X-Men United continues in this third installment, brought to the page by Eve Ewing and Thiago Palma. This is the newest flagship title in the X-Men line of comics, replacing Exceptional X-Men. While X-Men United takes on a much bigger scale than its predecessor, the purpose and direction of this comic feel much less clear than those of any other in the line currently. As such, X-Men United #3 adds to the murkiness of the comic with an issue that lacks the substance and vigor needed to elevate the title to true flagship status.
Title: X-Men United #3
Creatives: Eve Ewing (Writer), Thiago Palma (Artist), Brian Reber (Colorist)
Characters: Captain America, Jitter, Melee, Wolverine (Laura Kinney), Beast, Emma Frost, Kitty Pryde
Villain: Vernon Weaver
Format: Ongoing Series
Our Rating: 5/10 Stars
The Strange Case of Vernon Weaver
The chapter begins with the confrontation between the time-traveling team, comprised of Captain America, Jitter, Melee, and Wolverine (Laura Kinney), with the man they believe is Maurice Canfield, a super soldier test subject from the World War II era. A quick action sequence plays out, where the team shifts in time and thus loses contact with the man they are trying to help.
The temporal shifts are due to the technology fighting against Beast, who is effectively the mission controller, handling the technology that keeps the team’s subconscious forms bound in a certain moment in time. There is some friction between Emma and Beast over Beast’s inability to control the situation, but it’s swiftly resolved and the team, led by Jitter, are finally able to get Maurice to sit down.
What follows is certainly the most interesting portion of the issue, both in writing and artistically. The man is revealed not to be Maurice after all, but rather a man named Vernon Weaver; Maurice’s dearest friend and implied lover. Vernon’s story is a tragic one, recounted in an extended flashback that covers the racism he and his father experienced, to his life as an orphan and meeting Maurice. Both were drafted in World War II and Vernon became a test subject for the super soldier serum. The loss of all that he had known has left Vernon alone and bitter.
It’s a well-written backstory, one with research behind it, and a feeling of plausibility that some comics lack. Unfortunately, the resolution to the situation with Vernon is so abrupt that it feels unearned and inadequate to the size of the issue. That the bulk of the issue was spent on this, with setup in the previous issue for this mission, only for it to end with such a meek resolution, makes the whole exercise feel tepid and milquetoast.
The ending of the issue gives us some set-up for future stories. Kitty is experiencing some friction with her girlfriend, while Emma is in contact with her old friend from the Hellfire Club, Lourdes. And on that note, X-Men United #3 wraps up.
A Disappointing Issue
There isn’t much more to say other than three issues in, and X-Men United still feels confused and unsure of itself. The story of Maurice and Vernon is a worthy one in isolation, but a better fit for a Captain America title than an X-Men one. There isn’t much that connects the X-Men or mutants to Vernon in a way that feels true and authentic, and the resolution to the story so is quick that it makes one wonder what the purpose even was.
X-Men United is pitched as a grand experiment involving mutants across different teams coming together in a place of learning and sharing resources. But this mission does not prove to be a learning experience for the mutants involved in any serious capacity, nor is this mission a good fit for the mission statement of this comic. Instead, the story feels adrift and rudderless, even with the set-up for future stories.
There is also the issue of the rather blatant false advertising. While comic covers often tend to mislead readers, this cover and the solicit for the issue are deserving of a prize for outright deceptive marketing. Beast and Magneto do not have any real conflict in this issue, nor is Emma playing the role of a peacekeeper. It’s a strange and bizarre way to frame the issue.
Thiago Palma Improves the Art
Artistically, Thiago Palma has shown some promise but does not seem fully ready for a title that is meant to be co-equal to Uncanny X-Men and X-Men. However, this issue does showcase his finest hour yet. The Vernon Weaver flashback sequence is drawn more like an old-school comic, with less detail and more roughness. The colors by Brian Reber are more washed out and faded, helping lend a true vintage aesthetic to the issue. It’s Palma and Reber’s best work on the comic yet.
Verdict: Should you buy X-Men United #3?
X-Men United still feels aimless and adrift three issues in. The unifying concept of the series doesn’t appear to have much weight, and there is a disconnect between the stories presented and how the series is framed to readers. While Palma and Reber provide solid work in this issue, overall, X-Men United #3 highlights the major weaknesses this title continues to carry.
X-Men United #3 Review
X-Men United still feels aimless and adrift three issues in. The unifying concept of the series doesn’t appear to have much weight, and there is a disconnect between the stories presented and how the series is framed to readers. While Palma and Reber provide solid work in this issue, overall, X-Men United #3 highlights the major weaknesses this title continues to carry.
