The teen X-men hit the road.
Three years ago, All-New X-Men was perhaps the most exciting new series in Marvel’s lineup. This new volume is going to have a long, uphill battle reclaiming that sense of excitement. While many of the characters remain, the general state of the X-Men franchise simply isn’t as compelling as it once was. Fortunately, there’s plenty of to like with the new series and creative team, even if this issue isn’t quite the rousing start the book needed.
In a sense, All-New X-Men has no become the catch-all X-book for Marvel’s teen mutant heroes. The original X-Men (minus Jean Grey) are still present, as is the girl formerly known as X-23. Joining them are Oya and Genesis from Wolverine and the X-Men. It would be nice to see some of the kids from the previous volume of Uncanny X-Men join the fray, but as slow as this issue moves it’s probably best not to overload the cast right off the bat. Dennis Hopeless’ characterization is top-notch, though. Despite losing the most interesting player from the last book, Hopeless makes the most of his cast of characters and the general team dynamic. Whether it’s the romance between Angel and Wolverine, Beast’s kooky scientific exploits or Cyclops’ mopey soul-searching, Hopeless shows a clear handle on his characters. Given his work on Avengers Arena and Avengers Underground, it should really come as no surprise that Hopeless shows a knack for writing damaged teen heroes in the Marvel U.
It’s also nice to see Mark Bagley tackling a teen superhero book again, as it brings back memories of his Ultimate Spider-Man days. Bagley has a particular flair for drawing teen heroes who actually look like teens, gangly limbs and all. Hopeless gives Bagley plenty to work with despite the fairly slow, low-key nature of the script. Whether it’s the downhill ski race between Angel and Wolverine or Cyclops confronting pro-mutant rioters, Bagley’s storytelling skills are on full display. In certain panels, Bagley’s figure work is a little flat and lacking in detail, but nothing that detracts from the overall experience too much.
The worst that can be said about the art is that the costume redesigns are a significant step down from the previous book. That sees to be a recurring problem with All-New, All-Different Marvel.
The main flaw here is that All-New X-Men #1 hits too many familiar beats when it comes to first issues of superhero team books. The focus is on building the roster rather than immediately dealing with the latest threat to mutantkind. Perhaps this team-building process wouldn’t feel quite as tedious if Extraordinary X-Men weren’t also locked in the same cycle. The similarities between the two books and they way they explore the new mutant status quo are too much to ignore. Both series need to quit focusing on the recruitment drive, move forward and prove to readers that they aren’t the same basic comic with different casts.
All-New X-Men #1 doesn’t race right out of the gate like the previous series did in its first issue, but this is an enjoyable debut all the same. Hopeless shows a strong handle on his cast of mutant heroes, while Bagley is right at home in this corner of the Marvel U. However, the needlessly slow pace and emphasis on team-building over plot do hold this issue back.
