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New Mutants (2019)
New Mutants, Vol. 1
The new generation claims the dawn! The classic New Mutants - Sunspot, Wolfsbane, Mirage, Karma, Magik and Cypher - get together with new friends Chamber and Mondo for a new mission…tracking down their teammate Cannonball! Hitching a ride into outer space with the Starjammers, the New Mutants soon find themselves in trouble and on trial for crimes against the Shi'ar Empire! But when Deathbird returns and throws the Empire into turmoil, the New Mutants' happy reunion soon becomes a complicated struggle for galactic freedom! Who will claim the Shi'ar throne? It's a star-spanning adventure from the mind of X-visionary Jonathan Hickman! Collects New Mutants (2019) #1-2, 5, 7.
128 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2020
65 people are currently reading
427 people want to read
About the author
Jonathan Hickman
1,224 books2,048 followersJonathan Hickman is an American comic book writer and artist. He is known for creating the Image Comics series The Nightly News, The Manhattan Projects and East of West, as well as working on Marvel Comics' Fantastic Four, FF, and S.H.I.E.L.D. titles. In 2012, Hickman ended his run on the Fantastic Four titles to write The Avengers and The New Avengers, as part the "Marvel NOW!" relaunch. In 2013, Hickman wrote a six-part miniseries, Infinity, plus Avengers tie-ins for Marvel Comics. In 2015, he wrote the crossover event Secret Wars. - Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 220 reviews
November 12, 2020
4.5 stars
This was not at all what I've come to think of as a Hickman comic. And I mean that in the very best way. He really nailed these characters with such a fun 20something vibe.
I'm just not used to Hickman doing the snappy dialogue thing. I may be completely off base here, but I usually think of more dramatic BIG themed storylines when I see his name. Quippy humor isn't what I've ever associated with his stuff, and I'm pleasantly surprised!
I'm not terribly familiar with the original New Mutants, but I think this is most (if not all) of the old gang. Sunspot, Wolfsbane, Mirage, Karma, Magik, and Cypher all show up in this one, along with a few others. Again, this isn't a team I'm very knowledgeable about, so I could be wrong.
The gist is that these guys head out into the great wide universe to visit a friend and end up involved in all kinds of space shenanigans. <--it's way better than I just made it sound, trust me.
I wasn't crazy about the fuzzy watercolor art style but it got better as it went on. Not sure why.
But I'm sure someone out there can tell me...?
Anyway, so far I'm very much enjoying everything I've read from these rebooted X-men.
This was not at all what I've come to think of as a Hickman comic. And I mean that in the very best way. He really nailed these characters with such a fun 20something vibe.
I'm just not used to Hickman doing the snappy dialogue thing. I may be completely off base here, but I usually think of more dramatic BIG themed storylines when I see his name. Quippy humor isn't what I've ever associated with his stuff, and I'm pleasantly surprised!
I'm not terribly familiar with the original New Mutants, but I think this is most (if not all) of the old gang. Sunspot, Wolfsbane, Mirage, Karma, Magik, and Cypher all show up in this one, along with a few others. Again, this isn't a team I'm very knowledgeable about, so I could be wrong.
The gist is that these guys head out into the great wide universe to visit a friend and end up involved in all kinds of space shenanigans. <--it's way better than I just made it sound, trust me.
I wasn't crazy about the fuzzy watercolor art style but it got better as it went on. Not sure why.
But I'm sure someone out there can tell me...?
Anyway, so far I'm very much enjoying everything I've read from these rebooted X-men.
September 15, 2020
Essentially The Hangover meets The New Mutants with Sam and Bobby playing Phil and Alan, but Sunspot's recaps at the starts of every issue are definitely inspired from Luis, Michael Peña's character in MCU movies.
So much for years and years of characters development, but storyline was hilarious and I digged a lot Rod Reis' artworks too.
It seems I was lucky waiting for this one being collected in TPB because this storyline was originally published in New Mutants (2019) (Single Issues) #1-2, 5, 7 with other issues including Ed Brisson's stories, so reading this in individual releases was going to be a real nightmare.
Not bad at all if you are into 4th wall breaking comics and, last but not least, I agree with Mondo about Illyana being an animal, but this wild incarnation of the Darkchylde is just my most favourite one since years.
'Nuff said.
November 16, 2020
"What's going on?" -- Dani 'Mirage' Moonstar
"Not quite sure yet." -- Sam 'Cannonball' Guthrie
Right there with ya, Cannonball. This volume reminded me of cotton candy - and not just because of the bright color scheme - that you'd purchase at a fair or amusement park. That is, it wasn't very filling or substantial. But that's just fine as the steady amount and level of humor used throughout is a obvious clue that absolutely nothing is to be taken seriously here at all. (I mean, I know that space pirate Corsair has been around in Marvel since the late 70's, but by his appearance a present-day audience will likely be reminded of Ben Stiller's ridiculous character in the Dodgeball movie.) Anyway, the often-snarky teenage superhero trainees - and, amazingly, none of the eight members get lost in the shuffle - are involved in an admittedly thin or irrelevant intergalactic adventure storyline that has just enough action, but way more wisecracking dialogue / asides, to keep things a bit interesting.
