There’s never been a better time to be an X-Men fan. Marvel relaunched the entire franchise in 2019 under the direction of writer Jonathan Hickman, anchored by a brand new mutant status quo wherein a united Professor Xavier and Magneto have created a home for their people on the island nation of Krakoa. Under the “Dawn of X” banner, Marvel has launched a number of new monthly X-Men comics that expand on this brave new world.
Now that we’re roughly half a year into the relaunch and the first wave of Dawn of X books are beginning to be collected in trade paperback form, we figured now is the time to look at the entire X-Men line and see which books have most lived up to their potential. Read on for a breakdown of all six books, as we rate each in terms of overall quality and in how much they add to the larger X-Men status quo.
A quick note before we start – we’re sticking to just the original six Dawn of X books that launched in October and November 2019. Marvel has since expanded the franchise even further with newer additions like X-Men/Fantastic Four and Wolverine, but we’d prefer to give those newer books more time to grow before passing judgment. And if you enjoy this new approach to comic reviews, why not check out IGN’s recent breakdown of Marvel’s The End one-shots?
[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/10/09/marvels-x-men-now-have-a-bold-new-status-quo-ign-now”]
X-Men
Written by Jonathan Hickman | Art by Leinil Yu, RB Silva & Mahmud Asrar
As its straightforward name suggests, X-Men is the flagship book in the current line. Writer Jonathan Hickman picks up where he left off in House of X and Powers of X, introducing new threats to Krakoa and laying the groundwork for bigger conflicts to come. While the series features an ensemble cast of A-List X-Men, it tends to revolve mostly around Cyclops and the rest of the extended Summers family.
[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”albumSlug=dawn-of-x-x-men-gallery&captions=true”]
Is X-Men Good?
X-Men is an enjoyable read, if not quite as satisfying as Hickman’s previous work on House of X and Powers of X. The series requires a slight adjustment. Where each new chapter of those two miniseries added bold new details to the new status quo, X-Men is comparatively slower and more laconic. The emphasis on standalone, done-in-one tales also limits the scope of the series. Still, the series succeeds in recapturing the exciting, sci-fi-oriented flavor of Grant Morrison’s New X-Men, and the emphasis on Cyclops and his family helps the book maintain focus.
How Does X-Men Fit Into Dawn of X?
Unsurprisingly, with Hickman at the helm, X-Men is among the more important Dawn of X titles. The series has focused on introducing several ongoing threats to the nation of Krakoa and how that nation is finding its place on the global stage. It’s also revealed a number of other fascinating details about life in the mutant nation, including the implication that Cyclops, Jean Grey and Wolverine are involved in a three-way relationship.
That said, X-Men isn’t always the book leading the charge in Dawn of X. Arguably the biggest plot development of the last six months, the assassination of a key X-Men character, happens in another book and is only casually referenced in the pages of this series. Hickman seems to be working under the assumption readers are following along with the entire X-Men line, and that’s not necessarily a good thing.
[poilib element=”accentDivider”]
Marauders
Written by Gerry Duggan | Art by Matteo Lolli, Michele Bandini & Lucas Werneck
While the team featured in this series shares a name with Mister Sinister’s gang of mutant killers, they’re hardly villains. Marauders features Kitty Pryde leading a pirate-themed X-Men squad tasked with smuggling mutants out of authoritarian countries and delivering them to Krakoa. The series also deals heavily with the newly formed Hellfire Trading Company and the power struggle between Emma Frost and Sebastian Shaw as they work to control the flow of Krakoan wonder drugs to the outside world.
[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”albumSlug=dawn-of-x-marauders-gallery&captions=true”]
Is Marauders Good?
Marauders is easily the best of the first wave of new X-Men comics. Hickman himself named it as a favorite back at Comic-Con 2019, telling reporters writer Gerry Duggan was among the first to become involved with the Dawn of X relaunch and brought many fresh ideas to the table. That’s readily apparent in this book, which both takes full advantage of the new status quo and does the best job of exploring the deep bonds between longtime X-Men characters. Above all, the series is a worthy showcase for Kitty, pushing her in a new direction without feeling like a step back from her days as headmistress of the Xavier Institute.
Read IGN’s review of Marauders #1
How Does Marauders Fit Into Dawn of X?
Marauders may not have dramatically altered the course of the franchise so far, but it is heavily steeped in the new status quo created in House of X and Powers of X. Along with X-Force, Marauders does the most to show the far-reaching ramifications of Krakoa’s existence on the world stage. But ultimately, Marauders is more a character-driven series than a plot-driven one, so it’s best to head into the book with that in mind.
[poilib element=”accentDivider”]
Excalibur
Written by Tini Howard | Art by Marcus To & Wilton Santos
The latest incarnation of Excalibur deals with the intersection of magic and science in the new mutant world order, as Apocalypse (now a member of the X-Men nation) and the new Captain Britain (a mantle now carried by Betsy Braddock) lead a team against Morgan le Fay and her army of witches.
[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”albumSlug=dawn-of-x-excalibur-gallery&captions=true”]
Is Excalibur Good?
Excalibur is generally a series that sounds great on paper but comes up a bit lacking in execution. One of the bigger problems with this book is that, aside from Apocalypse and Captain Britain, most of the main characters feel superfluous and randomly chosen. The scripts also tend to be over-packed with information, which makes it difficult for the series to find its voice. The book does provide an interesting look at Betsy’s struggle to move forward after having spent years inside another woman’s body, and it’s been among the more visually consistent Dawn of X books so far.
Read IGN’s Excalibur #1 review
How Does Excalibur Fit Into Dawn of X?
