Magento #1 The Mutant Liberator or Mutant Terrorist?

Give him the reigns, and DeMatteis delivers, setting the stage for a story well set within X-men’s history, as we meet Magneto to stern mentor to the New Mutants. But more than that, the story, the pacing, and the writing yield an incredibly introspective and personal look at Magneto and his inner works. It is as much about his relationship with his students as about who he is and the kind of man he wants to be.

This packed issue is full of heartwarming moments you do not just see on the page; you feel it yourself. DeMatteis, unsurprisingly did his homework to bring us an almost psychological and intimate look at Magneto. Arguably, we haven’t felt this level of trauma and the weight of it for the character since his childhood was finally explored in the 2005 comic X-men Magento’s Testaments have we felt the trauma and weight of the world. This is a Magneto who is wrestling with his past. Did DeMatteis take inspiration from Eisner’s Contract with God? But where a contract exists in Eisener’s work, in this, Magneto is at a loss of who he is as a person, the mutant liberator or terrorist. The survivor? The reluctant yet strict mentor who had abandoned G-d far too long ago.

Further, it does beg the question of whether Magento was right. And if he even believed it himself. But then again, if Magneto was right, was he entirely right? And what was he right about? All questions that one hopes will get answered.

Magneto has always been a character full of contradictions. To see his mental struggle with all these different parts of himself is fascinating and makes it an exciting and refreshing read. And despite his hopes and dreams and attempts at justifying his actions, he doesn’t let himself give in to the excuses for said actions. He holds himself accountable. Or perhaps it is his past helping him to come to grips with his New Mutants mentoring present?

Is that reading too much into it? Maybe a little bit. But the introspection in this comic hits hard, ok? There is the hope we get a smidge more Jewishness in it as the story goes. But this reviewer is hooked. Where has this been all my life? And why can’t everyone write Magento like this?

The action is solid, and Nauck’s design of Magento’s powers is a clear nod to Jack Kirby’s X-men art. This further helps cement the story within the history of the titular comic.

Although Nauck’s art is delightful and charming, and cartoon-like but far too often serves as a contrast to the tone of the story. Perhaps this was deliberate to balance it out. But the art, in his case, doesn’t balance; it distracts from the depth of the writing.

It would be one thing if this were a straightforward, fun New Mutants story. But this, by far, is the biggest flaw of the overall comic.