2.36 (401) New Mutants vol 1 #23 to 25 ... Marvel ...

We kick off our next 100th reviews (fingers crossed and all that) by taking a plunge back to the 80s with the first spin-off mutant titles. Yes, there was a time when each title had its own identity and was told for a looooooooooong spell without relaunches and a spin off only comes around when it makes story telling sense

The New Mutants as the title indicates are young people who come into their abilities and brought in by Prof X not to be heroes like X-Men but to learn both normal lessons and how to control their abilities so that they can rejoin the greater world outside ... but as it is still people in costumes there will be the occasional foray into superheroics

What is entertaining is that from issue 17 onwards most of the stories are told in 3-issue arcs and with awesome cover art by Bill S. The interiors are also done by him but almost a different style especially with the heavier inking making everything look moody and muddled

In this 3 issue arc after issue 22's breather told in one, we see the youngest of the team, Rahne Sinclair (the werewolf girl) and Roberto DaCosta (Sunspot) ... being embroiled in something totally unexpected SPOILER ALERT ... drugs! Experimental drugs to be more precise with the ability to bring out the worse in people, super or regular

And naturally the Marvel heroes who are generally involved in anything drugs is Cloak and Dagger - she is a mistress of light who dances and shoots a light beam that can freeze her opponents amongst other things while he has a teleporting cloak that can grow and envelope many things and people and also chill his opponents

At this juncture, some may be confused about the origins of C and D and to be honest, so are we. At first, they are regular kids who got involved in drugs that transformed them. Over the years and different writers, in order to boost their popularity, there was at one time stated that they were mutants as well and the drugs merely knocked the power out of them or some such. So one has to wonder eh? But at this point in their storylines, they were NOT mutants

And so you have it!

Of course once the rest of the team realizes what is going on, they rush in to help and all sorts of mayhem ensues. As for supporting cast, we have a "preacher" who assists. All in all, a very "mature" sort of storyline involving the junior members of the X-team. And over the course of their series, basically that's the type of stories you get ... the villains are less colourful


than the X-Men and more grounded

Ratings: 8/10