Giant-Size X-Men #1 Review

Written by: Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly, Al Ewing
Art by: Adam Kubert, Sara Pichelli
Colors by: Laura Martin, Federico Blee
Letters by: VC’s Clayton Cowles
Cover art by: Adam Kubert, Laura Martin
Cover price: $4.99
Release date: May 28, 2025

Giant-Size X-Men #1, by Marvel on 5/28/25, Finds Kamala Khan involuntarily falling through a time warp to an earlier time with the X-Men when Scott calls on a bigger team to rescue mutants from Krakoa and Legion.

Is Giant-Size X-Men #1 Good?

Plot Synopsis

The Mutant That Walks Like A Man

The main story begins with Kamala Khan and her romantic interest, Bruno, chatting away when Bruno’s Time Travel Detector (?) starts beeping. Suddenly, Kamala and Bruno are whisked away in a time warp. Kamala lands in the past near the X-Mansion to find Cyclops in distress. Apparently, the core X-Men team went to a South Pacific island called Krakoa to answer a rescue request. The team disappeared, and Cyclops wound up back at the X-Mansion.

Scott knows Kamala from his brief time in the future, so he insists to Professor X that she join the rescue team. The Professor agrees to let Kamala join and quickly calls Reed Richards to make Kamala a new suit that looks like a cross between her modern X-Suit and something Kitty Pryde would wear. After a quick briefing by Cyclops, the bigger team heads out.

When the jet approaches Krakoa, they’re knocked out of the sky by Legion. In this case, Legion is really the remnant of Legion left behind after the main part of Legion went into the White Hot Room. What does Legion want? It’s not clear, but Legion wants to capture or destroy Krakoa. Kamala speaks to Krakoa in its language, which she learned from Cypher, and warns it to blast off into space. To prevent Legion from getting to Krakoa before it escapes, Kamala embiggens her fists and gives Legion a big super punch. Further, the big moment has arrived. Kamala’s mutant powers activate, giving her fists a glittery upgrade.

Krakoa escapes. As Kamala falls to the ground, Legion calculates he’ll need Kamala for something later, so another time warp zaps her to the time when the X-Men first faced the Phoenix.

Revelation: Superior

Many years ago, Professor X traveled to Italy to meet a mutant he detected through Cerebro – a woman named Justina LaGuardia. At first, it appeared that Justina had superhuman speed and strength, but it turns out she knows how to use her power to her advantage because it allows her to amplify whatever strengths or powers are near her. If Professor is the world’s most powerful telepath, LaGuardia is now a stronger telepath than Professor X. She orders Charles to forget they ever met so she can plan to meet him again in the future.

This backup short story by Al Ewing is a perfectly serviceable setup for a new villain to pester the X-Men in the future. Will it be sooner rather than later? TBD.

First Impressions

Oy! It should come as no surprise at all that this story by Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly is a wreck. Legitimately, it’s impossible to follow what’s going on.

How’s the Art?

The artwork by Adam Kubert is quintessential Classic X-Men in tone, vibe, and style. Some of the anatomy choices and positions are a bit slapdash, especially during the group time aboard the jet, but the art is a far sight better than the script.

What’s great about Giant-Size X-Men #1?

Besides the art, the one point of interest worth noting is the long-overdue emergence of Kamala’s mutant powers. It’s not clear from the art what her powers do, and they look nothing like her crystal construct powers from her Disney+ show, but at least the long wait is over. Plus, Al Ewing’s backup story is decent enough.

What’s not great about Giant-Size X-Men #1?

Sorry to let the cat out of the bag above, but this story is a wreck. Nothing is explained or makes sense because you get the feeling that Lanzing and Kelly are pulling together multiple threads from multiple storylines without rhyme or reason. Why was Kamala pulled through time, and why was she so cavalier about it? Why is nobody else on the X-Men team where this teenager came from? What does Legion want with Krakoa, and what does it have to do with Kamala? If Legion is responsible for Kamala’s time warp, why did he do it? Why did the adventure end without anything getting accomplished?

Truly, this story is indecipherable, and the one question that Lanzing and Kelly needed to answer adequately doesn’t get answered at all: Why does this comic exist?

About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.

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Final Thoughts

Giant-Size X-Men #1 is exactly the mess you would expect from Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly, but more. Kamala Khan travels through time without rhyme or reason, instantly joins the X-Men without anyone asking why, and charges off to stop Legion from attacking Krakoa. And this is the moment Marvel picks to unveil Kamala’s mutant powers. It’s one thing to suspect this comic would be bad. It’s another to realize you were wrong. It’s worse.

2/10

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