House of X and Powers of X were each a massive success, so it’s only natural that we would expect the same from the new series that are born from the event.
6. Fallen Angels #1
Fallen Angels suffers from pacing issues that might not be a problem later in the series. While there are a lot of interesting pieces here, they aren’t enough to make the first issue of the series truly great. The roster started to come together at the end of the issue, and a few of the characters had some wonderful pieces of dialogue. We were also treated to an interesting antagonist. Now that everything is established early, Fallen Angels should only improve as the series progresses.
This is Recommended For fans of Psylocke. The book is also full of heavy themes, religious references, and is simply one of the more intimate X-Men books out right now. Anyone looking for any of those things will love Fallen Angels.
5. New Mutants #1
New Mutants will likely be a cool book. The fairly new roster paired up with a zany space team should make for one of the more fun series in the current line. The cosmic X-Men issue is full of laughs, empowering moments, and an interesting twist. Like Fallen Angels, New Mutants suffers from some rocky pacing but still reads well throughout. The characters themselves are well-written and will likely develop great chemistry as the series goes on.
This is Recommended For those who want an X-Men team that isn’t full of decades of continuity. Fans of the Guardians of the Galaxy films will also find plenty to enjoy here.
4. X-Force #1
X-Force #1 stands out among the rest of the new X-Men titles because it is the loudest and possibly the most impactful. I’m not convinced that the final few pages are really going to stick for the long-term, but for now, the repercussions are massive. Aside from how explosive the first issue of X-Force is, it doesn’t really have much else going for it that the other issues don’t. The team is fine, the writing and art are decent, and it has the potential of being fun.
This is Recommended For readers who want a bunch of action in their comic books.
3. X-Men #1
The Summers family featuring Wolverine is unsurprisingly one of the better books in the line. Tons of banter, a fine team, and strong writing make X-Men an appropriate choice for the flagship title. I didn’t quite fall in love with the first issue, but there were many moments that impressed me throughout. This is just an overall good comic book with no glaring flaws.
This is Recommended For those who want to read the one book that is likely to be the glue of the entire line. Fans of Cyclops will also want to read this one, as this is some of his best writing in years.
2. Excalibur #1
Tons of magic makes Excalibur #1 a joy to read. Excalibur surprised me, as I didn’t expect it to be quite as good as it is. The team is fantastic and the direction that the creative team has them going is interesting. The second half of the issue is full of spectacle, highlighting all the heart that this book has. Excalibur deserves more attention than it is getting because it seems to be the one X-Men book that will take tons of creative risks.
This is Recommended For readers who want something different. Excalibur doesn’t feel like an X-Men book, but rather a neat concept featuring some great mutants.
1. Marauders #1
It’s going to be hard to find an X-Men title that is as fun as Marauders. The Kitty Pryde led book is full of heart, humor, and strong dialogue. The art captures the whimsical feel of the book while still adding weight to the serious scenes. There is tons of fanservice for longtime fans as well. This is the best first issue in the new line, as it embraces everything that makes mutants and comic books so great. It also has the best roster out of all of the books, so there is that too.
This is Recommended For those who just want to have a good time. This is it.
