Amazing X-Men #3 Review

 

Writer: Jed MacKay

Artist: Mahmud Asrar

Colorist: Matthew Wilson

Letterer: Clayton Cowles

Cover Artists: Mahmud Asrar & Matthew Wilson; Miguel Mercado; Logan Lubera & Israel Silva

Design: Jay Bowen

Editors: Lindsey Cohick, Annalise Bissa, Tom Brevoort & CB Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Price: $4.99

Release Date: December 3, 2025

 

Cyclops and Beast awakened to a world gone wild. The United States was shrinking, and the Revelation Territories were taking over. Magneto explained that Revelation stripped troublemakers like Scott Summers and Hank McCoy of their ability to communicate. So, the X-Men transported their consciousnesses forward a decade, filling their older bodies with younger minds in these days of future past. Yet as they traveled to Salem Center, Glob Herman refused to take Scott’s orders, and Animalia inferred that older Hank had prepared for his younger self’s arrival.

 

Scott realized that Magneto lied. Revelation didn't Babel his older self. Instead, older Scott and Hank had traveled back to stop Revelation before he could unleash the X-Virus. What can Scott and Hank do to help these Mutants defeat Revelation? And why does Psylocke believe Revelation wants to destroy the world? Let’s grab our visors, leap into Amazing X-Men #3, and see!

 

Story

Shortly after Cyclops and Beast arrived, Wolverine killed Magneto, Forge, Xorn, and Archangel. Glob Herman blamed Scott for their deaths. But after a teleporter glitch diverted them to Darkchild’s domain, Scott got them out. Now, as they travel toward Philadelphia, Scott asks Psylocke to explain. But the Mutant community is divided between supporters of Revelation and those who defy his dictatorship. And Psylocke and Glob don't want to get along.

 

When Bei the Blood Moon betrayed her husband, she blew up Psylocke's life. With her dying breath, Revelation’s wife told Psylocke about his ultimate plan. But before that, Revelation forced Psylocke to wear an X-Men badge. He claimed it was a mark of shame for failing to protect Topaz. But in Amazing X-Men #3, others view it as a declaration of independence.

 

Jed MacKay's story deals with how we interact with others. Scott may spit out orders, but he wants everyone to work together. Psylocke may be a divisive figure, but the X-Men refuse to get along. They've been hunted and pushed back for so long that each takes pride in their individual accomplishments, but doesn't believe they can win as a team. While Scott tries to quell their squabbling, Revelation seeks to unite the world.

 

When the travelers finally find a place to regroup, Beast learns more about this future world. Beast is content to let Scott lead the group in Amazing X-Men #3. But he wants to be sure of where he stands before Scott and the group make any plans to take down Revelation.

 

 

 

 

Art

As the X-Men travel to Philadelphia, Psylocke reluctantly turns back to tell Scott her secret. Glob crosses his arms, interposing himself between Psylocke and his two remaining freedom fighters, as he listens. When trouble arises, Scott and Hank are the first to charge into action. Yet amid the chaos, Mahmud Asrar shows Schwarzschild, a man Scott never chose to be an X-Men, keep a cool head under pressure.

 

As Matthew Wilson adorns Amazing X-Men #3 with a vibrant palette, yellow-gold burnishes Psylocke's memories. The X-Men encounter people adorned in white and gold, including a man who summons yellow light with his hand. After Psylocke's X-Men gold badge sparks conflict, yellow light adorns a quiet interlude between Beast and Animalia. While yellow seems linked with enlightenment, pink becomes the color of conflict. Pink beams of energy strike opponents. Psylocke's sword glows pink. And a pink brute barrels through the foliage toward translucent, pink-skinned Glob Herman, who thrives by killing his enemies.

 

Clayton Cowles fills panels with black uppercase letters in white dialogue balloons and narrative balloons. Letters grow bold for intonation and never shrink. Black obscures Glob Herman’s less placatory wordage. Sound effects heighten a conflict, yet also bring closure, and relax a tense relationship between heroes. Thanks to Marvel Comics for providing a review copy.

 

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

The X-Men have failed to overturn Revelation's rule for so long that they no longer believe they can win. When Psylocke tells them that Revelation is planning the end of life on Earth as they know it, Scott Summers knows they need to act fast. Once again, he senses that things aren't quite the way they seem. But life has another surprise in store for Scott Summers in Amazing X-Men #3. 

