The X-Men face a threat they don’t know anything about: a giant kaiju has awoken in the forest, and Kid Omega is probably dead. Just another day in the life of the X-Men, but dammit, Cyclops is going to hold the team together or die trying. In part two of the uncovering of a mysterious group called 3K, a new twist on a human/mutant hybrid is revealed, and we get to see the team fight with key members down for the count.
X-Men #15 has some interesting threads building on what came before in X-Men lore, with Jed MacKay pulling from the Cassandra Nova origin with a new twist. As seen in the preview, we learn Piper’s mother had twins, but was told one was absorbed by the other. Or was it? This directly leads to where we left off, as Temper and Piper pull away from an organic Acanti ship that now holds the consciousness of Piper’s twin!
We don’t usually see mutants manifest into giant kaiju, let alone one that’s still a child, but it’s the main threat that must be taken down to protect human lives nearby. This allows artist Ryan Stegman and C.F. Villa to use Psylocke, Juggernaut, and Magik creatively. A visual standout is the hover motorbike Temper uses, while the scale of the kaiju is well rendered. New flying mutant Jen and her fury wings also look good. It’s fairly obvious when Stegman isn’t drawing, but the two jive well enough.
Run!
Credit: Marvel
On the reverse side, I didn’t love the design of the mental construct of the mutant in the kaiju. Sure, it doesn’t know what it looks like, but does it have to look like a mound of clay? It’s not very interesting to look at.
MacKay continues to be great at giving Cyclops a leader’s personality as he barks tactics into a walkie-talkie with ease. Psylocke is fearless, and the goofy sibling relationship of Magik and Juggernaut continues to be a highlight. The team works well together.
Similar to the last issue, 3K and the mysterious supervillains continue to be a mystery until the last page. It’s a bit cliche to see them skulking in the shadows plotting, which is carried over from the last issue. Even Wyre, who we got a good glimpse of last issue, simply stands aside observing. It’s drawn out.
This issue blends high-stakes mutant action with deep emotional threads, as Cyclops and company fight to protect lives while untangling mysteries rooted in a new twist on a mutant. While the lurking threat of 3K still feels too vague, the emotional clarity, sharp visuals, and lore-rich reveals make this a worthy entry in the X-Men’s ongoing saga.
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