X-Men #18 barrels toward the story arc finish, and the X-Men are being tested in all sorts of ways. Magneto is fighting a kaiju-sized child mutant, Beast is about to be attacked by Wire, and the X-Men nearly have the 3K X-Men on the ropes.
The issue opens with Beast getting confronted by Wire, a non-mutant 3K X-Men member who’s on a mission. His goals are made clear by the end with a twist that pushes Beast to question his own heroism. These scenes feel a little thin, with some fighting and questioning, and most of the meat being saved for later. Their scenes are intercut with two other subplots, with a new mutant stepping up to defend Beast, but lack the immediate danger to coincide with the stakes in the other subplots.
Meanwhile, Cyclops, Magik, Juggernaut, Temper, and Psylocke have put the 3K X-Men in a bad spot with their leader down. It’s through this that writer Jed MacKay further shows Cyclops is the best leader anyone can have. While this scene provides action, it also reveals the dysfunction of the 3K X-Men. There is also key information on specific members, which suggests that this is a rather ragtag group from the disparate teams.
The 3K X-Men are pretty dysfunctional.
Credit: Marvel
The third and final subplot wraps up Magneto’s tryout with a Sentinel. He’s very much at the wrong end of the fight, but a little help from a fellow mutant swings things to an emotional beat. The character’s revelation regarding Piper’s twin sister, now inhabiting a kaiju Acanti ship, sparks a lot of potential for the future. There’s a chink in the armor Cassandra Nova thought was impentrable with her new pet project.
Emilio Laiso steps in on art with colors by Fer Sifuentes-Sujo and does a good job. The art isn’t as detailed as Netho Diaz’s or Ryan Stegman’s, but the character acting is strong and the dramatic beats hit. There’s a slightly animated cartoon vibe to the visuals that some might like. Unfortunately, the previous artists couldn’t complete this arc, but it’s still an issue with some visually appealing beats.
X-Men #18 juggles three storylines with varying levels of impact – Cyclops and Magneto’s arcs deliver the strongest beats. While some scenes lack punch and feel like setup for what’s next, there’s enough character development and forward motion to keep readers invested as the arc wraps up. A visually solid, if slightly uneven, issue.
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