Excalibur #22 was set to be an interesting issue for the series, seeing how well the team book would fare without Rogue as one of its star players. Though the heavy-hitting southern belle is no longer a part of the team, Howard refocuses her attention to Pete Wisdom instead.
Pete’s side plot throughout Excalibur has been about him rejecting Krakoa and embracing his ties to Britain instead. In Excalibur #22, that faith is shaken and broken, leaving Wisdom to finally see what Betsy and co. were telling him for so many issues. The ending twist involving him might excite some old-school Excalibur readers — particularly if they’re Wisdom fans. If you hate Pete Wisdom, well…these next few issues probably won’t be your thing.
Marvel Comics
The team dynamic is the most enjoyable part of this book, with characters effortlessly playing off one another. Excalibur‘s biggest weak point seems to be the over-focus on Betsy instead of her other teammates, particularly characters like Jubilee and Gambit who often just feel like set dressing. Hopefully, with the slight lineup change, these other characters get more opportunities to shine on their own in this series.
Excalibur #22 is very high fantasy, which makes it right up certain peoples’ alley. The series has found its footing by now and if it hasn’t clicked with you by now, this issue likely won’t change any minds.
Excalibur ditches the gala and goes back to the fantasy-inspired tale, featuring gorgeous pencils from Marcus To.
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