EXCALIBUR [11] : Blood of the Changeling Review and Spoilers

[CGAR]

Obviosuly I've been very vocal so I will try to be more positive. And yes I'm allowed to still read this because my favorite character is in this title. So sue me.

As per the preview We see the priestesses having a chit chat. It seems after Jubilee's explosion attack she was captured. I'm going to have to re read #10 to see how that issue ended.

Jubilee is imprisoned in a tree. I'm surprised she just didnt explode out of it. Shogo is injured in dragon form.

The rest of the team find her. Betsy, Rogue, Gambit and Rictor. They engage in a fight. But it ends when the team realizes they werent the ones that hurt Shogo. There are two factions of priestesses.

Jubilee was imprisoned because she kept attacking the Forest priestesses who didnt shoot down Shogo but they let her out after she's calmed down.

The team discusses a plan and Rictor slips away into the night.

Rictor is being manipulated and its more prevalent now. Gambit needs to put him in check.

Apocalypse is definitely pulling the strings and has a plan for him.

Apocalyse tells Rictor about the Externals. or High Lords now. Lore building issue.

An interesting tidbit about how if one of them dies the power is divided into the remaining High Lords. Which piques interest because A) the new mutant culture and B) it was stated somewhere that mutants are superior when they use their powers in tandem. Ex: The Five.

The team heads to the Citadel by going under it so they dont get shot out of the sky again.

Satunyes choir angels attack with their arrows. Heavy resistance but the goal to get a gateway in the citadel begin to happen when Rictor plants the roots.

The gate is planted but the gates in Otherworld need a crystal to stay in place. Rictor says someone has to go through the gate to get to Apoc and he volunteers but something goes wrong. And he gets sucked away. Apoc tells him he needs to anchor so he can locate him. Didn't really understand this scene. Hope someone can explain it better

Saturnyne makes her appearance and her and Betsy have some major banter.

Noted from somewhere else. Do we know if this is Saturnyne OR Satur9 (the evil one)

I think this issue was much improved. This was more world building and less character focused. But its heading in the right direction for Swords of X. I hope TH keeps this going. I wasnt displeased with any of the dialogue here.

Marcos To art is nice and consistent per usual.

[Dante Milton]

I thought this issue was much better than previous ones. There were still some odd choices, like ending the fight with the Green Priestesses off panel, not really clearly explaining the magical mumbo jumbo during [A]'s talk with Rictor, and the reveal that the Otherworld gates need a crystal to work properly which I think was somewhat implied in an earlier issue but also never clearly explained. Still it was a massive improvement and I hope that trend continues.

The bit when Rictor went through the gate and [A] made a reference to an anchor was a cute nod to Shatterstar, Where IS He though? I wonder what was up with the items Gambit took from the Citadel, was that supposed to be Candra's gem?

[CGAR]

I wonder what was up with the items Gambit took from the Citadel, was that supposed to be Candra's gem?

Where did you see this? I didnt see Gambit with the Candra gem.

[Dante Milton]

Where did you see this? I didnt see Gambit with the Candra gem.

In the digital copy there are two pages after the next issue teaser page. I almost didn't notice either. Although, I'm not sure if the item is supposed to be Candra's gem, but it does look like it.

[CGAR]

OMG I just saw that too. I don't how I missed that. They made it very post credit ish. I think it is Candra's gem.

[JB]

Yeah it looks like Candra's gem. Next issue Gambit will be a dragon.

[AppleJ]

I agree, I found this issue much better.

Yes, I've still been sticking with it too despite my massive frustrations because likewise my favorite characters are here and I have no choice.

But finally a Gambit and Rogue I recognize! YAY! Their banter and innuendo in those last two pages was more on par with the dialogue flow and characterization that define them. I really enjoyed Rogue's line about "liking to let Gambit take his time". I smiled! High five, Tini! Thank you!

Now I have to do some nitpicking ...

It was a huge missed opportunity to not have Gambit, the master thief, pick his way into a locked cabinet rather than pillage an unlocked cabinet. Filling your pockets with items you just pick up isn't that impressive. I was glad to see Rogue suggest it though and show some appreciation/affection for her partner. And likewise his line about having a weakness for pretty things was perfect. It was also a very TAS moment when she volunteered him to stay. LOL

It was a huge relief to see Gambit not be the team punching bag anymore and be competent in battles and even to contribute to some of the planning.

NOW ... can we try to let characters besides Ric, A, and Betsy shine a little?

They have amazing mutant abilities and other skills too. But where do we see that? 11 issues in and I haven't.

Gambit and Jubilee shoot things. Rogue punches things. Betsy hits things with her sword - still hasn't stabbed anyone with the totality of her psychic blade if that even still a thing? It's all kind of generic.

