Review: New Mutants #8

After the massive hostage disaster in Nebraska last issue, Ed Brisson uses New Mutants 8 to allow Boom-Boom to take her anger out on a group of Brazilian monsters. New Mutants strives to be the madcap, globe-hopping part of the X-books. But this issue is much more about processing grief and setting up new enemies.

Sebastian Shaw is a major presence in this issue, revealing that he’s been playing rival gangs against each other in Costa Perdita. He is peak Sebastian, calm, ruthless, spiteful and setting up the pieces for maximum profit and destruction. The fact that he is working on behalf of Krakoa shows just how fall the X-Men have fallen in their new status quo. Sebastian is a dangerous ally, not only because he is not to be trusted, but also because he further pushes the boundaries of what the X-Men are willing to do in their new world order.

Things are much more straight-forward in the Amazon, where Boom-Boom, Armor and Amara/Magma visit a variation on Wakanda called Nova Roma.Â Amara brings the others to her hidden home to help her father. He takes them to a young mutant he has kept captive who tells them of beasts attacking mutants near one of Krakoa’s gates.

The art by Marco Failla and colors by Carlos Lopez is clean, traditional and tells the story well. The story-telling is well paced and the art holds our attention for what is generally a slower issue that the last. It does lack in really stretching the creativity, especially given the opportunity that a battle with monsters allows.

Much of the issue involves Boom-Boom dealing with the fallout of the Beak’s tragedy. Although Beak and Angel have been allowed for forget it, Boom-Boom and the others must process their own disbelief and anger over the tragedy. The battle with the creatures should provide just that kind of opportunity, but this battle too ends with tragedy. The trio finds the remains of the young mutants friends inside the destroyed monsters, replacing catharsis with more tragedy.

In spite of this Boom-Boom, Armor and Magma are able to head home with a group of mutants and gain comfort in helping them and destroying a threat. In classic fashion, the issue ends showing that the threat is no where near over. A larger threat is revealed, and once again the New Mutants have created more enemies in their efforts to help others.

This issue reflects some massive parallels to the original New Mutants 8. That issue in 1983 was the first appearance of Amara, took place in the Amazon and features Sebastian Shaw plotting to gain control of mineral deposits in Rio. The parallels between that issue and this one enrich the larger story-telling history and reward long-time readers. At the same time the story is completely accessible for newer readers and those drawn in by the larger Krakoan storyline.

Writing: 4 stars of 5
Artwork: 3 stars of 5
Colors: 4 stars of 5
Cover: 5 stars of 5Â

Overall: 4 of 5 stars

Writer: Ed Brisson
Artist: Marco Failla
Colors: Carlos Lopez
Cover Art: Rod Reis
Publisher: Marvel Comics

Author Profile

M.R. Jafri

M.R. Jafri was born and raised in Niagara Falls New York and now lives with his family in Detroit Michigan. He's a talkative introvert and argumentative geek. His loves include Star Wars, Star Trek, Superheroes, Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers, Transformers, GI Joe, Films, Comics, TV Shows, Action Figures and Twizzlers.