Jubilee: Deadly Reunion #1 – Family is the Heart

Jubilation Lee has made quite a name for herself as a member of the X-Men. What happens, though, when an old voice from the past comes looking for her help? Jubilee, fresh off a trip into space with the X-Men, finds herself greeted by an old acquaintance who leads her not just on an adventure but an exploration of her culture.

Creative Team

Writer: Gene Leun Yang
Artist: Michael YG
Color Artist: Yen Nitro
Letterer: Joe Caramagna
Cover Artist: Fan Yang

Writing

Gene Leun Yang really knocked it out of the park with this issue. After his phenomenal work on Shang-Chi, I was sure this would be a hit, and it was. Yang not only explored more about Jubilee’s past but he gave readers a unique way of exploring her connection to her culture. Whether it’s treats, celebrations, or even the character acknowledging her Cantonese is really rusty, Yang managed to weave nods to Jubilee’s culture throughout the issue.

It felt like, in a short period of time, Yang took us on a pretty deep dive into Jubilee’s past and what has molded her into who she has become. I loved that various lore from previous X-Men stories were brought into this issue as well. Throughout the issue, Yang crafts a beautiful narrative not only about Jubilee’s story but about connection and culture.

Art

The art for this issue was beautiful. The way certain key aspects of this story were drawn felt like a unique refresh from how we’ve seen them in the post. Michael YG and Yen Nitro did a great job with Jubilee as well. She feels updated and distinct to their art style while also being the same Jubilee you recognize.

There’s a significant two-pager in this issue that really shows the ability of this team as we see Jubilee engage her powers. Everything from the colors to the lines in that art is absolutely beautiful. Joe Caramagna guides readers beautifully through the story carefully outlining when Cantonese is being spoken to add a richer connection to the focus on Jubilee and her culture.

Final Thoughts

This was a fun read. I really wish we were getting more than a one-shot out of this. You can feel the love of both the character and the culture that this creative team poured into this issue.

Overall Grade: 9/10

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