Exceptional X-Men, Vol. 1: Duty Calls

Exceptional X-Men (2024)

by Eve L. Ewing, Carmen Carnero (Artist), Nolan Woodard (Colourist)

Collects Exceptional X-Men #1-5.

From the ashes of the Krakoan era, Kate Pryde finds fresh purpose! After the fall of Krakoa, Kate Pryde is trying to get as far away from all things X as she possibly can. She's just a regular bartender now. She's not getting ready to head up an all-new team of wayward young mutants. Nothing in this title but work, dating and staving off depression. That's it. No never-before-seen Exceptional X-Men to see here! Except Kate's continued attempts at living a normal, non-mutant life go laughably wrong as she finds herself in the middle of a brawl started by a couple of headstrong teens with remarkable abilities - which, of course, they're terrible at controlling. She's sworn off being anybody's teacher, mentor, professor, sensei or anything that reminds her of her old life. But will the White Queen force her hand?

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

Kindle Edition

First published May 6, 2025

About the author

Dr. Eve Louise Ewing is a writer and a sociologist of education from Chicago. Ewing is a prolific writer across multiple genres. Her 2018 book Ghosts in the Schoolyard: Racism & School Closings on Chicago's South Side explores the relationship between the closing of public schools and the structural history of race and racism in Chicago's Bronzeville community.

Ewing's first collection of poetry, essays, and visual art, Electric Arches, was published by Haymarket Books in 2017. Her second collection, 1919, tells the story of the race riot that rocked Chicago in the summer of that year. Her first book for elementary readers, Maya and the Robot, is forthcoming in 2020 from Kokila, an imprint of Penguin Random House.

Her work has been published in many venues, including The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Nation, The Washington Post, The New Republic, Poetry Magazine, and the anthology American Journal: Fifty Poems for Our Time, curated by Tracy K. Smith, Poet Laureate of the United States. With Nate Marshall, she co-wrote the play No Blue Memories: The Life of Gwendolyn Brooks, produced by Manual Cinema and commissioned by the Poetry Foundation. She also currently writes the Champions series for Marvel Comics and previously wrote the acclaimed Ironheart series, as well as other projects.

Reviews

[Molly™☺ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better than expected, but suffering from modern tropes that feel forced and out of place at times. It is nothing special and heavily relies on the new characters to add a bit of flavour and optimism to the cast. The problem with that is the fact that Kitty and Emma remain the most interesting two, and that is without nostalgia or pre-established attachment clouding judgement. Even though it is decent as is, Ewing needs to find something to make her entry standout before it fades into the background.

actual rating 2.5 stars

[Tyler Jenkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kitty Pryde and Emma Frost leading a team of young mutants together?! I’m sat and I’m so in. Loving this series so far. Not much action but lots of good talking points and it’s nice to see new friendships blossom even in these dark times for mutants.

[Myah · Rating 4 out of 5]

this series has been a delicious slow burn so far and i’ve loved it! this issue was truly where things are getting started imo—we’ve established who our characters are, now it’s time for some action! i really hope emma isn’t left as a one dimensional character in this, so far she’s had the least characterization of the cast. but overall this is a series that i continue to look forward to each new release! and that ending??? i cant wait to see where this goes!

[Anna Quilter · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

A reluctant Kitty prompted by Emma agrees to mentor some new Mutants...after a difficult period in her life.

[Adam Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the second to last book of the first round of the "From the Ashes" titles, I was very impressed with this. Not only does it link to the others (and it should, promoting itself as one of the 3 flagship titles) but handles old characters and new with ease.
Highlights:
- Starting with Kitty Pryde, just working as a bartender and trying to blend in with the rest of the world, she is dealing with all the trauma of the Krakoa ending events and her part in it.
- Unfortunately, Kitty can't leave herself out when others need help and she ends up being approached to be a mentor to 3 new mutants.
- Emma Frost is her typical assertive self and buts in on Kitty and gets the 5 of them to start training together. Eventually, Iceman joins the party and they form a team of sorts.
- Members: Kitty Pryde, Emma Frost, Iceman, and new team members: Bronze, Melee, and Axo
- A lingering threat that should be addressed in the next Volume, or at least in one of the X-Books soon, is that of "Verate" - an app customized for your life (ie food, exercise, etc) based on your DNA. Sounds like something to track mutants to me.

