Excalibur #1

I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this first issue but found myself totally enraptured by the narrative flow, characters, and direction. Mixing equal parts character, conflict, and good storytelling, Excalibur is alluringly charming. Read Full Review

Marcus To has some beautiful visuals in this issue. There are some great character renderings throughout and I love how everything has a fluid aesthetic. Read Full Review

Overall this magical first issue doesn’t disappoint. ‘Excalibur’ really delivers something fresh and new to the ‘Dawn of X’ lineup. It sets up a complex story that really pulls you in and gets you excited for many more magical adventures to come. I highly recommend picking this one up. Read Full Review

Tos art is very much in line with what weve seen from Pepe Larraz and R.B. Silva on House of X and Powers of X, respectively, which lends some cohesiveness to the overall aesthetic of DoX. That said, he gets to play with different subject matter (i.e. magic) than what was seen in those titles, which keeps his art from feeling too samey. His linework gives colorist Erick Arciniega a lot to work with, opting for colorful flourishes to represent magic and the like. Read Full Review

Howard and To are off to a strong start. Based on the start to the series, Excalibur will appeal to Psylocke, Rogue and Gambit fans, particularly. Read Full Review

All that said. Given how this issue ended. I am definitely on board to follow the story arc through because I really want to see how Betsy Braddock handles her new role as England's protector. Read Full Review

Just like Marauders, Excalibur #1 embarks us on a new journey that takes mutants where they dare not go. Magic and mutants have never mixed too well in the past, but in this Dawn of X, it's a bold new world where there is no ruling out anything that could give mutantkind a further edge over their competitors. The big takeaway from this first issue is that the creation of the Krakoan Nation did not just ruffle the feather of those on Earth. That tells you enough about the heads this move will turn. Read Full Review

Those who are wanting an X-Men series that feels fresh will love Excalibur. It has a fun cast, tons of magic, and a great set-up. Be sure to add this to your pull list. Read Full Review

Though it isn't perfect, Excalibur #1 is a lot of fun, and really commits to fleshing out the new, vastly weird empire of Kraoka. I feel once Tini Howard and company start tending to the Braddock family tree, Excalibur could be a real standout hit for "Dawn of X". One that isn't afraid to walk in weird, mythic territory while seeding Krakoa further. The new rules say the "X Has No Above, No Below." Excalibur looks to set it in stone. Read Full Review

EXCALIBUR #1 effortlessly combines mutants and magic, while continuing the recent trend of greatX-Menrelated first issues. Read Full Review

While Excalibur #1 does come off a little as simply "How do the mutants now deal with magic" there's a deeper family drama brewing. One that touches on the themes that have been paramount to the x-books as a whole. Read Full Review

There's still plenty of time to sort it out, but it's a bit of a shaky start here. Read Full Review

Excalibur is another worthwhile addition to Marvel's Dawn of X relaunch, one that blends the old and new. Read Full Review

Taken as a whole, this series is extremely solid, but far from unmissable. Those who enjoy it (as I do, beyond a critical capacity) will likely continue to do so for some time. Read Full Review

The range of books that are slatted to spin out of the House/Powers book seem to hark back to the X-Men heyday of sorts; not sure I really need a new Fallen Angels books regardless of their recent reprint in Marvel Tales. With that in mind, I am not sure how long the apparent ancillary books will last, especially as the main characters are getting ramped up in the next couple of months or so. Still, you have to applaud Marvel for trying to live up to it layered tapestry of history. Read Full Review

Excalibur #1 is the first Dawn of X title that carves out a singular place thats barely dependent on everything else. Ultimately, as more and more of these titles launch, that might be its greatest strength. Read Full Review

The biggest takeaway from Excalibur #1 is this: this is almostcertainly the most niche-audience book of the three Dawn of X titlesreleased so far. I'm not sure what the Venn diagram between X-Men fansand mystical Marvel fans are, but I imagine it's somewhat less than theidea of Kate Pryde leading mutant pirates and it's definitely less thanHickman's X-Men book. But that in itself makes it a truespiritual descendant of its titles' previous volumes. For those wholove the original Excalibur, this new volume gets off to a prettydecent start and leaves a lot of room to get even better. Read Full Review

