X-Men Red, Vol. 3

X-Men Red (2022) (Collected Editions)

by Al Ewing (Writer), Jacopo Camagni (Artist), Stefano Caselli (Artist)

FALL OF X IS COMING!

After Brand’s machinations and the Sins of Sinister, the mutants of Arakko are catching their breath…but even as Storm begins a new romance, she has no time to rest...for Apocalypse has returned! Not seen since the shocking ending of X OF SWORDS, Apocalypse and his family have battled for survival in the harsh land of Amenth. Do they rule over this twisted world or do its demonic inhabitants rule them? And how has Apocalypse felt about the choices the Quiet Council has made in his absence? 

COLLECTING: X-Men Red (2022) 11-13, X-Men: Before the Fall - Heralds of Apocalypse (2023) 1

Genres: Comics, X Men, Marvel, Graphic Novels, Superheroes, Comic Book, Graphic Novels Comics

128 pages, Paperback

Published October 17, 2023

Reviews

[Baba · Rating 2 out of 5]

After the quasi epic volume two of this season, the re-emergence of Apocalypse and his thoughts and considerations of the Krakoan mutant's taken paths; and the coming, story and ascension of Genesis on paper sounds a great follow-up, but it failed to ignite me, and the middling art didn't help. This volume gets an out of sorts Two Starred, 4 out of 12 rating from me.

2025 read

[Tyler Jenkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

X-Men Red has always been fun but with Magneto out of the picture now I feel like it’s gone down a bit. I liked it more when it was Storm and Magneto running Mars. The history of Arakko and it’s people is confusing and convoluted to me and so this taking more of an approach to that story has left me more uninterested than before. But if it has Storm I will be sat and I will be enjoying.

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I doubt anyone was truly wondering what has been going on with all the Amenth folks we left behind in Otherworld, post-X of Swords. Nonetheless, the third X-Men Red volume is here to provide answers - and they're kind of explosive.

Back in Otherworld, Genesis and the dangerously whispering Annihilation Staff have conquered all and now, against the wishes of husband Apocalypse, have their sights set on Mars. This is another X-Men Red volume that's almost all political wrangling, which I adore! I'm probably the only one. The book certainly sets up the Fall of X, though, with all Mars now under the control of a bloodthirsty, all-powerful mutant - and one who has ties to Orchis through Clan Akkaba.

Also, Sunspot and Nova are hanging around to provide some levity. And Storm is on the outs with Xavier. Great stuff!

[Anna Quilter · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5.. ish.

Lots of posturing and chat ...building up to the inevitable.

[Benji Glaab · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is fairly slow paced and has a lot of that bridge/set up volume feel. Ewing pours on the flowery writing and expands upon the Appocalypse family tree and Mythos introducing me to his wife from thousands of years prior 'Genesis' She will be a major player moving forward so I feel it was worth the time providing some background, just didn't make for all that entertaining of a read for me.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

A storm looms over the red planet. Ghosts of the wars flight return to challange the ways ahead.

While this remains my favorite X book in the line by a mile, it's lost a step in execution. Storm has her intentions challanged constantly, the return of Genesis is not the heroes welcome we thought it could be, and war for the soul of what the nation of Arrako could and should be looms. The Heralds of Apocalypse one shot was sooo my jam, especially as someone who's loved his reinvention and Amenth origins this era. I'm so excited to see how Fall of X impacts the coming Genesis war.

[Rory Wilding · Rating 4 out of 5]

Without the presence of Magneto, who was one of the main protagonists in Al Ewing's X-Men Red, it is up to the other protagonist Storm to carry the book on her shoulders, which is fine as Ewing has proven to one of the best writers on that character. Despite the weird opening where she goes on a date with a human celebrity astronaut, which may pay off later on, the first issue of this volume is about Storm's own relationship with Charles Xavier.

Considering that the third volume of Kieron Gillen's Immortal X-Men alluded to the conflicting nature between Storm and Xavier's relationship, Ewing addresses it head-on here, specifically in light of the events of Sins of Sinister, as well as the tragic death of Magneto. As much as Storm has looked up to the Professor as a mentor and was willing to follow him to achieve his dream of a mutant utopia, recent events show the cracks that have taken a personal toll on him and is willing compromise of which Storm does not approve.

