Connect with us
'Bishop: War College' #1 is an important chapter for multiple X-Men
Marvel

Comic Books

‘Bishop: War College’ #1 is an important chapter for multiple X-Men

‘Bishop: War College’ #1 is a great new chapter for Bishop.

J. Holtham and Sean Damien Hill are diving into a new Bishop miniseries this week, which you probably know all about. How could you not, given how popular the X-Men, Bishop, and X-Men Monday are?! It’s a series focused on Bishop, Krakoa’s Captain Commander, tasked with training younger mutants for battle. It’s a heavy responsibility since many of these mutants could be killed or even worse in the field. The first issue juggles multiple mutants, a surprising threat, and an even more surprising twist ending.

Despite the title, Bishop: War College #1 is very much a team book, with a wide range of mutants involved in Bishop’s training. Holtham gives select mutants moments to shine on their own too, which should delight longtime X-Men fans. When the book starts, tempers are flaring as Bishop continues to push the younger mutants over and over. Holtham and Hill are using this to do some exciting character work on Bishop, who is more a drill sergeant than a teacher, and the mutants, who feel disrespected on some scale.

Listen to the latest episode of our weekly comics podcast!

Fans of Tempo, Surge, Armor, Cam Long, Aura, and Amass will be excited to know everyone has something to say and do here. They don’t feel like background characters but supporting ones. There’s a great scene between Tempo and Bishop, for instance, that shows his mutual respect for the mutant.

EXCLUSIVE Marvel Preview: Bishop: War College #1

Again!
Credit: Marvel

The threat emerges about halfway through the issue, but before they strike, we’re given a rather scary reminder of what Bishop went through as a kid. Hill draws the hell out of this scene, showing Bishop falling into skulls and mirror images of all the forms Bishop took over the years. He’s a soldier, a hero, and dealing with a lot.

If you’re expecting answers surrounding the Black X-Men gracing the cover, you’ll need to wait for issue #2. They act as the cliffhanger, and while it’d be nice to get some answers, the majority of this book is solid enough that you’ll feel entertained. My only other gripe is these characters can look a touch awkward. Hill does a great job with details and packing in many characters in any given panel, but the style makes everyone a bit lanky and, at times, awkward in the hips or not differentiated enough as far as their bodies. It’s a minor gripe, but one that caught my eye.

If you’re a diehard X-Men fan, you’ll be happy as a clam reading Bishop: War College #1. Juggling multiple characters with strong dialogue and character writing, along with what feels like the next big chapter for Bishop, the creative team comes out of the gate with an excellent first issue.

'Bishop: War College' #1 is an important chapter for multiple X-Men
‘Bishop: War College’ #1 is an important chapter for multiple X-Men
Bishop: War College #1
If you're a diehard X-Men fan, you'll be happy as a clam reading Bishop: War College #1. Juggling multiple characters with strong dialogue and character writing, along with what feels like the next big chapter for Bishop, the creative team comes out of the gate with an excellent first issue.
Reader Rating0 Votes
0
Good at juggling many characters, setting them all up for an interesting adventure
Feels very much like Bishop's next chapter
Generally speaking, the art captures a lot of detail and many characters at once in any given panel
Cliffhanger leaves you wanting for answers
The art can sometimes make these characters look very lanky, or awkward here or there
8.5
Great
Buy Now

Join the AIPT Patreon

Want to take our relationship to the next level? Become a patron today to gain access to exclusive perks, such as:

  • ❌ Remove all ads on the website
  • 💬 Join our Discord community, where we chat about the latest news and releases from everything we cover on AIPT
  • 📗 Access to our monthly book club
  • 📦 Get a physical trade paperback shipped to you every month
  • 💥 And more!
Sign up today
Comments

In Case You Missed It

WWE SmackDown preview, full card: March 1, 2024 WWE SmackDown preview, full card: March 1, 2024

WWE SmackDown preview, full card: March 1, 2024

Pro Wrestling

AEW Dynamite preview, full card: February 28, 2024 AEW Dynamite preview, full card: February 28, 2024

AEW Dynamite preview, full card: February 28, 2024

Pro Wrestling

AEW Rampage preview, full card: March 1, 2024 AEW Rampage preview, full card: March 1, 2024

AEW Rampage preview, full card: March 1, 2024

Pro Wrestling

Marvel unveils the new villains Bloodcoven appearing in 'Blood Hunt' Marvel unveils the new villains Bloodcoven appearing in 'Blood Hunt'

Marvel unveils the new villains Bloodcoven appearing in ‘Blood Hunt’

Comic Books

Connect
Newsletter Signup