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

Amazing X-Men #2 Review

 

Writer: Jed MacKay

Artist: Mahmud Asrar

Colorist: Matthew Wilson

Letterer: Clayton Cowles

Cover Artists: Mahmud Asrar & Matthew Wilson; Ejikure; InHyuk Lee; Stephanie Hans

Design: Sarah Spadaccini & Jay Bowen

Editors: Lindsey Cohick, Annalise Bissa, Tom Brevoort & CB Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Price: $4.99

Release Date: November 5, 2025

 

Like Rip Van Winkle, Scott Summers and Hank McCoy awaken in their future. Thanks to Forge, their consciousnesses reside in their older bodies. The future X-Men want their help to defeat fellow mutant Doug Ramsey. But Doug has become the mind-controlling dictator, Revelation. And before they can embark on a plan, Revelation sends Wolverine, his Angel of Death, to kill Magneto, Forge, Archangel, and Xorn.

 

Glob Herman led them to a teleporter, hoping to rendezvous with an agent in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Instead, the machine glitched, sending them elsewhere. Can Scott, Hank, and their future friends gain help in Providence, Rhode Island? And can Scott gain his team’s trust so he can lead them to victory against Revelation? Let’s grab our visors, leap into Amazing X-Men #2, and see!

 

Story

At first, Scott Summers doesn't recognize his surroundings. Perhaps that explains why, when he sees the woman with Juggernaut and Psylocke, he mistakes her for Illyana. But Beast recognizes the change immediately. The woman who stands before them is Darkchild. And she rules Providence like she would Limbo. As in Beverly, Massachusetts, Darkchild protects the inhabitants from the virus that could cure them (of their nonMutantness) or kill them.

 

Unlike Carol Danvers, Darkchild is not a benevolent protector. In Amazing X-Men #2, she enjoys ruling her subjects and does nothing for free. So, when Darkchild demands a price for her assistance, Scott agrees. He may not like the way the X-Men brought him here. But they need him, and he wishes to help his future world. But the pound of flesh Darkchild demands makes their encounter different from what Scott anticipates.

 

 

 

In any age, pleasant falsehoods help make the world endurable. During tough times, we get through each new day by denying pain or hiding from it. In Jed MacKay’s story, the truth becomes a weapon sharper than Darkchild’s sword. The inhabitants of Providence fear it, allowing Darkchild to rule them so they don’t have to face it. She increases her population by revealing the devastating truths they prefer not to see.

 

Amazing X-Men #2 features action, drama, and revelations. But Scott Summers doesn’t have to incinerate anyone to shine in Jed MacKay's story. Scott stands resolute, demanding the center stage and refusing to accept anything less than the absolute respect of those around him. 

 

 

 

 

Art

Scott Summers may he disoriented. Yet when he sees Darkchild atop Juggernaut’s shoulders, he adopts a fighting stance. Likewise, the X-Men follow suit, provoking Juggernaut and Psylocke to action. Darkchild’s composure contrasts with her lieutenants' response and her hardworking subjects. While the others fight, and Hank McCoy attempts dialogue, Scott observes and waits for the time to intervene.

 

As Mahmud Asrar shows a contentious clash of two worlds in Amazing X-Men #2, Matthew Wilson lavishes a loaded palette on this contest for Scott’s future. Red and pink link Juggernaut, Darkchild, and Glob Herman, three people who believe force fixes problems. Gray Animalia and Hank share a love of learning. Or, at least they used to. Yet gray also represents the city where learning takes place, and the inhabitants who need education to do their jobs. As Scott confronts Darkchild, the surrounding greenery reminds us of how Revelation has transformed America, granting Darkchild her power and the X-Men's reason for abducting Scott and Hank.

 

Clayton Cowles fills panels with black uppercase letters in white dialogue balloons and narrative balloons. Letters grow bold for intonation and shrink for lowered voices. Sound effects arise when Animalia embraces rock and roll, while balloons deform when things don’t go Glob Herman’s way. Thanks to Marvel Comics for providing a review copy.