As for the main plot, Ewing evokes the crossover event X of Swords, with the upcoming return of Apocalypse, whose family have battled for survival in the harsh land of Amenth. As Jon Ironfire uses the Purity sword to cleave his way from the Amenth to Arakko, to warn the Great Ring of Arakko of the arrival of Apocalypse's wife Genesis, the rest of the volume is about Storm and the rest preparing for this impending threat.

Despite the impressive art by Jacopo Camagni, who drew the three main issues, whilst the one-shot X-Men: Before the Fall - Heralds of Apocalypse #1 is drawn by Luca Pizzari, Stefano Landini and Rafael Pimentel, there isn't much action and really more set-up for what is to come. That said, ever since Jonathan Hickman somewhat reinvented Apocalypse who is no longer seen as the big baddie, it seems like Ewing is continuing that theme with Apocalypse being at odds with his own family, particularly with his wife Genesis, who rejects the whole notion of peace. The one-shot is all about this complicated history of this family, as well as the Arakki who were made for war, which can be dense, but helps inform where the main story is going.

With the final issue featuring Storm and the Great Ring of Arakko being confronted by Genesis, who has allied herself with the magic-user Marianna Stern of Coven Akkaba that is part of Orchis, it ends up being a tease for hopefully a climatic battle in the fourth and final volume of X-Men Red.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

What the hell, Al? Why you gotta make up some pseudo-religious mumbo jumbo and make me wade through it with my eyeballs?

When comics are infected with courtly politics I want to scream “who fucking cares about all this weak-ass intrigue and diplomatic word talking?”

Reading page after page of some out-of-nowhere ass of a villain lecturing a broken-down Apocalypse is a little too close to reality for my taste.

When Ewing is this effortless at channelling the libertarian sock puppet nonsense of a bunch of whiny man-babies, I have to reconsider whether he’s suffered a stroke like Fetterman, or maybe just needs to get some therapy to deal with shitty Marvel editors?

There’s no way this is the best work he could’ve done.

Arakko can burn in hell, they’re as bad as the Eternals, the Shi’ar or the boring-ass Inhumans.

[Brandon Daniels · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has been the most compelling in the line since it’s inception, but it’s been the most frustrating in other ways. Looking forward to how it comes together in the end.

[Louis Skye · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started off strong and I really enjoyed Storm and Magneto’s joint leadership. But the Arakki are so one-note, it gets boring reading them. I just want to read about the mutants from Earth, not the ones on Mars.

Art is gorgeous throughout. This is how I see the X-Men.

[Aisling · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Alex Sarll]

Joy of joys, Apocalypse and Genesis are back, and particularly with the Heralds of Apocalypse issue, I swear I felt each page getting heavier as I read. True, we do get a reminder that with the White Sword. Arakko used to be absolutely fine with resurrection, making their rejection of it now even more idiotic (in story, at least - as a way of thinning the tiresome pricks' ranks, I respect it). There are occasional glimmers of entertainment with things like the two-headed wolf guy, but broadly speaking it's the most boring character from the boring crossover which introduced this boring realm complaining that it's not quite as one-dimensional as it used to be, backed up by a spooky face that mutters some of people's lines after them, thereby shaking the conviction of her foes. Which, yes, hits home as a metaphor for the shitty phase in which our own world finds itself, but normally Al can do that sort of thing while standing on his head and still get a fun read out of it, whereas this is a right old slog. I'm not sure where Sunspot has got to, but he'd better turn up with a cocktail and a plan soon because my interest in this series is hanging by a thread.

[Michael Church · Rating 4 out of 5]

Al Ewing continues to knock it out of the park with this book. Honestly, though, sometimes I think I’m reading it too far apart to keep track of everything, or some of the concepts just go over my head. Like it took me three times rereading the scene between Genesis and Annihilation to understand why Genesis did what she did. But it’s all so dramatic and full of conviction that I kind of don’t care.

