This week POWERS OF X #3 drops a fast-paced test of how well you’ve been paying attention to Jonathan Hickman’s bold vision. We spend all our time in Year One Hundred and see a plan unfold intended to unplug Nimrod.
***SPOILERS LIE AHEAD***
Have you been paying attention? Are you able to keep up? Powers Of X #3 will put that to the test. Hickman’s masterful comic book craft can prove to be quite dense at times but always supremely rewarding for those who are willing to fully dive in.
Luckily, with the Dawn of X titles we’ve gotten so far, there are plenty of graphs and charts that are extremely helpful. This issue in particular has some very slimmed down graphs that really help illustrate what is going on with Moira X and her ninth life.
Even if you’re not entirely on the same page as Hickman, this issue does a great job painting the grand scheme picture once the finale is reached. We see the plot unfold and the end goal being to restart Moira with the information she’ll need to overcome Nimrod in her tenth life–after Wolverine injects the info into her head and promptly kills her.
Powers Of X #3 provides a satisfying payoff and landmark for this new era of X-Men comics. Moira is front and center as the most important mutant to have ever existed. Giving us the breakdown of her nine lives after her finale reset was perfectly executed and helps keep readers on the same page with the creators.
Speaking of keeping readers on track with Hickman’s intense vision, R.B. Silva and Marte Gracia put on an absolute show in this issue. Powers Of X #3 has a rapid pace to it, loaded up with action that barely gives the reader much time to breathe. They illustrate this dense and complicated story with careful craft, making it easier to digest.
It’s also a stunning book to read through. Silva gives characters so much weight and purpose with every little action. The landscape of Year One Hundred is uniquely futuristic while subtly calling back to familiar territory.
The action sequences are swift and enthralling, there’s no fat in these panels. Nimrod being at the center of chaos gives Marte Gracia the wonderful pink hue to work with. There’s a beautiful display of color throughout this issue, every sequence explodes off the page.
Powers Of X #3 is an important benchmark issue, resetting Moira for her tenth life with the knowledge to prevent Nimrod. We’re now up to date with Moira back in House Of X. This issue rewards readers who have been keeping up with Hickman’s bold new vision.
It’s also an easier digest for those who may be a little lost on exactly what’s happening across these two titles. By the end of Powers Of X #3 readers are provided with enough to understand the bigger picture.
