Comics / Comic Reviews / Marvel Comics

X-Men SCHISM #3

By Andy Frisk
August 17, 2011 - 18:13

The new psycho-kids led Hellfire Club attacks the contingent of X-Men on hand for the Mutant Museum opening in San Francisco, while in a one page flashback some background is shed on these killer kids and their usurping of the Hellfire Club’s leadership. Things go badly for the X-Men and neither Cyclops nor Wolverine can reach the team in time to save their lives and prevent the mass destruction of the museum and the innocent people and X-Men trapped inside. That task falls to one of Hope’s crew, Idie, who has managed to hide herself from the attackers. Wolverine wants her to get the hell out of the museum while Cyclops tells her to “do what you feel you have to.” Idie feels that she has to save the day…

For the first time in the series, after two strong issues, X-Men SCHISM #3 seems to slow the story down a bit, or maybe I just expected a quicker rush to the impending Cyclops/Wolverine battle. After all, there are only two more issues left. Some of Aaron’s great sarcastic humor is present here and there, but this time he opts for a more serious tone as the tension between Logan and Scott is supposed to be reaching a head. The only problem is that the two really aren’t even at each others' throats yet, and it’s hard to believe that next issue’s cover image of the two nearly killing each other is about to occur. Yes, the ideological divide between them is apparent and obvious now. Wolverine thinks the kids shouldn’t be used as soldiers and be protected as much as possible to the point that he’s going to head back to Westchester and open up a new Gifted Youngsters Institute (or something similarly titled—and this is not a spoiler if you’ve read the marvel.com promo blurb for Wolverine and The X-Men #1). Cyclops sees them as soldiers in the war against evil, injustice, prejudice, etc, and that the nature of their being precludes them from any hope of having any semblance of a normal childhood and adolescence. Interestingly, and quite logically when one considers it, Wolverine is taking the softer and more idealistic approach towards how the X-kids should be handled, and Cyclops is taking the realistic and militaristic approach. These two approaches to how the X-kids should be handled are brilliant insights into Logan and Scott's individual characters and experiences. Logan wants to give them the childhood that he pretty much never had while making the hard decisions needed to protect them, and Cyclops wants to expose them to the hard truths of their existence as early as possible. Personally, I love the idea of Wolverine as a mentor/father figure. It speaks to the dynamism of his character over the years.



Idie’s actions serve as the perfect catalyst for deepening the split between Logan and Scott. One will argue that she never should have been forced to take the actions she did, while the other will argue that her having to take the actions she did is simply evidence that she, and her fellow young mutants, will never get the chance to experience a normal childhood. How Idie's actions will affect her already fragile psyche is going to be interesting. Hope’s group is already beginning to splinter, and this issue’s developments will serve to only push the group further apart.

Artistically, X-Men SCHISM #3 is, to me, the strongest of the three issues thus far. I still do not like the fact that each issue has a different artist. I can happily report though that each issue's differing looks aren’t seriously affecting the flow of the story. I’ve been a fan of Acuna for a while now, going all the way back to his short lived stint on the ill-fated Eternals. The depth he creates with his colors is pretty much unparalleled.

With SCHISM expanding into Generation Hope now as well, we’re going to start getting a (much needed) widening view of the conflict of ideas that is going to rend the X-Men, as a team, in two. This is a good thing since this event needs move along a little faster, but also be encompassing enough to tell the story from more than just the point of view of Scott and Logan. Honestly though, I’ve been craving an “Xavier’s School” type setting for a while now, and personally can’t wait to see Aaron’s take on it this fall once SCHISM wraps up.  

Rating: 6 /10

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12