"Not quite sure yet." -- Sam 'Cannonball' Guthrie
Right there with ya, Cannonball. This volume reminded me of cotton candy - and not just because of the bright color scheme - that you'd purchase at a fair or amusement park. That is, it wasn't very filling or substantial. But that's just fine as the steady amount and level of humor used throughout is a obvious clue that absolutely nothing is to be taken seriously here at all. (I mean, I know that space pirate Corsair has been around in Marvel since the late 70's, but by his appearance a present-day audience will likely be reminded of Ben Stiller's ridiculous character in the Dodgeball movie.) Anyway, the often-snarky teenage superhero trainees - and, amazingly, none of the eight members get lost in the shuffle - are involved in an admittedly thin or irrelevant intergalactic adventure storyline that has just enough action, but way more wisecracking dialogue / asides, to keep things a bit interesting.
December 24, 2020
The old team is back together with a couple of new member surprise. There's an annoyingly arrogant narration of events by Roberto Da Costa (Sunspot), as a the team find themselves in Shi'Ar space facing Starjammers, the Imperial Guard and more. Despite the best New Mutant stories being those of darkness and horror, Hickman decides humour is the way, and it works just about as much as it doesn't. 6 out of 12 for a 'fun' space adventure that I didn't need.
The events in this book happen at the same time as most of the events in New Mutants by Ed Brisson, Vol. 1, as they are both titles volume 1!
The events in this book happen at the same time as most of the events in New Mutants by Ed Brisson, Vol. 1, as they are both titles volume 1!
March 25, 2022
If there's one thing Marvel truly loves is overcomplicating the numbering on X-Men titles, they just can't help themselves, this time they decided to publish two New Mutants storylines within the latest New Mutants relaunch, one starring the classic New Mutants, written by Hickman, and the other starring an amalgam of other teen mutants, written by Brisson.
This volume collects Hickman's issues, which have been the most humorous of Dawn of X, its basically teen mutants in space doing mischief, hella fun, cracked me up more than once, the artwork is also pretty unique, I'm fully into it.
Hopefully both series will catch up to something good otherwise this will soon become a mess, not to mention people buying singles will have to wait several weeks to get back on a specific story, bad decision on the editorial.
This volume collects Hickman's issues, which have been the most humorous of Dawn of X, its basically teen mutants in space doing mischief, hella fun, cracked me up more than once, the artwork is also pretty unique, I'm fully into it.
Hopefully both series will catch up to something good otherwise this will soon become a mess, not to mention people buying singles will have to wait several weeks to get back on a specific story, bad decision on the editorial.
March 3, 2021
One of the more interesting 'Dawn of X' titles, and not just because it's written by the main current X-helmsmen Jonathan Hickman. Plus art is incredible, perfectly referencing classic Bill Sienkiewicz.
In a different tone from his more serious flagship X-Men, it's still ambitious sci-fi but a lot more fun and funny. Like all latter Marvel, it does require some knowledge of the character mythology, but mostly you just need to know that Roberta da Costa is rich and that his best friend is Sam, which the story will remind you. Those reference charts are helpful.
All the New Mutants you love are there, including some of Generation X from the 90s. They go on a hilarious romp through Shi'ar outer space with the Starjammers and fight the Imperial Guard, and there's a space lawyer. What more could you want?
In a different tone from his more serious flagship X-Men, it's still ambitious sci-fi but a lot more fun and funny. Like all latter Marvel, it does require some knowledge of the character mythology, but mostly you just need to know that Roberta da Costa is rich and that his best friend is Sam, which the story will remind you. Those reference charts are helpful.
All the New Mutants you love are there, including some of Generation X from the 90s. They go on a hilarious romp through Shi'ar outer space with the Starjammers and fight the Imperial Guard, and there's a space lawyer. What more could you want?
February 24, 2020
Not too sure why they did it this way. New Mutants is being written by two different writers but for the trades they are doing volume 1 by Hickman and volume 1 by Brisson. But the main point is that the issues coming out vary from writer to writer so this collects issue 1, 2, 5, and 7.
So this story has some of the New Mutant kids from previous storylines getting zapped into Space. So basically Mutants in space. Right away within the first issue we get all the kids/teens kidnapped and put in prison. So now we have to get out but they might have to do this the legal way on top of working together.
Overall, this is pretty decent. The dialogue can be great. Magik is the standout with multiple funny scenes. I think most of the interactions are pretty fun. I think the negative comes from if you don't know these kids its now as enjoyable. Also...the storyline, like the plot, isn't all that great.
Overall, a middle of the road Dawn of X book. It's good but not great. A 3 out of 5.
So this story has some of the New Mutant kids from previous storylines getting zapped into Space. So basically Mutants in space. Right away within the first issue we get all the kids/teens kidnapped and put in prison. So now we have to get out but they might have to do this the legal way on top of working together.
Overall, this is pretty decent. The dialogue can be great. Magik is the standout with multiple funny scenes. I think most of the interactions are pretty fun. I think the negative comes from if you don't know these kids its now as enjoyable. Also...the storyline, like the plot, isn't all that great.
Overall, a middle of the road Dawn of X book. It's good but not great. A 3 out of 5.
May 9, 2020
This was really frustrating to read in single issues. Rod Reis couldn't keep up with the art so there's another story by Ed Brisson featuring no New Mutants interspersed in the midst of this story. This collects Jonathan Hickman's and Rod Reis's story from New Mutants #1, #2, #5, #7.