 

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Magneto claimed the X-Men brought Scott Summers and Hank McCoy to the future to save it. Yet Glob Herman refuses to follow Scott’s leadership. Hank also recognizes that things don’t quite add up. But Scott realizes the truth behind their charade and the X-Men’s desperation in Amazing X-Men #1

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

 

Amazing X-Men #1 Review

 

Writer: Jed MacKay

Artist: Mahmud Asrar

Colorist: Matthew Wilson

Letterer: Clayton Cowles

Cover Artists: Mahmud Asrar & Matthew Wilson; Germán Peralta; Mike Hawthorne & Dan Brown; Mike McKone & Rachelle Rosenberg; Sanford Greene

Design: Jay Bowen

Editors: Lindsey Cohick, Annalise Bissa, Tom Brevoort & CB Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Price: $4.99

Release Date: October 8, 2025

 

When Scott Summers awakens in a cave, some of the first people he meets are Magneto, Forge, and Archangel. Magneto tells him about the mutative virus that activates mutant genes and has spurred nature into overdrive. Then Scott meets Beast. Magneto and the other X-Men have also ripped Hank McCoy’s consciousness out of time and placed it in his future self.

 

Scott discovers how badly this ragtag group of survivors needs their help when Wolverine appears and kills Magneto, Forge, and Archangel. Can Cyclops and Beast prevent Revelation’s forces from killing them and their abductors? Will Wolverine regenerate after Xorn's sacrifice and hunt them down? Let’s grab our visors, leap into Amazing X-Men #1, and see!

 

Story

Scott Summers is frustrated. Seven X-Men brought him to the future. Now, only three remain. Glob Herman may not say it. Still, he blames Scott for his comrades’ deaths. Had Scott allowed him to shoot the Omega Kid, who reported their position to Quentin Quire, all of them might be alive. Scott likely contemplates this as they trek toward Philadelphia. Perhaps there, Glob Herman, Schwarzschild, and Animalia’s colleagues can help Scott understand what he and Hank can contribute to combat Revelation.

 

While Scott still resists seeing Schwarzschild as an X-Men, Beast seems more understanding. But then, he also has much in his past that others could condemn him for. As Beast gets a glimpse of how Animalia has suffered, he also uncovers a mystery. It’s not something he wants to make too much of. After all, if he hopes to return to his own time, Hank will need these people’s help.

 

Once again, Jed MacKay shows us Revolution’s ruthless determination to dominate everyone in his expanding territory. Yet Amazing X-Men #1 also reveals what sent Doug Ramsey upon this path. As Cyclops and Beast struggle to come to terms with their future colleagues and each other, they will face more danger and loss. Scott will gain more insight into how Glob Herman and all the mutants have suffered. But perhaps Doug Ramsey, the great communicator, has suffered the most. That is, until he closed himself off to his feelings, when his pain exceeded what he could bear.

 

 

 

Art

As Glob Herman protects their group, Scott frowns and crosses his arms over his chest. Standing in judgment, he thrusts a finger at Glob. Like Schwarzschild, Beast looks away from the others. Only Animalia dares look at Beast, and then, not for long. As Beast and Wolverine lope through the forest, their long hair and beards forge a link between them. Mahmud Asrar brings a cinematic quality to Amazing X-Men #1. A fallen statue in the forest evokes The Lord of the Rings, and hands rise from the ground as in countless horror movies. Then there is a marker left behind, like a warning against entering a forbidden zone. 

 

 

 

Matthew Wilson applies a lush palette to life in the Revelation Territories, as Cyclops, Beast, and their future colleagues trek through this land reclaimed by nature. Gray links Beast and Animalia. With their dark clothing, gray also links Beast and Schwarzschild. Yellow and gold link Revelation with his assistants, as opposed to the mutant aberrations in need of debugging. Orange fills the background, and his eyes glow red like his late wife's costume when Revelation exerts his power. Yet the hands and arms arising from the ground glow green, showing far more affinity for this reclaimed land than Glob Herman’s vibrant pink skin in Amazing X-Men #1.

