Psylocke, Vol. 1: Guardian

Psylocke (2024)

by Alyssa Wong, Vincenzo Carrato (Illustrator), Moisés Hidalgo (Illustrator)

Collects Psylocke (2024) #1-5. Exploding out of the pages of X-MEN, Psylocke descends into the underbelly of the Marvel Universe! She was made for violence! Trained to be an assassin since birth, Kwannon chose to be an X-Man. But there are still some jobs too dirty for the X-Men. And some paths must be walked alone. When the mission is brutal, Psylocke unsheathes her blades to punish those who prey on mutants, carving out her own place in a world that would rather see her under control! But with blood on her hands - and her membership in the X-Men revoked - Psylocke's new life is already crumbling. Can she still be the hero the world needs her to be? What role will Shinobi Shaw play? And will the help of her lover, John Greycrow, be enough to turn the tide?

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Marvel, X Men, Graphic Novels Comics, Comic Book, Superheroes

120 pages, Paperback

First published July 8, 2025

About the author

Alyssa Wong studies fiction in Raleigh, NC, and really, really likes crows. She was a finalist for the 2016 John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer, and her story, “Hungry Daughters of Starving Mothers,” won the 2015 Nebula Award for Best Short Story and the 2016 World Fantasy Award for Short Fiction. Her fiction has been shortlisted for the Pushcart Prize, the Bram Stoker Award, the Locus Award, and the Shirley Jackson Award. Her work has been published in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Strange Horizons, Nightmare Magazine, Black Static, and Tor.com, among others.

Reviews

[Molly™☺ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Filled with action packed panels, Kwannon’s Psylocke gets to be visually stylish and colourful in a fun solo venture. It isn’t the best written story, but it’s enough to give fans something to chew on, and it has potential going forward.

[Khurram · Rating 5 out of 5]

I admit my bias. Depending on the day, story and writer Psylocke and/or Gambit are my favourite X-MEN. Having them on opposite X-MEN teams means I have a reason to buy both X books. So I had really high hopes for the book. I am so glad it delivered.

Kwannon/Psylocke is an X-MEN. On the run and fighting to make the world that hates her and mutants a better place. However, she also takes her own missions off the books (some with fees). With her past, she has a trigger point about children being abducted and used. She will rain down (rightfully) vengeance on anyone she finds using children especially. Now someone has gotten her attention by attacking someone close to her. What vengeance will she take and what will be unlocked?

I hated the X of Swords story but the one great thing that came out of it was the separation of Betsy and Kwannon. I am glad Kwannon kept the Psylocke name. The action is great I love all the Ninja attacks drawn all over the pages. Kwannon issues a complicated character this is a great start to getting to know her, and there is a lot of potential for this series. I am really looking forward to it. The book finishes with a thumbnail variant cover gallery.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.8 stars

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Psylocke is at loose ends after the fall of Krakoa, basically living only to inflict violence on those who would hurt mutants. That's pretty much what we see in Guardian: first, Psylocke takes down a mutant-child trafficking ring, then she takes down a random guy who has a thing for mutated creatures.

It's straightforward and fast-paced and the art is, for the most part, stunning. Psylocke's traditional purple hue infuses the palette. There's not a lot of meat on the storytelling bones, though - the "big reveal" is that Kwannon is still struggling with her and Betsy Braddock having shared the Psylocke body/persona at some point in the past. Feels like we're digging up old plotlines because the current ones aren't exciting enough?

[Lara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story, and pretty decent art and writing. Intrigued to continue the series 💜🦋

[Adam Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is "deadly assassin Psylocke" at its finest!
Just passing the halfway mark of the "From the Ashes" X-Book first Volumes, and this one was a great read. After taking too much time and not getting enough sleep, Cyclops sidelines her from a mission to rest. Her solution of resting? Go on another mission, this time saving more children. Overall, probably not something that will have a ton of impact on the universe around her, but still a phenomenal action story, and worth your time reading.
Recommend.

[Jonathan Wormsbecher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stuk leuker dan verwacht, 3.5/5

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Striking out on her own when Cyclops benches her from the X-Men, Kwannon tries to relax only to find herself rescuing mutant children from AIM, dealing with Shinobi Shaw, and fighting off a new villain who wants to collect mutants and display them in a museum. So much for a vacation.