SO much of the action and fights take place off panel. And even if I'm not a huge action sequence person, in a superhero comic I expect to see SOME. I want to see some! Any?! Let them ALL be badasses as least sometimes. Tired of the A and Rictor show.

Rictor basically got to play savior to the whole team by tunneling them in and delivering the Krakoa flower while the rest of the team plays back-up singers with shooting and punching. You can do better than this, girl!

Jubilee, who looks fierce as hell on this cover, basically cried in a tree then sat out. I was ready to see her slay!

The plot bits revolving around Candra's backstory and her gem very much peaked my interest in this plot ... finally.

Our team is always traveling ... but they don't seem to be getting anywhere most of the time. I'm pretty ready for some major plot resolutions and answers here instead of more foggy mysteries and questions and mini quests.

We all know Ric is being manipulated and this doesn't foreshadow good things for him.

The real question I have is whether A will have expected Remy to steal Candra's gem from Saturnyne so he can get his mits on it or is that an ace up their sleeve? Or are A and Saturnyne in cahoots? Seems unlikely, but who knows.

[nandes]

With so many plot points and magic shenanigans and dreams and alt realities to juggle around, I think this series has struggled with building momentum so far, but this issue delivers on that front. I'm excited to see what comes next.

The telepathic conversations with Ric and [A] were the best.

[JB]

Another delight for me this week! Love the relationship between Betsy and Jubliee, and I'm glad they finally get to sit down for tea with Saturnyne without arrows flying at them (for now).

Ric and •-[A]-• are the greatest thing YOU never knew you needed. You're welcome.

[andresdavidmr]

The gate is planted but the gates in Otherworld need a crystal to stay in place. Rictor says someone has to go through the gate to get to Apoc and he volunteers but something goes wrong. And he gets sucked away. Apoc tells him he needs to anchor so he can locate him. Didn't really understand this scene. Hope someone can explain it better


.

It's a reference to Shatterstar, they share a bond, and Ric is his anchor. I do think Shatty is going to appear next issue.

[MYCMTSC]

I think this was one of the better Excalibur issues, the first in a while that came together well.

I think Marcus To is a fantastic artist but I really think he’s wrong for this book. We need a quirky artist and colorist to make the Otherworldly visuals more dazzling and...otherworldly. He’s doing such a good job but just not the best fit.

[Gripstir]

I don't want to be negative because I feel I do that too much and trying to cut back. But did Gambit pull out a special card deck? Is it magic maybe? Why would it be there? Did they know Gambit would rob it? I mean the whole Rogue pushing him to rob it felt really weird, and even Gambit steals for the thrill and hunt, not necessarily because it's right there. Idk they acted so strange that it makes me feel there is a longer term plan than just stealing a Candra gem unknowingly

[superjosh]

This series is so frustrating. This issue was ok in that at least all of the characters were involved. But the pacing is just so bad. So much is happening, yet none of it is really coherent nor being presented in an enjoyable way. It's almost like I'm reading CliffsNotes with art. Like just a long list of things "happening" but thrown together with no flow.

Skipping how Jubilee ended up in the tree when last we saw she was blowing shit up and also jumping ahead from the battle with the Green group to all of them together... doing what? Were they like drying dishes or something? WTF is going on with this comic?? And Saturnyne dismissing Gambit and Rogue from the POV of their feet was a choice.

Marcus To is a good artist, but I'm just so sick of this cartoony stuff. All this doe-eyed cutesy stuff is just too much.

[Shortpack!]

Disappointing for a number of reasons.

1.) Shogo was with Betsy, Rogue, Gambit, and Rictor... and THEN he's suddenly captured by the Green Priestesses who are tending to him?

2.) Jubilee going from attacking the White Priestesses to suddenly being locked away in a magic tree.

3.) What were Betsy, Rogue, Gambit, and Rictor doing while Jubilee was attacking? Or when she got captured? They WEREN'T watching her son, apparently. I know 'rona threw everything out the window, but that's a major gaffe in continuity from just two issues back!

4.) So... Excalibur gets there and... what? Betsy is just going to brush over the fact that Saturnyne ordered a hit on Jubilee's son? It's just no ceasefire.

That said... A couple of things I did like...

A.) The callback to Candra and her heart. That's a piece of continuity I never expected to see picked up again. Nevermind that didn't Cyclops destroy that thing?

B.) Didn't mind Rogue telling Gambit to go rob them. I kind of saw that as Rogue thinking "To heck with this (censored), go cause some trouble, Sugah."

C.) I would hope that isn't Candra's heart, because Gambit should know what it is. He's had more history with Candra than anyone.

D.) What you up to, -A-?

[Knightmare]

Better than most of the issue thus far.

I just have one major question, will the mutants look back on their adventures of colonialism fondly?