"Excalibur" #1 is a treasure trove of details and secrets, opening the way for this fantasy world. More balanced issues in terms of structure would turn the magic truly on. Read Full Review

If youre looking for an X-Book to dive into, this reviewer would not choose this one unless you are advanced in the area of Captain Britain, Otherworld, and Excalibur... and even then I have my doubts. There is a possibility that even those submerged with the Excalibur lore may still be disappointed with this inaugural issue. Read Full Review

If you're following all the new X-books for the relaunch, Excalibur is book that needs to be picked up. Read Full Review

There's still an immense amount of potential given the characters and magical concepts in Excalibur, but #1 reads like an old band ready to play just the hits even if we've heard them all before. Read Full Review

Presumably fans of the original Excalibur series will be on firmer footing, but on the whole this book is an insular reminder of why I typically avoid X-Men comics. Read Full Review

Excalibur #1 is fine and has a lot to offer, but I don't think much of any of it is all that interesting. Read Full Review

Excalibur #1 makes for an ultimately pedestrian issue. This final judgement may have something to do with the high bar the new X-Men line has set for itself, but I didnt find myself with much that left me wanting more. However, if youre into magic, mutants, Arthurian lore and the threads that hold them together, then this book may be for you. Read Full Review

Overall: Excalibur #1 is an ordinary read. Tini Howard turns in a pedestrian debut issue that does little to get the reader excited or interested in coming back for more. Keep in mind that Excalibur #1 is a $5.00 comic book. There is no way in the world that Excalibur #1 delivers enough content and quality of writing to warrant such an expensive price of admission. Readers are well served to spend their limited entertainment dollars elsewhere. I would only recommend Excalibur #1 to die-hard Tini Howard fans or die-hard fans of Betsy Braddock. Read Full Review

KittyNone

Oct 30, 2019

Oh I adored this. Having been fan of the Braddock siblings since the 80's I'm excited to see someone who really gets the family writing them, and Tini Howard finds a surprisingly interesting and coherent place for magic in the sci-fi Dawn of X. I've often though of her as a promising writer whose promise wasn't met yet, but this might well be where she finds her feet.

Ben

Nov 13, 2019

Very fun and intriguing. Easily my favorite of the bunch.

cincyfan

Dec 04, 2019

I wasn't sure about picking this one up but I am a fan of gambit rougue and jubilee so I decided to and wow am I glad I did I loved it! in my opinion it is the second best dawn of x book behind only x-force

Psycamorean

Oct 30, 2019

I enjoyed this a lot. It is much more off the beaten path compared to Marauders and X-Men. It's dealing with magic and camelot. But it still fits really well in the Dawn of X. I had my doubts about the creative team and the title itself, but this exceeded my expectations.

DS4252

Oct 30, 2019

It was dope and completely worthy of the name Excalibur.

Ryan

Nov 02, 2019

Excalibur 1 was a fantastic read and a great first issue. Although I wish Rogue, Gambit, Rictor, and Jubilee had done a little bit more this issue, and it awesome to see Psylocke and Apocalypse get pulled into the Otherworld War. Honestly, I always love it when Jamie gets resurrected over and over again and I got a good laugh when he came back to life this issue. I’m not to familiar with Captain Britain but Psylocke as the new Captain Britain certainly seems like an intriguing idea. Tini Howard is quickly becoming one of Marvel’s best writers

Wolf Warner

Oct 29, 2019

If I knew more about Captain Britain and crew I may have liked this much more. Regardless it was a GOOD read. Flowed well.

freemanlouis7

Oct 30, 2019

An interesting expansion to the new norm for the X-Men. Very curious about Apocalypse angle but not convinced why Jubilee is there. Art was just beautiful.

