After building them up from the shadows for a few issues, the 3K X-Men are finally taking the fight to the…well, the X-Men. Customary of good superhero comics, the all-new X-Men have an eclectic mix of powers and a lot of attitude. Can Cyclops and his misfit team counter with as much attitude? Tough to say, but they don’t have a Magneto!
X-Men #16 is a good issue, balancing the discovery of this new X-Men team with a subplot involving Magneto. Writer Jed MacKay fleshes out the new characters via their barbs at the X-Men and between each other. They’re pretty angry and relish hurting the X-Men. That makes them fun with the back-and-forth hits taken in the fight.
Netho Diaz continues to impress with fight scenes, keeping you invested when a hero goes down or gets back up and hits back. The action is exciting, especially since the 3K X-Men get a lot of sneak attacks in, along with having the edge of unknown powers. Diaz makes the pudgy Juice formidable, and his powers are cool-looking. On the reverse side, seeing how much fun Magik and Jugernaut are having is always fun. Probably the only negative of the visuals is that the team doesn’t match in the slightest, and thus doesn’t appear like a team.
Wow, he said it in the font and everything.
Credit: Marvel
Outside of character work, this issue is mostly a fight comic. There’s a lot to take in character-wise, but the plot is stilted. Thankfully, Magneto and Beast alleviate the simplicity of a fight comic, however, as they set things up for the cliffhanger. It’s nice to see Magneto get more of a focus, and fans will be pleased with what he’s up to.
Regarding the X-Men as a team, it’s very clear that MacKay and Diaz have a great handle on the team. They’re all seasoned, with moments in battle that show they can handle themselves. Cyclops directs them occasionally, but they also act on their own judgment. If you love one or all of these mutants, you’ll be satisfied with how they’re portrayed.
X-Men #16 thrives as a fast-paced, visually engaging throwdown between the classic X-Men and their mysterious counterparts, the 3K—but while it offers strong character beats and cool action, it lightly treads water plot-wise. Still, Magneto stepping forward and the creative handling of each mutant keeps this one feeling fresh and fierce.
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