Review: New Mutants Vol. 1

 


    First off, the color palette of this one is absolutely gorgeous. It conveys a really distinctive energy that allows for darkness without things getting too muddy. Some of the panels are really sharp and vibrant, while others are almost dreamlike. Overall just really nice to look at.
    As far as story goes, it’s exploring some really interesting dynamics – how should the power to return the dead be used? And how does the privilege experienced by different mutants fit into that? The privilege dynamic was actually the part I found most interesting. One of the several plots in this collection is a storyline about the conflict between some young mutants with Krakoan society. Some young mutants with more visible traits don’t embrace them the way that they’re sometimes expected to in Krakoa, and adults are unreceptive to their requests for help changing their appearance. There are some explicit conversations about how embracing one’s power is much easier when it doesn’t change the person you see in the mirror. Marvel conversations about mutants have often mapped really well onto conversations about privilege in the real world, and this was definitely reminiscent of concepts of colorism and visible queerness. So I really enjoyed that element.
    Unfortunately, it was a really small part because there were just so many things crammed into this volume. I had a difficult time keeping track of everything that was happening and who was where and doing what and who got along with who and who was keeping secrets and so on. So that was my biggest frustration, and it made it take a while to get through. Not bad at all, but not great, either.

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