Children of the Atom #1 Review/Spoiler - Old Enough to Know Better

[charliehustle415]

you do remember that jugg's book had its 1st issue in the data pages too, right? though I do think that this book will be relevant to the current era of the x-men.

I doubt that they are using technology to replicate powers, otherwise I dont see why they would think they could go through the gates. probably in their genes/DNA, whether its "natural" or artificial remains to be seen I guess.

Juggernaut had data pages?

[Kingdom X]

That is the general thought process I had, This feels more like they are taking drug that makes them mutants derived from X-men themselves than tech to me. Kinda feels like precursor to Chimera stuff if I am taking a wild guess.

If they all end up secretly being drug addicts for the sake of getting powers then this really will be the spiritual sequel to Young Avengers.

[Frobisher]

Not always.
Attachment 107129

Two guys touching each other - THEY'RE BANGING!

[Triniking1234]

Two guys touching each other - THEY'RE BANGING!

XXX-Men

10char

[IN-a-Synch]

Is this worth buying. If they are not mutants I’m not interested

[gonnagiveittoya]

Curious...not totally interested but it'll be interesting to see if they go somewhere with this.

The names do all feel like placeholders though. Like Cyclops-Lass?

[comicboy12]

lips...That's all I'll say.

[Grunty]

Is this worth buying. If they are not mutants I’m not interested

It's the first issue of what is likely a 5 to 6 issue introduction arc, which seems to have the question of their status as ongoing mystery to be explored and simmering in the backround.

Maybe they are all humans, maybe they are a mixed group, maybe they are inhumans who feel more kin to mutants, maybe they are all just escaped personalities of Legion taken physical form.
We dont know for sure yet, because the whole point of the last page and likely the ongoing backround plot is about what ever they are mutants and likely what it means to be a mutant in the Marvel Universe (specifically in the current status quo).

So if the basic premise isn't catching you either with the mutant identity part (physical being a mutant vs. feeling like a mutant), the young teenager trying to immitate their idols part or the ongoing mystery part, regardless of what ever they are mutants or not, you might not want to buy it and wait for the first trade of the first arc and see if you then want to buy it then.

The names do all feel like placeholders though. Like Cyclops-Lass?

I'm somewhat certain they are supposed to sound dumb or immature, like something kids would come up with when they try to play super heros on the playground creating self insert versions of their favorit heros. Or specific first time fan fiction writers.

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

I thought it was a fun first issue and I liked that the X-men have in-universe fans.

[Celestialbodies]

I enjoyed this issue, a little weird in some places and disjointed however I definitely understood what Vita was going with. I do think a little more could have been done in this issue to hook us to this cast of characters and it missed the mark for me. That said I think Vita is one of the top writers in this era when it comes to interpersonal relationships and how characters engage one another. For the first time since the start of this era Jean, Storm, Cyclops, and Wolverine felt like characters who actually know each other personally, we've had a few tastes across X-force, X-men, and Marauders but the scene between them was the best part of this issue for me.

Oh you're right. I thought the final shot was on Krakoa. I think they shouldnt have put the gate on a beach bc that part was confusing



but thats incredibly dumb on their part especially since they have 15+ years experience as mutants and they have a mutant finding device that doesnt pick them up as mutants. Suggesting that the telepath is powerful enough to block Cerebro doesnt make sense. If they were mutants, it would have backed them up at some point before he blocked it. There are other ways to confirm their mutant status like Caliban, Hope, Synch or M whom can detect mutant signatures

I was equally confused if they made it to Krakoa or weren't allowed through, also it has been mentioned but it is always hilarious when a writer suggests someone is protecting themselves from Cerebro especially when it is operated by Charles Xavier exactly how does a novice telepath with or without outside enhancements protects themselves from the strongest telepath on the planet, let alone when he is operating a device that enhances his power by 10.

Does this not come off like a Young Avengers parody to anyone else? The exact same premise.

The exactly same feels I got reading this and I'm surprised so many aren't fans of "Cyclop-lass" or "Marvel Guy" they're definitely on the nose but I thought that might have been the whole point that and these names are really giving me DC comics vibes and I kind of enjoy that silliness for this specific premise.

Someone refresh my memory, has it been established before that telepaths can block mutants from cerebro detection?

How any telepath outside of the top telepaths can protect themselves from Cerebro has always been something that is incredibly silly to me, it is a device that is designed to find mutants, store consciousness, and amplify psychic abilities by at least 10. Exactly how does anyone let alone a novice telepath shield themselves from it?

