X-MEN #3: The Problem Evolves

It’s a blast from the X-Men’s past as the High Evolutionary and his daughter arrive bearing a deadly gift…

Gerry Duggan sticks to the serialized story format from the previous issues but switches a few things up and it’s that switching up along with some absolutely gold nugget dialogue that make this installment my favorite so far.

Interestingly it’s the X-Men and specifically a certain southern belle that cast the first stone in the exchange between The High Evolutionary and the X-Men as Duggan reminds us of the unpleasant history Rogue has with the being formerly known as Herbert Edgar Wyndham and his daughter Luminous. Violence ensues and I can only imagine how much fun Duggan and Larraz must have had cooking up the characters of the Evolutionary guard specifically breakout star seen below Teslelephant!

Jokes aside though what makes this work so well is not just the superbly rendered fight scene where Larraz, Gracia and Cowles make sure every punch,slash, snikt and blast are gorgeously rendered and colored in panels of perfection but Duggans pithy dialogue and using Synch as a focal point instead of some of the older x-men is refreshing. Adding to that the resolution that follows thanks to Synch is also a clear reminder that the stakes increase every time and that if it wasn’t for Synch’s quick thinking (which may have consequences later) the X-Men weren’t winning the physical confrontation and a reminder of just how formidable a foes the High Evolutionaryand Luminous are…and then the fights over and things get even MORE interesting…

This entire series is split between the physical confrontations and then Duggan and co tease us with the building threats to come and this issue heightens those threats again as Feilong, Orchis and the mysterious Dr  Stasis take their next steps against Krakoa champions. To me these last panels are vastly more threatening than the confrontation of the opening pages. The panel below is pure perfection from Larraz and Gracia right down to the wet reflections in the Coney Island boardwalk.

Duggan lands several good laughs (We love the Avengers made me choke )  uses the term Cyclops was right in a clever and brilliant way gets everyone’s voice dead right and overall there really is solid forward momentum in an issue that really gets absolutely nothing wrong.