Writer: Vita Ayala

Art: Rod Reis, VC’s Travis Latham, and Tom Muller

Publisher: MARVEL COMICS

Price: $3.99

Release Date: January 27th, 2021

The NEW MUTANTS have been commissioned with coaching the Krakoan youth on the island they call home. Their job is merely to teach these young mutants how to use their abilities for the betterment of themselves as well as the others on the island. Additionally, the NEW MUTANTS want to show this next generation how to forge their powers together to create something more promising for the future. However, keeping this crew of gifted youngsters out of trouble may seem to be more challenging than initially anticipated. Let’s dive into NEW MUTANTS #15 by Vita Ayala and see what danger appears to be lurking in the shadows of Krakoa.

If you’re interested in this comic or any of the others mentioned, simply click on the title/link to snag a copy through Amazon.

This wasn’t quite what I expected. Truthfully, I was very excited to see Ayala on the title and to watch NEW MUTANTS take shape in a new direction. However, there just wasn’t a story in this issue and frankly, I don’t know the direction Ayala intends the series to go. Additionally, Rod Reis provides readers with an abundance of small panel grids that simply don’t complement his style or tone of art well at all. Many different panels were often muddy with heavy line work that negatively saturated the issue making conversations and characters appear unclear. And that’s the thing… this issue was just one conversation after another.

Ayala has too many moving pieces and too many characters to work with that the focus of the series is almost nonexistent. From Cosmar and Wolfsbane to the Shadow King and Mirage, I’m struggling to see the point of the series. If anything, it felt like a mutant sitcom on NBC then a Marvel Comic with little to no cliffhanger to lure me into the next issue.

FINAL THOUGHTS

There is certainly a ton of emotional build-up in these pages, however, it’s too much and too spread out for anyone to grab a hold of and feel for the characters involved. Moreover, readers know very little about Cosmar, who’s become a focus of the series, and we continue to learn less and less about the actual NEW MUTANTS as the series continues. I hate to say it, but this series is slowly working its way to being at the bottom of my stack each week it comes out. Where is the team Jonathan Hickman put together and why can’t we refocus on them? Thanks for the read and feel free to let me know what you think. Have a great week and God bless!

6.5/10

If you’re really interested in NEW MUTANTS #15, click HERE to get a copy! If Hickman and Brisson’s NEW MUTANTS run is something you’ve really quite enjoyed, click HERE to get related trades and comics. Additionally, if you’ve been really digging Hickman’s X-MEN, click HERE to get your hands on related Dawn of X trades, volumes, and issues. And finally, if you’re looking for something else to read, check out my Amazon Online Comic Shop by clicking HERE. Thank you all for the read and continued support. Stay safe and stay healthy.