Excalibur #3 Review/Spoilers - "The Queen needs her Captain"

[powerpax]

Better than last month, but there's still issues. I like the Rictor/[A] stuff, and Betsy and Jubilee. I'm thrilled Wisdom is here. But I still don't think the art works, or Rogue and Gambit. And I want the omniverse, not just Avalon. This book should be balls-out weird.

[MarvelMaster616]

I loved this issue. Excalibur is quickly becoming one of the best books of the post-House of X/Powers of X era. It has exceeded my expectations in so many ways.

But this issue was all about Dragon Shogo. This issue works because of Dragon Shogo. I sincerely hope that Dragon Shogo becomes a thing on par with Baby Yoda. It can only make the X-books better.

[Whim]

So all Gambit does is complain about Rogue and Jubilee is just constantly "MY BABY" .... yeesh

It seemed a bit better than the last issues but still? They attack Morgan's castle then just leave without doing anything?

Maybe the Apocalypse/Rictor/Wisdom plot is better. This writer just needs a lot of work on dialogue and plotting why characters are there.

[JB]

It seemed a bit better than the last issues but still? They attack Morgan's castle then just leave without doing anything?

It was a fail. Betsy didn't realize she wouldn't be able to use her TP on the guards and they were outnumbered. Plus they had the Game of Thrones dragon-killing weapons so they couldn't stay for long. Retreat and regroup.

[useridgoeshere]

It was a fail. Betsy didn't realize she wouldn't be able to use her TP on the guards and they were outnumbered. Plus they had the Game of Thrones dragon-killing weapons so they couldn't stay for long. Retreat and regroup.

Telepathy is so worthless.

At least it's useless here for a different reason. So far, X-Men, X-Force, and Marauders have human villains with power neutralizers and/or psionic-blocking technology. I get wanting to level the playing field, but at this point, it feels so lazy and it undermines the idea that Mutants are dangerous and powerful. Maybe just don't put telepaths in your cast if you don't like their ability.

[JB]

Telepathy is so worthless.

At least it's useless here for a different reason. So far, X-Men, X-Force, and Marauders have human villains with power neutralizers and/or psionic-blocking technology. I get wanting to level the playing field, but at this point, it feels so lazy and it undermines the idea that Mutants are dangerous and powerful. Maybe just don't put telepaths in your cast if you don't like their ability.

Yeah I see what you're saying. The mutant-hating human groups are growing savvy and upgrading their tech. Kinda frightening. So the TPs are going to have to strengthen or change tactics. Perhaps more combined power usage (like Jean/Betsy or Emma/Cuckoos) to counter the evolving psionic-blockers.

[useridgoeshere]

Yeah I see what you're saying. The mutant-hating human groups are growing savvy and upgrading their tech. Kinda frightening. So the TPs are going to have to strengthen or change tactics. Perhaps more combined power usage (like Jean/Betsy or Emma/Cuckoos) to counter the evolving psionic-blockers.

Except that it's done as a writing cheat to negate telepathy as an offensive power, not to drive any kind of growth or strategy. Even Omega-level Mutants are easily taken down. If it was about Mutants having to adapt to what humans are doing, Forge or Beast would develop anti-psi-blocking devices and anti-neutralizers. At this point, no telepath should expect to be able to read or influence any villain's mind.

[AppleJ]

My summary from the R&G thread-

Gambit's showing was better this issue and he takes more active initiative. Her writing of his accent is a bit so-so, but I've seen worse. It would be nice if anyone would listen to him because he has some valid concerns, though he remains a bit one dimensional and singularly focused on Rogue's situation with little regard for Jubilee or Betsy's worries. But I guess if he really thinks Rogue could be dead ... ? I dunno. *shrugs*

He's better than Jubilee whose main feature is still worrying over Shogo constantly.

Dragon Shogo was by far the best thing about this story - so cute, so fun. I could read this all day. Shogo is the runaway star of this series for me.

Betsy ... gets to be the leader and make the calls, but isn't being super strategic so far. This issue was a lot about her accepting and taking ownership her new identity.

