The X-Men Icons mini-series have been universally disappointing, so I wasn't expecting much from Chamber, focusing on a character I don't like in the first place. However, I heard a few good things about the book from people whose opinions I trust, and it's written by Vaughan, currently wowing me on Y: The Last Man and The Hood. As a result, I made a point of checking out issues one and two and was surprised to find an interesting take on the mutant/racism analogy, a strong central character and supporting cast and some terrific artwork to back it all up.
One of the few aspects of mutant-human relations that hasn't been touched on much is a comparable type of affirmative action, and Vaughan has built his script around this idea, as Marvel Universe fixture Empire State University has extended free room, board and tuition to mutant students. Conveniently (but believably so) enough, Chamber has been questioning whether he should receive an outside education, and so he signs up, with a secondary motivation of solving the bombing of a mutant/human advocacy group that killed five mutants. Vaughan has given himself a setup that allows for collegiate themes of fitting in with a roommate and learning to stand on your own two feet as well as the more adventure-oriented mystery and murder aspects.
Chamber's powers have never been all that well defined, relating largely to his unusual visuals and telepathy, and Vaughan takes advantage of that for an effective opening sequence of attempted murder. Chamber has also been through more than a few personality changes, and Vaughan has taken advantage of that to fit his personality into the story he's telling. That personality makes absolute sense, though, as his desire for a normal life and transition from youth to adulthood resonates perfectly with his recent shift from Generation X farm team to X-Men big leagues.
There's an interesting cast of characters shaping up in this mini-series as well, serving not only as interesting characters but as possible suspects in the central murder. The relationship between Chamber and Amber is fun to watch, and Vaughan has created a likable and down-to-earth character (with a strange mutant visual) in Amber. I also like that the extremists on both sides of the issue, both the bullying "Neutrino Annihilator" and the "film student" are realistic in their tactics and actions. Their violence is more psychological, driven by realistic prejudices and problems rather than by a plot necessity. I suspect that the answer to the murder lies with the most obvious suspect, that being the survivor of the original bombing, but I'm not sure what the motivations were yet.
On art chores, Lee Ferguson and Norm Rapmund provide a very human, normal looking style of artwork, which helps to really accentuate how out of place a mutant would feel on a predominately human campus. Ferguson gives the mutant students an unusual look, but still gives them plenty of human expression and body language.
