Excalibur #3: Wisdom Abounds

This issue was a dramatic improvement from the previous two. It’s unfortunate that the series took three issues to find its stride, but it’s galloping along nicely, now, and all of us say thank you. The pace was considerably better than it has been, for instance. We had a nice balance between exposition and action (those formerly distracting infographics, for one thing, were very helpful) and the tone alternated, entertainingly, between dramatic and comedic moments. 

Thematically, the issue presented us with themes of conflicted loyalty (are the people of Otherworld loyal to the throne or the ideals of government? Does Betsy owe allegiance to Britain, Otherworld, or Krakoa, and is there any measurable difference between the three worlds? Are they really separate entities? Is Brian still capable of familial loyalty? Does Clan Akkaba owe anything to Apocalypse, and if so, why are they fighting so hard against him? What does a mutant owe to their human family?

It was nice, also, to get an explanation for Shogo’s transformation (babies can, it seems, be whatever they want to be — in Faerie). The explanation for Rictor’s appearance in Cornwall actually made sense. And, of course, it was incredibly satisfying to see old Mr. Wisdom again. Now, if we could just get Nightcrawler into a book, I could be happy. 

The art still bugs me on a fundamental level. Women should all come with different faces, thank you very much. But the men were well-rendered and the colors were wonderful. 

All in all, this series is finally worth the cover price. I’m looking forward to the next issue.