I wish I had a more detailed analysis to offer. It’s just a really compelling story. The only minor stumble, in my personal taste, was the first issue in this volume when Storm confronts Xavier. Not because she’s unjustified (she absolutely is), but that it seems to come up rather suddenly. Especially reading it more slowly than the original publication, it’s hard to remember why those feelings would be top of mind for Storm.

I am really impressed with how much the mutants of Arrako have come to be characters I look forward to reading. Sobunar is one of my favorites, and Lodus Logos and Lactuca have cemented themselves as part of the X-Men mythos in my opinion.

There’s a lot of setup here, and the Heralds of Apocalypse story was probably the highlight, delving into the relationship and history between Apocalypse (or Revelation, as he alludes to himself in this story) and Genesis (yes, some of the allusions are obvious enough that even I can spot them). Like the rest of X-Men Red, I can’t wait for more.

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the first time since X of Swords, the world of Amenth is calling. The Heralds of Apocalypse are at the door, and Arakko will need all of its protectors to keep it safe. Shame Magneto's dead, and Storm's busy, and- oh dear.

Al Ewing's X-Men Red takes on an even grander stage as things escalate, just as Fall Of X comes a'calling. Ewing's character work for Storm remains top notch, and he manages to make the characters from Amenth memorable despite the fact we've not really seen much off them. The Fall Of X one-shot is a neat primer for what came before as well as a tease of what's to come, and is one of the more successful Fall Of X one-shots overall.

On art for the three actual issues of the title is Jacopo Camagni, while Luca Pizzari, Rafael Pimentel, and Stefano Landini split the Fall Of X issue between them. Stefano Caselli remains the star of this series so far, but these issues don't look bad.

A setting of the stage, a moving around of characters, and a tease of some truly horrible things to come. It's X-Men: Red, everybody!

[Joey Nardinelli · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was just SO boring. The final issue was just Genesis slinging accusations at the various members of the Great Ring in ways that didn’t really feel all that interesting (we’ve seen some of the Ring members engage a bit around Judgement day but otherwise I still feel like we’ve been told more about them than we’ve witnessed). The same is true for Apocalypse and his Children here, all of which do a lot of thing twiddling. The stuff related back to Sins involving Storm and Xavier is maybe the most engaging stuff in this volume, but that really only accounts for one of four issues in this tiny volume. I only remember Jon Ironfire from Sins of Sinister, so the small surprise of getting his origin into the Krakoa timeline seemed interesting until his narrative went nowhere else. I think I wrote about how tedious all the Otherworld plots felt around X of Swords, so seeing us back in that territory and setting without any updates or deeper thought just feels equally soporific to the previous plots and tales.

[Subham · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun read and this time shows us the Genesis side of things like whats going on with her and Apocalypse post XOS and I love the history retcons that Ewing makes here to make them more interesting or explore that time period and its awesome like showing how Annihilation is still influencing Genesis and the battle she has with Apocalypse is so awesome and then basically beginning the civil war of Arakko, that was awesome and yeah the wall of texts can be a bit challenging, but cool volume and it highlights Apocalypse and Genesis really well and presents a cool challenge for Storm and co, so the next volume should be a great conclusion!

[Ross · Rating 3 out of 5]

Arakko has just barely survived the Eternals AND the 'Sins of Sinister'..

Now? The Genesis War is coming. There's a few pre 'Fall of X' angsty moments between Professor X and Storm. With no Magneto to bolster him, Xavier is 'flapping in the breeze'..alone and doubting. There's also a lot of lore dropped on the Arakko history and what Genesis and the Annihilation staff have been up to. Turns out, the Apocolypse philosophy of 'survival of the strongest' has a bigger believer. Genesis will unify the mutants by any means necessary.
--
Bonus: Is Sunspot FLIRTING with Nova? Hmm
Bonus Bonus: Ororo's ..vernacular(?) bothers me. It seems almost TOO wordy after all these years

[Shannon Appelcline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another superb volume of Red.

Oh, things slow donw a little bit in the middle, with what are essentially two issues of history and backstory, but they're of such a piece with Hickman's writing in Swords of X that you can't complain.