Overall, a great start to this title. Recommend.

(One more left... on to Wolverine!)

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kate Pryde just wants to be left alone. Krakoa is gone, and she did some pretty scary things during the Fall Of X that she's not proud of. Unfortunately, if she doesn't step up to help three new mutant teens, Emma Frost is going to do it instead, and Kate can't have that.

While Uncanny X-Men has the whole 'gone back to school' vibe going for it, Exceptional X-Men feels more like the X-Men books of old. There's drama, there's superhero fights, there's Emma Frost being a catty bitch (affectionate), and villains lurking in the wings that are going to cause mundo problems later on. Kate/Kitty/Katherine/Shadowcat/Whatever as a POV character has proven to work before, and the fact that she's in such a weird place right now makes things even more fun. The three new characters, Trista, Alex, and Thao, are all different and interesting, and whenever Emma's on panel I'm having a good time.

Add in some gorgeous art from Carmen Carnero and I think this might be my favourite of the From The Ashes books so far.

[TJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kitty and Emma are two of the most interesting X-Men, and it’s so nice to see them training these new kids, who are surprisingly also interesting. This and NYX are easily the best X-titles happening right now, which makes me happy because I love the characters focused on in those the most. 5/5 stars.

[Brandon Daniels · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was fine. It feels less regressive than the other two big books. The new kids are interesting, and they are written well. The art is also good. Still, I’m having a hard time enjoying any X books at the moment.

[TR Naus · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun ride! The heart of this volume is the complex interplay between Emma Frost and Kitty Pryde. It is always a joy for me to watch their relationship grow, full of excellent (and often biting) dialogue and plenty of history. Their dynamic is as explosive as it is full of mutual respect. It was a highlight of this run to watch Emma maneuver Kitty into a leadership role, only for Kitty to resist it every step of the way.

Introducing new mutants is a gamble, but here it pays off. The new cast feels modern and purposeful, moving away from the background fodder feel that often accompanies new student characters. They give the veteran X-Men a reason to care again. Bronze is a standout for me. Her earnest desire to "be part of something" provides a necessary emotional anchor, and her antics made me laugh out loud a few times.

If there is a flaw, it’s the reliance on the "Kitty tries to hide and be normal" trope. For long-time readers, seeing Kitty retreat into a mundane life (bartending, avoiding her past) feels like a cycle we have seen many times before. While it serves as a practical entry point for new readers and drives the current plot, for the seasoned fan, it can elicit a bit of an "Again?" reaction.

Exceptional benefits from truly fantastic art. Carmen Carnero’s work is polished, expressive, and—crucially—consistent. In a story that lives or dies on character interaction, Carnero’s ability to capture the nuance of a weary Kitty Pryde or the sharp, commanding presence of Emma Frost elevates the script. It is a beautiful book that doesn't suffer from the "off panels" that plague other titles.

Exceptional X-Men succeeds because it feels intimate. It trades the "global conspiracy" scale for a human one. Despite the familiarity of Kitty’s arc, the strength of the new characters and the pitch-perfect art make this the standout title of the "From the Ashes" relaunch.

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Might be my favorite From the Ashes book and that's largely because it features almost no action scenes. This is pretty purely "mutants new and old, just trying to get by post-Krakoa." The star is Kitty (Kate) Pryde, who is bartending in Chicago and basically not being a mutant. But she keeps running into teenagers who are struggling with their mutant abilities and, well, sometimes the universe is telling you it's time to start a little mutant dojo in an old warehouse.

The teenagers are an excellent addition to the book - they could very easily have been stock, boring Gen Z teens, but they instead have personalities and ambition and lives beyond punching bad guys. Great stuff. Emma Frost shows up to muck things up, but again, instead of things taking a violent turn, Emma just joins the fun as a secondary instructor. (Admittedly, a combat-focused instructor.) The push and pull between Emma and Kate is delightful.

So, Exceptional X-Men is basically the YA mutant academy book in the From the Ashes line-up, but wayyy better than that sounds. The only sour note is that the next volume looks like it'll be about a dangerous app that promises to remove your mutations... which sounds like a million X-book plots we've seen before.

