Uncanny X-Men #3 Review

Brian Michael Bendis' Uncanny X-Men is much like fine wine. It keeps getting better with age. In the series' third issue, Bendis presents us with a team of outlaw mutants that is actually starting to feel like one. As they come face to face with Earth's Mightiest Heroes, the X-Men, under Cyclops' leadership, have a do or die moment in which they must decide exactly what kind of team they're going to be. The issue is heavy on the monologues but Bendis does squeeze in a few laughs along the way that prevent Uncanny X-Men #3 from drowning in exposition.

Throughout the events of AvX and its aftermath, Cyclops has been the victim of some curious characterization, but this issue sees Scott Summers getting his groove back as a leader we -- and his team -- can believe in. In what is arguably this month's greatest takedown in comics, Cyclops takes Captain America down a notch as he gives him his best "I'm not angry, I'm just disappointed" speech when the latter refuses to admit the injustice and persecution happening in his own backyard. It's a solid speech, meant to simultaneously chastise and inspire, and it marks a turnaround for the character and his team. It's a shame that Scott Summers looks so much like John Krasinski while delivering it.

Chris Bachalo's art suffers from the same maladies as the previous issue. He excels in the larger, more dynamic action set pieces, but falters during dialogue heavy scenes, which is practically the entirety of the issue. His characters tend to look better when conveying motion than they do as stationary figures and their expressions are inconsistent at best and bizarre at worst.

It is perhaps a stylistic quirk, but it's also worth nothing that in Bachalo's world, skin only comes in one shade of tan. Limited racial palette side, the colors are one of the issue's stronger visual elements overall. The art, while inconsistent, isn't flawed enough to detract from the strength of Bendis' narrative as his band of mutant misfits finally hit their stride as a team.

Melissa Grey is a lover of all things cats, comics, and outer space. She can be found on MyIGN at MelissaGrey or lurking on Twitter @meligrey.

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