2.150 (515) New Mutants vol 1 #1 ... Marvel ...

Yeeeees! Yaaaaay! For our volume 2 or "year 2" or "season 2" reviews, we hit our 150th review which is just awesome. So at this point, we have to wonder, do we start with calendar year as year 3 or do we wait until we hit 365 like a normal year? Reason is volume 1 was reviews done daily but as time progresses and we added in movies and novels reviews amongst others, we did this on alternate days and even then, we are severely behind by now nearly 3 weeks or thereabouts.

We think, for ease of reference, we will wait until 365, eh?

Anyway, for this special occasion, we review the original, the first splinter X-team waaaay back when mutants were at the top heap of the comics monthly sales charts and popularity. Here, author Claremont decided to go back to the early days of the X-Men when the school is more a school than a training ground for super-heroes which was what the X-Men had transformed into. And here, in their first issue though not their first appearance (for that you need the Graphic Novel), we see newbies:

1. Xian (Vietnamese and ability to possess people) - sad she never stayed long enough and only popped up whenever someone remembered to use her

2. Mirage (American Indian with the ability to channel someone's deepest fear) and at this stage still feel that she is not of much use and generally scared of everything

3. Cannonball (your typical red neck geek?) who is having huge issues controlling his power in the sense that he can generate and fly but had to tone down the sound of his flight or even turn

4. Sunspot (Brazillian) and the only one who can control his power which is like low grade Superman as he uses the sun to charge his body into super strong form and ... that's it. Lame? But the visuals are great though

5. Wolfsbane (Scots) who can ... change into a full blown wolf form or a were wolf ... hey every team needs someone savage with claws, right? But she is the lamest of them all in the M U hahaha!

Anyway, here in issue 1 they are brought together in X Mansion and gets to know each other ... with all the usual teen angst and conflicts unfolding ... and also to know the Danger room as Prof X (who seemed unnecessarily harsh and cold here) shows them the ropes of the room and how much more they have to go through training to be acceptable

Sideplot wise, we have 2 (hey this is Claremont). Firstly is the government keeping an eye on them which is fine but what is amazing now that we have re-read is the plot about Moira McTagggert and Gabrielle Haller because what started here in 1 will get full blown main plot attention only from issues 23 to 25! How's for building up suspense, eh? Imagine plotting that far down the line! Awesome, Claremont, just plain awesome!

Ratings: 6/10 (not enough fights - sorry that's why I buy comics)