Children Of The Atom Vol. 1 Review - The New Mutants?
Format Reviewed: Physical Trade Paperback
Collects:: Children of the Atom #1-#6, Marvel's Voices #1.
ISBN: 978-1-302-92173-6
Release: October 26th, 2021
Pages: 184
Genre: Super Heroes
Rating: Teen
Publisher: Marvel
Writer: Vita Ayala
Artists: Bernard Chang (#1-#2), Paco Medina (#3-#6), Walden Wong (Inks, #6)
Color Artists: Marcelo Maiolo (#1-#2), David Curiel (#3-#6)
When did the X-Men get sidekicks?!
Don’t miss the debut of the greatest teenage super hero team of all time! They’ve learned from the best, now they’re ready to be put to the test! But who the heck are these kids, where did they come from—and why are their powers so similar to the X-Men’s? These young heroes are tough and fearless, but it seems they have a secret—a secret that just might get them in trouble!
When I spotted Children of the Atom on a shelf filled with graphic novels, I wasn't quite sure what to expect.
The synopsis on the back of the book was interesting, sure, but what really caught my attention was the character front and center on the cover art.
I wasn't sure who she was, but she looked a hell of a lot like Cyclops, who just so happens to be my favorite superhero.
The book is part of the 2020 relaunch of the X-Men line of comic books called "Reign of X," which ran from December 2020 until March 2022.
I'm not super familiar with this era, but I do know that the general take online has been that this phase, known as the second phase of the Krakoan Age, is highly regarded as one of the best eras of X-books.
So when I dove in, I had zero expectations and an open mind.
What I found was a brand new cast of characters to adore and a unique story that adds a fresh take on what it means to be a mutant in a world that hates and fears you.
More than that, I found a book filled with diversity beyond the X-gene and emotional story beats that plenty of us can relate to.
The thing about this book is that it's difficult to really express my feelings on it without delving into the nitty-gritty plot details, and doing that would rob potential readers of what I consider to be a great experience.
So what I will say is this...
The new kids on the block — Gimmick, Cyclops-Lass, Cherub, Daycrawler, and Marvel Guy — are all awesome, both in and out of costume.
These characters have a level of personality that you don't often see captured so well in books with larger casts.
Don't worry, plenty of your favorite X-Men appear in this book as well—Wolverine, Cyclops, Storm, Nightcrawler, Phoenix, Pixie, and even Maggot all make an appearance!
Yet I found myself being more engaged with the new kids and their story. It's not often that we get an all-original take on brand new characters, and this is one that I really, really enjoyed.
In fact, the only things I really didn't like about this book were the pacing near the end and learning that it was a complete story and that these kids haven't appeared in another series since the printing of this trade paperback... which really makes me wonder, why call it Vol. 1 at all?
Fingers crossed that gets fixed someday!
Children of the Atom is a fresh and interesting story with a brand new perspective on the X-verse.
The book is easily read in a day and I highly recommend it to anyone who is remotely interested in X-Men or comics in general!
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Excellent Main Cast | Vol 1. seems to be the end of the series. :( |
| Beautiful Art | Feels a bit rushed at the end. |
| Meaningful Story Beats | |
| An Easy Read |