Excalibur #19: Wild Violets

The intense search for Betsy continues as our favorite X-Men won’t give up! Tini Howard does an amazing job exploring the point of view on this tricky situation from how it’s currently affecting the other Captain Britains. They reveal how she is trapped, unable to get back to her body. We get to see the Captains all confronting Saturnyne on how to bring Betsy back, and Saturnyne shuts it down incredibly fast without wanting to hear much of what they have to say. 

The art really excels for me in this issue for the scenes we have of Kwannon as she goes solo to find where Betsy is. Marcus To on the art with Erick Arciniega on coloring really captivates the fearlessness that she holds and the compelling nature of her connection to Betsy. With their complicated past, we see the two heroes coming to terms and discovering a way to heal from their shared pain which leads to Betsy’s return. With Kwannon forgiving the past she is able to guide Betsy on her own path of forgiveness too. 

With her finally back, she does cough up a very nasty doll face. An energy shoots out wrapping itself around Rogue. The biggest surprise for me was Rogue’s shocking interaction with Malice going through her. As this returning foe escapes through a Krakoan Gate, Rogue then reminds Gambit that Malice, “Could be anyone on Krakoa” Which brings the alarming question, who will she overtake in this story? On that note, the coloring for Malice’s energy was subtle yet very eerie.