X-Men Officially Names the Franchise’s Most Popular Mutant (& It’s Not Wolverine)

Contains Spoilers for Storm (2024) #1!

The X-Men franchise just revealed the most popular mutant within the Marvel Universe, and it’s not Wolverine, but rather Storm who has managed to rise above the contentious relationship between the public and the world’s foremost mutant heroes. However, with Storm making an announcement in her comic that turns the public against mutants yet again, this popularity may be short-lived.

Storm #1 – written by Murewa Ayodele, with art by Lucas Werneck – continues the character’s rapid ascent to prominence in Marvel Comics, as the longtime fan-favorite X-Men powerhouse has become one of the pillars of the X-franchise’s new “From the Ashes” era. Narration at the start of the premiere issue reveals that Storm is the most popular mutant with the general non-mutant public.

In addition to being a long-time pivotal member of the X-Men, Storm’s high-profile marriage to Black Panther, and her renewed Avengers membership, have clearly contributed to her in-universe reputation.

X-Men Reveals That Storm Is The Mutant Hero With The Best Reputation In The Marvel Universe

Storm #1 – Written By Murewa Ayodele; Art By Lucas Werneck; Color By Alex Gomes; Lettering By Travis Lanham

If this first issue is setting up anything however, it’s Storm’s fall from grace, at least temporarily. In Storm #1, she discovers that a disaster at a nuclear plant was due to the manifestation of a young mutant’s powers. Storm decides she cannot hide this from the world and, despite knowing what it’ll do to the reputation of mutants, announces it publicly. While this is the honest thing to do, there’s little upside to be found. Storm knows that this will negatively impact the public’s view of mutants and, by association, of her.

Among the mutants with a high public profile, Storm is one of the few without some sort of public controversy. Professor X has always been controversial among humans for his activism, and the one-two punch of Krakoan statehood followed by Xavier seemingly murdering humans in Fall of the House of X has made him a pariah with everyone. Cyclops and Magneto, the other most popular mutant figureheads, don’t fare much better. Both of them have been considered terrorists at various times in the past and aren’t making any effort to be popular right now.

Storm’s Prominence In The Marvel Universe Offers A Different Perspective On The Perception Of Mutants

A More Complex Portrayal

The most recent From the Ashes status quo is an X-Men era that’s fascinated with, if inconsistent about, mutant popularity among the general public. Teams like X-Factor are explicitly seeking and garnering public approval – admittedly manufactured – while Cyclops’ X-Men team maintain a frosty relationship with the wider world. Readers can buy that different people feel different ways about mutants, but some sort of definite status quo would be nice. Taking the oppression of mutants seriously demands that said oppression is clearly defined, and not just something taken for granted.

The most successful examination so far has come in the new NYX series, which has shown the spectrum of mutant acceptance and has made these tensions feel like a core part of the book. With the line so supposedly interested in the question of human/mutant relations, the hope is that books like Storm and NYX can lead the way in actually taking these questions seriously; Storm’s actions in her solo book should be felt in other titles, especially when those books are purportedly about the public’s perception of mutants and the X-Men.

Storm #1 is available now from Marvel Comics.

X-Men

The X-Men franchise, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, centers on mutants with extraordinary abilities. Led by the powerful telepath Professor Charles Xavier, they battle discrimination and villainous mutants threatening humanity. The series explores themes of diversity and acceptance through a blend of action, drama, and complex characters, spanning comics, animated series, and blockbuster films.