Era #11, Part 02: Choosing Sides (New X-Men: Academy X)

Grade: C+

Cyclops and Emma Frost take over as headmasters of the Xavier Institute and start making changes. The students are formed into squads that are mentored by a member of the staff. Dani continues to guide the New Mutants (Prodigy, Surge, Wallflower, Elixir, and Wind Dance), but they quickly run into trouble with their new rivals, Emma Frost's Hellions, during their first "field day" competition. 

With Emma's help, however, Dani finds Wither (Kevin Ford) and brings him back to school. He is soon arrested for his father's accidental death, leaving the New Mutants, the Hellions, and the Xavier Institute searching for a way to help him.

Nunzio DeFilippis & Christina Weir continue to showcase their ability to highlight teenage struggles with identity, alienation, and roles. While I appreciate the node to New Mutants' history, I found the "New Mutants versus Hellions" a little forced and out of the blue, but I did enjoy how Kevin's arrest unfolded. It was interesting that law enforcement was sympathetic to his situation (his powers accidentally killed his father) which set up a story with no clear villain. Instead, the students must decide what it means to help a friend -- break the law to help Kevin escape custody or trust a system that doesn't trust their kind. They are very aware that their decision will have an impact on the school and the community. 

[5-Stars] New X-Men (2004) #1

[5-Stars] New X-Men (2004) #2

[5-Stars] New X-Men (2004) #3

[5-Stars] New X-Men (2004) #4

[6-Stars] New X-Men (2004) #5

[6-Stars] New X-Men (2004) #6

Collected in New X-Men: Academy X (Vol 1): Choosing Sides