 

 

 

Clayton Cowles fills panels with black uppercase letters in white dialogue balloons and narrative balloons. When he bends others to his will, Revelation speaks white letters into black boxes. Another character who opposes Revelation also speaks in white dialogue. Yet his words don't swell to emphasize his will. Sound effects and giant colored dialogue arise when Xorn's sacrifice proves insufficient to deter Revelation's Angel of Death. Yet a black line, instead of symbols, reveals Glob Herman's feelings about one of history's most revered X-Men. Thanks to Marvel Comics for providing a review copy.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

As a mystery surrounds their abduction, Scott Summers and Hank McCoy must accept their situation and do their captors’ bidding if they wish to return to where they belong. Yet Scott and Hank's abduction is nothing compared with Wolverine, who represents the ultimate captive. Sadly, while Revelation once cherished life, now he treats people like lifeless machines in Amazing X-Men #1.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

Redcoat #3 Review

 

Creators: Geoff Johns & Bryan Hitch

Inkers: Andrew Currie & Bryan Hitch

Colorist: Brad Anderson

Letterer: Rob Leigh

Cover Artists: Bryan Hitch & Brad Anderson; Mahmud Asrar & Matthew Wilson

Publisher: Image

Price: $3.99

Release Date: June 26, 2024

 

Simon Pure wants to know why he will die in three days. Albert Einstein wants to hear more about the Axe Of Lies. But Benedict (Arnold) Armistice rants about George Washington instead of answering their questions. Can Simon escape an overdue grave and prevent the destruction of the United States? Let’s grab our enchanted hatchets, leap into Redcoat #3, and find out!

 

Story

The founding fathers signed the Declaration Of Independence over a hundred years ago. Benedict (Arnold) Armistice has seen all that those years have brought. He has profited from them by making wise investments and choosing rich and powerful friends. Yet, like an itch that won't go away, it irks him that people remember George Washington so fondly. The man Benedict knew was a self-important fanatic who shed innocent blood. Washington transformed a childhood gift into a deadly totem of mystic force that can kill an immortal like Simon Pure.

 

Simon never sought to be someone of importance like Benedict or George Washington. After fleeing the Battle Of Trenton, Simon parlayed his skills as a mercenary into a happy-go-lucky life. His profession and the magic that made him immortal come with a cost. Years and even decades later, people seek out the man who killed their friend or loved one. But the cultists Simon thought long gone, who he aggrieved when he stumbled into a ceremony designed to extend Benjamin Franklin’s life, have reappeared. The same day that they attacked, Albert Einstein befriended him.

 

In Redcoat #3, Benedict explains why he believes Simon will die in three days. Simon’s death seems inevitable as explosive energy from the occult ceremony departs. More perplexing is the vision of death and destruction he glimpsed in Benedict's office. Albert Einstein's sister Maja also foresaw this. Her ability to predict the future prompted the thirteen-year-old boy to stow away on a steamship and travel across the Atlantic Ocean. Benedict claims he wants a life of ease and comfort. Albert believes he's hiding something. Benedict and Simon may cringe at Albert's murdered English, but the boy's studies have given him knowledge and wisdom. Albert channels that more effectively than the cultists wield their powerful totems in Geoff Johns & Bryan Hitch's story.

 

Art

Andrew Currie and Bryan Hitch bring history to life as George Washington's father reprimands him for chopping down the cherry tree. While Benedict (Arnold) Armistice affects joviality, closeups suggest a haunted man. Albert Einstein's hair reaches for the ceiling as he gestures at Simon, who grits his teeth and clutches his side. Then Benedict straightens his bowtie as Juliet Morgan, the daughter of John Pierpont (J.P.) Morgan sweeps into the library. The young woman sports an elegant dress and dazzling jewels.

 

Brad Anderson lavishes a loaded palette on Red Coat #3. The roaring fire casts yellow light into Benedict's wood-paneled office while George Washington charges through the blue haze of battle. A yellow sconce aids a skylight, illuminating a darkened room filled with occult treasures, relics of American history, and reassembled paleontological finds. After blue energy provokes a storm of green, a high-speed chase fills a double-page spread with yellow, orange, and rust, giving readers a foretaste of the prophesied apocalypse.

 

Rob Leigh fills white dialogue balloons with uppercase black letters and scraps of parchment with their italicized cousins in Redcoat #3. Words embolden and swell for inflection and raised voices and shrink for lowered or distant voices. No sound effects enliven this turbulent evening, but orange laughter erupts as a villain nears the completion of his plans. Thanks to Image Comics and Ghost Machine for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Simon Pure and Benedict (Arnold) Armistice couldn't be more different. Neither likes nor admires the other. Yet they once joined forces for a terrible purpose: to wipe out the founding fathers of the United States. Can the two immortals reunite to save Simon's life in Redcoat #3? Or will the frenemies provoke an apocalypse?