vlmdr

Nov 05, 2019

Enjoyed reading this issue.

allenquanobi

Oct 30, 2019

Surprisingly good solid stuff. this and fallen angels were my two skepticals in the dawn of x move by Marvel, but it seems like with Hickman at the helm, the mutants' future looks very bright. Tini Howard provides an interesting story and concept with X-Men and magic, while also providing great dialogue. The art is pretty good also, it seems very consistent across all books currently. I can't believe it but looks like I'll be on board for all the dawn of x books, hopefully fallen angels will be great also

EDiakota

Oct 30, 2019

" Born in paradise. Raised to flourish. Finally they have learned to believe. We never had to run from man. " - Apocalypse

mrDovydas

Nov 02, 2019

Another great Dawn of X title's start. I must admint, I don't know much about Excalibur-related lore and such, but this title made me ensured that everything is explained. Loved the art and the writing. Can't wait to read some more.

Drelickja

Nov 27, 2019

Good character building, sets up the conflict of the series really well. Made me excited for issue 2.

M1sf1r3

Dec 01, 2019

Prelude: It's time for the first Dawn of X series I'm concerned about. Tini Howard's writing isn't usually my cup of tea, but I'm optimistic for this issue. The Good: Apocalypse being a sorcerer fits well with his character. Not sure why this wasn't done earlier. I have a soft spot for England and its myths so those get a point from me. There's some nice art in this issue. I like these character progressions with Rogue and more importantly Betsy. The Bad: Apocalypse's new name. How do you pronounce or even interpret --|A|--? The infographics.... they don't work for me here. Maybe they'll grow on me overtime but for now, they're ineffectual. Conclusion: The weakest Dawn of X title so far but it has potential. British mythology and magic are both interesting topics for me, so if Howard plays her cards right, this book can become one of my favourite Dawn of X books. more

Screaming Enigma

Jul 16, 2023

This was an intriguing first issue. I would have liked to see a little more of Jubilee, but I'm sure she'll get more time as this series goes on. Rogue and Gambit were nicely written here as well, and I like Gambit's animosity towards Apocalypse. Speaking of which, another thing I particularly enjoyed throughout this issue was Apocalypse and Psylocke both wishing to be called something different. I do wish there was some explanation on how to pronounce Apocalypse's new name, but I also appreciate keeping the Krakoan language mysterious. All things considered, I'm interested to see how things progress with this run and I hope it's only up from here in terms of quality.

Str4yK1d

Nov 28, 2023

Elizabeth Braddock will never spend an issue being just Betsy Braddock. Now that the mutants haven't found any other mutant enemies (yet), they're betting on magic as a weapon against their race. Excalibur #01 is very effective in presenting what it sets out to do, harking back to old Excaliburs and going one step further. It makes a connection between the Braddocks in the UK and the mutants in Krakoa. Despite being a comic book with a different focus, it fits in very well with Dawn of X, making reference to X-men #01 (Cyclops' house on the moon) and keeping the focus on the portals of Krakoa, just like Marauders #01. The team seems to be quite interesting, and it's funny that the comic relief came from Apocalypse trying to use a new name. The only negative point was Jubilee's random fit, it wasn't organic, but if she was brought into this team it must be because of some importance she will take on in the coming issues. As for the vampire, what did she absorb and what is she now? Did she absorb magic or the power to create portals? We already have the power to create portals through Magic and a few others, but I believe she can give a different essence to the connection with Krakoa or the magical world. Excalibur #01 has done very well to "mix worlds", I think the dynamic of the Braddock family with the resurrected Jamie and Betsy as Captain Britannia will give this comic a different feel. more

Drew

Nov 06, 2019

I enjoyed it, but the book felt like it jumped around a little too much. Hopefully it will get the story streamlined and it will feel less scattered.

