Psylocke #1 cover A ninja’s work is never finished in Psylocke #1, and Kwannon’s week off quickly ends when there’s heroism to be done…

Kwannon is a somewhat obscure character with a surprisingly convoluted history. Long story short, she was a ninja who (controversially) swapped bodies with Betsy Braddock —the former Psylocke, current Captain Britain— and remained in that status quo nearly thirty years, until Marvel finally decided to re-swap them to their original bodies. And to their credit, Marvel has put in the effort to make Kwannon a viable, distinct character by consistently including her in team-based titles throughout the Krakoa era. Psylocke #1 reaffirms Marvel’s dedication to this cause, finally Kwannon her own solo title six years later. (Though one could argue she was already the protagonist of Fallen Angels.)

In Psylocke #1, we catch up with Kwannon at a bit of a low moment, when Cyclops benches her from his X-Men squad. What’s meant to be a relaxing vacation from busywork, however, quickly ends when she’s tipped off about some shady dealings involving mutant child trafficking — a topic very close to home for her, given her own backstory as a child soldier for The Hand. Forced to balance her desire to do good with her checkered past as a professional killer, Kwannon must figure out who she really is, and if she’s capable of being the hero she wants to be.

Psylocke #1 is a good showcase for the character that, thankfully, fails to mention any of the race-related baggage that formerly defined her. Writer Alyssa Wong rightfully chooses to focus on her life before Betsy, and how it informs the person she is in the present. But don’t you worry — there’s plenty of action to be seen here. (She is a ninja, after all. That was her thing! Not Betsy’s!) Wong’s script gives artist Vincenzo Carratù a lot to do, with plenty of superhero fighting like you might expect, but also some more personal, tender moments with her beau, John Greycrow. There’s a lot to like about Psylocke #1, and hopefully the audience agrees in big enough droves to allow for a decently long run.