Children of Atom # 1 Review: A Strange, New X-Men Team Arrives

When Charles Xavier announced a new era of mutation, we got a new era of X-Men comics. But Marvel’s latest book under the umbrella of X-Men is also something new for that new status quo.

Children of atom Not about Krakoa, but a team of young superheroes who refuse to visit the mutant utopia. These teenagers, the unnamed child of Atom, struggle to survive in their typical, recklessly cruel and large high school, but beyond its limits they thrive as superheroes carrying the X-Men of their idols.

Will they succeed in becoming a hero? What is their place in this changed world? And above all: who and what are they? Children of atom # 1 asks these questions more.

Who is making nuclear children?

New mutants Writer Vita Ayala includes Bernard Chang on pencils, Marcelo Mayolo on colors and Travis Lanham on letters. Ayala is one of the rising stars of comics, having written a shot and short series (such as “Batgirls”) of Marvel and DC Future State: The Next Batman, Nebula, And Marvel knights) Belongs to. He also wrote valentines Liaison And several well received indie titles (such as Submerged, Meets Orpheus in a way — the war horror story, and Wilds, A floral zombie apocalypse with colors Crazy max And the aesthetics Midsommar) Belongs to.

On the other hand, Chang is a veteran of the 90s who has worked on qualities Quick To Batman Beyond. Neither new X Men; Vita Ayala wrote one of the hidden gems of the pre-made X-Men, Prisoner x, And Bernard Chang not only attracted many issues of X-Comics in the 90s, but also recently returned sword # 3

What about the children of the atom?

Five new superheroes – Cherub, Marvel Guy, Decroveler, Gimmick, and the cheery name Cyclops-Las – are the first films on the streets of New York City, and Angel, Jean Gray, Nightcrawler, Gambit, and of course, Cyclops. We mainly follow Cyclops-Las, aka Beatrice “Buddy” Bartholomew and learn about her struggles with her family, her strained relationships at school, her bitchiness, and her realization that she is in some way . Different.

The bulk of it is classic Marvel fare: these teenagers have to balance their lives as superheroes with the demands of high school. Its closest antiquated blockbuster, both in pacing and base ultimate Spider Man # 1; A fairly decompressed debut for a Bendis-esque teen superhero story, though starring a team rather than a single character.

But the premise itself is complicated by the nature of children, which is the central mystery of the issue.

[Ed. note: The next paragraph in this piece has some light spoilers in it, in order to address the central themes of Children of the Atom. If you’d like to go in totally blind, skip to the next one!]

When the X-Men attempt to bring the children to Krakow, they flee. Later, Jean reports that children cannot be detected by cerebro. We have left to ask: Why? What are they, and how do they really relate to the X-Men? No matter the answer, there is plenty of room to find out. If these are mutants, and X-Men are mutant mutants, then why is their relationship with the actual X-Men so strained? What does this mean for mutants living in the human world due to Croc’s being in existence? If they are anything else, what does it mean for a non-mutant to identify with aspects of mutant survival? Is it collaborative, or appropriation? Does it help or harm mutant causes? It seems clear that Ayala and Chang will be eyeing these ideas as the X-Men further interact with the children.

Base of CotA Readers and X-Men fans also seem ready to reflect. Such legacy characters allow fans to see themselves in superhero stories; Robin is a wish fulfillment character of young readers who want to adventure instead of Batman Happen To those who want To know Be part of Batman and his life. For children, X-Men are celebrities and heroes, and he talks about the experience of many, many comic book nerds. Does this kind of stupid fandom have the power to embrace neerd culture? Can people find themselves through superheroes? Or is there something harmful in creating one’s own identity through real, imaginary or other people?

Even the choice of villain in the issue – criminal mutants – speaks for this character-to-lomandal parallel. Does the X-Men acting like the Evil-Mutant-era Brotherhood really show respect for the X-Men, or is it retaliatory to their Karkon goals? Does clinging to the past harm the present? Again, this issue does not begin to answer, but I hope these questions will be investigated as it continues.

