Reception
AiPT gave the first issue an 8.5 out of 10 and wrote, "The book is funny, sweet, and airy – there is no expositional burden, only straightforward emotional grounding and driving action."[15] The Beat stated it was "easily the best of the From The Ashes X-title of the trio."[16] But Why Tho? gave the first issue five stars and wrote, "a beautiful book in both art and writing, with a genuine heart and growing towards something crazier."[17]
AiPT gave the second issue a 9 out of 10 and wrote that it's "another home run issue, further showing that this teen-focused X-Men book has all the DNA of classic X-Men greatness."[18] Graphic Policy gave it an 8 out of 10 and wrote that it "continues to be a delightful slice of life title."[19] The Comic Spot wrote that it "continues its trend of being a serious, yet fun series."[20]
ComicWatch gave the third issue an 8.8 out of 10.[21] Graphic Policy gave it an 8.5 out of 10 and wrote "[w]ith its small, tightknit cast and lack of missions/fight for the sake of fights, Exceptional X-Men is a breath of fresh air in the mutant/superhero space."[22] AiPT gave it a 7.5 out of 10 and wrote that it "delivers a satisfying mix of heartfelt character dynamics, genuine conflict, and compelling teenage mutant drama," but that the "pacing feels uneven."[23]
ScreenRant commented on the fact that Kitty Pryde was finally able to be canonically bisexual and go on dates with women. "It is very exciting that Kitty Pryde's queerness was cemented on-panel in the first issue of this new series (thank you, Eve Ewing!), since she has such a long history of queer subtext, especially during the beloved Claremont era. Hopefully, Kitty's newest era post-Krakoa will give her time and space to explore her sexuality and potentially even get into a relationship with a woman, a development that would interest fans everywhere."[24]
