Writer: Zeb Wells
Artist: Stephen Segovia
Colorist: David Curiel
Letterer: VC’s Cory Petit
Cover Artists: Stephen Segovia, Rain Beredo
Editor: Jordan D. White
Publisher: Marvel Entertainment
The comicbook industry might be in deep trouble thanks to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, but a new week means another new launch from Marvel: Hellions #1, the latest entry in the labyrinthine Dawn of X line.
Taking their name from myriad groups who’ve used it before, this new iteration of the Hellions is a team of dysfunctional and/or volatile mutants led by Mister Sinister, who become Krakoa’s designated wrecking crew when needed. If that sounds familiar to you, it’s because Hellions is basically X-Men meets Suicide Squad — or at least it’s setting itself up to be that. The bulk of this first issue is your standard getting-the-team-together plot, which is mildly disappointing given the promise of this series but understandable for one particular reason.
Hellions very much reads as a replacement for Fallen Angels, which ended in January after mixed-to-bad reception from fans and little fanfare compared to its sister titles. While Psylocke (the new one) is the only carryover from Fallen Angels, it feels like a natural successor to what that title was trying to do but fell short of actually nailing. Fortunately, while Fallen Angels never really built to anything or had a central focus, Hellions #1 concludes its first issue with a clear mission statement of what it will be moving forward.
A book like Hellions (or Suicide Squad, for that matter) is only as compelling as its cast of characters, and the ones featured here are worth following. This one easily has the weirdest assortment of deep dives we’ve seen yet in a Dawn of X book, anchored by a few X-Men staples (Havok, Sinister, Psylocke) with a few wild cards thrown in. I’m already obsessed with Nanny, an obscure X-Factor character who looks the exact amount of ridiculous I want from comics, and I want to know more about her immediately.
Writer Zeb Wells has a knack for the sort of wacko-serious vibe I assume Hellions is going for, and, hopefully, it lives up to the promise of this issue (his concurrent Ant-Man run is also very good). Stephen Segovia’s art is comparatively tamer given the book’s premise, but it’s very consistent with the vibe established by Pepe Larraz and R.B. Silva in House of X and Powers of X, which lends some nice continuity to the overall slate. I’m very interested to see what he can do with the material given to him here, especially if it involves Nanny in greater capacity.
Now where’s my Nanny solo series?
Hellions #1
4.99
Credits
- Strong premise.
- Fun cast of characters.
Credits (cont)
- Very much a getting-the-team together issue; not much action.