Alyssa Wong's plot moves at top speed, catapulting Kwannon from set piece to set piece with barely a second to reflect. When she does, it's to flash back to her past with the Hand, which was traumatic as hell. I'd say someone needs to give this woman a hug, but John Greycrow's on hand to do just that, a nice bit of continuity from the Krakoa era that I'm glad has made the transition.

Psylocke could have been a fairly by the numbers ninja book, but the character work is very good, and while the high speed does mean we don't get to breathe much between issues, it works in its favour. Kwannon's trying to run from her past as much as her present, so it makes sense that she'd barely stop for breath - it looks like that might be changing by the time the first arc ends however, so I'm expecting an interesting shift in the second volume.

On art we have Vincenzo Carratu and Moises Hidalgo, who work together so well that I didn't even notice when the art changed between issues, or even within the same one near the end. Carratu likes a splash page fight scene with the little ghost images of where Psylocke was before, and both of them avoid any weird cheesecake poses that lesser artists might lean into.

A nice surprise, honestly. Alyssa Wong's always reliable as a writer, and after Guardian Angels and her other Krakoa-era appearances, I'm glad to see Kwannon continuing her rise.

[Scarred Wizard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Action-packed, indeed! But the plot & storyline is average.. almost weak. Nothing important is happening. Kwannon as Psylocke going solo on saving mutant kids. Same old same old story. The action panels are also confusing. Everything is drawn in one page and the artist seems to mix it all up not in order. So it's a bit of messy. The artist changed on #4-#5. Not a big fan of the second artist. Tend to draw people's mouth ugly. Am i the only one think Vincenzo Carratu's artwork similar to Pepe Larraz's? 😅

Entertaining enough but so many flaws. The cliffhanger is interesting. I'll be continuing the next volume. I prefer Kwannon than Betsy as Psylocke. Betsy as Captain Britain is too woke.

Rating : 6.5/10

[Joey Nardinelli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another near 3.5! I obviously missed the introduction to Kwannon and Betsy’s formal schism from her as they split into two different characters, but I think I get her backstory just fine. I am pretty glad this is integrated a bit into the ongoing X-Men comics of late, though I’m curious where Greycrow has been this entire time if he’s just living near the X-Men hideout. This just feels so familiar…you’ve got the man in the chair providing Overwatch, and your hero in the field using stealth and athletics…I wanted a bit more horror from Wong, and I’m hoping maybe we get that in future issues? I can’t imagine this having a major payoff that reverberates into the mainline, but we’ll see since I’m sure I’ll show up for the next volume.

[Pie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alyssa Wong + Psylocke = a good combination!
The relaunch of Kwannon as an important X-Men is one of my favorite things to have happened in X-Men comics in recent years, and this was a fun start to her solo series. I think this really nails how you should do a solo comic: some new adventures, new villains, new side characters, and some new stuff from the main character's backstory to explore. Her team-up with Shinobi Shaw was particularly fun. Also Kwannon/Greycrow is genuinely one of my all-time favorite comic ships, I absolutely love them.

[Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

What does the trained by ninja, former X-Force member, and general badass do after the fall of Krakoa?

She loses herself in her work...
(Saving mutants and children from traffickers)

Gets benched by the X-Men...
(CYCLOPS, of all people, makes her take a break before burnout hits)

Becomes the fixation of a new villain called -the Taxonomist
(creepy NOT mutant that literally pins Psylocke to a wall like taxidermy art)
------
Bonus: I like that they're giving Kwannon a chance to develop a place in the MU without the X-Men.

[Dean · Rating 2 out of 5]

Art changes within the five issues which was disappointing. Second artist emotes well and is more cartoonish. First artist I feel is more experienced but neither are great at actions sequences for me. Maybe juat these specific actions sequences. They didn't read well to me at those times.

The story wasn't all that interesting but it was nice being with Kwannon for a long period.

[Jourdy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Been keeping up with this in single issues! It’s very cool, I love learning more about Psylocke’s backstory and I love John Greycrow!!! The art is beautiful too so if you don’t know much about her and you wanna know about her I highly recommend!

[Fiona · Rating 4 out of 5]

there's so many comic book stories about a person raised to be a killer coming to terms with that trauma as an adult but there's a softness underneath this that really works. (also little moments of humour that are done so well!)

psylocke's asian again who would have thought

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

my fave hellions sequel

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good series. The story and art are both strong.

[Omar Reyes · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

i want to learn everything abt psylocke now asap i love her