One of the comics I’ve been looking forward to since its announcement was X-Men #1. That’s partially due to its stellar team of writer Brian Wood (or “Best Writer” of 2012) and artist Olivier Coipel. The combo should be amazing. Then there’s the fact that this X-Men comic will be headlined by X-women. Wood is amazing writer, so to see him take his skills and apply it to this series and these characters had me excited and intrigued. The first issue has hit stands this week and it’s pretty damn solid.

The comic is all set up with Jubilee on the run and a baby is involved somehow. The X-Men head out to bring her in with a nice action sequence involved. It’s hard to not give a lot away with the comic while discussing it, and I think this is one, the less you know about, the better.

What I really liked about the comic was the ratcheting up of the tension. There’s a slow build throughout the comic that’s really solid and shows off Wood’s mastery of storytelling. His command of the characters is great too. Each has their personality and stand on their own, with great interaction.

Praise should also be heaped upon Coipel’s art. Its beautiful to look at and each character is unique in their look, especially in their faces, a weak point for many artists. He’s easily one of the best artists out there.

The biggest issue I had with the comic was with something it was lacking. There was no Marvel enhanced reality, which I could have used to find out more about one of the characters that debuted when I wasn’t reading the series. The ball seems to have been dropped with that one.

The “X” line of comics is usually overflowing with options, and many don’t have enough of a unique voice to make their existence warranted. In one issue Wood takes care of that issue, giving us a fresh “X” book that will stand out from a crowded family of comics.

Story: Brian Wood Art: Olivier Coipel
Story: 8 Art: 9 Overall: 8.25 Recommendation: Buy