Demon Days

 
Demon Days
by Peach Momoko

Marvel Comics

2023

 

 

Demon Days is a five issue comic miniseries that reimagines several Marvel characters (mostly women, mostly from the X-Men) in a Japanese fantasy story. I would say that the biggest attraction here is probably Momoko's art. She draws in a fluid, expressive manga style, and apparently got famous doing collectible variant covers for Marvel before being given the opportunity to write her own comic.

 
We start with a folktale about Psylocke and her wolfhound Logan coming to a village where the humans and oni are in conflict. She, village elder Jubilee, and oni Red Hulk help rid the village of giant evil snake spirit Venom, creating a truce in the previous conflict. At the end, this is revealed to be a story being read in the present day by Mariko, who we'll follow for the rest of the series.

 
Mariko has strange dreams, and wonders what they mean. Her grandmother tells her maybe it's finally time to learn the truth - that she is descended from oni. Mariko's maid, Black Widow, tells her that she was under orders to kidnap her if she ever remembered the truth, but she's grown too fond of her to do it. Then Nightcrawler teleports in and kidnaps Black Widow.

 
So Mariko sets off to rescue her maid and confront the sinister yokai who wants to capture her. (I think this evil lady is supposed to resemble Emma Frost, but I'm not positive.) She meets Silk (or some other Spider Girl?) who helps her fight off Sabretooth and Mystique.

 
Silk leaves, and immortal wolfhound Logan joins Mariko. She's confronted by Thor and Storm, who owe the evil lady a favor. They reveal the full truth to Mariko, that she and the evil lady are sisters.
Mariko arrives to confront the evil lady, who sics oni Green Hulk on her and Logan. Then Mariko channels the spirit of her mother, who tells the girls that she loves them both and doesn't want them to fight anymore.

 
Again, the very pretty art is probably the main reason to look at this one. Momoko's reimaginings of the characters might also mean more to someone a bit more conversant in Marvel lore than I am. The plot felt weirdly anti-climactic to me, and I feel like I disagree with the premise that Mariko should forgive the sadistic mass-murderer who spent the whole series trying to kill her (and who, we're told, is responsible for countless other deaths) just because, it turns out, they're sisters.