[Alex Sarll]

Yes, Kitty Pryde gets her name reset from Kate before the first issue is done, which is about what I expected from the Brevoort era. But despite his weird squeamishness about the sexy side of Krakoa, she is still bi, and there's no effort here to sweep what she did there under the carpet. And not that I think she should feel at all bad about offing a bunch of Orchis scum, but I buy that she would anyway, and Eve Ewing sells that as part of the reason Kitty's isolated herself from the X-Men, is trying her damnedest not to think about her past, to tire herself out at work and just stay away from anything mutant-related. But – albeit at a more leisurely pace than NYX, which paid lip service to similar ideas – of course she finds herself drawn back in, reluctantly looking after mutant kids she finds threatened and struggling, especially when the alternative is leaving them to the tender mercies of Emma Frost. Who, apart from a somewhat lacklustre appearance by Iceman, is the only other established character here, which would normally be concerning, because I don't want to say there haven't been any good new mutant characters since Generation Hope, but I'm genuinely struggling to think of one. Except, by some miracle, the three kids here are all pretty engaging. More remarkable still, unlike the current iterations of Uncanny and adjectiveless, this has in Carmen Carnero a regular series artist who doesn't make my eyes sad. Definitely the pick of From The Ashes, even if it doesn't make nearly enough use of Mikhail Baryshnikov the corgi.

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably my favourite of the books coming out of From the Ashes era.

Probably because it's the only X book that is actually actively tackling the things that came out of the end of Krakoa. Yes, NYX, has some elements, but this deals with the fall out and tackles things head on. Especially where Kitty is concerned.

[L · Rating 1 out of 5]

When the only thing you remember is the "what's your pronouns" and, it was so funny (for real), everyone used he/him or she/her, you can tell this is not a good comic book.
So Kitty Pride doesn't want to be involved in the X-Men anymore but everything in the world is conspiring to force her back to it. Been there, done that multiple times.
The new mutants are bland and with powers that we've seen a lot of times. Look ! This new girl can phase trough things BUT she also turns invisible, what a twist...
No ennemies, a vague threat to "cure" mutants (yes, again), a total bore.
The art is adequate but somewhat boring too.

[Dean · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably 3.5 stars. Not what I expected but that's not a bad thing. Nice art colours and story.
It was a bit tiresome refusing the call to action but it's finally been accepted at issue 3.
Keen to keep reading.

[Perry Moreton · Rating 5 out of 5]

of the four FTA series i've started so far, i think this is probably my favourite.

NYX might be slightly better overall, but the tone of this one is just so endearing. and that word is at the centre of most of what i love here. as i said, the tone, with the emphasis on youth and friendship, which, while also obviously being a point about solidarity and community among mutants, makes the character dynamics, which are both always engaging and frequently funny, central.

another thing that helps endear me to this book is the three mainstays it stars - Kate Pryde, Emma Frost, Ice Man - all of whom i really like (or love, in Emma's case) wherever they may appear. it's natural to enjoy Emma here, as teaching young mutants is where she shines and her dynamic with Kate is one of the most developed. when it comes to Kate herself, i love her arc. i was worried - as were i believe many others - that her avoiding involvement of mutant affairs would connote a denial of her identity, but instead it's a (naïve) coping strategy of running from trauma after killing so many goons in ninja mode during Fall of X. and it is an ARC, so we quickly see how unsustainable this mindset is, since just when she thinks she's out, they bring her back in: violence against mutants is everywhere and if, like Kate, you're trained to fight it, it's hard (and wrong) to remain a bystander. that said, her attempts at mundanity are still fun too: working way too hard, missing dates, regressing to the mean by moving back to her hometown to live with a childhood friend.

