Scott's Take: X-Men Vol. 1 by Gerry Duggan

During The Hellfire Gala, a new group of X-Men were elected to protect the world outside of the island Krakoa. The island nation is the homeland for the mutants. The X-Men of this book are Cyclops, Jean Grey, Rogue, Polaris (Magneto’s daughter), Synch, Wolverine (Laura), and Sunfire. This new team is setting up a new base of operations in a giant treehouse in New York City.

During the Hellfire Gala, the mutants also colonized Mars. That action caused aliens to attack the Earth to make sure that humanity never expands to the stars again. While the X-men are dealing with threats from outer space, they are also combatting the threat from Orchis (an antimutant group with tremendous resources that consists of ex-members of Hydra, S.H.I.E.L.D., A.I.M., and others who seek to destroy all mutants using various strategies). The group is led by several people including Dr. Stasis

At the same time, Ben Urich, the journalist, is on the trail of uncovering a major secret of Krakoa. He has evidence showing that Cyclops died on a suicide mission a few months ago. Despite that fact, Cyclops is somehow alive now. This is not the first a mutant has died and was confirmed to be dead, only to be alive now. Cyclops and several other mutants have somehow returned to life. Ben Urich wants to know why and how that could happen.

This book has a complicated and action filled plot along with plenty of ties to previous books. The X-Men face more threats than just the above situations. This allows them to showcase how powerful they are as an individual as well as when they unite as a team. The various threats are very dangerous and could cause extinction for life on Earth. Luckily, the X-men are pretty dangerous themselves.

It is not all action and fighting as X-Men Vol. 1 by Gerry Duggan that also features the X-Men involved in various philanthropic endeavors that show the X-Men don’t just fight threats. In one case, they hand out food and coats to the homeless of New York.

Each issue of the six that are bound together in this book, tends to highlight a different member of the team. Even team members that I did not like before such as Sunfire and Synch are starting to grow on me. This issue even deals with mental illness since Polaris has a hard time with her mental health being the daughter of Magneto who is one of the most famous mutants and is known for being a hero at times and a villain at other times. Father and daughter are very much estranged, among other issues, and that aspect of her life affects her mental health. 

The art is incredible and the new base is pretty cool. I really enjoyed X-Men Vol. 1 by Gerry Duggan as this is a nice fun read that has everything X-Men fans are looking for.

This series will be is continued in Vol. 2. It is not out yet and there is no schedule release date at the time of this review. It will continue the rollout of the new hero, Captain Krakoa.

 

 

My paperback reading copy came from the Bachman Lake Branch of the Dallas Public Library System.

 

Scott A. Tipple ©2022