Stillanerd Reads: House of X #3

One of the more curious aspects of the X-Men comics, especially over the last decade, is their portrayals of humans. They are unequivocally evil. They hate mutants for the mere act of existing. When all the mutants, including the villains, united after “House of M,” there wasn’t any question who to root for. After all, if mutants are a metaphor for persecuted minorities, why offer any sympathy to those who are a metaphor for racists, bigots, and xenophobes?

Yet X-Men comics also like to present themselves as being more sophisticated than the average superhero comic. The best stories didn’t present things so black and white, “us vs. them,” or “Magneto was right,” etc. Making all the mutants “good” and all the humans “evil” was sophomoric as it was lazy. Seems Jonathan Hickman, with his own X-Men event, has recognized this, as well. Hence why, with his latest issue, House of X #3, Hickman seems to have flipped the script.

For a Jonathan Hickman comic, the plot of House of X #3 seems pretty basic. Having obtained intel on Nimrod’s origins, Professor X and Magneto send Cyclops and his hand-picked team of X-Men–consisting of Jean Grey, Wolverine, Archangel, Nightcrawler, Husk, M, and Mystique–to Orchis’ Sun-orbiting space station. Their mission is to destroy the Master Mold-making “Mother Mold” before Nimrod comes online. The only snag is they cannot use Krakoan seeds to make gateways least Orchis get their hands on them. All-in-all, it sounds like the X-Men you know and love.

Meanwhile, a secret court is about to prosecute Sabretooth for numerous crimes, including those he committed in House of X #1. But before the judge passes sentence, Emma Frost and her Stepford Cuckoos arrive, citing that, the US State Department granted all Krakoans diplomatic immunity. That, of course, includes Sabretooth. Nevermind that Sabretooth just happily pleaded guilty to murder and that he’ll kill again. The law, at least those created by non-mutants, literally can’t touch him.

And this brings up an interesting point, one that Hickman has been floating since the beginning. Between the X-Men protecting unrepentant murderers like Sabretooth, the veiled threats they’ve made to authority figures, the cult-like separatist atmosphere of Krakoa, and Professor X’s overall creepiness–especially when he talks how he refuses to let Cyclops die–one thing is starting to become very clear. The X-Men may not be the good guys anymore. If they ever were.

Granted, the X-Men are trying to prevent the mass genocide of their fellow mutants. Almost every life Moira MacTaggert ever experienced leads to the Sentinels wiping out all mutants. There’s also a moment in House of X #3 where Jean expresses concerns about potential civilian casualties during their mission. Thus it’s also rather telling when Wolverine points out that “Innocent civilians don’t build machines to exterminate a species.”

Also, in what feels rare for an X-Men comic, Hickman makes us empathize with the X-Men’s human adversaries. We see the X-Men’s attack primarily through the eyes of a husband and wife pair, one the head of security and the other the chief scientist. Their priority is protecting the lives of those aboard the station, and that they really love each other. They also have safeguards in place should Mother Mold go “insane,” including sending her into the Sun. If we didn’t know Orchis was making killer robots, we might mistake them for the heroes.

Yet despite his attempts at moral complexity, most of Hickman’s characters come across pretty thin. Cyclops’ team especially lacks any real personality save for Nightcrawler, and that’s only because he sprinkles in some German lingo. Half of the group can easily have their word balloons swapped between them without any trouble. The one refreshing exception is the scene of Sabretooth’s trial, especially after the sarcastic Emma shows up. One of her lines (way too crude for me to repeat here) genuinely made me laugh out loud.

The art, however, continues being the strongest asset for the “Two Series That Are One.” While the characters are psychologically flat, Pepe Larraz makes them appear visually striking. His is an art style which understands that we communicate more through nonverbal cues than words. We see that when Sabretooth spits on the ground or as Emma calmly strides into a room. Even Sabretooth’s nebbish court-appointed lawyer has realistic expressions and proportions.

Yet it’s Larraz’s scenes at Orchis’ space station which truly capture your attention, thanks in large part to Marte Gracia. He lights up these panels with primary colors, with the interiors of the station in blue and the cockpit X-Men’s Blackbird in red. By doing this, it enhances the tension and pace the X-Men’s attack should bring. It also enhances the idea that, when it comes to this clash between mutants and humans, the line between hero and villain isn’t so clear-cut.

Even so, House of X #3 didn’t exactly blow me away as the previous comics did. It’s still very good, but it does leave you a bit cold. That’s the downside, I guess, with making us question whether we should be championing those billed as the heroes.

Stillanerd’s Nerdy Nitpicks

• Yeah, when both Professor X and Magneto ease Cyclops’ doubts and fears about surviving the mission, did your mind drift back to that pod scene from House of X #1? Because mine sure did.
• “All quiet on the western front, A.G. Tolliver?” Oh, the A.G. stands for “Attorney General,” and aren’t the initials of her first name. Why not address her as “Madame Attorney General,” Judge? Or “Ms. Tolliver?” Not that we don’t appreciate the exposition, though.
• Twelve-strike rule?! Since when did the Federal Government become less strict than the state of California?
• Hey, little miss Stepford Cuckoo. Humans are primates, not monkeys. And as all mutants are humans, you’re a primate too. Looks like Xavier needs to reopen his school.
• Got to admit, those Sentinel drones look ridiculously cool. Though those flower logos make them seem less intimidating. Also, methinks the Constructicons should sue.
• Okay, a little obtuseness on my part. I didn’t realize that Nimrod’s cyborg second-in-command from Moira’s ninth life was Karima Shapandar, a.k.a. Omega Sentinel. Nor did I realize that she’s the same cyborg with Orchis in the current timeline. Only when Nightcrawler addresses her by her birth name did it finally click. That’s because Omega Sentinel used to be an X-Man. And just how did Xavier and Moira learn about Orchis beforehand? Hmm…
• Really, comic? You’re doing the old “Will they survive the explosion” climax? When the X-Men have a member who teleports, another who self-heals, and another who creates telekinetic force fields? What do you think you are, a 1930’s serial?

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