X-Men 1: a new beginning?

X-Men 1

For some years now, after every big event, the world of superheroic comics presents itself under a new identity to its readers, with starting points that aim to welcome new fans as well. A practice that involves all the big comic labels, which in these days accompanies the return to the newsstands of one of the most popular formations of the House of Ideas: X-Men. Panini, in fact, offers a 'new' X-Men 1 in the series dedicated to Marvel mutants, presented at the greedy price of one euro, with the promise of welcoming new readers to the world of homo superior.

These promises, as mentioned, are usually the consequence of major upheavals within a series. It is undeniable that the mutant world has just returned from an interesting year, the result of the management of Jonathan Hickman, who has collected the consequences of Age of X-Man to project the X-Men into a new, incredible life. House of X and Powers of X, collected by Panini in a full-bodied volume presenting this mutant revolution, had the task of rewriting the mutant context, bringing Xavier's pupils from outcasts to great world power, a role played by the island of Krakoa , which has become the new homeland of mutants. A clean slate, if you want, where even the villains with the X gene were welcomed into the ranks of the krakoan society, a new beginning for everyone, which was sanctioned by an epochal event like X of Swords, in which we met a ' other mutant race. Two different mutant species, from two profoundly different worlds, which have found a way to find a forced coexistence.

But this mutant renaissance, lived in the different mutant publications (X-Men, New Mutants, Wolverine, X-Force , SWORD, X-Factor), it was a year long journey that led us to the consecration of the mutant power in the world: Infernal Gala.

A new beginning for the mutants

As per tradition, this socio-political demonstration of the mutants extended for two months on all the X-warheads, considered as the events that animated this night of revelations and revelations involved all the mutants, as well as other Marvel superheroes, such as Captain America and Iron Man. However, the clamorous final revelation remains: the mutants have managed to colonize Mars.

The red planet, which has always been the object of human curiosity, has therefore become a mutant world, currently terraformed and now a residence of the mutants of Arakko, the contenders of our homo superiors during the events of X of Swords. A demonstration of exceptional power and, at the same time, of the danger of mutants, according to some voices of the international community, which from the very beginning of the Hickman management has shown how this new social caliber of the Sons of the Atom is decidedly frowned upon.
During the Infernal Gala, moreover, the new formation of the X-Men was announced, which editorially was conceived through an online referendum among readers, who were able to vote for the candidates presented by Marvel. In the celebrations of the Hell Gala we therefore learned that the new X-Men are Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Wolverine (Laura Kinney), Rogue, Burning Sun, Polaris and Synch. As required by the new krakoana culture, only the names that recall their belonging to the mutant society are used, eliminating any reference to their past as homo sapiens. And it is from this passage that X-Men 1 comes to life. The 'new' series that has landed on newsstands these days should be considered as a new starting point, a starting point for new readers. But does all this 'new' work?

The X-Men present themselves with an unprecedented line-up, they have a new base in New York, which they symbolically rename the Seneca Gardens. As Ben Ulrich points out, visiting the mutants, it is a strong message for the New York population. The place chosen to build the new 'plant' base of the X-Men, in fact, corresponds to what was once known as Seneca Village, a settlement that was founded in 1825 by ex-freed slaves, which was destroyed after a forced eviction of nearly three hundred souls, just to allow the creation of Central Park, in the second half of the 19th century. Once again, the condition of outcasts historically entrusted to the Marvelian mutants seeks an enhancement, albeit historical, creating a synergy between the past of the Sons of the Atom and the real ugliness of human history.

Just the time to recompose the team, which reveals itself as the first threat, in the form of a giant mechanical creature that has landed from space in Central Park. The new team must quickly find a dynamic to behave as a team and this emergency is a perfect catalyst, which Duggan, aided by the always amazing drawings by Pepe Larraz and the colors of Marte Gracia, never fails to enhance with a clash between metal giants really. exciting.

Continuity or a new course?

Note how Duggan, who took over from Hickman, shows that he wants to maintain a narrative intuition of his predecessor: a homo sapiens who seeks parity with mutants through technology. We have seen it previously in newspapers such as X-Men and New Mutants, as demonstrated by the troops employed by the Verendi, to counteract the mutants that have now become a world power, humanity seems to want to accelerate a process of evolution based on technology with which to fill this gap.

An almost transhumanist vision that gives us a new villain, Kelvin 'Feilong' Hang, descendant of Nikola Tesla who, after a life that has made fun of him, once again ruins his plans. After a long programming, in fact, Feilong was ready to leave for the conquest of Mars, but with the spectacular colonization of the red planet seen in the finale of the Infernal Gala, making the krakoans the perfect targets on which to unload his frustration, in search of revenge . For now his presence is a distant shadow, made clear at the opening of the album, but he is sure that we will see this dangerous villain in action soon.

The 'new' X-Men 1 is a quick and rich tale of narrative starting points, but can it be considered as an ideal entry point for new readers? Probably not, the one Starts from here that stands out on the cover risks being misleading. This fast-paced story by Duggan is based on aspects and dynamics that sink too far into the recent past of the mutants to welcome even new readers. Understandable, with a view to respecting continuity, but when read it is easily assimilated by those who have followed the evolution of the mutant epic in recent months, while a new reader, already with this first issue, finds himself disoriented, too much cumbersome information and unanswered questions that risk cooling interest. Commendable the intent to create entry points, as done in the past with Powers of X / House of X and Pax Krakoana, which by its nature, that is to revolutionize the world of the X-Men, was really a fascinating entry point into the saga of marvelian mutants.