This April, the burgeoning X-Men universe will expand to include another new concept: sidekicks. In “Children of the Atom,” writer Vita Ayala (“Morbius”) and artist Bernard Chang (“Batman Beyond”) will introduce the old-school X-Men to a team of Gen Z newcomers who want to fight alongside their favorite heroes.
“What makes the new cast special to me is that they are reflective of a lot of people I know who look up to what the X-Men stand for, and have taken it upon themselves to further those ideals,” said Ayala, in a Marvel.com feature announcing the series. “These kids are exactly the kids who, in real life, have posters of Storm and Wolverine in their rooms, who grew up seeing them as heroes and want to live up to that.”
Each of “Children of the Atom”‘s main characters (featured on the first issue cover by R.B. Silva and Jesus Aburtov) appears to be inspired by their favorite X-Man, though it’s unclear how these new mutants could mimic their idols’ styles and powers so closely (perhaps something Sinister is afoot). The Marvel announcement teased that while “[further] details surrounding the cast remain a mystery … their adventures will be far different, and you won’t believe the twists and turns that await you from the first issue!”
“I have never known a world without mutants and the X-Men, and to be able to create characters that would become part of the canon is WILD,” continued Ayala. “I love them very much. Bernard, [editor Chris Robinson], and I have worked so hard on them, and I was practically itching to let them out into the world so others could love them too.”
More info on “Children of the Atom” will likely drop via Marvel’s official channels, but until then, you can look forward to picking up the first issue this April.