Miracleman92

Sep 09, 2020

The line-up seems random but I'm willing to see where this goes as I do love the Braddock siblings.

thecomiccookebook

Oct 30, 2019

Not really my cup of tea and the first of the Dawn of X I'm not interested in going forward despite having two of favorite X-characters (Apocalypse and Rogue). It's more about the Braddock's, which I expected but it didn't make me interested in their story. The art is also fairly bland compared to the previous artists we've seen on this X-relaunch thus far. I won't be continuing this series but if you like magic and the Braddock's then this may be for you.

Spacey Medicine

Nov 04, 2019

I’m so-so on this one. Not sure if I’ll like it in the long term but I’ll give it a go.

Br'er Lapin AKA 20-Ish Ceiln

Nov 15, 2019

I do not like Tini Howard, but this was actually not the worst.

ComicMan

Oct 30, 2019

Worst x-men book since Hickman took over.

+ Like • Comments (1)

• Likes (2)

• CaptnAmerca
• Sup3rsa1yan1990

Sup3rsa1yan1990 - Nov 5, 2019

I gave Tini Howard ONE chance, now I will never read another thing with her name on it

egonnn244

Nov 02, 2019

"Hail Captain Britain" An enjoyable one, with the potential to be great in the future. But for now, I think it's the weakest first issue out of the new X-books. Lovely art, though.

Mout

Dec 16, 2021

not my cup of tea

+ Like • Comments (2)

Psycamorean - Dec 16, 2021

Unfortunately for you two, I think this one might be the most important title going into the first big X-Men event, X of Swords.

Mout - Dec 16, 2021

I''l try to read more issues, hoping that it gets better

gaijin00

Nov 03, 2019

i suppose it's okay. i'm interested to find out if it gets better. unsure about the art...

CrazyforRAMU

Jun 01, 2020

I see promise in the foreshadowing of plot developments to come and some of the character work. The art is nice. But the prose fills me with dread. It waxes clunky the closer it gets to magical subject matter, and given the expected direction of the story, that could be a big problem. I think the difficulty with Tini Howard's writing is that her structural plotting demands attentive reading but her nuts-and-bolts prose does not hold up to the scrutiny. Comedy reaction: I'm going to call Apocalypse "Brackets" as long as he's trying to make that name happen.

ohhaimark

Nov 01, 2019

THE GOOD: -The characters were alright. I liked Rogue and Gambit, mainly because I already liked them before this. I'm not too familiar with Captain Britain and he seemed like a good character, but y'know… It's unfortunate Apocalypse has become such an uninteresting and cliched team-leader character. Betsy was a fine lead. I didn't care about Jubilee at all. Take this with a grain of salt though, because I'm pretty unfamiliar with the X-Men characters. -I like this universe. I'm kinda reaching here, since it being so interesting and fleshed out is mainly because of Hickman, but the portal to the Otherworld was a nice addition on Howard's part. THE BAD: -After the good debut of X-Men and the great debut of Marauders, we final ly get a poor comic in Hickman's X-Men world. -Right off the bat the art was too bland for me. It was serviceable, I guess, but I feel a better artist could've elevated the story more. -I'm just sick of Morgan Le Fay. In all media. I guess that's why Once and Future is one of my favorite current comics, because it doesn't resort to all the tropes of a typical Camelot-based story. And yes, I know that Le Fay is a pre-established character in the marvel Universe, but she was just such a boring villain. -This story doesn't grab me at all. It's not as complex as X-Men, nor as purely fun as Marauders. It exists. more

CaptnAmerca

Nov 04, 2019

This comic gave me no compelling reason for it to exist.

LunaMoody

Oct 30, 2019

I found it boring and just not interesting at all. I might give it another issue but I doubt it. We will see.

Sup3rsa1yan1990

Nov 05, 2019

Exactly what I expected from no talent fraud, Tini howard. Word vomit exposition dumps and horrendous pacing, couldn’t get though even 10 pages of this trash

Pickleicious

Jul 18, 2020

The cast is really random, the plot introduces way too many threads all at once, and the art isn’t always clear.