NYX #1 Review: The Kids Are Alright

Kamala Khan's new ensemble book is a perfectly fine entry point.

By Jenna Anderson

There is certainly no shortage of stories about teen superheroes. DC's Teen Titans, Young Justice, the Legion of Super-Heroes and even the earliest incarnation of Marvel's X-Men were the entry point for entire generations of Marvel and DC readers. This fact creates an interesting dichotomy for a new young adult title, as it sets out to either draw in the newest comic readers, appease fans of the canon, or meet somewhere in the middle. This week's NYX #1, a quasi-relaunch of the X-Men spinoff from the mid-2000s for the new "From the Ashes" initiative, seems to set out to accomplish both, and time will only tell if it successfully threads the needle. NYX #1 is a fun, but somewhat-forgettable, entry point for Marvel's latest mutant team.

NYX #1 follows Kamala Khan a.k.a. Ms. Marvel in the newest chapter of her life, as she enrolls in a mutant-focused study program taught by Prodigy. Through buddying up with Sophie Cuckoo and fighting battles as Ms. Marvel, Kamala begins to learn the hidden difficulties of navigating her life as a mutant. All the while, new allies—such as Anole and Laura Kinney a.k.a. Wolverine—and adversaries begin to reveal themselves in the post-Krakoa landscape.

For those who read and enjoyed the original volumes of NYX, which dramatically showcased the status quo of homeless and downtrodden mutants in the Big Apple, the prospect of this relaunch could be met in a number of different ways. The dark and often-controversial themes of the previous runs are cast aside, in favor of the xenophobia and overall prejudice that the characters feel post-Krakoa. Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing's script does deliver some poignant moments in that regard, both with regards to Kamala and to the larger mutant population. For better or worse, these moments are only a brief part of the issue's lively storyline – a choice that both conveys the dizziness of being a young adult, and that leaves this particular issue feeling a little shallow.

In that regard, for readers simply looking for a flashy new ensemble of young heroes, NYX #1 leaves its various players a little scattered to the wind. Don't expect any sort of team to be fully formed by the end of the issue, but the installment does lay a bedrock for those eventual alliances to be something special. The dynamic between Kamala and Sophie, in particular, is simultaneously true to both characters and a throwback to the stories of teen girl duos I consumed voraciously in my younger years.  

Francesco Mortarino's art exhibits the sense of liveliness that the script of NYX #1 demands, both in the massive superpowered battles and in the smaller sartorial flairs of its characters. The occasional awkward facial expression or underdeveloped background element is too small to really worry about, especially as the events of the issue begin to heighten. Raul Angulo's color work bathes everything in vibrant blues and golds without ever losing a sense of realism. Joe Sabino's lettering is expressive while smushed together just a little bit, as if to convey the exuberance of its protagonists' dialogue. 

NYX #1 is a charming, albeit restrained, menagerie of Marvel's mutant adolescence. The character dynamics and sure-to-escalate stakes will undoubtedly make this series a unique entry in Marvel's new X-Men relaunch, without immediately reinventing the wheel. As with Marvel's recent X-Men #1, there is definitely admirable work on display across this debut issue, but that might not be enough to leave a lasting impact.

Published by Marvel Comics

On July 24, 2024

Written by Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing

Art by Francesco Mortarino

Colors by Raul Angulo

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Letters by Joe Sabino

Cover by Sara Pichelli and Federico Blee

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