Summation:
- Issue opens with a flashback to the youth of the mutant Amahl Farouk. How he loved and was loved by his father and the pride of his town, his powers allowing him to handle predators big and small... until his town and father were ravaged by the Plague, leaving young Farouk alone, isolated to a different sort of predator, to the Shadow King.
- We're there given a data page which is along the lines of the New Mutants addressing a lot of internal issues they see with young mutants across krakoa from self indulgence, to self harm to harming others. Which culminates in the new Mutants requesting that the Quiet Council allow them to take charge of training the younger mutants.
- Cut to the Akademos Habitat, It's the preview pages so I won't linger on the details. In comes Magik, Warlock and Wolfsbane. Magik is still addicted to coffee, Warlock is moping over Doug being way too enthralled with Bei and Wolfsbane has a bit of back and forth with Magik getting her up to speed on a lot of the trauma of to the team is facing after karma leaves due to Magik's bluntness. Proudstar enters wearing his 70s Camp instructor fit that Magik suggested as a joke, but he rolled with it.
- Another cut, as we're treated to a fight between several young mutants as a practice exercise. Ferals vs Elementals (elementals picking up the win at the end of the clash), this leads to the New Mutants offering a demonstration of Mutant technology to the Younger mutants showing off several different ways that powers can be amplified and combined. The lesson ends with the new Mutants assuring the younger mutants that they'll be teaching them synergy with all sorts of mutant powers by constantly changing up their teams.
- This prompts Gabby to ask if these combinations won't make things more dangerous. Which the New Mutants agree will happen, but due to resurrection protocols, that's something they don't have to worry about like before. Gabby then brings up a specific detail of the protocols, pointing out that she's a clone and referencing Evan and Madelyne Pryor. It's here we get one of the first real gaps in the new mutants' knowledge as it's clear that while they think there's a good reason, they don't actually know why clones are exempt. magik attempts to provide a possible reason though it's clear that Gabby remains unconvinced.
- We then cut to No Girl, Anole, Rain Boy and Cosmar all leaving to hang out. It's a bit of back and forth banter until we reach the end of the comic where the four of them end up sitting around to discuss what they've learned... with the Shadow King.
- A final data page reveals a letter Dani has given to James thanking him for joing the New Mutants and helping with teaching the young Krakoans as well as requesting that everyone keep a diary to relay their thoughts, aspirations and fears
Impression:
This issue is PACKED like it's got the same count as other books, and yet I'd say it feels twice as long as any other X-book right now. There's a lot of call backs both to stuff that's happened in the krakoa era and before. This book is just dripping in continuity. New Mutants continues to be the most classic 'X-men' book of the line. Reis art is a treat and I think Ayala's voice for all the New mutants is incredibly strong. There's a lot of interesting hooks that I really do want to see come to fruition. The only real con, though it's not much of one from my side of things, I can see is depending on how you view a lot of these characters, specifically the young mutants, age wise.
If you're not about School, this book probably won't be for you
If you're also not about super classic X-men shenanigans, this book also won't be for you.