A bunch of the original New Mutants head to space to try and convince Cannonball to come back to Earth. He's in Shi'ar raising his kid with his wife Smasher. If you've read Hickman's New Avengers, you'll know all about it. The team hitches a ride into Shi'ar space with the Starjammers and the trouble mounts from there. Sunspot narrates what has come before in each issue and it's pretty funny. At least Hickman had the good sense to make fun of the skipped issues in issue #7. Hickman writes a really good Magik as well.
Rod Reis has an interesting art style. It looks like a cheap film from the 70's where the print is all scratched up. I kind of dig it.
A bunch of the original New Mutants head to space to try and convince Cannonball to come back to Earth. He's in Shi'ar raising his kid with his wife Smasher. If you've read Hickman's New Avengers, you'll know all about it. The team hitches a ride into Shi'ar space with the Starjammers and the trouble mounts from there. Sunspot narrates what has come before in each issue and it's pretty funny. At least Hickman had the good sense to make fun of the skipped issues in issue #7. Hickman writes a really good Magik as well.
Rod Reis has an interesting art style. It looks like a cheap film from the 70's where the print is all scratched up. I kind of dig it.
January 29, 2020
Scattered, disjointed, pointless book. For some reason New Mutants juggles two completely separate storylines, one written by Ed Brisson and another by Hickman himself. Hickman's parts are somewhat better, but only marginally — most of his issues still felt dull and uneventful, especially in relation to the larger X-Men universe. Brisson's parts are plain trash — a disposable and boring storyline done a million times before that is pretty much textbook definition of filler. Overall, I really don't see why this series exists in the way it does, it adds nothing of value to the overall Dawn of X narrative and is not nearly good enough on its own. I'm dropping this book.
February 7, 2020
Wow, parece que con esta nueva serie de cómics todo está volviendo a lo tradicional, pero demasiado tradicional para mi gusto. Los New Mutants es lo que fueron hace muuuucho tiempo, un grupo de jóvenes sin un comando único auténtico y con problemas personales por doquier. En este caso se ven inmiscuidos en una misión espacial donde los Shiar los harán pasar penurias. Por otro lado y para desordenar más la cosa hay una historia cruzada de Armor, Globe y los hermanos psíquicos tratando de ayudar a un viejo amigo mutante.
El resultado bastante soso y falta de sustancia.
El resultado bastante soso y falta de sustancia.
August 25, 2020
So... I didn’t like this as much as I had hoped...
What’s it about?
A group of New Mutants characters end up in space. That’s all I can really say without spoilers but there’s much more to it than that, don’t worry.
Pros:
The story pretty good. It’s a fun mix of superheroes and sci-fi space adventure!
This story has a good, intense tone to it. The adventure makes it feel pretty exciting.
Hickman is a good storyteller. This book is no exception to that statement.
Cons:
The characters... so there’s almost nothing to them. Me, being slightly familiar with these characters but no expert, felt slightly lost. Magik and Deathbird are pretty bad-ass but other than that, nah. Wolfsbane could have been cool but she did fuck-all in this entire book. I can barely even remember the other characters’ names despite having just finished this yesterday.
This comic is very predictable.
There’s one part where it skips a big, would be awesome fight scene for something that fails at being funny. I couldn’t help but sigh asking “what the fuck?” after that excitement.
This book does that mixing comics and prose thing that I find annoying. At that point just write a fucking novel.
Mixed thoughts:
The art. Sometimes it looks beautiful, sometimes it looks ugly, often it looks just okay.
The comic relief. Some of it is pretty well done, other times it’s lame (example: Hickman isn’t great at writing fourth wall breaks).
Overall:
I remember when reading Dawn of X Vol 1 thinking New Mutants looked like one of the most promising new X-Men line comics. Unfortunately, it disappointed me.
Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t necessarily dislike it, I just expected it to be better. There’s actually more things I listed under cons than pros. If it weren’t for Hickman’s excellent storytelling getting me engaged with this tale I quite likely would have ended up giving this 2-stars.
I’m not sure if I’ll be bothered to read volume 2 TBH. While I see this as fairly fun, it’s kinda meh overall.
3/5
What’s it about?
A group of New Mutants characters end up in space. That’s all I can really say without spoilers but there’s much more to it than that, don’t worry.
Pros:
The story pretty good. It’s a fun mix of superheroes and sci-fi space adventure!
This story has a good, intense tone to it. The adventure makes it feel pretty exciting.
Hickman is a good storyteller. This book is no exception to that statement.
Cons:
The characters... so there’s almost nothing to them. Me, being slightly familiar with these characters but no expert, felt slightly lost. Magik and Deathbird are pretty bad-ass but other than that, nah. Wolfsbane could have been cool but she did fuck-all in this entire book. I can barely even remember the other characters’ names despite having just finished this yesterday.
This comic is very predictable.
There’s one part where it skips a big, would be awesome fight scene for something that fails at being funny. I couldn’t help but sigh asking “what the fuck?” after that excitement.
This book does that mixing comics and prose thing that I find annoying. At that point just write a fucking novel.
Mixed thoughts:
The art. Sometimes it looks beautiful, sometimes it looks ugly, often it looks just okay.
