New Mutants War Children is a piece of art

[Del torro]

How many people did Kitty call her best friend this issue

[pandafarmer]

How many people did Kitty call her best friend this issue

So, it's proper Kitty then!

[Somecrazyaussie]

I'd love to see Claremont return for one of the ongoings after House of X and Powers of X conclude, but evidently that's not happening.

I don't see Claremont being able to play in the current landscape in the X-Books. However, for one-shots, special issues and mini-series, he should absolutely be used. Yes, his dialogue can seem a bit dated. But the guy still has it where it counts: characterization. His recent forays with Magneto: Black and the Cyclops story he did for the Uncanny X-Men Annual, while far from being groundbreaking, were rich in character. I wouldn't like him on a monthly basis, but on something every so often? Absolutely.

[TOTALITY]

I posted this on the New Mutants Appreciation thread the day it came out, but I’ll repost here since this thread actually seems active, and also this will make three canon-adjacent queer ships I’ve posted about in as many threads in as many hours, because I’m extra on my bullshit today!

This issue was classic Claremont, for better and worse! Lots of focus on character relationships with a side of cringe!

Highlights off the top of my head:
spoilers:

-the cringe: Xi’an’s “have you forgotten that I am Vietnamese?” moment... -Kitty refers to both Doug and Illyana as her “best friend” within a span of a few pages, classic Kitty -queer subtext alert! I know not everyone sees that in Doug and Warlock, and I don’t mean to suggest it’s as simple as “they’re actually in a romantic relationship!” but these pages are..potent. “Kitty is my best friend, but Warlock.. ever since I’ve known him it’s like he’s a part of me.” “If we do this we’ll be linked forever”... -possibly accidental HOX synergy with Doug extending his right arm for assimilation. -page of Darkchylde winning over the T.O. infection for control of Illyana was some great storytelling! Claremont, Sienkiewicz, and..the letterer whose name I don’t have in front of me.. all contributing so much! -scene dedicated to clarifying that Rahne isn’t naked in her wolf form, because that was important to Claremont! Those unstable molecules can do anything! -I love that Hela had basically nothing to do with this story but still had several pages of communication with Dani, so Sienkiewicz could draw some awesome Valkyrie spreads.

end of spoilers

[Dante Milton]

The art was great, if somewhat disconnected from the narration. The writing ... was very Claremont. Old fashioned and it didn't really add anything new. Honestly, if anyone other than Siekiewicz had been on art, I probably wouldn't have bothered picking it up.

[Devaishwarya]

I definitely got the synergistic 'reference' with Doug and 'Locke and what has transpired with Cypher on Krakoa. It was a nice shout-out from Claremont to HiX-Man. and, in retrospect, from HiX-Man to Claremont as Claremont was the one to initially write about the possibility and consequences of Doug melding with Warlocke.

[comicbookfan5878]

Loved this book. Surprised more people are not commenting on this thread...

[Devaishwarya]

It's a thowback done-in-one and has nothing to do with HoX/PoX so it's understandable.
Personally, I didn't care much for the obvious Claremontisms...it felt as though he was just cut and pasting the dialogue for the characters from previous stories, word for word.
But my main draw was the Sienkiewicz art. So...I'm 100% happy.
Although...the art wasn't as refined and finished as I'd hoped it would be...it suited this Warlocke story, perfectly.