X-Men #3
The High Evolutionary has a gift for the X-Men in X-Men #3, by writer Gerry Duggan, artist Pepe Larraz, colorist Marte Gracia, and letterer Clayton Cowles. This is probably the best issue of the book so far, an action-packed romp with a great ending.
The High Evolutionary visits the X-Men with a gift, a virus that will destroy humanity for the mutants. Rogue isn't having any of it and the whole thing devolved into a brawl between the team and the High Evolutionary, his daughter Luminous, and their Evolutionary Guard. The High Evolutionary is intrigued by how powerful Synch is and offers to call his guards off for some of Synch's blood, an offer the mutant accepts. Meanwhile, Orchis approaches Feilong about going to Arakko, but he has his own plans, and Dr. Stasis gives Ben Urich the autopsy results from when Cyclops died destroying the Mother Mold.
After Hickman's more revolutionary approach, Duggan's X-Men has been a bit too much of an overcorrection into a more superhero-oriented book. With the first two issues, it worked, but the art was the main reason why. This issue is the best argument for why this approach can work so well, even beyond the art. Duggan hits all the right points with this one, delivering a fun and action-packed brawl that does everything right. If X-Men has to be a superhero book, this issue is a blueprint for doing it right.
A big factor in that is the fact that there's an actual villain. The High Evolutionary doesn't get a lot of love as far as villains go anymore, but he is perfect for this issue, especially since he, Luminous, and Rogue have history. One of the biggest drawbacks of the Krakoa era is its lack of villains, and the High Evolutionary is actually the perfect villain to pit against the mutants. He even helps the team in his own way, but even that is suspect, as Cyclops and Jean both know he's going to be back to cause trouble in the future. The two epilogues bode very well for the future and do a good job of setting it up the future.
Larraz and Gracia are the MVPs, as usual. This is a good script, but they take it to the next level. It's kind of hard to point at one scene of theirs as the stand-out because every single one is amazing, but there is one that has nothing to do with the action of the issue. It's Wolverine piercing Synch's skin so he can give the High Evolutionary some blood. The scene is remarkably intimate and sexual and is just wonderful.
X-Men #3 shows that a superhero X-Men book can work in the Krakoa era if done right. Duggan impresses with this one. It's mostly just a big dumb action issue, but it all works, and it's a lot of funny. The ending is the icing on the cake, ready to throw a spanner into the Krakoan works on multiple levels. Larraz and Gracia deliver on the visuals and elevate the script immensely. This is the best issue of the book so far, hands down.
