If the checklist in the back of this issue is correct, this is the last New Mutants book participating in the Necrosha storyline. I find that hard to believe being the event doesn’t end until March, but I will have to do a little more research to be sure.
This issue had a real old school New Mutants feel to it. The team pulled together to help one of their fallen mates who was injured while battling the Zombie Hellions. The art by Neves was ordinary with the exception of a few well drawn Warlock panels near the back (I loves me some well drawn Warlock!) The writer though, Zeb Wells, did a very good job of capturing the voices of this ‘tween’ team. I being this up because I don’t think it is an easy task. The New Mutants are kind of stuck between the New/Young X-Men and the Uncanny X-Men. I mean, how old are these guys? But Wells does a fine job of navigating around this minefield, ignoring any references to the New Mutants chronologically.
I have to admit, that I am more than a little confused about the status of Doug Ramsey. Isn’t he dead? Once the New Mutants save him, shouldn’t he go back to being dead? This probably something I have missed in previous stories, but is definitely a source of confusion nonetheless. It is nice to see one of my favourite New Mutants back (Warlock), and I hope the writers find a way to keep him around.
All in all, if this was the last New Mutant addition to the Necrosha storyline, it was very non-essential to the overall story arc. Honestly though, the more I step back from this storyline, the more I am feeling as though it is non-essential within itself. I’d personally prefer to see this team branch out and try to find their legs away from Utopia and the other X-Men. It would be great to see some tension between this team and their senior counter parts. It might also give the writers some time to develop the powers of these characters a little further, as they all seem to be stalled in the 1990’s.