Comic Review: X-Men (2019) #1

X-Men (2019) #1

Marvel Comics

Writer: Jonathan Hickman

Artist: Leinil Francis Yu & Sunny Gho

Hickman’s vision for the X-Men is just getting started with the end of House of X and Powers of X. A whole line of X-Men books is now hitting the stands. It’s only fitting that all of this starts with X-Men #1.

Scott Summer’s family dominates the main team in X-Men. The team is pretty large and includes Cyclops, Storm, Polaris, Magneto, Jean Grey, Havoc, Vulcan, Cable, Prestige, Corsair. Oh, and of course Logan had to get in on the Summers action as well. It’s a fine roster that should lead to some interesting dynamics between the dialogue and hero composition. I’ve never been the biggest Cyclops fan, but Hickman’s first twelve X-Men issues have started to help me change my mind. This is a book I likely would have passed on a few months ago, but Hickman has given this book a chance to shine.

X-Men #1 builds off of what Hickman spent the last couple of months establishing, but the feel of everything has certainly changed. Having Xavier take a backseat has led to differences in tone and narration. The giant pages of information aren’t here anymore, and instead, readers are given a more conventional reading experience. Those who don’t want wordy issues might find more to enjoy in this series, which naturally tells everything through sequential art.

The character interactions are wonderful in this issue. There aren’t any giant action scenes, just a lot of banter and setup. X-Men #1 is yet another issue in Hickman’s young run that makes Magneto the MVP, with another incredible line that steals the show. Magneto isn’t the only character that is expertly written though. Every character has a moment to shine, and Hickman allows them to make the most of it.

The new book brings him a new artistic team with Leinil Francis Yu and Sunny Gho. Yu does a great job of moving the script forward. The backgrounds shine in this issue, with diversity in every page. I will say that some of the characters feel a tad stiff, though. Moments that are nothing but conversation feel just a bit awkward, but doesn’t completely ruin the experience. The few moments with fun and explosions look great thanks to Sunny Gho’s ability to add depth to the art.

X-Men #1 is a fine start to the series and a solid setup for the rest of the X-Men line. It isn’t as sensational as the miniseries that readers were just treated to, but it is still enjoyable. Even if you aren’t a fan of the Summers family, this is definitely a book that should be picked up.

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