And the two surrounding issues are superb, first with a confrontation between Storm and Xavier and then a confrontation between Genesis and Arakko.

I am so sad that we are approaching the end of this era. The next one better not roll back all of this excellence!

[Adam Fisher · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK.... this book felt entirely like a prequel of what's to come. Apocalypse returns (still in Amenth), Genesis leaves him to go to war, basically overthrows the Great Ring of Arrako, pushing Storm and her newly adopted ways out of the leadership, and Clan Akkaba rears its head again.
Overall, I wish this Volume would have continued on with what came after it, or been attached to what was before. A longer Volume doesn't bother me if it has better context.
Recommend.... but with slight hesitation. (This is probably my least liked X-Book anyways)

[Craig Lotter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ewing does a lot of world and mythos building with this one, meaning it is one of the less exciting X-team reads, but it does delivery us a whole lot of rhyme and reason to Apocalypse, his family, Arrako and conquering tale of Annihilation. There's a moment or two of levity sprinkled in here and there, but the for most part this is a sit down and concentrate kind of book. Camagni's art continues to be gorgeous to look at, and although the backgrounds are quite light on detail, the characters are wonderfully expressive and eye-catching.

[Fiona · Rating 3 out of 5]

i fear this title has become way too weird alien sci-fi for me i have zero idea what's going on but am just coasting off the vibes of the character designs. genesis and apocalypse's kids look so cool!! again i cannot get over the giant eye with the blob sitting on top of it. i don't know who any of these people in these seats are like have they all been around for a while?? their devotion to their survival of the fittest way of life stresses me out

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

X-Men Red is usually a 5-star book but this collection has to do the work to link the awesome expansive Sins of Sinister event to the big Genesis War, and that means less time on the fascinating worldbuilding on Arakko and more trudging through the Apocalypse/Genesis backstory, which is kind of cold and wordy. It's going to get a lot better, but this is the worst of the book. And it's still pretty good.

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Apocalypse's wife, Genesis, has returned from their exile at the end of X of Swords. She's not happy about what's happened on Mars and is headed there to take over. This seems like mostly build up for Fall of X. This is the best of the various X-Men books.

[Kristin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This series started so great and then proceeded to get bogged down by the edicts of a billion crossover events.

Don't expect to see many X-Men in this book. We get a great Storm/Professor X showdown and some scenes with 'Berto and Nova in the first issue and the rest is all Apocalypse, Genesis and the alien council, with Storm in the background.

[Christian Zamora-Dahmen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This collection was hard to review.
While the appearances of Storm, Sunspot and Nova are fun to follow. The rest of the cast, and most of the Arakkii are just too alien to connect with or to even care about them. This went overboard with Genesis, who gets a lot of attention, but all about her is just so painfully boring. Having Apocalypse interact with her doesn’t help that much.
So, the potential of this series is right there, but it gets sidetracked over and over. I mean, this is an X-book, but the X-Men are far from getting any attention at all.
I’m so tempted to just drop the book, but it does have its moments…

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

Genesis and Apocalypse can stay in their other world for all I care. But it looks like this is part of the set-up for the Fall of X storyline, so there's that. The art is good throughout, but I found it hard to give a damn about these usurpers from another dimension. Just when things are starting to go well on Arakko (fka: Mars)...

[Matt Sautman · Rating 4 out of 5]

While highly readable, X-Men Red vol. 3’s ending leaves the book in a place that feels too open to be fully satisfying. Genesis’s return is exciting, but the schism in Arakko will only feel satisfying if enough space is given in vol. 4 to let the action feel earned and the plot events to feel natural.

[Jennifer Sigman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad, but a bit unfocused. I get why (they're starting multiple new storylines) but there were a couple of things that were just a bit too obviously "This is happening because we need it to for the upcoming crossover/major story beat".

[Andres Pasten · Rating 3 out of 5]

Demasiados enemigos tiene Krakoa

[Conor Pickle · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a big drop off from volume 2. Officially burned out on the Martian saga. All the characters are overpowered and the dialog is exhaustingly pretentious