X-Men: New Mutants Classic, Vol. 1 (v. 1) (Paperback)

by Chris Claremont (Author), Bob McLeod (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Cannonball. Sunspot. Moonstar. Karma. Rahne. Teenagers, thrown together by the one thing they had in common -- the X-Factor in their genes that made them different, made them mutants. Relive the adventures of the team that will come to be known as X-Force... if they survive. Collects Marvel Graphic Novel #4, New Mutants #1-7 and Uncanny X-Men #167.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Marvel Comics (May 17, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0785121943
• ISBN-13: 978-0785121947
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 5.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #383,911 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The New (and at the time, "better") Mutants, September 6, 2006

By	Dave "babytoxie" (Dallas, TX USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

Come back to the wonderful days when Marvel Comics had only TWO mutant-related books on the spinner rack: Uncanny X-Men and The New Mutants! Marvel has finally collected the earliest appearances of Charles Xavier's third class of heroes in NEW MUTANTS CLASSIC VOLUME 1, and it's about time. It's a simpler, more comprehensible period where you didn't need a scorecard and several reference volumes to keep up with what was going on in mutantdom. TNM was not so much a vehicle to expand X-Men storylines as it was an attempt to recreate Uncanny's success by introducing an all-new team of ethnically diverse young heroes. It succeeded on several levels. The most obvious was that the storylines really got inside the characters' heads, and readers had a chance to grow with them. Another less fortunate example was the use of stereotypical speech patterns to indicate their origins. Regardless, Cannonball, Sunspot, Psyche, Karma, and Wolfsbane quickly became my favorite Marvel characters, and I stuck with them for 50-odd issues. Uncanny X-Men was treading water at this time, but the New Mutants were really going somewhere!

This trade collects Marvel Graphic Novel # 5 (the team's first appearance), New Mutants #1-7 and Uncanny X-Men #167. We start from "almost" the very beginning of their story - Karma was actually introduced in Marvel Team-Up #100, but no involvement from Professor X there. These early issues provide a good basic set-up - Marvel Graphic Novel gives brief origins of each character before tying them all together to face a greater danger, similar to the format of the classic Giant-Size X-Men #1. Subsequent issues feature the Sentinels, Viper, and Silver Samurai. In addition, many hints are given for future storylines that would really bring the series into its own, such as the Demon Bear and Legion. The real focus is not so much on the latest threat to our heroes, but on how they deal with each other. Overall, this is solid comics storytelling, and it didn't take writer Chris Claremont and artist Bob McLeod long to win me over. Of course, there are missteps, such as the inevitable overworked dialogue from Claremont. Then, Uncanny X-Men #167 is a crossover issue which starts off with a misunderstanding and big battle between the two teams. It seems the X-Men lost the keys to the mansion while fighting the Brood and decided to tear the whole thing down instead of just knocking! Furthermore, issues #5 & 6 feature guest appearances by... get ready... TEAM AMERICA! No, not the counterterrorist creations of Trey Parker and Matt Stone; this Team America is something that could only happen with `80s Marvel: a toy line tie-in featuring a bunch of motorcycle-riding do-gooders, possibly one of the most nonsensical comics Marvel ever produced. Interestingly, the story is not as bad as might be expected, as it reveals that the members of Team America are actually mutants, and they must be guided by Professor X in their ability to manifest a gestalt being known as the Black Rider. Still, it was too early in the series to feature a random 2-issue guest shot like this - the New Mutants are still trying to find themselves, so let them!

To reiterate, while Claremont's writing wasn't doing much for me on Uncanny X-Men, he was really working some magic with The New Mutants, and these stories set it up. Bob McLeod's art for this series is solid. While his Professor X does tend to look like a constipated monkey, his artistic skills are never in question. Sal Buscema comes in to pencil a few issues, and while I've never been a fan of his harsh lines, McLeod's inks soften the blow. NEW MUTANTS CLASSIC VOL. 1 is definitely something to be read by any X-Men fan, and it's essential preparation for the greater storylines to come (hopefully featured in a volume 2 and 3).

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The original New Mutants, June 3, 2007

By	N. Durham "Big Evil" (Philadelphia, PA) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Years before Cable (and Rob Liefeld) turned them into X-Force, and before writer Chris Claremont became a shell of the writer he was during his golden years on Uncanny X-Men, there was the New Mutants. Formed as a next generation of X-Men by Professor Xavier, the original New Mutants consisted of Cannonball, Sunspot, Psyche, Wolfsbane, and Karma; all of which would have varying degrees of impact on the X-Men universe over the years. This first TPB collects the earliest appearances of the New Mutants as they fight the good fight in training to become the X-Men of tomorrow. Reading it now only solidifies Claremont's skills back then as his team dynamic ideas still seem fresh and the drama still seemed prolific. Though the book would diminish in quality the longer it would go on, this first volume of the original New Mutants is a real treat. Along with the various X-Men TPB's and the more recently released old Excalibur TPB's, it's good to see that Claremont's old, and best, material is back on the market for a new generation to check out.

4.0 out of 5 stars Eh, December 12, 2008

By	Stefan Aaron Roberts "Stefan R." (Arizona) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is good, you know, if your really into the series, this sadly is only a small comic book, no where near the size of those Essential books sadly.