Usa excalibur vol. 01 forging the sword tp

This new X-Men spinoff returns fan-favorite Claremont to the characters he made famous and seems to be the beginning of another X-Men mythos

The series takes place on Genosha, an island once idyllically populated by mutants, but since destroyed in an attempt at mutant genocide

Now, three years after the attack, the X-Men’s founder, Professor Charles Xavier, journeys to the island to try to rebuild the dream of mutant prosperity

Once there, it becomes evident that he is not alone, and he finds himself embroiled in turf warfare between rival mutant gangs

Claremont is a wordy and somewhat melodramatic writer, but he does convey the gravitas of the situation, and he has a talent for evoking the unique brand of angst that fuels X-Men comics

Lopresti’s drawing and storytelling are serviceable, full of detail

Claremont and Lopresti move the story along at a brisk pace, as Xavier teams up with his old foe, Magneto, to form yet another team of mutant outcasts

The idea for this new mutant team, though, is distinctly New Age flavored: instead of fighting, the group will focus on inspiring those around them, hoping to renew the promise of the desolate island

The book will satisfy X-Men devotees, but its dialogue and generic artwork make it less than inspiring.