 

Rating 9.7/10

 

For another cover see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Aliens: What If #3 Review

 

Concept: Paul & Leon Reiser; Adam F. Goldberg; Hans Rodionoff; Brian Volk-Weiss

Writer: Hans Rodionoff

Artist: Guiu Vilanova

Colorist: Yen Nitro

Letterer: Clayton Cowles

Cover Artists: Phil Noto; Mahmud Asrar & Matthew Wilson; Stephen Mooney & Frank Martin

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: May 15, 2024

 

Hiro Yu, the Senior Director of Human Capital for Weyland-Yutani, traveled to Asteroid D350-L8 to fire Carter Burke. Instead, Burke knocked him on the noggin with Ripley's rifle. Hiro wakes strapped to an operating table. Beside him, an Xenomorph egg is opening, and a Facehugger is climbing out. Can Hiro convince Carter to release him? What if Hiro gave him a promotion and threw in a vision plan? Let’s grab our flamethrowers, leap into Aliens: What If #3, and find out!

 

Story

The Aliens didn't kill Carter Burke on Hadley's Hope. He escaped from a cocoon and slipped aboard Ripley's shuttle. After Ripley shoots the Queen into space and goes into Hypersleep, Carter makes a deal with Shin Yutani. He got a job for life, and Weyland-Yutani didn’t get hit with 158 wrongful death lawsuits.

 

Sadly, employment for life didn't prevent Carter from becoming a scapegoat for the Hadley's Hope disaster. So, he conceived a backup plan. He rebuilt Cygnus, a banned combat synthetic, and sent him to find another Xenomorph egg. Now, Cygnus is back, and he's 98% certain he can accomplish Carter’s aims without causing more wrongful deaths. Okay, maybe he’s only 90% certain Hiro will survive. Still, 90 is a good percentage, right?

 

In Aliens: What If #3, Carter wants to cure cancer, starting with his wife’s. It’s a noble goal. Unfortunately, it involves impregnating some poor schmuck with an alien. But everyone who works for Weyland-Yutani gets paid sick leave, right?

 

Hans Rodionoff’s story tackles family dysfunction and why children often pull away from their parents. It also shows how two hurting people can bond. No matter how much Carter loves his daughter and tries to please her, Brie refuses to give him the time of day. Yet, Hiro sees Carter as a better father than his own. Why else would Hiro work with Carter once he convinces the visionary to save him from the Facehugger?

 

Rodionoff’s investment in the characters pays dividends in Aliens: What If #3. Drama arises as Carter saves Hiro, then gets irked when Brie shows interest in this visitor to their little world. Cygnus keeps recalculating the possibility of accomplishing Carter’s plan, and as people hunt for the Facehugger, history repeats itself and allows the creepy crawly to escape. If only everyone would stop distrusting Carter and help him achieve his mostly noble plan!

 

 

 

Art

Strapped to the lab table, Hiro’s muscles strain as he rants and raves. The slim young executive may look like a slick company man, but he’s nothing like the uncaring executives who claimed Ripley destroyed the Nostromo without sufficient reason. Carter Burke enters with his palms clasped before his transparent face shield. The overweight, gray-haired manager may look as if walking takes effort, but he rides his bike to work, swings a mean bat, and can run through the tunnels when given sufficient reason. That reason is his daughter, who operates a mechanized drilling machine. Brie’s Komatsu Kaiju rig resembles that of an armored deep-sea diver (or a Mondoshawan from The Fifth Element). If she survives her father’s grand experiment, perhaps she can find an undersea mining gig on a nearby asteroid once her team taps out the Trimonite deposits on D350-L8.

 

Guiu Vilanova introduces readers to another synthetic model in Aliens: What If #3. Scientists made Cygnus a soldier, but he’s not a stone-cold killer like Maximilian in The Black Hole. (Nor, for that matter, does he resemble VINCENT or old BOB). With his beard, detached demeanor, and ear stretchers, the android better resembles Dr Reinhardt than the scientist’s robotic servants or the remaining personnel aboard the USS Cygnus. The Replicant (Or Replican) is a straight man to Carter's overweening reasonableness.

