REVIEW: ‘Cyclops’ Issue 1 (2026)

Cyclops Issue 1 (2026) is published by Marvel Comics. Written by Alex Paknadel, art by Rogê Antônio, colors by Fer Sifuentes-Sujo and letters by Joe Caramagna.

Cyclops finds himself alone and without his safety net in this inaugural issue. Cyclops Issue 1 (2026) actually takes a while to step into gear and isolate the main character. At first, Paknadel keeps Scott in the place where he feels most secure.

He’s with the X-Men, leading with the exceptional mind he’s always had. It also provides context for the story’s timing, properly spinning out of the flagship X-Men title. But then Cyclops Issue 1 (2026) gets personal, delving into the past of Scott Summers. The page is rapid and forward-thinking, even when exploring key locations in Cyclops’ history.

But as Scott sets off, a violent villain begins rebuilding an army in a brutal fashion. It’s this element that begins to change the comic’s time. The story details quickly as Scott’s return journey goes seriously awry. Paknadel makes life as difficult for the mutant as possible, shattering everything that helps him fight and keeps others safe from his own powers. In the last moments, Cyclops Issue 1 (2026) is transformed into a survival horror comic, with Scott becoming the hunted.

Cyclops Issue 1 (2026) portrays Cyclops as tough, talented and troubled. Scott is one of the most experienced heroes around, having been at the forefront of a war since he was 15. It’s turned him into a general and a master tactician. He’s one of the best leaders the Marvel Universe has ever seen, able to work out situations on the fly. But he’s also broken and traumatized.

In the field, Scott is rude to his fellow X-Men, even verging on cruel. The tough love is to try to keep them alive, teaching Magik and Quentin Quire not be reckless. He’s a control freak, but that’s due to his constant fear and fight to protect mutantkind. So for him, there is no real safety, nowhere he would consider a haven.

Scott is cold and calculated, staying calm in the heat of battle. That can be off-putting, which makes him a fascinating figure at the heart of his own series. But it’s also rare that he’s alone, without backup, and it’s made harder when his crutch is taken away from him.

The villains are demented, deluded blends of human and machine. The group are led by a familiar and fearsome face, but the rest are brand new concoctions that haven’t had a taste of fighting heroes yet, and are eager to sink their teeth in.

The art is fantastic. Antônio’s style is not too dissimilar from that of artists on the main X-Men series, such as Netho Diaz and Ryan Stegman. This makes the flow from that primary series into this one seamless. However, there is also a unique sense of movement and precision in Cyclops Issue 1. This is sleek: when Scott gets the first chance to show off, he’s fast, well-trained, and tenacious. The optic blasts are far from dull or straightforward. He can bounce them off walls with a knowledge of angles and geometry.

Nothing within Summers’ life can be considered comfortable. The factory they call home is rusty and brutalist, buried in the Alaskan snow. The orphanage he grew up in was burned down to rubble. And the villains he’s about to face are grotesque creations. Their first appearances are the only example you need of how grim and nasty their world is. All on makeshift operating tables, missing body parts and covered in blood. It’s insidious, blending techno and body horror together.

The colors have some prominent and vibrant tones, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re for positive reasons. Cyclops’ costume is covered in bright gold metal, making him instantly stand out. Around him and his other brightly colored allies, the world is dingy and dull. They bring the vibrancy. When the villains are being crafted, there’s a sickly yellow tinge that covers the page. The only shade that really shows through that color is the rich red of the blood spilling from the tables. The lettering is very clear and easy to read.

Cyclops Issue 1 (2026) is a glorious lesson in discomfort. Everything is stripped away from Scott, anything which could make the upcoming journey easier. The opening of the issue shows the leader at his best, unwavering and extremely capable, his finger on his ruby quartz visor.

So much of the comic is devoted to highlighting how dangerous he is. But so much of Cyclops’ identity is tied to the X-Men, and it’s intriguing to see how well he can survive without them. Paknadel brings a different form of horror with every book he writes, and there are certainly flickers of the genre in this solo series.

Cyclops Issue 1 (2026) is available where comics are sold.