The comic relief. Some of it is pretty well done, other times it’s lame (example: Hickman isn’t great at writing fourth wall breaks).
Overall:
I remember when reading Dawn of X Vol 1 thinking New Mutants looked like one of the most promising new X-Men line comics. Unfortunately, it disappointed me.
Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t necessarily dislike it, I just expected it to be better. There’s actually more things I listed under cons than pros. If it weren’t for Hickman’s excellent storytelling getting me engaged with this tale I quite likely would have ended up giving this 2-stars.
I’m not sure if I’ll be bothered to read volume 2 TBH. While I see this as fairly fun, it’s kinda meh overall.
3/5
December 8, 2020
500th book of 2020!
This was by far and away my favourite of the new Hickman-driven X-books. It was funny, fast-paced with great art and, most importantly to an old school New Mutants fan like myself, the team felt like themselves (something that can’t be said about a lot of the X-Men in these new X-books). For the most part. Sure, Rahne felt more than a little... off... but I’m pretty sure that was deliberate and is something that’s going to be explored in future. The callbacks to Roberto and Sam’s all-too-short tenure in the Avengers were nice, too.
If it weren’t for the Krakoa-stink in the plot I’d probably be giving this 5 stars... and I totally want that Cannonball-and-Sunspot-in-space book Hickman teased us with.
P.S. I read this in single issues and it occurs to me that the fourth-wall-breaking gag about the messed up numbering on this run is going to make absolutely no sense to anybody reading this in TPB format down the line. I wonder if they’ll edit it out...
This was by far and away my favourite of the new Hickman-driven X-books. It was funny, fast-paced with great art and, most importantly to an old school New Mutants fan like myself, the team felt like themselves (something that can’t be said about a lot of the X-Men in these new X-books). For the most part. Sure, Rahne felt more than a little... off... but I’m pretty sure that was deliberate and is something that’s going to be explored in future. The callbacks to Roberto and Sam’s all-too-short tenure in the Avengers were nice, too.
If it weren’t for the Krakoa-stink in the plot I’d probably be giving this 5 stars... and I totally want that Cannonball-and-Sunspot-in-space book Hickman teased us with.
P.S. I read this in single issues and it occurs to me that the fourth-wall-breaking gag about the messed up numbering on this run is going to make absolutely no sense to anybody reading this in TPB format down the line. I wonder if they’ll edit it out...
November 11, 2020
Almost the definition of a "your mileage may vary" X-book.
Not without its charms for me, but I really am not a fan of Shi'ar shenanigans in general so getting through it was a bit more of a slog than I'd hoped given how much of a fan I was of House of X.
Not without its charms for me, but I really am not a fan of Shi'ar shenanigans in general so getting through it was a bit more of a slog than I'd hoped given how much of a fan I was of House of X.
October 19, 2020
This was a pretty decent story to focus on the New Mutants within this new era of X-Men. The downside is that it doesn't really give readers a good idea of who these young adults really are and the story sometimes derails to the point of losing the reader along the way, making it harder to appreciate what happens later on.
Yours truly,
Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/
Yours truly,
Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/
April 5, 2020
This first volume of New Mutants collects the six issues that were written by Jonathan Hickman, and drawn by Rod Reis.
Hickman takes the original New Mutants, plus new friends Chamber and Mondo, across the stars to visit Cannonball and his wife, the Superguardian Smasher. But a simple roadtrip soon becomes a nightmare when they find themselves embroiled in Shi'ar politics that could spell the end for the entire Empire!
Hickman gets a little wordy here. This is a much more straightforward story than his X-Men stuff so far, and it's clear that, while this is self-contained for the most part, it's another springboard for later stories that will reverberate through the entire Dawn Of X line. Cosmic politics is always fun, and Hickman turns his hand back to it with flair. There's a bit of a misstep when he basically narrates two issues' worth of content in two pages because he ran out of space, but it's pulled off with such bald-faced confidence that you can't help but be impressed.
Speaking of impressive, Rod Reis' artwork is gorgeous. It's nothing like anything else Marvel are publishing right now, a bit Bill Sienkiewicz, a bit Esad Ribic, and he suits the space setting wonderfully. His use of blues is especially noteworthy.
New Mutants is one of those 'everything old is new again' books, and that's a good thing. It's a shame Hickman couldn't stick around longer, because this first volume is gold, but more on what comes next when Volume 2 comes around.
Hickman takes the original New Mutants, plus new friends Chamber and Mondo, across the stars to visit Cannonball and his wife, the Superguardian Smasher. But a simple roadtrip soon becomes a nightmare when they find themselves embroiled in Shi'ar politics that could spell the end for the entire Empire!
Hickman gets a little wordy here. This is a much more straightforward story than his X-Men stuff so far, and it's clear that, while this is self-contained for the most part, it's another springboard for later stories that will reverberate through the entire Dawn Of X line. Cosmic politics is always fun, and Hickman turns his hand back to it with flair. There's a bit of a misstep when he basically narrates two issues' worth of content in two pages because he ran out of space, but it's pulled off with such bald-faced confidence that you can't help but be impressed.
Speaking of impressive, Rod Reis' artwork is gorgeous. It's nothing like anything else Marvel are publishing right now, a bit Bill Sienkiewicz, a bit Esad Ribic, and he suits the space setting wonderfully. His use of blues is especially noteworthy.
