New X-Men #134
New X-Men #134 is the first full, named appearance of Quentin Quire (Kid Omega), the Omega-level telepath who would become one of the most enduring new characters introduced during Grant Morrison's transformative run on the title. The issue opens the 'Riot at Xavier's' arc — arguably the emotional and philosophical centerpiece of Morrison's entire tenure — which examines the tension between institutional authority and youth rebellion in a way that cuts to the genetic heart of what the X-Men concept has always been about. By staging the central conflict among the students rather than against an external villain, Morrison redefined the Xavier Institute as a genuinely complex social environment rather than a mere training ground, and that structural shift influenced every subsequent X-Men writer who ran the school premise. Quire himself proved durable enough to survive Morrison's own implied death for the character, eventually becoming an X-Force agent and even a momentary host for the Phoenix Force across dozens of later appearances.
Sell my copy
Have this issue — or a whole collection? Get a fair offer from us, skip the marketplace fees and the hassle.
We Buy Collections ▸History
The issue was written by Grant Morrison with interior pencils by Keron Grant and inks by Norm Rapmund — Grant filling in for regular series artist Frank Quitely, who returns for the balance of the arc beginning with issue #135. The cover was provided by Ethan Van Sciver and inker Tim Townsend, though the Grand Comics Database notes the original art was cropped and flipped before publication, causing their signatures not to appear in print. Morrison later cited the book The Sekhmet Hypothesis as a conceptual influence on the story and on Quire's punk-rock aesthetic, discussing this in his 2011 memoir Supergods. The issue was released with a newsstand variant alongside the standard direct edition.
Trivia · 8 facts
- First full, named appearance of Quentin Quire (a.k.a. Kid Omega), an Omega-level telepath created by Grant Morrison; penciled in this issue by Keron Grant.
- Opens the 'Riot at Xavier's' story arc (New X-Men #134–138), written by Grant Morrison with cover art by Ethan Van Sciver.
- Introduces the mutant performance-enhancing drug Hypercortisone D (street name: 'Kick') and the concept of the X-Factory; both become significant plot devices throughout the arc and Morrison's run.
- Features Jumbo Carnation's murder outside a Mutant Town nightclub as the inciting incident that begins radicalizing Quire — Carnation's first and final story-significant appearance.
- The Stepford Cuckoos (all five sisters: Sophie, Esme, Celeste, Phoebe, and Irma) and Glob Herman appear prominently; many of these student characters would recur in X-books for years.
- One source (en-academic.com) notes an unnamed background character resembling Quire appeared as early as New X-Men #122, with the character appearing colored pink on the cover of #126 — making #134 the first named/canonical appearance rather than a strict first appearance for all sources.
- The 'Kid Omega' alias and the Omega Gang do not formally debut until the following issue, New X-Men #135.
- Reprinted in: New X-Men Vol. 4: Riot at Xavier's TPB (2003), New X-Men Omnibus (2006), New X-Men by Grant Morrison #5 (2011 hardcover series), and New X-Men Modern Era Epic Collection #2: New Worlds (2025).
Cast · 31 characters
Full credits
Full plot ⚠ may contain spoilers
▸ Reveal full plot — may contain spoilers
Mutant fashion designer Jumbo Carnation is attacked by a gang and dies. His apparent murder causes dissension at Xavier's school, particularly among a group of students led by Quentin Quire, an Omega-level telepath.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).