X:Men Trial of Magneto #3: Which Witch is Which and Who Released the Kraken?

3 Issues in and things are one part predictable, one part confusing, and one part—what even if this?

The author is interested in telling a story where each issue has an action-packed sequence in the book’s last third. There’s nothing necessarily wrong with that, but it leaves readers with a lot more questions, with little payout, and it just continues to build up and up, to what? Who knows? For what reason? No idea. As I stated previously, there is a lack of emotional moments; emotions other than anger, that is. The characters do not get a chance to grieve or process what has happened before or after Wanda’s predictable resurrection.

Williams continues from where we left off with Wanda seemingly alive. But it is not the right Wanda exactly, and instead of giving anybody (her sons maybe) a chance to make sense of everything, the decision is made quickly by two telepaths to fix the issue with Wanda. Gee, what could go wrong? I’m asking for real because this issue doesn’t tell me, and I don’t know. Did they even do it right? Do they know Wanda’s entire history or just the mutant-related moments because, you know, maybe some parts of the past don’t need to be rehashed?

The Avengers do not have time to process Wanda’s return, and the X-men certainly cannot process her being alive in the predictable state she is. But instead of letting Jean-Paul punch Magento for threatening Kyle, and everyone retreats to eat dinner. Then, out of nowhere, the reader gets a genuinely odd and out of nowhere attack, leaving Wanda with her sons while the X-men, X-Factor, and The Avengers take on the fight.

Perhaps this is done to distract these three teams and give the boys a chance to bond or analyze their sort-of mom? We can only look towards the last two issues, hoping that these plot points and threads are addressed and explained.

As in the previous issues, the art leaves a lot to be desired in terms of facial expressions. In particular, the twist in the action sequence is not well-illustrated to show the reader what just happened.

Credit is due. However, It is nice to see the three teams working together, with Northstar taking point.

Finally, like in the previous issues, we get a moment of just Wanda’s internal thoughts, with yet another twist to the story on her strange and mysterious death. Sadly, however, I am not enthused.