New Mutants is one of those 'everything old is new again' books, and that's a good thing. It's a shame Hickman couldn't stick around longer, because this first volume is gold, but more on what comes next when Volume 2 comes around.
October 20, 2020
COLLECTS NEW MUTANTS (2019) ISSUES #1-2, 5, 7
I have no prior connection to the New Mutants team, but I'm a big fan of Jonathan Hickman, so I gave this a chance because of him and his "Dawn of X" initiative. I didn't like this series at first, but it was Sunspot's fourth wall-breaking recaps that won me over.
Final rating = a strong 3.5 star rating
I have no prior connection to the New Mutants team, but I'm a big fan of Jonathan Hickman, so I gave this a chance because of him and his "Dawn of X" initiative. I didn't like this series at first, but it was Sunspot's fourth wall-breaking recaps that won me over.
Final rating = a strong 3.5 star rating
May 2, 2020
So the big problem with this book is that it has such a bad start. It's not just that Hickman sets up a great earthbound premise in House of X, then immediately abandons it to take the New Mutants to the Shi'ar Empire, it's that there's pretty much no reason for the trip: Bobby wants to see Sam, and everyone says sure.
Fortunately, after that (very) rocky first issue, the comic really takes off. Best of all, it's hilarious, from Bobby's recaps to his interactions with Deathbird to ... well, Bobby doing everything.
And it's a good story: the future of the Shi'ar Empire.
And Hickman really gets the characters right. Bobby and Sam are great. Hickman also really figures out Ilyana in the third issue. The others characters are still a bit of cardboard cutouts (especially Jonothon and Mondo: why are they here??). But we've got a great start to some new New Mutants.
Well, a great start after the starting issue.
Fortunately, after that (very) rocky first issue, the comic really takes off. Best of all, it's hilarious, from Bobby's recaps to his interactions with Deathbird to ... well, Bobby doing everything.
And it's a good story: the future of the Shi'ar Empire.
And Hickman really gets the characters right. Bobby and Sam are great. Hickman also really figures out Ilyana in the third issue. The others characters are still a bit of cardboard cutouts (especially Jonothon and Mondo: why are they here??). But we've got a great start to some new New Mutants.
Well, a great start after the starting issue.
February 14, 2020
This was... confusing. Most of these Dawn of X titles I end up giving 3 stars to. Except for Fallen Angels, which I despise. But this New Mutants series was different. It was split into two different storylines. One, following the conventional New Mutants team (plus Chamber and Mondo) in an intergalactic adventure. The other storyline followed Armor, Glob, and a few others in their interaction with Beak and Angel and their kids.
Even though a couple of my all-time favorite characters were in the outer space storyline, I didn't care for it. Illyana acted extremely out of character. She demanded that three strangers (2 male, one female) all make out with her, perhaps even f$^% with her, or else she was going to kill them. Then she killed them. ... This was bizarre, given how we have about 30 years' worth of comics in which Illyana has not dated ANYONE, male or female. There has been a strong argument to be made that she was simply asexual. Now, she's a horny bisexual character who demands sex from strangers at swordpoint?
What the Hell?
The Nebraska storyline featured some of my all-time least favorite characters (Armor, Glob, I'm looking at you). Yet, I enjoyed it more. It felt more real and relatable, and I found myself touched that Angel and Beak were so happy to see other mutants from Xavier's, even if we the audience had never really seen them interact much before. I don't normally think of myself as a huge Beak fan, but he is relatively obscure, which normally makes me like a character, while simultaneously he has engaged in some really high-profile events in the X-Men mythos. (He has traveled with the Exiles for God's sake.)
I don't know what to do with that. I think I despise Jonathan Hickman. And what does it mean if he can make me enjoy a storyline with terrible characters and dislike a storyline with some of my favorite characters?
Also, pissed as Hell that if this were supposed to be Illyana's "coming out" issue, this is how it went down. Because she isn't allowed to just come out as a lesbian and be supported by her friends. No, she has to be portrayed as a *slutty* gay/bi person. So slutty that she demands sex from strangers at swordpoint, which is basically sexual assault. And there's no explanation for it. She didn't talk to her friends (at least Kitty?) or her brother about coming to terms with being bi, or a lesbian, or whatever. Instead, the idea of her coming out was treated as some sort of --humorous?-- fan service. She couldn't just be a strong warrior or leader for the New Mutants who happened to be a lesbian. No, we have to laugh at her demanding opponents make out with her.
Great.
Even though a couple of my all-time favorite characters were in the outer space storyline, I didn't care for it. Illyana acted extremely out of character. She demanded that three strangers (2 male, one female) all make out with her, perhaps even f$^% with her, or else she was going to kill them. Then she killed them. ... This was bizarre, given how we have about 30 years' worth of comics in which Illyana has not dated ANYONE, male or female. There has been a strong argument to be made that she was simply asexual. Now, she's a horny bisexual character who demands sex from strangers at swordpoint?
What the Hell?
