Mystic Arcana: Magik # 1
This issue of Mystic Arcana takes place during New Mutants # 32, when Magik and Mirage escaped to ancient Egypt via a teleportation disc, and met Ashake, an ancestor of Storm, as they battle the evil sorcerer, Heka-Nut. This is a stand-alone entry featuring Illyana Rasputin, and only further serves to add to prior history. With the exception of including Magik as a piece of the Marvel Tarot, it does not expound upon her current history in the Marvel Universe.
This was a fun story. Magik seldom has the opportunity to utilize her Soulsword in the manner in which it was intended, and it was nice to see her in the forefront, exercising the true mystical power that she possesses. Steve Scott's art is lovely, and compliments Louise Simonson' writing. The only problem that I have with Louise Simonson's writing is that she seldom delves deeper into the darkness of Illyana's psyche when she writes her.
Mystic Arcana is a good read. It's not stellar, but it is a fun diversion if you want a brief literary escape. I give it two and a half stars, out of five. It is a fair entry that does not add to the continuity in particular, with the exception of shedding light on Magik and Mirage's absence during the events of New Mutants # 32. It definitely is a MUST-HAVE, if you are collecting the story of Illyana Rasputin.