Why are Atom having children now?

The weirdest thing Children of atom That’s not it agreed happening now. Many of Marvel’s books were delayed thanks to the epidemic, and even after shipping resumed, Marvel lightened its publishing line, emphasizing its top sellers and titles above all titles. Children of atom Was originally slated for last March, but its primary purpose is the same.

Don of x The titles focus on engaging with various aspects of the status quo of the all-new Krakow, with the X-Men attempting to create their own mutant nation and a mutant culture. The perspective I was missing was from the outside: an X-Men book that takes an extended look at life in human culture now that Krakow exists.

The delay has, in fact, been fortunate for Children of atom. Reign of xThe current banner for the X-title is similar to the second season of the TV show. It is not necessary to bother with the installation and introduction of all boards Don of xIs a season. Instead, X-Ongoing is settling into a status quo that is already familiar to readers, and may be more appetizing and a better foundation for a book that engages with settings from the outside.

Is there any required reading?

In college Really Required reading Children of atom The ministers who started this present era are House of x / powers of x. At the very least, I would also recommend reading X Men, Krakoka to better understand the various details of the X-Men, and Swords x, Which serves as the season finale HoXPoXIs a pilot.

One of the neat things about Don of x And Reign of x However, books are that many are built upon each other. If you are interested in books focused on mutants / human relationships, moreover Children of the atom, You can also read Rioter And X-force, Who both study the subject in different ways. If you want to know more about mutant culture, you can choose X Factor, Which explores the impact of revival in this society, Excalibur, Which details the evolution of mutant culture and community through the lens of magic, or forthcoming X way, Which aims to follow the creation of a mutant spirituality of the nitralar.

If you are interested in stories about heroes of the younger generation, you can also read The cable And New mutants. Everyone Reign of x Title, New mutants Easiest to take, having recently relaunched slowly with issue # 14. It is also most likely to crossover with Children of atom, As it is also written by Vita Ayala.

Are atomic children good?

Your feedback Children of atom # 1 will wildly vary your expectations of # 1. If, like me, you are shaped by the modern style of disbanded comics with your expectations, then I think you will find the issue complicated. If, on the other hand, you want # 1 to completely establish its cast, premise, and narrative, you’ll be disappointed.

After reading this issue many times, I do not enough Know what this comic is I know what kind of questions it will raise, and I know which direction the general is, but beyond that, I know very little. I know that the designs of these characters are striking, and that Buddy is a fascinating lead. I know that i Want to To learn more about these children, their powers and their history. I also want to learn about small mysteries, such as why a classmate returned from near-death experience with “unconscious” strength. I want to see if Maggott – everyone’s favorite mutant who has the power that he has two slugs named Annie and Mitya and they are his digestive system – will come back and After all Become a breakout character.

If you measure quality in terms of satisfaction, you will not rate the issue higher, but if you measure in terms of Desire, Of want more, I think you will do the opposite.

Unfortunately, one thing I don’t want is Chang’s action sequences, at least, as they are structured here. I got the opening fight sequence, with four to five simultaneous encounters with great close-up shots, a slight disorder. When the action resumes at a basketball game, the camera often pulls on characters or actions very tightly, panels are thin or compressed, an effect that is more ambiguous than frantic.

On the other hand, I think that Chang excels in the visuals inspired by the calm and dialogue. In the middle of the issue, the X-Men discuss children over a game of pool. Chang put small balls of a ball on the bend during this conversation. It is such a small choice, one that I imagine many people would not consciously notice, but it aided in both the immaturity of the scene and the pace of the dialogue.

Overall, I think anyone invested in existing X-Men comics would want to try the issue.

A panel that popped

This panel in isolation is a pretty revealing superhero shot – but looking at the panels that obscure Big Damon Heroes, such as Magma, Pixie and Maggott, the panel becomes something Sublime. At the very least, it is sublime for those who care about ultra-obscure X-Men characters, and may or may not be asking for Marvel #BringBackMaggott.