Nightcrawler is now the Uncanny Spider-Man! Silver Sable and Orchis now have their eyes on him as he tries to navigate post-Hellfire Gala life. Find out more in Uncanny Spider-Man #3 by Marvel Comics!
UNCANNY SPIDER-MAN #3
Writer: Si Spurrier
Artist: Javier Pina
Colorist: Matt Milla
Letterer: Joe Caramagna
Editor: Sarah Brunstad
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: November 8th, 2023
Previously in Uncanny Spider-Man: Orchis committed the Hellfire Gala massacre and pinned the blame on mutant kind, stoking anti-mutant sentiment. Kurt masquerades as a new Spider-Man and flies under Orchis’ radar. However, he’s been accused of assassinating several heads of state. Working with Orchis, Vulture has been trying to track him down and has hired Silver Sable’s mercenaries for help. However, Sable and Kurt find themselves temporarily allied to escape Rhino, and Kurt has managed to evade her since.
Uncanny Spider-Man #3 shows Kurt fighting Orchis and saving people, and he seems to be enjoying himself during these adrenaline moments. This frustrates Orchis, and Nimrod orders Vulture to launch his project and keep the Sable mercenaries on a leash. When Sable is off-duty, she seeks out Kurt for some “nonoperational rest,” often sleeping together on top of rooftops. She dictates that they are enemies when she wears her helmet, but right now, they can enjoy each other. Nightcrawler leaves to try and help Mystique, who has seemingly had a mental breakdown. Mystique is being hunted by several people, including Cloak. During the fight, Mystique seems to have a moment of clarity and reveals that these people are trying to capture mutants. But perhaps the most significant threat is that Vulture has fused with the AI Warlock and is now after them both.
I attribute this comic to three different states. It starts chaotic, gets steamy with Kurt and Sable, and then immediately returns to chaotic. Uncanny Spider-Man #3 shows several distinct plotlines. One involves how Nightcrawler can evade mutant censors, promising something to do with Legion, which is super cool. It also has to deal with the Vulture and Warlock, which has promise but feels rushed. Then, Orchis’ relationship to Sable’s mercenaries and what that implies. Then Kurt tries to help Mystique. Then, at the end of it, Sable and Kurt’s romance and physical relations. And for some reason, Sable and Kurt’s relationship seems to be the easiest thing for me to grasp, even if it makes little sense in practice. They really have no business sleeping with each other, yet that is easier to understand than the almost spiritual nature of Legion or the mental break of Mystique. At this point, I need to start seeing plotlines resolve rather than increase complexity.
The art of the book is excellent, but like the plot, sometimes it felt a little busy for me. I like the character design of the vast cast of characters. I thought the simple panels worked well on the page, and I appreciated how Nightcrawler popped out of the page. Great work here.
Uncanny Spider-Man is a complex title and probably is trying to do much. But I am enjoying it because Nightcrawler is one of my favorite characters. I enjoy the romance despite not quite being believable, and the world makes just enough sense to keep me interested. However, I think this is more complex than it needs to be. With that in mind, Uncanny Spider-Man #3 is a solid 3.5 out of 5.
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Uncanny Spider-Man #3
Uncanny Spider-Man #3 introduces complex plots and complex art that borders on being overwhelming.
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Christopher Rondeau is a storyteller based in Tulsa, OK. Finding himself with little work, he ended up creating a job as a Game Master full time on the internet. Chris spends most of his days reading everything he can, writing bad fiction, and watching old Digimon cartoons with his daughter. Sometimes you can find him Dungeon Mastering a podcast or streaming on twitch. Recently, he has completed his Master's degree with a focus on collaborative storytelling. Find out more at https://rondeaucreator.com