Some dialogue makes me think Tini might know of that Asmus Gambit series? Because Remy speaks about faeries with some seeming knowledge on the matter. It will be interesting to see if he and Pete Wisdom acknowledge their previous interactions. If Tini harkens back to the Asmus run, all might just be forgiven by me.

No idea why Rictor's powers are out of control or why he's in a depressive funk. My theory is that it has something to do with Shatterstar, since he's nowhere to be found.

Apocalypse continues to manipulate everyone toward his own ends as they all remain clueless, other than perhaps Remy.

And no appearance from Rogue at all, not in dreams or as a decorative plant. Boooo.

Mainly all we learned this issue is that Brian is completely under Morgan's control and their mission to retrieve him was pointless. Meanwhile Morgan Le Faye is trying to manipulate her servant with Coven Akkaba into turning MI13 against the now mutant Captain Britain.

Glad these issues are every 2 weeks now because the forward plot movement feels slow to me so far.

Overall the issue is fine, but doesn't really spark a lot of my enthusiasm or excitement. The art is pretty though.

[Anchorsify]

Overall I like it, Shogo was definitely a highlight with them showing his thoughts via telepathic images with Betsy.

Morgan Le Fay is telling Betsy to embrace her captaincy, while simultaneously trying to discredit her with akkaba? Wouldn't she want to sow doubt about Betsy being a proper captain britain in such a case to coincide with her own actions?

"No we can't use shogo" "we have to use shogo" "okay we'll use shogo" it's a lot like issue #2 in that regard, which is bad. The writing definitely leaves a lot to be desired and that needs to be improved on. It happened almost exactly the same way in issue #2 -- I want to go get shogo from Krakoa. No, we can't leave, we're just going to sleep. Okay, we're going to sleep. Nope, nightmare, going to get shogo. Whoops sorry I got shogo. All that dialogue for very very little effect or importance to the overall story. I hope Tini sees that flaw and works on it.

I like Rictor's inclusion (and love what Apocalypse is doing all in all so far, he's the most interesting mystery of all DoX for me), I don't care for Pete Wisdom much at all, but YMMV. old grudges, haha.

[Malachi]

Copy form the preview thread:

Better then the last 2 issues. Still the problems are still there, more worryingly they are becoming more pronounced. What made this issue better for me was the sense of movement. Witch one can expect after 2 slow issues.

I say momement and not progress. Becuase we are knowhere, still. Especially with the characters.

In a sense it's wierd to bring in Rictor becasue this comic doesn't need more characters. It needs to show off the ones it has. Witch is a huge negative score for me seeing how few characters Tini so far has juggled and gotten so little out of. In theory Rictors arrival would be overdue. With the problems this comis has it has become too soon.

I liked Apocalypse in this issue and it's not strange. Thematicly he serves as our anchor and explorer of the actual themes of this comic. They had 2 good lines about magic outside of Apocalypse.
* Gambit+Betsy explanation of Shogo.
* Morgana's talk about how unnoticed the connection between CB's mantel beeing passed in Great Britain.



Other then that I can only echo the thought that it's a very generic Otherworld we get here. A very watered down Morgana. Where is the majesty and the, pardon the pun, otherworldliness about her?

The impact of Jubilee's and Gambit's powers are still too lightweight. It's like they are throwing colors at the soldiers. It needs more like Gambit exploding the shield. The 3 of them with a dragon should be able to tear the castle some big holes if they wanted too.

Edit: I'm rereading the Tarot mini. The issue with Magik is a Ok issue, yet it deals with mutants+magic so much better then this. Pretty much the lasting effect these 3 issues has had on me so far is that I want to reared the Tarot mini again.

[Maestroneto]

So glad Wisdom is finally back.

[Glio]

Gambit cries so much for Rogue I still think that somehow 90's Cyclops has ended up in his body.

[Havok83]

This book was an improvement over #2

Gambit is friggin annoying in this book. Its understandable but doesnt make him anymore enjoyable to read

[Triniking1234]

Apart from the Shogo Dragon thing which seemed done for convenience's sake, this issue was more focused than #2 where we skipping frames all over the place.

Seems Morgana can't do much to the mutants and they can't do much to her so there's a stalemate and Apocalypse's making his own moves.

7.5/10.

[JB]

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