Uncanny X-Men #3 - Marvel Comics

UNCANNY X-MEN No. 3, November 2024

Delightfully crammed full of pulse-pounding action, along with some utterly enthralling insights into both the “completely untrained young mutants” who Rogue has promised to coach, and the truly terrifying Hag, Gail Simone’s narrative for Issue Three of “Uncanny X-Men” should genuinely take long-term fans of the super-group’s franchise back to it’s ‘Golden Years’ under Chris Claremont’s prolific pen. In fact, the twenty-page periodical’s plot is pretty near perfect, with the American author even somehow managing to convincingly convey Anna Marie LeBeau’s deep-rooted love for Gambit within the space of just a few text boxes; “And I wouldn’t trade this bed nothin’. Nor this fella its loaded with. My rambunctious boy.”

Furthermore, the comic should keep any new readers hooked with its barbed warnings concerning Corina Ellis’ relationship with Sarah Gaunt’s emaciated alter-ego. Up until this point the good Doctor and her Sentry Team have been depicted as being all-powerful, most notably in their complete overhaul of Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters mansion. However, despite all the so-called “most sophisticated A.I. security ever conceived”, it appears evident that the Hag can simply move from cell to cell without any problem whatsoever – an ability which intriguingly bodes ill for Captain Erza, or anyone else who may stand in the self-proclaimed witch’s way in the future.

Of course, the meat of this super-heroic sandwich rests with Nightcrawler testing out the Outliers remarkable abilities, whilst simultaneously giving the audience a little bit of background as to where the adolescents come from. This action sequence is really well paced, with Deathdream’s powers particularly proving memorable after the boy almost throttles poor Kurt Wagner to death. Indeed, the entire ensemble are all shown to be quite dangerous once the red mist of battle falls over their eyes.

Also worthy of a mention has to be David Marquez, who provides this publication with some proficient pencilling and well-planned layouts. The initial horizontal panels used for the comic’s dialogue driven opening set an even pace for the various conversations taking place, and doesn’t truly stop until Rogue takes her new charges in-hand with a dynamically-drawn farm-based interpretation of the famous Danger Room – complete with haystacks, a ship’s mast and plenty of wooden stakes.

The regular cover art to "UNCANNY X-MEN" #3 by David Marquez & Matthew Wilson