Magneto #3 Recap/Review (Spoilers)

[jmc247]

I said on the first CBR review thread I posted here for Magneto issue #1 about how strong the issue was and how much potential the series going forward has and since then the series have more then lived up to its potential.

The agents on Magneto's trail end up taking away what little the poor people Magneto met last issue had left. Magneto comes upon the creators of the human/sentinel hybrids and meets up with the project leader who says she is just creating a world where humans can be segregated from mutants. Magneto continues to uses his weakened powers in this series to amazing effect. He ends up killing the woman who made the hybrid sentinels and wipes out the facility and is now on a hunt for those who helped this woman find a Mastermold.

The best part of the issue was Magneto introspecting on the Genoshan genocide arguing in his mind that he had become lax and arrogant which opened the door for the genocide. It was a great thing for me to see Magneto introspect about what should be one of the defining moments in his life along with the Holocaust and the death of his first daughter. For both Magneto and Polaris the genocide of their nation they ruled over and were tasked with protecting should be something core to their modern thinking about the threat posed to mutants. The issue doesn't answer the question of how Magneto survived the genocide, but I am fine with it not doing so.

Genosha was the second major genocide Magneto has been through and unlike the first the Genoshan genocide was something Magneto had he done things differently might have been able to prevent and as President he was in the end the man responsible for the wellbeing of the 16 million mutants on Genosha and he certainly feels that he failed them.

In the end we see Magneto as a man willing to go to great lengths to protect mutants and right wrongs and that was what I signed up for when I bought this series. I am hoping in time the series gets into Magneto's family issues, especially with Lorna which has the most untapped potential as they both went through the Genoshan genocide and its close in a way that makes it unique among his children as she can see the world from his eyes in a way Wanda and Pietro can't even though a lot of their relationship remains undefined, but it was the right choice focusing on his war to defend mutants first and foremost in this series.

To me this is the best new title of 2014 and its great that Magneto's first ongoing in his five decades of comic history has had such a strong start.

[LegacyEra]

I thought X Factor was very good this week...clicked on all cylinders. But I would say this issue was better than #1 and 2. Magneto's dialogue and acumen is so sharp and crisp. Excellent and ingenious use of his powers. Great reading. The reflection scenery of how he takes blame for Genosha is Magneto at his best...the last page is a contender for QUOTE OF THE YEAR. 10/10. Masterpiece.

[remydat]

I thought this was a really good issue. I really like Bunn's take on Mags as this is the first time in a long time Mags feels like someone who truly understands his own shortcomings. My only quibble here is I think his views on Mags is still a bit tame her.

Mags was not simply lax and complacent. Mags actions particularly in declaring war on the world once he thought the Genoshan resistance was quelled made enemies of potential allies including the X-men. In a sense, if he had done what the chic in this story suggested (ie segregate themselves and protect their sanctuary) instead of declaring war, Genosha would likely have had the X-men as allies when Nova and Trask attacked. So Mags actually invited an attack with his actions. He basically begged the world to challenge his rule and the world responding with Nova and Trask.

Then again, perhaps Bunn will explore this further and still just a minor quibble. All and all this is Mags as he should be. Fully aware of the monster he is but committed to protecting mutants no matter the cost to his soul.

[AlexStone]

This was another strong issue. Probably the most I've enjoyed Magneto since he joined the X-men. I do wish he had a bit of a supporting cast but maybe that's coming soon.

[jmc247]

Mags was not simply lax and complacent. Mags actions particularly in declaring war on the world once he thought the Genoshan resistance was quelled made enemies of potential allies including the X-men.

Not on the world, but on Wakanda. He wanted room for his population to spread out and was trying to invade mainland Africa. Mind you in the comic he came off like a idiot world conquering Silver Age cliché, but that is a different matter.

Given how fast the attack happened and how quickly the genocide occurred the X-Men couldn't have helped if they were on the island. Magneto had 16 million mutants under his control along with an army of super powered mutants if they couldn't react in time then to be blunt it wouldn't have helped if the X-Men and Avengers were there. These were not ordinary Sentinels as Lorna's powers did nothing to them. Either Genosha successfully expanded to the mainland of Africa in which case the population would have been spread out or Magneto needed to deal with the problem before it struck.

Genosha had the same the problem Israel has in that a nuke or two could destroy the country because they are packed in such small area.

[Mahes]

Another stellar issue for this series. I really like what Bunn is doing and the voice he gives Magneto. This is really the best Magneto we've had in ages.

[worstblogever]

Breaking a hostage with only a paper clip. Badass.


It was a bit sad, though, to see Magneto almost in a way, had to destroy an isolationist philosophy for Dr. Alain, that he once employed himself on Genosha. The truth of their Sentinel security system was an accidental "leak", when one got out. But still, in the end, he played the monster coming to destroy that dream the same way a Mega-Sentinel did on Genosha.

Just... masterful storytelling. Dark, compelling. Loving this series.

[Omegastorm]

This series gets better and better. So glad to see Magneto back and amazing.

o

[Dante Milton]

I've been enjoying Bunn's take on the character so far, and I think it's a good choice to keep this at the street-level rather than a typical capes and tights superhero perspective. The issue was pretty good, but I'm having difficulties interpreting that final scene of mags choosing to destroy the complex interspersed with flashbacks to Genosha. He had clearly already decided beforehand to eliminate the people responsible for the manufacture of these 'proto-sentinels', but the addition of the flashbacks suggests a couple of possibilities to me. One is that he destroyed the complex in spite of having similar experiences, which to me suggests an inability to empathize bordering on sociopathic ideology. The other is that he was so severe in his destruction of the place because it reminded him of his own personal failures. Also, are we seeing a new fusion of the former philosophy of Mags and Xavier, a militaristic view in which people must agree to peaceful cohabitation or be killed?

[Kisinith]

Yeah, this and the Tyke book were both standout titles, Its kind of sad the the X-Men solo books are head and shoulders better than all of their team books.

[Perfection/Emma 2]

Very happy to hear this book is well liked.

[Tim Drake]

This just keeps getting better and better. After reading this and Cyclops I kept thinking if only the main x-books were as good as these two.

[Sprite]

Another excellent issue that hit all the right spots for me. I love Cullen Bunn's writing.

[Ceebiro]

Yeah, this and the Tyke book were both standout titles, Its kind of sad the the X-Men solo books are head and shoulders better than all of their team books.

I've been finding that kind of weird as well. If Storm winds up being of this caliber, I think we can officially knock that nonsense of the X-Men only working as team.

[Ztopia]

Oh man. hell of a read. Art did a great job during the Genosha annihilation flashback. Plus, very uncomfortable at seeing that paper clip travel up her arm like that. I can't say I fully disagree at being able to protect oneself from mutants. But Alain's (and her superiors) method is horribly wrong and twisted. They had to go.
Really enjoying the moral story that Bunn/Walta are telling. Once again, SHIELD being a bunch of unsympathetic jackasses.

Just one amazing ride altogether.