Review by Frank Plowright

Periodically Marvel return to the idea of the X-Men running a school to provide younger mutants a safe environment in which they can come to terms with their abilities and learn how best to use them. New Mutants: Back to School was the 2003 version under the guidance of writing partners Nunzio DeFilippis and Christina Weir. It would later morph into New X-Men: Academy X.

Mirage from the original New Mutants team is now a little older and is charged with searching out young mutants identified by the X-Men’s computer system, all of whom were newly created for the series. The writers make a brave choice by having the entire first chapter follow Sofia Mantega, later Wind Dancer, from her happy existence in Venezuela to her less than idyllic move to the USA where her upbeat personality is ultimately crushed. It’s heartbreaking, and also introduces the interesting variation on wind-based powers of her able to hear other people talking via the wind.

Keron Grant draws the first four chapters and his art is problematical. People are stylised, which would be fine if the styling were consistent, which it’s not. Heads can sometimes look normal, but sometimes extend from giraffe-like necks, while even simple matters like ensuring consistent proportions are elusive. In the opening chapter, Sofia is seen next to or facing Danielle Moonstar in several panels, and in each her height differs in relation to Moonstar. On the sample page her height varies in relation to Professor X. Grant’s also not great at distinguishing age.

DeFilippis and Weir take a leisurely approach to gathering their new team, a procedure occupying the entirety of Back to School, yet by operating a domino principle of one character meeting another, there’s always something of interest as the team gels. Powers are explained or shown in creative ways, assorted familiar faces have cameos and running in the background throughout are variations on the fear of mutants plot. Despite this being a sympathetic bunch, only David Alleyne, Prodigy, would progress to further appearances in other titles over the years.

Mark A. Robinson draws the final two chapters featuring an actual mission for the newcomers and tying up some loose ends. His art is an improvement, if still extremely stylised with ultra-thin people, while the mission is well plotted to highlight character aspects already seen, and offers a new character whose views contrast everyone else. It promises interesting times to come.

Despite Robinson improving on Grant’s art, the look of Back to School as a whole is incredibly off-putting. It’s unfortunate, as were it not for the poor art Back to School would be a solid introduction to a new series.

This New Mutants team ran for another year, but this was the only collection until the bulkier 2018 Back to School: The Complete Collection pulled the entire series together in book form.