Inhumans #1
Inhumans Vol. 4 #1 marks the debut of Marvel's Tsunami imprint entry into the Inhumans corner of the Marvel Universe, deliberately pivoting the franchise away from the Royal Family to focus on a younger ensemble cast navigating Terrigenesis and questions of identity. Writer Sean McKeever's 'young adult' approach — centered on characters like Tonaja, San, and Alaris rather than Black Bolt or Medusa — was a meaningful formal experiment in widening the Inhumans' storytelling lens beyond royal politics. The issue launched a 12-issue run that explored what Inhuman society looks like from the ground up, treating Terrigenesis as a coming-of-age crucible rather than a backdrop for cosmic adventure. That thematic DNA — young Inhumans grappling with transformation and belonging — would resurface and scale dramatically in the post-Infinity NuHuman era of the 2010s.
In Inhumans #1 (2003), writer Sean McKeever and artist Matthew Clark launch a striking new chapter with "Lunar Part 1," introducing San as he faces the pivotal Terrigen Mists ceremony. Instead of the strength and power he expected, San’s transformation reveals an unexpected gift—artistry through organic clay—setting him on a path far different from his dreams of joining the Royal Guard. The cover by J. H. Williams III captures the moment’s quiet tension, drawing readers into a story where identity and destiny are reshaped in the most unexpected ways.
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The series was published under Marvel's short-lived Tsunami imprint, which was designed to attract manga-influenced and younger readers to superhero comics. Sean McKeever, who had built a reputation for character-driven ensemble work in indie comics, was paired with penciler Matthew Clark and inker Nelson DeCastro; Tom Brevoort and Marc Sumerak served as editors. The series followed directly on the prestige of the Eisner Award-winning Paul Jenkins and Jae Lee run, but consciously traded that book's dark political allegory for a more accessible, youth-focused drama set among a new generation of Inhuman cadets.
Trivia · 8 facts
- Published under Marvel's Tsunami imprint; cover-dated July 2003, on-sale May 28, 2003.
- Written by Sean McKeever, penciled by Matthew Clark, inked by Nelson DeCastro; cover art by J.H. Williams III and José Villarrubia.
- Edited by Tom Brevoort and Marc Sumerak, with Joe Quesada as Editor-in-Chief.
- Story title: 'Lunar, Part 1' — the first chapter of a three-part opening arc set in Attilan on the Moon.
- First appearances in this issue include San, Alaris, Nallo, San's Father, and Senschi (per Marvel Database).
- Tonaja — the winged Inhuman Royal Guard member and one of the series' central characters — appears here but first debuted in the Paul Jenkins/Jae Lee Inhumans Vol. 3 #2 (December 1998); she was created by Paul Jenkins and Jae Lee.
- The full 12-issue run was collected in two trade paperbacks: Inhumans: Culture Shock (issues #1–6) and Young Inhumans (issues #1–12).
- The series arc ultimately sent young Inhumans — including Tonaja, San, Nahrees, Jolen, and Alaris — as exchange students to the University of Wisconsin, exploring human-Inhuman cultural contact.
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Reprints
Reprinted in Inhumans: Culture Shock #[nn] (2005), Young Inhumans #[nn] (2008)
Key issues in Inhumans
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