New X-Men #115

New X-Men #115, published in August 2001, served as the opening chapter of the 'Germ-Free Generation' arc during Grant Morrison’s transformative run on the title. Following the conclusion of the 'E is for Extinction' storyline, which famously decimated the mutant population of Genosha, this issue shifted focus to the internal dynamics of the Xavier Institute and the introduction of the mysterious drug known as Kick. This era marked a significant departure for the X-Men franchise, discarding traditional superhero costumes in favor of a modern, street-level aesthetic designed to ground the characters in a more contemporary reality.

The visual identity of this issue was defined by the collaboration between writer Grant Morrison and artist Frank Quitely. Quitely’s approach was instrumental in realizing Morrison’s vision for a gritty, understated look, emphasizing expressive character work over the exaggerated anatomy common in the comics of the previous decade. The issue was generally well-received by critics and readers, who praised the book for its narrative ambition and for successfully revitalizing the X-Men line by pushing the series toward complex, character-driven science fiction.