hunt down the single issues. The covers alone are worth it.

More X-Men Worth Reading

If Magik left you wanting more X-Men, we’ve covered a few other recent series worth checking out. NYX follows a group of young mutants, including Ms. Marvel and Wolverine, navigating life and anti-mutant conspiracies in New York City after Krakoa’s fall. Exceptional X-Men has Kitty Pryde and Emma Frost mentoring a new generation of mutants trying to survive in a world that fears them. And Rogue: The Savage Land, also written by Tim Seeley, sends a powerless Rogue into the prehistoric Savage Land alongside Magneto to stop a would-be god from plunging the land into a second Ice Age.

FAQ

Is Magik worth reading? Yes. It’s one of the best solo showcases Illyana Rasputin has had in years, giving her real room to grow past old trauma instead of just fighting through it again.

Do you need to read anything before Magik? Not strictly, though the X-Men: Blood Hunt – Magik one-shot that led to this series is a nice bonus if you want more context going in.

Who is writing and drawing Magik? Ashley Allen writes the series, with art primarily by Germán Peralta, plus Jesús Hervás on issue 6 and Matt Horak on issue 8, colors by Arthur Hesli, and letters by Ariana Maher.

Is Magik a one-shot, miniseries, or ongoing series? It ran as a ten-issue ongoing series, from January to September 2025.

When is the trade paperback out? Volume one is out now, and volume two arrives in February 2026.