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

[Harpsikord]

Theyve dealt with much more formidable foes without resorting to killing in the past. This was bad writing. I can appreciate needing a reason to bring Shogo in but that was rushed.

I mean - a horde of semi-zombies from Otherworld that may or may not have been enhanced somehow and Captain Camelot vs Captain Britain, Sparklehands, and Five-Finger-Discount? I think it was justified. If Rogue, Rictor, and even Apocalypse had been there it might be different but they weren't. The team was at a clear disadvantage.

[Filthy Mutie]

Better than last issue, still on board with this book, but I really hope it gets to where it's going with some of these plots next issue.

I don't know how much longer I can take Jubilee being scared about Shogo, or Gambit being such a downer. Is it realistic? Sure. But, it's tedious reading at this point.

[tuck frump]

They need reinforcements before Brian even got there. And he dont have the Cap B powers rn while Elizabeth does. It was weak writing.

[pkingdom]

I just can't get into any of the stuff with Apocalypse. Any time he's around I'm baffled that anyone is listening to anything he's saying. He's so clearly manipulating everyone and everyone should know better.

Better get used to Rouge as a topiary, because solicits have her like that until at least the 5th issue.

Seeing Rictor like that just confused me. Last time I saw him was in the Shatterstar miniseries, and they had gotten back together. Where is Shatterstar? All this in media res with every character is getting old.

[spirit2011]

I just can't get into any of the stuff with Apocalypse. Any time he's around I'm baffled that anyone is listening to anything he's saying. He's so clearly manipulating everyone and everyone should know better.

Better get used to Rouge as a topiary, because solicits have her like that until at least the 5th issue.

Seeing Rictor like that just confused me. Last time I saw him was in the Shatterstar miniseries, and they had gotten back together. Where is Shatterstar? All this in media res with every character is getting old.

Rictor and Shatterstar are exes now. they ended on the shatterstar mini

Rogue was taken out of action too fast, very anticlimatic.

Of course Apocalypse have his own agenda

[remydat]

This book was an improvement over #2

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

As a huge Gambit fan, I just honestly want to punch him in the face. I get that in the real world his reaction here is understandable but in the context of a comic I just find it exceedingly annoying. So much so that I do quite literally want to just punch him in the face and say shut up already.

It was a better overall issue and Wisdom and Rictor showing up is good as maybe Pete in particular can get Gambit to stop being a whiny bitch who I literally just want to punch in the face.

[remydat]

I mean - a horde of semi-zombies from Otherworld that may or may not have been enhanced somehow and Captain Camelot vs Captain Britain, Sparklehands, and Five-Finger-Discount? I think it was justified. If Rogue, Rictor, and even Apocalypse had been there it might be different but they weren't. The team was at a clear disadvantage.

They were claiming they were overwhelmed prior to Captain Camelot showing up. Not sure how a telekinetic and two people that can blow up up can't just run roughshed over that crew of no names. I mean Gambit just blew up a bunch of them and then I guess didn't he didn't want to just rinse and repeat.

[tuck frump]

Im with Gambit refusing to endanger Rogues health just so Miss Britain can gush at how fuckable her brother is.

[pkingdom]

Rictor and Shatterstar are exes now. they ended on the shatterstar mini

Rogue was taken out of action too fast, very anticlimatic.

Of course Apocalypse have his own agenda

The mini ended with them back together. His connection with Rictor was literally the thing that saved him from being trapped in an alternate universe in his last issue. They were back together at Shatterstar's victory cookout.

[Vegan Daddy]

Apocalypse as a supportive dad is not something I ever expected but I love it.

[CGAR]

Ok so maybe I was a little harsh.

So I read it again.

I think what bothered me is that whole 'beautiful brother' line just seemed off.

And the inconsistency about how her powers affect her brothers.

We still don't have a definitive description of mutant magic, where it came from, and how only mutants can use it. But I guess she still has 3 issues left in the arc.

I'm kind of forgiving Betsy's actions because of something I read on Twitter or whatever that website is.

Which is the idea that as a citizen of Krakoa Betsy has dual nationality with the UK, and that’s something that can be a bit…difficult to navigate, when you’re wearing the flag of one of those nations on your chest.which is the idea that as a citizen of Krakoa Betsy has dual nationality with the UK, and that’s something that can be a bit…difficult to navigate, when you’re wearing the flag of one of those nations on your chest.

First with being in her own body for a change and second with being pushed into the role of Captain Britain. That second part clearly hasn’t sunk in yet because she keeps referring to Brian as the Captain. It was really good to see Betsy expanded on not just through her words but through her terribly desperate actions. She wants to save Brian, but she’s also pushing forward with a reckless abandon that might just be her undoing if she keeps going this way.

Bringing up the bit about her referring to Brian as the Captain is a good call because that’s definitely a MAJOR recurring theme in the run so far; Betsy’s refusal to truly internalize and accept her role is evident in her thoughts, and she’s never going to win in Otherworld until she overcomes that. I don’t just mean that in a thematic sense, but I mean by the literal rules of fae folklore; her refusal to accept herself and what she is weakens her in a formal sense, and the rules of formalism matter in Otherworld. It’s how Morgan was able to take Brian in the first issue, and it’s as relevant here, because it means her thoughts about it, even her subconscious ones, give power to the other side. When Brian calls her ‘pretender’ later on, that has a weight beyond a mere taunt, because it’s a nagging thought within her own brain.

So Betsy doesnt want the title. But she's going to have to accept it because whats going on with her brother. The pressure of having to worry about Krakoa, Otherworld, and Great Britain would be intense for anyone. And it's not something she willingly signed up for.

So i'll accept some of the dialogue because she is so desperate to get Brian back.

The problem though is that I didnt get any of that from the issue. And it had to be explained to me. Wish I guess makes me look bad. But we need to get in Betsy's head more. Show us what she is going through. Give us inner monologue. She's been through TWO big changes.

She created herself in the image she believes herself to be out of a bunch of soul/psychic energy. And now she is Captain Britain.

Ive been waiting since August 2018. The whole avoiding nonsense is working for me.

[Handsome men don't lose fights]

What's up with Betsy being so weak? She should have been tearing through those assholes like they were Christmas presents. On paper, an alpha class psychic/telekinetic mutant combined with a Shazam/Gladiator level brick should be, uh, fucking incredible. She's a broken power fantasy, a total Juggernaught. Watching her retreat all the time is no fun.

[Psy-lock]

"My beautiful brother"? Bets, you were this close to becoming a pedo, let's not add twincest to your record as well.

[Wolverine12]

I thought this issue was okay. Not great but not terrible either. The writing is disjointed and sometimes leaves me confused as to what is going on, specifically Shogo turning into a Dragon confused me for the first few panels. Art is solid and the plot still has me hooked but the dialogue is struggling. I want to see Apocalypse's end game so I'm in for the long haul.

[Beetle]

Isn't the whole point of the psychic weapons that they are the "focused totality of her psychic powers"? So if she has the broadsword and shield out, then she can't also use high level telekinesis