Age of X-Man Nextgen #1: The Children are Our Future

I’ve been a huge fan of the two issues that came before this (Age of X-Man Alpha and Marvelous X-Men) but here we get a change in writing.  I was worried that Brisson wouldn’t be able to continue to tone that Nadler and Thompson had established.  You get this a lot when you get multiple titles surrounding a theme.  So I wouldn’t be surprised if it still lacked that underlying horror of the faux-utopia we’d already seen.

But I was surprised.

Surprised because Ed Brisson pulled it off so spectacularly.

This world has been crafted to resemble one with no fear, no hatred, no bigotry.  But it does so by removing all personal freedoms, all choice.  It’s like a twisted Hogwarts, where they are all sorted but this time they don’t all get the same education.  This “separate but equal” world is inherently unequal and I feel that, using the younger generation, Brisson might be in the best position to tell this story.

As with the two stories that came out over the past couple weeks, there’s something brewing underneath the surface.  This world is under a fascist government and nobody seems to notice it.  And those that do are quickly silenced.  And I find it interesting and telling that the two silenced in this issue are both members of the LGBTQ+ community.  I promise you, this was not by accident as they are the only representatives of such community within the student body so far.  Maybe this is because in a world where mutants are no longer a feared minority, it becomes easy to persecute another minority.  Maybe this is a statement about human nature?

The art by Marcus To is absolutely amazing, giving a sense of realism, from the Chickens at the start, to Anole’s flight from the fire.  It looks incredible.  And speaking of the fire, Jason Keith’s colors make every scene just stand out.  Even the costumes are bright and vibrant, but not so much that they look silly.  Every thing about the art on this book is amazing.

This may be my favorite book so far in this event.  And while I don’t have to wait too long for the next event book, it bothers me that I have to wait so long for the next issue of NextGen…  I’m just that impatient to read another tale from Brisson, To, and Keith.