and speaking of Kate being pulled back into mutantdom, that brings me to the last endearing feature: the three new characters she has to train. they all get interesting personalities which are established pretty early on so that we soon feel we know them. and it helps that they get some really neat focus issues detailing the intersection of their new mutant life with their home and school lives. most of all i love Trista, aka Bronze. every time an X book introduces new students, fans worry that they'll become footnotes in a sea of other failed poochies, and rightly so, there are SO MANY of them. but if any of these three is to endure past this run, i think it'll be Trista. i love the way she acts as a foil to Kate, her enthusiasm and exuberance, the way she instantly sees Kate as a hero-mentor, just like Kate once did with Ororo and Logan and Charles, and wants to be her bestie (and it's very funny when Kate has to insist she make friends her age). all of this speaks to the sense that she makes Kate feel old. she's the exact sort of earnestly nice nerd kid who Kate was 40 years ago, just with the reference pool that a nerd would have in 2024 and (as much as Marvel won't let you portray her as even more than 25), it's been a very long time since Kate was the X-Men's kid sister, so it's fun to see the ways in which she can't keep up with everything Trista puts forward (like when she wants to go to a concert for an ageing band she liked in her youth doing a greatest hits tour to relive their prime and cash in on nostalgia, but ends up instead at a K-pop show where she meets Trista and is clearly deeply out of her depth, just from a comparative glance at her outfit compared to Trista's). many more such interactions make this character and that bond more captivating than the story of one academy x kid.

also Carnero's art is consistently great (colourful, bubbly, yet down to earth) in a way that's just an absolutely PERFECT fit for the tone.

glad this is one of the ones that hasn't been cancelled yet so i can read on

[Liz (Quirky Cat) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary:

Krakoa has fallen, and while many heroes have gotten right back up and kept on going, others need a change of pace. Kate Pryde is one such hero. At first, she thought what she needed was something more normal, whatever that meant.

However, Kate was always destined to teach, and it didn’t take long for her to attract a new crew of younger mutants. They need her guidance, but she won’t be the only hero stepping up to watch over their teaching.

Review:

Six new series popped up at the beginning of From the Ashes (and many others followed), including Exceptional X-Men. This team offered a slightly different take on the mutant team thing, focusing on the newest generation, with unwilling teachers at the helm.

Right off the bat, the series begins teasing a few mysteries, including Emma Frost’s interest in the kids. It also introduced three new mutants, Melee, Bronze, and Axo. They’re cute and charming in equal measure, so it isn’t hard to root for them.

Kate effectively being forced to start over with a new team (once again, in a teaching role) may not be what she wants, but I do think it’s good for her. She needs to confront her past if she ever wants to move forward, and I feel like that’s the message this series is trying to tell.

Well, one of the messages. There are obviously a few other major messages, including the current threats against mutants, especially the inexperienced ones. It isn’t hard to see how the story, or the team, came together.

Highlights:
From the Ashes
Kate Pryde Team
New Mutants
Kate & Emma Team-Up

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[Luke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Going into this book, I didn't have high hopes, with Emma Frost and Kitty Pryde front-and-center, after getting burned by the gradual decline of the Marauders series that featured this duo. To my surprise, this is likely the strongest X-Men book currently running, with a cast of new mutants that feel fresh and a core hero that feels well-characterized. Kate is a reluctant lead who wants to put her X-Men history behind her but finds herself accosted by both teammates who worry over her and confused kids that need guidance as they try and survive the new mutant status quo. With each issue, our characters grow in depth and expand their proverbial wings (what with Angel not being in this book), providing an understanding of our cast that goes beyond the superficial.

I do think that easily the weakest element of the book is Emma; despite being front and center for the cover of the first issue, she doesn't show up until next issue, and her presence has thus far been sporadic and low-impact. Her forceful encouragement feels more like a distraction that a necessary push for Kate, as Kate already wants to help these kids cope with the hatred they are constantly bombarded with, despite the awkward position this puts her in. I wouldn't go so far that these scenes take away from Kate's journey, but it does feel like a distraction that pads out some issues.

Of all the currently written X-Men books, this is the one I would recommend folks check out, as I think it's both fresh and engaging, especially when compared to a lot of the relatively flat stories that the other X-Books are featuring.

[Sam Whale · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really really liked this one. Focusing on Kitty and how she's dealing with the death and murder caused by her and by the events of Krakoa was a really good idea and using that pain to slowly transform her back into a teacher was a fantastic direction to take with her.