Excalibur definitely finds its niche in the larger Dawn of X tapestry, exploring how science and magic are really two sides of the same coin when it comes to creation and evolution. But so far, the series mostly operates in its own corner of the franchise, without much tangible impact on the rest of the line. This series is more for fans of the Braddock family or the classic Excalibur comics than it is a crucial part of Dawn of X.
[poilib element=”accentDivider”]
X-Force
Written by Benjamin Percy | Art by Joshua Cassara, Stephen Segovia & Oscar Bazaldua
X-Force has always been the darker antithesis to the X-Men, dealing with major threats to mutantkind with extreme prejudice. But in the era of Krakoa, X-Force has now become an officially sanctioned team supervised by Professor X and Beast. They’re basically Krakoa’s version of the CIA, the only mutants with the authorization to kill.
[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”albumSlug=dawn-of-x-x-force-gallery&captions=true”]
Is X-Force Good?
Despite some early growing pains, X-Force is easily one of the best books to come out of the Dawn of X relaunch. Writer Benjamin Percy (who previously wrote Marvel’s Wolverine: The Long Road Home podcast) is adept at both channeling the tone of this new era of X-Men established by Hickman while bringing his own flavor to the book. X-Force is also one of the more visually distinctive X-books, especially thanks to Dean White’s haunting colors. X-Force succeeds in presenting a grim but necessary counterpoint to the rest of the line, showing the moral compromises that have to be made in the interest of safeguarding a new nation.
How Does X-Force Fit Into Dawn of X?
X-Force has actually been the single most important book in the new X-Men line. Issue #1’s cliffhanger really sets the tone for the series going forward and illustrates just how easily the new mutant nation can crumble if the X-Men don’t stay vigilant and proactive. Like many recent incarnations of the series, this X-Force delves deeply into the personal struggles these characters face in being part of a mutant wetworks squad. Can they kill in the name of Krakoa and still be worthy of Krakoa? Can the nation survive if they don’t?
[poilib element=”accentDivider”]
New Mutants
Written by Ed Brisson & Jonathan Hickman | Art by Rod Reis, Flaviano Armentaro & Marco Failla
No matter how many times the X-Men franchise evolves, there’s almost always a book devoted to a younger generation of up-and-coming mutant heroes. That’s where New Mutants comes in, as it shines a spotlight on members of the classic new Mutants roster along with other fan-favorite teams like Generation X and the cast of Wolverine and the X-Men. On top of that, the series also dabbles in the cosmic side of the X-Men franchise, with the Starjammers and the Shi’ar Empire playing a key role in the first arc.
[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”albumSlug=dawn-of-x-new-mutants-gallery&captions=true”]
Is New Mutants Good?
New Mutants is easily the most inconsistent of the various Dawn of X books, as it basically alternates between two distinct, parallel storylines – one focused on Sunspot leading a team into Shi’ar territory and the other set back on Earth. The former story is by far the stronger of the two, thanks both to Rod Reis’ lush art and an enjoyably goofy, self-aware tone. The latter is very different in terms of tone and visual style, and we wish the series were a little more cohesive. The good news, at least, is that the collected editions reprint the series out of order so that each arc is grouped together. We’d definitely recommend reading New Mutants that way.
Read IGN’s New Mutants #1 review
How Does New Mutants Fit Into Dawn of X?
With Hickman co-writing the Shi’ar arc alongside regular writer Ed Brisson, it’s no surprise New Mutants carries some pretty significant ties to the core X-Men series. That story establishes sweeping changes to the Shi’ar hierarchy that will no doubt impact a great many Marvel books (especially with the Empyre crossover fast approaching) and also lays the groundwork for a major Brood storyline that’s picked up in the pages of X-Men. Coupled with a focus on Doug Ramsey and the growing hints of something big brewing on the Cypher/Warlock front, New Mutants will likely continue to be a big trendsetter for the franchise.
[poilib element=”accentDivider”]
Fallen Angels
Written by Brian Edward Hill | Art by Szymon Kudranski
Fallen Angels occupies the darkest corner of the Dawn of X status quo. This is a series that spotlights the social outcasts of the X-Men family, including Kwannon (now back in control of her own body), X-23 and the newly de-aged Cable. Working alongside Mister Sinister (a dubious ally on the best of days), Kwannon and her team fight to stop a digital virus that robs children of their free will.
[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”albumSlug=dawn-of-x-fallen-angels-gallery&captions=true”]
Is Fallen Angels Good?
For better or for worse, Fallen Angels shares a lot in common with Excalibur. Here, too, it’s mostly Kwannon’s struggle to reclaim her life and sense of identity that gives the book its dramatic weight. And like Excalibur, most of the remaining ensemble cast seem superfluous and randomly chosen like darts thrown at a board. It certainly doesn’t help that Fallen Angels has become the first casualty of the new X-Men line, ending on a less than satisfactory note after just six issues.
Read IGN’s Fallen Angels #1 review
How Does Fallen Angels Fit Into Dawn of X?
Despite the presence of Sinister, Fallen Angels doesn’t really add anything meaningful to the bigger X-Men picture. The book is mostly isolated from the rest of the line, as well as extremely visually and tonally divergent. Unless you’re invested in Kwannon as a character, you can safely skip Fallen Angels and wait for these characters to spin out into other titles like Cable’s solo series or the recently launched Hellions.
What’s your favorite Dawn of X comic so far? Let us know in the comments below.
[poilib element=”accentDivider”]
Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.
Source: IGN.com Marvel's New X-Men Comics: All 6 Dawn of X Titles Reviewed