If I were reviewing this book in the context of whether it's necessary or what the existence of about 20 X-Books does to the diversity of the comics market, I might give it a lower grade, because really, there's absolutely no reason for this book to exist. However, examined not from an industry standpoint but just from the question of "did I like it," I have to admit that there is a lot to like about the first issue of Nightcrawler. Aguirre-Sacasa continues to have some erratic characterization and logic flaws in his plots, as in Marvel Knights 4, but he also writes some really great moments, and in general I like his take on the lead character. The real star of the show, though, is Darick Robertson, who does fantastic work on this book, far better than a B-list franchise spinoff deserves.
A mysterious murder, possibly involving a teleporter, takes place in a psychiatric ward for children, and the X-Men send in Nightcrawler to investigate. It's a little weird, to be honest, since this isn't the type of thing the X-Men tend to do, sending one member in like they're a police force rather than descending en masse like a superhero team, but it's not wildly implausible, especially with the (unmentioned here) XSE setup from Uncanny X-Men. Certainly Aguirre-Sacasa's notion that a mutant murdering human children could be a public relations nightmare as well as a tragedy fits right in with the more PR-aware X-Men we've had since Morrison's run on the book, and I can buy the notion of sending Nightcrawler in because he's a teleporter. I'm a little less sold that someone who looks like a demon is the best person to send on a case, especially one involving children, and when Nightcrawler traumatizes a child and isn't surprised that he's done so, I couldn't help wondering why he couldn't have maybe used the image inducer that was a part of his character for so long.
One thing that does set Nightcrawler apart from the same story told in a team book that Nightcrawler is part of is the spooky atmosphere that Aguirre-Sacasa and company are going for. There's definitely a touch of X-Files here, a sense of isolated locales and mental illness, a sense that danger could be lurking where no one suspects it, and it is kind of fun to see Nightcrawler tackle this kind of thing on his own. Certainly if he had Wolverine, Storm, etc. backing him up, the uneasy fear that settles over the book wouldn't be as pervasive. Of course, for all that Aguirre-Sacasa sets up a tone of suspense and mystery, he telegraphs his surprises, writing the villain of the piece (or at least, one of them) in such a way that you know within seconds that he is the bad guy. There are surprises to come, such as the nature and source of his power, not to mention his goals, but the surprise of this particular issue falls flat.
Darick Robertson is a fantastically-talented artist, and his work here is exceptional. Honestly, his careful crafting of facial expressions and subtle storytelling is more than the book needs, and the detailed, believable artwork raises the book up a few notches in terms of quality as a result. He can do the horrific, haunting scenes like the opening splash, or the "Spider-Man impression," but his real strengths lie in the way the characters interact with one another, with such small gestures and strong facial expressions that they just come to life off the page. Wayne Faucher's inks also really agree with Robertson's work, as do Milla's dark and moody colors. Honestly, while I love their work here, I think it's a crime that these artists are working on what amounts to just another superhero tale. If nothing else, Robertson is certainly of the caliber to be on a top ten book, not a spinoff of one of them.
On some levels, I'm just annoyed by Marvel's decision to roll out Gambit, Jubilee, Rogue, Nightcrawler, etc., because it reminds me of the efforts of Marvel in the '90s to push everyone else off the shelves. I am forced to grudgingly admit, however, that the work on these solo titles has generally been solid or better, and Nightcrawler vies with Jubilee as the most promising of these new solo titles.
