The penultimate issue of X-Men: Heir of Apocalypse drops into comic shops today and features a rematch between Apocalypse and Archangel! Meanwhile, big A’s contestants continue to kill each other to become his heir. So far, the series has offered a ’90s vibe via art while delivering good character work to each contestant, but can it continue its upward trend of goodness?
X-Men: Heir of Apocalypse #3 opens with Archangel and Apocalypse fighting up close and personal. Archangel is in a rage while Apocalypse calmly knocks him down a peg. Archangel wants to stop Apocalypse from torturing anyone else, but it appears he’s outmatched.
Much of this issue progresses the trial of the remaining mutants. Still standing are Cypher, Cable, Forge, Mirage, Wolverine, Mister Sinister, The Gorgon, and Emma Frost. Most of the remaining mutants have caught on to Mister Sinister’s backstabbing and want it to stop. They all just survived Genocide and are pretty much standing around waiting for the next part of Apocalypse’s trial. This leaves a chunk of this issue focused on banter, which stops the plot’s progression.
Rad wings.
Credit: Marvel
This issue is the weakest of the series so far. Flashbacks are sparingly used, and when they are, they cut away from the characters standing around. The last issue seems to have had all the action. The circular nature of these mutants deciding to kill or trust Mister Sinister is also a bit of a bore. This issue is mostly spinning its wheels to move the plot forward barely.
Even the fight between Archangel and Apocalypse ends disappointingly. There’s a twist to Apocalypse’s plan that takes all the stakes out of his trial. Throw in the fact that the cliffhanger resorts to a common trope in superhero comics, and this issue leaves you wanting big time.
Netho Diaz’s art keeps up its high standards with a great opening fight between Archangel and Apocalypse. The fight may not result in much, but it looks good at least. With characters mostly standing around, Diaz does what he can, but there’s a sweet flashback to Apocalypse fighting the X-Men, which is a highlight.
X-Men: Heir of Apocalypse #3 spins its wheels while we wait for the conclusion to kick off in the next issue. Gone are the well-plotted check-ins with characters and well-timed flashbacks, and instead, this issue is mostly characters standing around waiting. This issue was a letdown as someone who liked the first two issues and had hope for the finale to pull it off.
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