So how is it that the X-Men can’t seem to figure out that these kids aren’t mutants? It isn’t even the first time they’ve run into kids impersonating mutants and they don’t register on Cerebro, something that, even if they have a rookie psychic, there’s no way he could top the world’s most powerful telepath being enhanced by Cerebro.

Especially with the Cerebro unit Xavier is currently using how does any telepath without substantial prep and an external power source protect themselves and several other from Xavier the quite literally most powerful telepath on the planet.

[Odd Rödney]

I’ll give Vita credit. She showed Logan, Jean, Scott, Kurt and Ororo all together in a nice setting with old school inertactions, but within the new status quo. Even more hints of the poly. (Storm-Jean???).
She also used Magma, a New Mutant who she’s not currently using in the New Mutants title. Gave more focus on Maggot then anyone in forever. Used Pixie, who is currently appearing a lot, but to be fair this issue was suppose to come out last year.
I wonder why so much focus on Cherub’s rival on the basketball team? Future sixth member? Future villain?
Also, Storm taking the piss out of Wolverine was funny.

Yep, all of this. I’m here for it.

These kids represent real life X-fans who became deeply invested in the X-Men because they themselves also felt othered by a society that hates and fears them, it's easy to identify with these kids. But I extremely do not vibe with the fact that these are humans in "mutant face", who in this first issue fight actual depowered mutants while saying they give mutants a bad name. Not a good look.

Yeah, that is a good point. I hope it is addressed in future issues.

There's the larger issue for me that this was just super boring.

Fair enough. I didn’t find it to be boring at all but to each their own I guess.

Only a few months ago there were two giant green gas clouds floating around Earth and empowering any humans comming into contact with them if one of their ancestor had a matress samba with an Inhuman long ago, resulting in hundreds of super powered people showing up all across the world.

In my head canon that just didn't happen. God, I hated that story.

I think the main reason they’re assuming that they’re mutants is because the kids modeled themselves off of the X-Men. That X is a target on your back so I wouldn’t think that any logical human would unnecessarily associate themselves with being hated and feared.

That is what I took from it too.

The initial reaction to the situation seemed a bit overblown and premature considering nobody knows who or what they are, yet but...CBR forums is Twitter-lite so...yeah...not really surprised.

It gets a little grating, not gonna lie!

Im just speculating, but this could be the beginning of gene therapy for flatscan humans to become mutants. Sinister made himself a mutant as so did Dr. Hayes with her son in law Gene Hayes. There is a small population of humans on Krakoa and maybe this opens up the gates of a new crucible of some sorts where they become mutants. We gotta remember that the children of mutants are not always mutants, Graydon Creed is a great example.

Yep, good point. Wouldn’t surprise me if something like this was the endgame here.

I honestly wasn't sure about this series when it was first announced. I wasn't sure what to make of it, relative to the other X-Books. But after reading this first issue, I'm sold. I'm intrigued. I want to see more of this.
These characters have already done enough to endear themselves to me. I get the sense they're all young, inexperienced, and idealistic. They're a lot like the Champions or the Young Avengers. But they've aligned themselves closely with the struggle of mutants. Unlike other superhero teams, they face unique challenges. They deal with unique enemies. And they want to be part of that. I can respect that.
It's still not clear where they're getting their powers. Maybe they're the first breed of mutant Chimeras that we saw in House of X/Powers of X. Maybe they're ordinary humans using technology or MGH to gain powers. Maybe it's something else entirely. I don't know, but I'm eager to find out. And I look forward to reading more.

I'm with you here, I'm keen to see what happens next too.

Why is it that everyone always ignores laws of nature when it comes to Magma in her lava form? Why is she always shaking hands or standing in close proximity to others when she's literally drawn emitting high level heat?

Because comics I guess?

It's the first issue of what is likely a 5 to 6 issue introduction arc, which seems to have the question of their status as ongoing mystery to be explored and simmering in the background.

Yeah, and that mystery is enticing to me, looking forward to the next issue.

I thought it was a fun first issue and I liked that the X-men have in-universe fans.

Indeed. I was tickled pink by that concept.

While it might be a little controversial to admit on these boards this was my favorite book of the week. Though I do have one question:

Could a Krakoan gate tell the difference between an actual mutant and someone on MGH? Has that been addressed in a book and I've just forgotten?

[TimberWolf]

Gay people come from a lot of different cultures, are they not an actual minority?

Are you seriously equating gays with a fictional race?

[Frobisher]

Are you seriously equating gays with a fictional race?

ae583c37508ebe864988938b135d1f92.jpg
mic drop

[Havok83]

Are you seriously equating gays with a fictional race?

Its not equating; its making a comparison. Its called an analogy

[Dthirds3]

Anyone know why the print and digital versions are different ?