Years of Future Past 3 review

The last issue of Years of Future Past ended with the last mutant sanctuary under attack by Doom Sentinels. Desperate to cover the mutants’ retreat, Kate Pryde unleashed an older, larger Lockheed to fight them. This issue picks up exactly where the last left off.

The opening fight scene is huge, with Lockheed and Storm working together to tear apart the robots while others flee below. The action makes great use of both fronts, with Kate Pryde saving Cameron from falling debris. After the opening fight scene, the issue gets very dramatic. A major reveal with the teenaged mutant, Cameron, complicates matters between Christina and her parents, Kate and Colossus. This issue really shines when Christina and Cameron discuss how the Sentinel ruled world has affected their childhood, and how neither of them feel old enough to deal with it. Still, Christina’s optimism shines through, lightening the mood of this overall dark comic. That is, until the final page cliffhanger when the situation grows worse.

Marguerite Bennett’s writing is very good. She clearly understands X-Men themes, character drama and the point of the Days of Future Past. Cameron and Christina give this comic a coming of age feeling without distracting from the story. It feels like this mini-series is improving with every issue, and when it started off great, that’s a good sign. I’m now convinced that Bennett deserves a chance at an X-Men ongoing series.

The art by Mike Norton is also good. It feels like the original Days of Future Past story with similar character forms and expressions. The environment is well-detailed, whether it’s Nightcrawler’s cathedral, the old theme park with damaged Doop prizes or the debris falling in the opening fight. The colouring is dim to match the overall dark tone, but it’s colourful enough to break it up.

Of the X-Men tie-ins for Secret Wars that I’m reading, this is probably the best. It captures the feel of the Days of Future Past while feeling fresh and original. It strikes a good balance between dark and optimistic. The dialogue is very well-written. Everything about this comic works, and X-Men fans should be reading this whether you’re reading Secret Wars or not.

9/10