The Good
This is a really new take on Magneto, and it works incredibly well. Magneto isn't the typical hero or even the typical villain in this series. He's more of this middle-of-the-road detective. Yeah, that sound incredibly weird that Magneto is solving crimes, but it works so well in this first issue.
Obviously, we're not going to spoil anything particular about the issue, but the lead in to this first story isn't only the perfect place for anyone to jump on, but it's incredibly engaging. It doesn't matter if you've never read an X-book before or you're longtime a fan. This book is hard to put down.
As far as Marvel comics go, I've never felt the tone that writer Cullen Bunn, artist Gabriel Hernandez Walta, and colorist Jordie Bellaire present to the reader. This book has a very haunting feel to it. It's not fun or funny and it's not overly serious. It's just very haunting, something readers rarely see in comic books. It's an issue that will stick with you after reading it because it does have disturbing elements to it, while just being an incredibly entertaining comic. A lot of this "haunting" feeling comes from the narration from Magneto, throughout the book. Bunn does an amazing job at making the reader feel for the character and get a better understanding for him, while giving him a unique voice, throughout the narration.
On the art side of things, artist Gabirel Hernandez Wala, with colorist Jordie Bellaire, really help elevate the tone of this book, while giving the reader some great looking art. Things look dirty and gritty, and Bellaire's colors are toned down a bit, compared to her other work. It all looks great and meshes with Bunn's writing so well.
The Bad
The problems with this debut issue are few and far between. There's still a little confusion over Magneto's powers.His powers are broken, but at times, he seems to have good control over them at the end of the issue, even though he states earlier he can't really fly anymore without wearing himself out.
It's a tad hard to swallow this book, at times. Magneto is more of a Punisher archetype here: an anti-hero. It works, but it may be tough for old school X-Men fans to accept this fully. However, it works.
The Verdict
The majority of the time, when a member of the X-Men gets their own solo book, it lacks purpose and direction. It feels like a cash grab, waiting to fizzle out into cancellation. MAGNETO is a book with a purpose and it feels right. This first issue really sticks with the reader because of the tone and it blew me away. This book has a very talented writing and art team behind it. This first issue really grabs you, and while there are a few small problems, like what's going on with Mangeto's powers and it being tough to swallow that Magneto is a bit of a Punisher archetype, the overall book is still fantastic.