X-Men #1

By Jonathan Hickman, Leinil Francis Yu and Sunny Gho

House of X and Powers of X has wrapped up, and Jonathan Hickman’s vision for the X-Men is starting to shape up. This week we see more of that vision come into focus with X-Men #1. This issue ushers in a new era for the X-Men and it all starts with this book. 

Jonathan Hickman is one of the most imaginative and detailed writers in the industry, his job is to build the new world for the mutants. Hickman focuses on Cyclops for the majority of this issue. We see him interact with Storm on a mission, and Hickman writes their chemistry great. He writes their relationship the way Scott and Ororo used to be written. Hickman’s Magneto has been amazing since he started writing him, and he shines again this issue. It’s great to see him be looked up to by children and young mutants again like he is here. There is a page where Cyclops talks to Polaris about Magneto and how he is happy that he finally got what he wanted. This leads to a deep conversation about Scott being a father and the kind of world he was leaving behind. Hickman has the great ability to flesh characters out, even if they are only in the issue for a few pages. There is also a parallel at work here between the Orchi’s and the mutants. Hickman shows us some layout of the Summers house, which has some interesting bedroom arrangements. This is an excellent set up issue by Jonathan Hickman that shows us more of Cyclops’ human side. If the rest of the series goes like this, X-Men will be an amazing adventure that reinvents all of our favorite heroes.

The pencils this issue are handled by Leinil Francis Yu with colors by Sunny Gho. Leinil Francis Yu’s work in this issue is very good. Yu has a distinct style that is easy to recognize. As Magneto tells Cyclops, Polaris and Storm to proceed on the mission while he battles scientist turned apes, Yu gives us a great close up panel of Magneto. Yu uses his trade mark cross hatching in this panel and Magneto looks menacing. Another good panel takes place as Scott finishes talking to Lorna. Scott has his back to the reader and there is a gorgeous sky in front of him. Credit also needs to go to Sunny Gho for his colors as well. Red skies and blue water are seen throughout the book. As Scott and Corsair stare at Earth, Gho uses great color contrast with the shade from the moon and the color of the earth. The pencils and colors in this issue help to bring Hickman’s vision to life. The work done by Yu and Gho is integral to how great this first issue is.

X-Men #1 is an eye opening issue that readers new and old should enjoy. Jonathan Hickman has earned the trust of readers with his body of work and has proven that he is almost unmatched in his storytelling ability. The pencils and colors add an amazing visual to the book and should make you smile as you scan each page. X-Men #1 is the first step in a historic run for the mutants.