Part four of the seven-part X-Manhunt crossover drops into comic shops today with X-Men #13. Xavier has escaped prison, and he’s rushing to save a loved one, but gosh darn it, his telepathic powers are on the fritz, and the people of San Francisco are dying because of it. With Storm defending Xavier against the X-Men, it’s an all-out battle to get an edge and take Xavier off the board!
Artist Netho Diaz comes in swinging once again with another visually striking issue, this time with a compelling inside-the-mind battle between Xavier and Kid Omega that mixes up his style to make it stand out. The issue also has a continued epic fight between Storm and Juggernaut and some great moments with the various members of the X-Men. Diaz makes you cheer, gasp, and then some, with his visuals never disappointing.
The writing is good as well, and Jed MacKay consistently gets character moments in as they fight. Even when a character like Beast is more of a bystander, MacKay gets little bits of dialogue to make the character shine through. Every character plays a part in the battle, showing MacKay has a good handle on team dynamics and team book writing. Sure, Magik might be doing a lot of the heavy lifting, but Psylocke plays a big part in getting Storm to cool off, for instance. There’s even a clever move by Temper to gain an edge at one point.
No matter what, Xavier looks evil with that helmet on.
Credit: Marvel
Outside of being a good fight comic, the conflict between Xavier and Kid Omega is well worth the price of admission. Again, Diaz does a great job making their mind battle visually different, with cool blues by colorist Fer Sifuentes-Sujo that make it feel almost like a horror movie. And a horror it is, as Xavier pushes Kid Omega to places that are fairly cruel and punching down. The fact that Xavier is willing to use his observations as a teacher in the battle is low, even for him.
This issue is also a fun one for the underdogs. Both Kid Omega and Juggernaut get to shine, and it’s great to see them get a win. Heck, Juggernaut’s not the brightest, but being on the X-Men has given him a family he normally never had.
Then again, as a fight comic, don’t expect a lot of plot progression. Sure, this issue resolves the threat of Storm in the last chapter, but Xavier’s goals are barely advanced.
X-Men #13 is a gripping chapter in the X-Manhunt crossover, packed with intense action, visually stunning sequences, and strong character dynamics. While it leans heavily on fight sequences over narrative depth, the issue’s psychological battle and well-handled team interactions make it a standout read.
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