Adult Kitty is at her best when she's a teacher imo, it was always my favourite part of All New X-Men and I really enjoyed all three of her new students, especially Bronze. I think making the three teens brand new characters was a smart move too as it lets us get to know them alongside Kitty.

rounding out the cast we have Emma Frost, who is providing the funding and means for this teaching endeavour, and Ice Man, who just sort of showed up. Emma is a great addition to the cast and it's fun seeing her harder teaching methods clash with Kitty, the two of them have a very very rich history and putting them together is interesting (tho I hope their dynamic is explore in greater depth in future volumes). Bobby feels like a bit of a spare part however. three kids don't need three teachers and he's not added much to the group yet. I do always like Bobby however so it's not the end of the world I suppose.

Exceptional X-Men is off to an Exceptional start and feel like both a great jumping on point for X-Men shenanigans while providing a compelling character driven story and some promising new faces to the Marvel Universe.

[Shannon Appelcline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unsurprisingly, the major problem with From the Ashes is editorial. It's not the first time this has been the downfall of X-Men comics (though it's the first time that Tom Brevoort was the cause). I mean come on, two different comics that not only focus on young mutants but no totally new mutants? One would be questionable given the vast depth of the young mutant bench. Two is editorial malpractice. It's like the X-Office doesn't want to write actual X-Teams.

It's a pity because Ewing's writing is pretty good. Oh, it's a little light on the actual plot. But the characterization is great, in particular for Kitty (even if giving up her adult Kate name is a massive backslide). But Ewing is really exploring what Kitty went through in the later days of Krakoa and what it means to her. It's no Marauders, but it's pretty good.

And the young kids, yeah, they're OK. Their characterization is strong, but I also just barely care. Maybe they'll grow on us? Maybe they'll connect to us in some way? Maybe there will be a plot?

3.5 stars. Definitely better than the trashier From the Ashes titles. I just wish it were more about the actual, you know, X-Men.

[Maxine · Rating 1 out of 5]

Loooot of moments of the characters instigating verbal and physical fights over the most minor of misunderstandings. I know miscommunication and fights with no purpose are staple tropes of superhero comics, but they felt *so* egregious in this one! Like please, could any of these characters talk/listen to each other for a single word before they start throwing punches?

Also Emma and Bobby both felt very OOC to me. This may just be because I haven't read a lot of recent stuff with them, and I may just be out of the loop with how those characters are portrayed now. But they were nearly unrecognizable to me, and I almost put this volume down several times just because of that alone.

(Also... since when did Kitty and Bobby grow up together? Don't they have a 10-year age difference, and didn't they grow up in completely different states? Since when are they even *friends* to begin with? Is this a hold-over from the old "Ultimate X-men" comics? Is the author confused, or am I?)

And can Emma please get better clothes again? Because honestly, wth is that outfit?

Idk. I thought the first issue was really good, but every issue after that was really frustrating to read.

[Chris · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is absolutely abysmal.

Non existent plot and comic that’s been used as a vehicle for some terminally online activist’s political commentary.

Reading it is like being locked in a room stuck listening to a ranting idiot with no analytical thinking ability, nothing creative or new to say that I’ve not read on Twitter, no observational skills and no amusing turn of phrase.

Marvel clearly still have not learned how to select writers with the ability to air their world views via subtext and analogy.

If this was written by a 12 year old I would not be surprised, but it’s been written by a grown adult who has prior experience writing (equally dismal) comics at Marvel.


The artist at least has good storytelling skills, even if their work is forgettable

That this was cancelled at issue 10 is no great surprise. It’s longer than it should have got.

The only thing more boring than this comic was reading Eve Ewing’s afterword in the first issue.

Marvel, just please make it stop. You are stinking out the good books of the From The Ashes era with crap like this.

[Nico Meyering · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really love Dr Ewing’s work on Photon. The issues I have with this book include characterization, continuity, and care.

Characterization: the three new mutants speak like they’re caricatures of young adults; there are also already tons of existing mutants for Marvel to choose from.

Continuity: I guess Emma and Kitty are back to being icy allies, not friends. I guess Kitty is starting over from scratch AGAIN.

Care: Following Krakoa, it’s tough for me to care and get invested in this storyline which seems so familiar to numerous other X-Men storylines.