The Nebraska storyline featured some of my all-time least favorite characters (Armor, Glob, I'm looking at you). Yet, I enjoyed it more. It felt more real and relatable, and I found myself touched that Angel and Beak were so happy to see other mutants from Xavier's, even if we the audience had never really seen them interact much before. I don't normally think of myself as a huge Beak fan, but he is relatively obscure, which normally makes me like a character, while simultaneously he has engaged in some really high-profile events in the X-Men mythos. (He has traveled with the Exiles for God's sake.)
I don't know what to do with that. I think I despise Jonathan Hickman. And what does it mean if he can make me enjoy a storyline with terrible characters and dislike a storyline with some of my favorite characters?
Also, pissed as Hell that if this were supposed to be Illyana's "coming out" issue, this is how it went down. Because she isn't allowed to just come out as a lesbian and be supported by her friends. No, she has to be portrayed as a *slutty* gay/bi person. So slutty that she demands sex from strangers at swordpoint, which is basically sexual assault. And there's no explanation for it. She didn't talk to her friends (at least Kitty?) or her brother about coming to terms with being bi, or a lesbian, or whatever. Instead, the idea of her coming out was treated as some sort of --humorous?-- fan service. She couldn't just be a strong warrior or leader for the New Mutants who happened to be a lesbian. No, we have to laugh at her demanding opponents make out with her.
Great.
October 3, 2020
it pains me to give this 2 stars, oh well. The new mutants get sent on a space mission to Shi'ar territory and end up in space court... I almost put it down after that. The story is OK but I did not like the space court stuff and I am not a fan of the recaps from Roberto. I was really hoping for more Magik stuff but oh well. The art is fine and some of the battles are fun but I think I am passing on this series...which sucks because I know it ties into all the new x-men stuff ....bummer
Magik and her addiction to coffee, can I get more of that please LOL
Magik and her addiction to coffee, can I get more of that please LOL
February 8, 2021
Really goofy space fun with some sweet character moments. Also I would read Space Lawyer's spinoff series.
November 7, 2021
X-Men 2021 project continues!
Previously:
House of X/Powers of X ⭐⭐⭐
X-Men, Vol. 1 ⭐⭐
Marauders, Vol. 1 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Excalibur, Vol. 1 ⭐⭐⭐
X-Men/Fantastic Four: 4X ⭐⭐⭐⭐
X-Force, Vol. 1 ⭐⭐
Okay, so we're here! The nostalgia series! I have to be honest, this was one of the volumes I was most looking forward to reading despite the Hickman author credit. I enjoy the New Mutants, and there's a lot of nostalgia and love locked into some of these characters for me; particularly with Rahne, Sam, and Magick.
Did this book hit those buttons? ...eeehhh, partially.
Was it fun? Sure was.
Did it start off with basically 2 pages of Rahne being magically cured of all her past trauma after being resurrected on Krakoa, thus leaving a bad taste in my mouth right from the start? SURE DID!
As the Hickman era continues, my wariness and weariness of the resurrections on Krakoa grow. What's the point of anything if the characters just come back?
New Mutants at least does its level best to buck most of the greater Dawn of X plot and do its own thing. Though it starts off rocky with some truly awkward exposition to catch everyone up to speed, a tongue in cheek fourth wall break sets up the reason the team even goes to space, and then we're off.
It was funny and enjoyable and great for the first one or two issues and then just kinda felt a bit off. At least an attempt to make the characters likeable and charming was made, though only for Roberto and Magick...everyone else got a couple of pages of some nice moments when the book remembered they existed as more than just background.
I just wish this was a little more consistent and that it kept up with the team focus that it first started with. It was GREAT when it was the kids and the Starjammers and Corsair just peaced out and left them behind. That was fun! That was a promising opening! Hickman could have done a whole lot more small scale stuff with the team before jumping onto the Shi'ar. This plot WAS pretty small scale for Hickman, but still felt too large.
In conclusion, this was fun and has potential moving forward, but I'm still mad about that Rahne thing and that fully knocked a star off my rating. No lie.
Previously:
House of X/Powers of X ⭐⭐⭐
X-Men, Vol. 1 ⭐⭐
Marauders, Vol. 1 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Excalibur, Vol. 1 ⭐⭐⭐
X-Men/Fantastic Four: 4X ⭐⭐⭐⭐
X-Force, Vol. 1 ⭐⭐
Okay, so we're here! The nostalgia series! I have to be honest, this was one of the volumes I was most looking forward to reading despite the Hickman author credit. I enjoy the New Mutants, and there's a lot of nostalgia and love locked into some of these characters for me; particularly with Rahne, Sam, and Magick.
Did this book hit those buttons? ...eeehhh, partially.
Was it fun? Sure was.
Did it start off with basically 2 pages of Rahne being magically cured of all her past trauma after being resurrected on Krakoa, thus leaving a bad taste in my mouth right from the start? SURE DID!
As the Hickman era continues, my wariness and weariness of the resurrections on Krakoa grow. What's the point of anything if the characters just come back?
New Mutants at least does its level best to buck most of the greater Dawn of X plot and do its own thing. Though it starts off rocky with some truly awkward exposition to catch everyone up to speed, a tongue in cheek fourth wall break sets up the reason the team even goes to space, and then we're off.
It was funny and enjoyable and great for the first one or two issues and then just kinda felt a bit off. At least an attempt to make the characters likeable and charming was made, though only for Roberto and Magick...everyone else got a couple of pages of some nice moments when the book remembered they existed as more than just background.
