As a kid, I thought Iceman was one of the coolest mutants around. When I got back into comics as a young adult coming into my own sexuality, I empathized with the character when he was forced to come out in way that afforded him no control over his own story even if it didn’t match my own experience. I’m a fan of Iceman content even when writers haven’t done the character justice or have used him in ways that downplay his Omega-level status. But since his controversial outing, I especially love when a writer allows Bobby Drake, the person behind the ice, to define himself and embrace his queerness on his own terms.

Needless to say, I was pumped to see that Steve Orlando would be getting an opportunity to write the character when this series was announced. However, I wasn’t sure how this would play out after Nimrod killed Iceman in X-Men Hellfire Gala 2023 #1. Leave it to Orlando to calm my fears and not only provide a compelling explanation for Bobby Drake’s Five-less reincarnation, but also use ASTONISHING ICEMAN #1 to set up this five-part limited series with a wonderful balance of heart and action.

Orlando balances Bobby’s charms and flaws, from his deep loyalty to those he loves to his cringe-worthy, ice-related dad jokes. We see his powers on full display as he heroically saves the day after he foils an ORCHIS plan to lure him out of hiding. Best of all, Orlando lets Bobby be queer without relying on cheap tropes or patronizing references. The true heart of this issue is the tender moment when Bobby’s boyfriend Romeo explains what it took to bring Bobby back to life and the limit of his powers as a result of the situation. In a metaphor for our current society where the far-right has an endless agenda against any group of people that don’t look/love/pray/etc. like they do, Romeo sees the potential for the dangerous anti-mutant vitriol of ORCHIS to expand to even more groups, including his fellow Inhumans.

The art by Vincenzo Carratu and the colors by Java Tartaglia are also standouts in this debut issue. I love their new design for Bobby’s Iceman form, including what appears to be a harness, creating a fresh and modern queer costume without having to plaster it with rainbow flags. Carratu’s attention to details in the background are present in the scenes involving San Francisco and Bobby’s new ice palace. Tartaglia skillfully uses a mix of blues and whites to bring elements of ice to life and create depth to the environment.

If I had one disappoint about this issue, it’s that we’re only going to get 4 more issues. Orlando’s care in writing Iceman is very refreshing and I’m excited to see how he fleshes out the relationship between Bobby and Romeo. It will be interesting to see if/how the conclusion of this limited series plays into the other Fall of X storylines.

Rating: 8/10