 

Yen Nitro shows light play over people and surfaces, whether it's the harsh overhead lighting in Carter's lab or the spotlights embedded in Brie's mechanized exoskeleton. Light gleams against face shields and gives metal and fabrics depth and texture. Carter glows as if charged by the enormity of his humanitarian dream in Aliens: What If #3. It's good that Nitro is a master of light, or we'd never see the Facehugger when it lingers in shadow.

 

Clayton Cowles attacks white dialogue balloons with black uppercase lettering that should please readers who saw Aliens during its original cinema run. The Facehugger screams white letters into black dialogue balloons. Sounds burst into panels to enhance movement, gunfire, and attacks. But just as letters explode across the opening scene, they accompany a cliffhanger ending.

 

Thanks to Marvel for providing a copy for review. 

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

While Carter Burke makes friends with yet another test subject, and the key to his humanitarian plan escapes his control, Aliens: What If #3 builds off the set pieces of the popular franchise movie to create an exciting, humorous, and touching story.

 

Rating 8.8/10

 

To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain #3 Review

 

Writer: Tini Howard

Artist: Vasco Georgiev

Colorist: Erick Arciniega

Letterer: Ariana Maher

Cover Artists: Erica d’Urso & Matthew Wilson; Aka

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: March 29, 2023

 

While Rachel Summers searches the multiverse for signs of Morgan Le Fay, Betsy Braddock babysits her niece so Brian and Meggan can attend a West End musical. But instead of a quiet evening with Rachel, her brother calls for help fighting a Fury in Piccadilly Circus. Can Betsy prevent a slaughter of theatergoers? Let’s teleport into Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain #3 and find out!

 

Story

Abandoning Rachel to solo adventures in babysitting, Betsy travels to London. Amid the smoking rubble, the Fury announces it’s the nation’s new defender. Its first order of business? After placing mutants and witches in protective custody, it plans to apprehend Brian Braddock, protector of Avalon (also known as Otherworld), and Krakoa.

 

There are a few things that I didn’t get, such as a reporter’s statement about Ambassador Reuben Brousseau and how he fares later. Nor did I appreciate yet another issue without Britannica Rex. (Hey, a T-Rex Captain Britain: what could be cooler than that?) But this story delivers on so many levels that the good far outweighs the bad.

 

Along with the battle of Piccadilly, Tini Howard relates the history of the Furies and their Everforge. Morgan Le Fay wields her magic. Betsy checks in with Pete Wilson and Faiza Hussain. But really, the best part of Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain #3 is how hard Betsy and Rachel work at their relationship, even while Morgan Le Fay cooks up another next-level threat to gain unrestricted control of Britain's magic. 

 

Art

Vasco Georgiev takes us to the Braddock family kitchen, where even as Brian tries to talk her into coming with them, Betsy tries different tricks to sneak a spoonful of food into Maggie's mouth. We witness Betsy’s concern for Rachel’s excessive chronoskimming in the mansion's monitor-filled control center. We see Brian take up his sword and fight the red-and-blue Fury hurling threats and cars across Piccadilly Circus. We also visit Pete Wisdom's posh restaurant and Morgan Le Fay's medieval headquarters.

 

 

 

 

While I've mentioned Ariana Maher's tiny lettering before, what impressed me in this issue was how much dialogue she delivered. Vasco rarely devotes a single page to one scene, and each page averages four panels or more. He never works across multiple pages, so readers of later trades and hardcovers won't lose anything to guttering. As Ariana packs narrative boxes and dialogue balloons with lowercase lettering into each tiny panel, Vasco hits back with incredibly detailed art. He rarely shows a character against a blank background or fills space with direction lines. Whether large or small, nearly every one of his ninety-four panels delivers a fully realized scene in Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain #3.

 

While the Braddocks and Pete Wisdom are partial to checkerboard floors, Erick Arciniega loads up his palette with full spectrum color. I'm no more a fan of Rachel's flaming head than of Michael Jackson's burning hair, but Betsy's long purple tresses blend well with her Union Jack costume. The red, blue, and black Captain Furious takes center stage in London's smoking West End district as a green-and-gold-clad Meggan wields arcs of energy in the hazy red sky. Even after the battle, as the sun sinks into the rubble-strewn streets and Rachel and her warwolf puppy step through a red portal in a nearby park, nothing is lost to the invading darkness.