I just wish this was a little more consistent and that it kept up with the team focus that it first started with. It was GREAT when it was the kids and the Starjammers and Corsair just peaced out and left them behind. That was fun! That was a promising opening! Hickman could have done a whole lot more small scale stuff with the team before jumping onto the Shi'ar. This plot WAS pretty small scale for Hickman, but still felt too large.
In conclusion, this was fun and has potential moving forward, but I'm still mad about that Rahne thing and that fully knocked a star off my rating. No lie.
April 9, 2020
it's just really fun
February 21, 2020
This book was so incredibly fun. I never read much of the original New Mutants title from back in the day, but I certainly want to go back and read it after this. I'm familiar with most of these characters from their appearances in other books, but I've never enjoyed them as much as I've enjoyed Hickman's characterizations of them here.
The original New Mutants team (along with Chamber and Mondo) decide to go visit their old pal Cannonball (who has been living with his wife on the Shi'ar homeworld) to try to convince him to come back home to Krakoa, and they get into all kinds of trouble along the way with the Starjammers, the Shi'ar Imperial Guard, and a squad of Shi'ar Death Commandos. This is not an overly serious adventure, but it is incredibly fun. I laughed out loud numerous times while reading this.
My favorite thing about it was Roberto Da Costa's delightfully arrogant fourth wall-breaking narration. This sort of thing certainly isn't going to be to everyone's taste, but it enhanced my enjoyment of this book quite a bit. There was one bit where in the middle of a big fight there's one of Hickman's infamous text data pages in which he provides the means for you to determine the outcome of the fight on your own by rolling dice against two opposing charts. I can see where some people might dislike this, but I really enjoy that creative stuff like that, and it was well within the spirit and tone of the story.
I also really loved Rod Reis's art--it has a really sketchy, kinetic style that I think works very well for this space-faring adventure. On its own the art might come off as too loose and sketchy but his vibrant colors work extremely well with the style and really bring it all together nicely. It's really fun to look at.
If I have one complaint, it's not about these issues here but about my frustrations in reading this book monthly. For some reason, this story arc switches out with another story arc featuring newer New Mutants, and it's just not nearly as compelling as this one. I greatly enjoy the characters in Ed Brisson's story as well, but the story itself is kind of a paint-by-numbers run-of-the-mill "group of characters being attacked by intolerant militants who hate and fear them" kind of thing we've seen all too many times in Marvel mutant stories before. Switching back and forth between this story that I GREATLY enjoyed and the other story that offered very little of interest was extremely frustrating.
I can appreciate Hickman wanting to include the newer characters who have been in New Mutants titles, but I wish he would keep the arcs together rather than scattering them and having them constantly interrupt each other. This is another one of those books that has a potentially huge roster if you take every incarnation of New Mutants/Generation X/New X-Men into account, and I'm fine with exploring all of their adventures. But the baffling decision to not stick with a single story line at a time has really hurt this book. I REALLY hope they stop doing that. At least they seem to have sense enough to keep the story arcs together in the trade collections.
The original New Mutants team (along with Chamber and Mondo) decide to go visit their old pal Cannonball (who has been living with his wife on the Shi'ar homeworld) to try to convince him to come back home to Krakoa, and they get into all kinds of trouble along the way with the Starjammers, the Shi'ar Imperial Guard, and a squad of Shi'ar Death Commandos. This is not an overly serious adventure, but it is incredibly fun. I laughed out loud numerous times while reading this.
My favorite thing about it was Roberto Da Costa's delightfully arrogant fourth wall-breaking narration. This sort of thing certainly isn't going to be to everyone's taste, but it enhanced my enjoyment of this book quite a bit. There was one bit where in the middle of a big fight there's one of Hickman's infamous text data pages in which he provides the means for you to determine the outcome of the fight on your own by rolling dice against two opposing charts. I can see where some people might dislike this, but I really enjoy that creative stuff like that, and it was well within the spirit and tone of the story.
I also really loved Rod Reis's art--it has a really sketchy, kinetic style that I think works very well for this space-faring adventure. On its own the art might come off as too loose and sketchy but his vibrant colors work extremely well with the style and really bring it all together nicely. It's really fun to look at.
If I have one complaint, it's not about these issues here but about my frustrations in reading this book monthly. For some reason, this story arc switches out with another story arc featuring newer New Mutants, and it's just not nearly as compelling as this one. I greatly enjoy the characters in Ed Brisson's story as well, but the story itself is kind of a paint-by-numbers run-of-the-mill "group of characters being attacked by intolerant militants who hate and fear them" kind of thing we've seen all too many times in Marvel mutant stories before. Switching back and forth between this story that I GREATLY enjoyed and the other story that offered very little of interest was extremely frustrating.
I can appreciate Hickman wanting to include the newer characters who have been in New Mutants titles, but I wish he would keep the arcs together rather than scattering them and having them constantly interrupt each other. This is another one of those books that has a potentially huge roster if you take every incarnation of New Mutants/Generation X/New X-Men into account, and I'm fine with exploring all of their adventures. But the baffling decision to not stick with a single story line at a time has really hurt this book. I REALLY hope they stop doing that. At least they seem to have sense enough to keep the story arcs together in the trade collections.
February 19, 2021
This ain’t it.
