And so, New Mutants becomes New X-Men, but the good news is that this new first issue is quite accessible and it seems to have cast aside the more leisurely pace that characterized the earlier issues of the previous series. Unfortunately, it also seems to have left behind the original New Mutants characters who shared the spotlight with the new characters. In fact, the writers seem to almost ignore what came before in the previous series. It's rather difficult to judge if this new series is going to hold my attention, as the focus here is on introductions, not just to the title characters, but to the "new" setting that they call home.
In the wake of Magneto's descructive rampage through the Xavier estate and New York City, a new Xavier Institute for Higher Learning, a school for young mutants, has been erected in its place. Running the show are Scott Summers and Emma Frost, and among the students are those who were just beginning their studies before the old school was destroyed. David Alleyne, a natural leader, invites the rebellious Noriko Ashida to join his tight-knit group of friends, which includes Sofia Mantega, Josh Foley and Laurie Collins, as a new semester gets underway.
I was pleased to find that Green doesn't emphasize the T&A quotient in this book. Instead, his angular and energetic style really brings out the youth of the main characters. The problem is that the adult characters, such as Emma and Cyclops, come off looking rather young as well. Green's efforts here put me in mind of the styles of such artists as Todd (Wildguard) Nauck and Ron (Uncanny X-Men) Garney. Pantazis's colors bring energy and life to the book as well, and given that this first issue is a talking-heads story, starting off what is likely to be an action book, it can use that energy.
Something this book and the X-titles as a whole could have used during this "X-Men Reload" relaunch event was some storng editing. Josh Guthrie, younger brother to Cannonball and Husk, turns up in this issue, arriving on campus and getting a tour of the facilities. It's too bad that the same is shown, albeit with significant differences, in X-Men #157, also released this week as part of the event. The interconnectedness of the X-books is something Marvel's using to sell more copies, so addressing continuity should be on its list of priorities.
This opening issue is quite accessible. The main characters are clearly introduced and their powers spelled out nicely. The problem is that none of them seem to do anything in this first chapter. Still, in New Mutants v.3, the introductions took up the entire opening story arc. It's just that this first issue offers no indication as to whether or not it's the sort of book I'll enjoy. I'll probably check out the second issue in order to find out, but I doubt that all readers will do the same.