Finally - This isnt Ewing’s fault, but of course Disney will make their own X-Men storyline which the comics will have to follow anyhow

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

After Krakoa, Kitty Pryde just wants to live her life as a bartender in Chicago. When she sees some mutant teenagers being mistreated she reluctantly gets involved, becoming their teacher. Eventually, Emma Frost shows up more or less to make snide comments. This is a slow burn focusing on the characters. There are not a lot of plots or intrigue going on. Yet, I liked it quite a bit. Maybe it's just that it's the complete opposite of the Krakoa era which skimmed over character so they could throw 6 gazillion mutants at you instead. It doesn't hurt that Carmen Carnero is a terrific artist.

[Patrick McArdle]

Just really, really mediocre. Kitty Pryde? Ninja and space warrior and supposed genius is a slacker bartender? Who happens to run into three mutants at the same time? And these three future trivia answers ("Hey, who were those kids who were in that mid-202o's Kitty Pryde series that everyone has forgotten? Dust? Armor? Greystone? No, even MORE forgettable?") with powers I can't even remember although I finished reading it about 20 minutes ago were just looking for a mutant teacher? (Who is now bi-sexual, I guess, based on nothing established in her history? Not painful to read but you'll only remember it if you started reading X-comics two months ago.

[Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is really good. A new start for Kitty Pryde after the fall of Krakoa. She's working in a bar and just living life until circumstances put her in the way of three new young mutants that she reluctantly takes under her wing. And Emma Frost makes an appearance. And Bobby Drake stops by. I just really like the toned-downness of this--not a whole bunch of mutant battles, but everyday people dealing with school and work and then stopping by the dojo after school for some training. Ewing has everything under control so far and the art is consistent and strong. Really good start for this new book.

[Joey Nardinelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

For being the first volume in a new run, this new marvel X-men content sure feels like it expect you to do a chunk of reading before and around it. There’s definitely a few clunky moments in here, mostly involving Kitty and Emma. The stuff with Bobby also feels pointlessly convoluted/mysterious. I really like the new characters though — Thao feels most relatable, but Alex feels very contemporary and fresh in a way I think Trista is too. Given how lukewarm I’ve been on most of this stuff in the last year, it’s nice to hit a title that I feel like is clicking both in characters and themes with art that’s pretty easy to look at too.

[Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

Does every former X-Men leader have PTSD now?

Seriously. Cyclops is up in Alaska panicking. Kitty is using sensory grounding techniques to avoid a breakdown in Chicago. Haven't seen how stable Rogue is, but she's not known for it.

We also see Kitty trying to live a normal life...again(?) Seems like she's constantly trying to step away every 3 to 5 years. This time around, they've got her aged up enough that she can be a mentor to the next generation of mutants coming up. There's plenty of dialogue and hand wringing with what road Kitty should take. Be a hands on mentor, or sit back and let the children make their own mistakes.

Emma always has an opinion.
========
Bonus: Less action and more plot

[Fiona · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was the new title i was most looking forward to reading and safe to say they killed ittt

i LOVE how they keep putting emma and kitty together on the same team now, their dynamic is delectable. i feel like they have the same goals/intentions but extremely different methods and moral qualms about how to get there

i've still yet to find the words to explain why these two are my favourites but that panel where kitty (she's going by kitty again !) is able to blend in as a human and hear what people really think plus her going through another crisis of what she wants to do with her life are relatable recurring character themes

[C.T. Phipps · Rating 5 out of 5]

EXCEPTIONAL X-MEN is another Post-Krakoa story about someone trying to adapt to life after tropical paradise mutantdom. Kitty is working as a bartender away from all the hubub when she gets contacted by a bunch of mutant children who need her to train them. Emma Frost decides to involve herself against all common sense and logic. It's actually quite interesting and I like seeing Kitty cope with having killed Orchis agents. We also have Kitty's first girlfriend who, sadly, has the personality of a wet blanket.

[Steven desJardins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not convinced by Kitty Pryde taking a job as a waitress, and nobody recognizing her even though she uses her real name and is frequently seen using her powers. But if you just ignore the whole global celebrity thing, and the weight of forty-five years of comic book continuity, this is a good story about someone with a really screwed-up childhood trying to do better by a new generation of mutants, getting some things right and other things wrong and trying to learn from her mistakes as she goes.