REVIEW: ‘X-Men United’ Issue 3

X-Men United Issue 3 is published by Marvel Comics and written by Eve L. Ewing, art by Tiago Palma, colors by Brian Reber, and letters by Joe Sabino.

Captain America and a trio of X-Men are trying to make amends with Maurice, a man who was experimented on and tortured by the US Government. But Maurice really doesn’t want them in his house.

Like the second issue, X-Men United Issue 3 continues in the immediate aftermath. Maurice is lashing out against Captain America, Melee, Jitter, and Wolverine (Laura Kinney). It’s a fast start that keeps the intensity high for most of the issue. There’s also a terrific contrast in the energy and intentions of the heroes. Some are trying to de-escalate the situation. Maurice is not a villain, and the X-Men and Captain America aren’t there to try to hurt him. But some have been sucked in and are starting to fight back without any intention of stopping.

There’s also a strange temporal element to the book. The X-Men arrived at the location at different times. All of this makes the action so much more exciting and interesting. There are effectively four fights happening at the same time, in different times. Not all of these details are easy to understand, but it isn’t the most important part of the issue.

The second half of X-Men United Issue 3 provides more context about Maurice, with a huge, surprising twist. Next comes a flashback that is a tragic horror tale. This flashback is complex and rich, all within a few pages. The mutations and science experiments are part of a tale about love, loss, racism, and so much more. Ewing ends the story in a way that feels right. The ending doesn’t have quite the explosive, dramatic cliffhanger that had been utilized in the first chapters of this series, but it’s still mysterious enough to create drama.

The characters and the dialogue are fantastic. Something that becomes evident inside X-Men United Issue 3 is that there isn’t a unity within this extensive cast of X-Men yet, because they have spent so much time apart. At the institute, Emma, Magneto, and Beast are bickering and insulting each other as they try to wrangle control back. Whilst the different approaches in the field itself are complicating matters.

What comes through is the true depth of the characters, even with such a large cast. Wolverine starts the comic extremely aggressive, but turns sympathetic and determined to help. Jitter enters as the most junior member of the team, but she is the one with creative and calm solutions, trying to end the fight without violence. However, the speed at which she can use her powers isn’t quite consistent with how it works in Uncanny X-Men. There is a recharging period, or at least she needs time to concentrate.

Maurice is a remarkable inclusion, considering how new he is. Ewing infuses him with so much history and depth that by the end of the comic, it seems like he’s fully fleshed out.

The art is spectacular. The action is stunning, with so many powers and angles. The battle is taking place with multiple combatants, but over different points in time. So Palma has to be careful to maintain continuity and to be aware of who is where. There are a couple of times when that changes, but for the most part, the fight’s structure is effective. The heroes are all in their terrific designs, influenced by the Silver Age of superheroes.

But then there’s Maurice, who has never wanted to be anything close to a hero. He looks aggressive and scary. When he attacks, he has pieces of rubble and metal attached to his hands. But as he calms down in X-Men United Issue 3, he transforms into an older man who’s actually quite frail and polite, especially to Jitter. The flashback crafts a whole new period, stepping into a previous century when the guest star was only a child. It follows his life and growth, evolving into something quite horrific and certainly upsetting. The art style changes, becoming less refined, making the flashback feel like a different world.

The colors are terrific, helping to illustrate why Maurice doesn’t feel like he belongs in the world anymore. It can sometimes be tedious when a flashback exists entirely through a sepia shade, with the entire page covered in the same color. But in X-Men United Issue 3, it’s important to compare that world to the one where the heroes wear bright, vibrant colors, because Maurice and the others who were subjected to the experiments never got the chance to be that. The lettering is very clear and easy to read.

X-Men United Issue 3 gives beautiful depth to a series that could feel too extravagant. The fact that the new school is filled with so many powerful figures and exists as a shared mental space means Ewing routinely finds ways to give the comic grit and real emotion. Maurice’s story is still a heavy science-fiction comic, but its themes and conversations transcend the superheroes. There are discussions about generational trauma and how to process feelings of guilt and grief. It may not be possible to make amends because the pain is just too great.

X-Men United Issue 3 is available where comics are sold.