 

Final Thoughts

Filled with witchcraft, Fairie, mutants, and robots with dreams of greatness, Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain #3 delivers an interesting and exciting day in the life of Britain's courageous and caring defender. While short on mega-powered villains and world-ending threats, readers can expect a three-paragraph introduction, a report from The Reflector (the UK’s most trusted news source), a datafile, and twenty pages of story and art that impress, even when magnified at 150-200%. It's a substantial read that focuses on family, celebrates diversity, and contrasts what heroes and villains care about. Even without a T-Rex Captain Britain,  expert Marvelites and mutant newbies should enjoy this National Treasure.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain #2 Review

 

Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain #2 Review

Writer: Tini Howard

Artist: Vasco Georgiev

Colorist: Erick Arciniega

Letterer: Ariana Maher

Cover Artists: Erica d’Urso & Matthew Wilson; Ramon Villalobos & Jesus Abertov

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: March 29, 2023

 

Betsy Braddock and Rachel Summers lead all known Captain Britains against Morgan Le Fay and her Furies. When she realizes the forces of Good will carry the day, Morgan Le Fay retreats. Betsy guesses Morgan will try to mold a potential Captain Britain, and Rachel locates one on Earth-76. Can Betsy and Rachel arrive in time to save a possible Captain Britain from falling under Morgan Le Fay’s sway? Let’s teleport into Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain #2 and see what happens next!

 

Story

In her London flat on Earth-76, Lizzie Braddock searches her poorly stocked fridge for dinner. She's overwhelmed when Morgan Le Fay appears. She’s heard others talk about Merlin, King Arthur, and Morgan Le Fay but never believed they were real. Lizzie's a capable member of S.T.R.I.K.E. with the mutant power of telekinesis. Morgan offers to help her become more. When Betsy and Rachel arrive, Morgan asks Lizzie to help her defeat them.

 

We learn more about British mythology—and how it relates to Marvel’s Multiverse—in Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain #2. We also meet Captain Peggy Carter, a WWII super-soldier recently discovered in the arctic. Revived, she now defends Britain on behalf of S.T.R.I.K.E. We learn that Morgan can emulate Madrox’s mutant ability to raise her game. Every hero gets her moment as each faces off against the legendary witch.

 

 

 

Art

Betsy and Rachel levitate, fly, and look at ease in the air. Lizzie appears far away when viewed from inside her mostly-barren fridge. Morgan Le Fay's black dress flows and splays out at the bottom, reminiscent of Morticia Adams. Lizzie's window bursts and fragments as Morgan hurls her power at Betsy and Rachel. While backgrounds occasionally give way to direction lines, most panels provide a fully realized setting. Pleasing compositions make the story easy to follow.

 

Red unites Betsy and Rachel. Black-clad Morgan casts green everywhere she goes in Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain #2. Lizzie and Betsy share lavender hair, and Betsy's power manifests in that color. A Harry Potteresque scene shows Morgan stave off Morgan's power—not from wands but foreheads. When she's injured, strands of Morgan's black hair turn gray. All turns black in one panel when Morgan hurls her terrible power at Lizzie. All we glimpse is Lizzie's glowing form, outlined in red.

 

Dialogue balloons arrangement makes them easy to follow. Psychic communication appears in puffy clouds with a hint of an X. Stressed words are bold. The Furies get black dialogue balloons with white lettering. Sound effects are expressive and inventive. If only the upper-and-lowercase lettering didn't start small and shrink for lowered voices. Older X-fans: give the physical comic to your children and keep the digital copy for yourself!

 

Final Thoughts

The first issue lured me in with a Tyrannosaurus Rex. Now it seems Britannica Rex may not regularly appear in this series. Even the Furies—a combination of Abe Sapien and Chappie-style robot warriors—don't get much screen time in this issue. Still, I enjoyed meeting new characters and seeing Betsy and Rachel force the legendary Morgan Le Fay to switch tactics. While much shorter than its predecessor, Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain #2 delivers a satisfying story with a uniquely British sensibility. Pair it with a strong cuppa and a Jammy Dodger for maximum enjoyment.

 

Rating 8.5/10

 

To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch