NYX

Set in the gritty aftermath of "New X-Men," this 2003 Marvel series follows a band of young mutants struggling to survive on the mean streets of New York City. Spearheaded by editor-in-chief Joe Quesada, the book was a visual showcase for artists Joshua Middleton, Jean-François Beaulieu, and Robert Teranishi, who gave the city a moody, rain-slicked atmosphere. Over its seven-issue run, NYX reframed the mutant metaphor for a new generation, focusing on homelessness, addiction, and survival rather than superheroics. It remains a pivotal, if brief, touchstone for the "street-level" mutant stories that would follow.