Psylocke: Ninja has been a solid character arc so far, exploring the turmoil Betsy Braddock underwent after her mind was transferred into the body of the assassin, Kwannon. In Psylocke: Ninja #3, that turmoil gets turned up a notch as it takes place after Psylocke, Wolverine, and Jubilee narrowly escaped the events of Acts of Vengeance. But even though the trio of X-Men’s escaped both the Hand and the Mandarin, Betsy is still haunted by the psychic specter of Elektra Natchios.
That’s nothing compared to the uneasy dynamic between Psylocke and Jubilee. The younger X-Man makes no secret of how little she trusts Betsy, so when Logan leaves to take care of personal business, she ends up following Psylocke. Unfortunately for both of them, they’re on the island of Madripoor, home to multiple criminals – including the Hand, who are on the hunt for Elektra.
It’s a lot to balance, and Tim Seeley manages to handle that balance surprisingly well. His script dives deep into Betsy’s head, showcasing how she’s still struggling with her new body and breaking free of the Hand’s control; a simple night out turns into a battle to hold onto her surroundings. It also makes the fact that she’s paired with Wolverine work for the better. After all, the clawed Canadian’s had his own struggles with identity, so he’d be more than primed to help Betsy out. Where Seeley’s script stumbles a bit is in darting in and out of the drops of continuity, requiring readers to at least be familiar with what happened in past issues of Uncanny X-Men and Wolverine. That’s the thin line that some of these miniseries walk – they have to make sure to draw in new readers while still honoring the past, and it’s not an easy feat.
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Speaking of easy feats, Nico Leon’s artwork continues to look effortlessly gorgeous. Whether it’s replicating past comic panels, or something as simple as Logan cooking, Leon brings plenty of detail to the page. A nightmare sequence where Elektra emerges from the sea, fixing Psylocke with a death glare, feels truly terrifying. Another scene in a casino features Betsy dropping jaws when she dons a stunning violet dress. The violence is also visually compelling, especially where the Hand is concerned.
Dono Sanchez-Alamara finishes Leon’s art with a mix of purple hues, which isn’t just fitting given that this is a Psylocke book but also helps reflect Betsy’s state of mind. Both the sky and sea contain dark violet hues, hinting at the violence to come. Betsy’s psychic powers take on a shining pink hue, with plenty of butterfly motifs. Even Ariana Maher’s captions take on different shades of purple, reflecting the split between Betsy and Kwannon. Sanchez-Alamara’s work is a reminder of how color often informs character in the superhero genre, and how it can and should be used in different ways.
Psylocke: Ninja #3 once again highlights the mental and physical struggle Betsy Braddock is going through, while setting the stage for an intense confrontation. Simply put: you don’t put Psylocke, Elektra, Jubilee and the Hand in a place like Madripoor without expecting chaos.
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