March 8, 2021
A handful of young mutants go to Shi'ar space and rustle up a misadventure or two. Reading this after Hickman's primary X-Men series was head-snapping: humor is the main priority, followed by dialogue, followed by plot. The X-Men series is basically the opposite.
I don't have any history with the New Mutants, so I don't know whether this book is a good example of their oeuvre. Sunspot narrates, occasionally breaking the fourth wall. The other New Mutants roam through scenes without much introduction. The book flies by pretty fast, with the New Mutants unexpectedly in the service of a Shi'ar empress, tasked with delivering a regent to the royal court. I guess there's also a New Mutant series taking place on Earth? And it's also labeled "volume one"? That'll be interesting to get ahold of.
Rod Reis's art grated at times, with awkward facial features and a general lack of cleanliness to the lines. Still, I chuckled a fair bit and had fun. I don't think New Mutants is the best of the Hickman-verse X-series, but it's certainly the least pretentious.
I don't have any history with the New Mutants, so I don't know whether this book is a good example of their oeuvre. Sunspot narrates, occasionally breaking the fourth wall. The other New Mutants roam through scenes without much introduction. The book flies by pretty fast, with the New Mutants unexpectedly in the service of a Shi'ar empress, tasked with delivering a regent to the royal court. I guess there's also a New Mutant series taking place on Earth? And it's also labeled "volume one"? That'll be interesting to get ahold of.
Rod Reis's art grated at times, with awkward facial features and a general lack of cleanliness to the lines. Still, I chuckled a fair bit and had fun. I don't think New Mutants is the best of the Hickman-verse X-series, but it's certainly the least pretentious.
February 25, 2023
I really just couldn’t get into this. This story didn’t feel like it was connected to the main story of Krakoa and I couldn’t at all tell you what kind of team the “New Mutants” are. I know this came out in floppies split between two stories and this only contained part of the New Mutants team(s?), so maybe I would have enjoyed reading them all together. However, as I’ve said before, I’m not the biggest space guy, so that might’ve been why this one didn’t hit for me. The humor was interesting but there was no real showing of these mutants’ powers, which I would’ve loved to see, especially not knowing the history of these characters at all.
April 8, 2021
I'm a big Hickman fan and feel like he doesn't get enough credit for being really funny. This is a fun low-ish stakes adventure with a ton of LOLs. It's got some format-breaking stuff that works really well. It's a little heavy with continuity gunk so it might not be the best jumping on point (that's Duggan's Marauders IMO) but if you're familiar with this new-ish X-stuff, it's a blast.
January 12, 2023
A descent setup for what’s to come but doesn’t come close to the perfection the run obtains later. Pretty funny at times. Still very YA and a bit too silly. It’s wild that in 5 trades this run has 3 different authors.
April 15, 2021
If Hickman's name wasn't on the (digital) cover, I would never have suspected he wrote this. While I knew he can write linear, entertaining comic books, that is not what I came to expect from him. What a nice surprise.
The story is basically a galaxy road trip, and it is so nicely done that I'm eager to read the rest. Hickman seems to know the characters (at least to a degree) and care about them and their relationship.
A promising start.
The story is basically a galaxy road trip, and it is so nicely done that I'm eager to read the rest. Hickman seems to know the characters (at least to a degree) and care about them and their relationship.
A promising start.
February 28, 2021
Hickman and Reis' New Mutants arc was honestly way better than I expected it to be, because I usually don't associate Hickman's writing with upbeat, humorous, 20's superheroes fare - and yet he completely pulls it off. I'm not familiar with a lot of these characters (I haven't read much New Mutants) but loved getting to know them during their space romp gone sideways, and Roberto da Costa is a hilarious, self centered lead with excellent recaps. The writer might be a bit in love with him too (though not as much as da Costa loves himself) and I would have liked to see more Magick and Mirage.
Reis' art is extraordinary, and I love the funky colors and multimedia feel to his work. But his style is so work intensive that they needed to include a completely separate arc (at least I assume that's what happened) for issues 3, 4 and 6. This arc (also collected as New Mutants, vol 1, not confusing at all) isn't terrible, but it also isn't great, and it completely throws off the pacing. (Reviewing it separately.) This only happened to me because I read on Marvel Unlimited; the collected editions separate the arcs out. If you're in the same boat as me, I would highly recommend reading the arcs separately. It also meant some of the main arc needed to be truncated - and while da Costa's recaps are funny, it also covers ground that clearly would have been those missing issues.
New Mutants is a great first volume, but it would have been a home run if every issue was dedicated to the main arc.
Reis' art is extraordinary, and I love the funky colors and multimedia feel to his work. But his style is so work intensive that they needed to include a completely separate arc (at least I assume that's what happened) for issues 3, 4 and 6. This arc (also collected as New Mutants, vol 1, not confusing at all) isn't terrible, but it also isn't great, and it completely throws off the pacing. (Reviewing it separately.) This only happened to me because I read on Marvel Unlimited; the collected editions separate the arcs out. If you're in the same boat as me, I would highly recommend reading the arcs separately. It also meant some of the main arc needed to be truncated - and while da Costa's recaps are funny, it also covers ground that clearly would have been those missing issues.
New Mutants is a great first volume, but it would have been a home run if every issue was dedicated to the main arc.
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