Ultimate X-Men #3 (2024) Review
Summary: Mei’s “origin”, a bit more background on the weird guy with the hat which definitely has something to do with our ghostly spirit, and our first utterance of the word mutant. It's finally an X-men book.
4
Mistress of Elements
Background – Mei’s backstory is set.
Writing –This whole issue builds to Mei’s debut of her powers. After just moving into her new home months ago, Mei finds a cat which seems to be owned by the chubby guy wearing the weird post-it note hat. The fellow’s cat scratches her and that night she starts having nightmares about the spirit. After seeing her parents fight again and interrupting, her father hits her. This causes her powers to explode in anger and she causes a mini tsunami in the kitchen. Her hair also turns white (maybe all weather mutants need to have white hair?) The issue ends with Nico Minoru figuring out that the two girls are mutants as well.
Well, even in the Ultimate Universe Vol. 2 it’s nice to know that the X-men status quo of heroes generally having terrible parents is still the norm. Mei’s father is a jerk, but it must be mentioned that he seems completely detached from her and her mother. Like something is controlling him or forcing him to be unfeeling. Maybe our dark spirit has something to do with it. This guy must be controlling the spirit… or maybe it is him? I’m going to go out on a limb and say this IS this universe’s Shadow King, but he is not Amal Farouk.
Artwork – It took me a little while to completely accept Peach’s artwork. All the adults are drawn angry or just terrified. That’s a lot of scowling faces to see. But what offsets all the grumpy and downright mean adults is the lighter colors used with the kids. Everything else around the kids may seem dark and dreary but the kids are presented in bright, happy colors. The standout pages this issue have to be the explosion of Mei’s powers. They literally blow away the darkness from the page (and her hair for that matter).
Final Thoughts – While this is still the number 2 book of the Ultimate line, it’s a damn good number 2. This book is equal parts creepy, action, and origin story. We get Mei’s “origin”, a bit more background on the weird guy with the hat which definitely has something to do with our ghostly spirit, and our first utterance of the word mutant. It may have taken 3 issues, but this is finally looking like a X-men book.
Comic Details
Publisher: Marvel
Writer & Artist: Peach Momoko
Letterer: VC’s Travis Lanham
Cover Artist: Dustin Ngyuen, Tony Daniel & Jay David Ramos, Betsy Cola, Peach Momoko
Script Adaptation: Zack Davisson
Genre: Superhero
Format: Monthly
Release Date: 04/10/2024
About the Author
Matt Fischer Lover of all things nerdy. Reader of Comics for over 25 years. DC encyclopedia. X-Men historian. Spider-Man and Marvel lover. Indie side guy.
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