NYX Vol. 3

This volume is NYX #3 (published February 2004) and the issue in which X-23 first appears in a print comic—a character originally designed for the animated series X-Men: Evolution, who from this issue enters mainstream Marvel Comics continuity. NYX was written by then Marvel editor-in-chief Joe Quesada, with Joshua Middleton on art for the first four issues. The three-letter title refers to New York (NY) and the mutant neighborhood known as the X district (X). It tells the story of a group of runaway mutant teenagers left in the corners of a brightly lit city by Professor X's dream: Kiden Nixon, who can freeze time; Tatiana, who can transform into animals using blood; Bobby, who can project her consciousness into others' bodies; and the silent girl covered in wounds, with bone claws extending from the backs of her hands. In issue #3, Kiden shuttles between the ghost of her father, escape, and pursuers on the streets, while X-23—controlled by Zebra Daddy and selling herself on the street—also enters the story. The two threads converge in a grimy hotel room: a girl covered in blood, and a pair of claws extending from the backs of her hands. This volume is an urban youth comic with a strong crime flavor: cold, restrained visuals that turn superpowers into a teenager's only outlet when helpless—one that often brings harm.