Review: Ultimate X-Men Volume 3 - World Tour

While on an international press tour for his book, Professor Xavier is forced to confront a dark secret from his past when his homicidal son escapes from his confines on Muir Island. He sends the X-Men into the field to capture him, but it soon becomes clear that their powers may not be enough to stop his wayward son. Then, Jean Grey and Cyclops are tasked with bringing Colossus back into the fold after he leaves the team and heads home to Russia.

Ultimate X-Men Volume 3: World Tour collects Ultimate X-Men #13-20, written by Mark Millar and Chuck Austen with art by Adam Kubert and Chris Bachalo.

World Tour serves as an update of the classic Proteus Saga from X-Men #125-128. In this version, Proteus is reimagined as the twisted son of Professor Xavier and Moira MacTaggert. After years of being confined to Muir Island through sedation, David Xavier awakens from his sleep when he senses Professor Xavier’s presence in Europe and sets about enacting his revenge on the man who abandoned him when he was still a child. It’s a creative modernization of the story and the twist of Proteus being Professor Xavier’s son is actually something I would have liked to have been canon in the main Marvel universe. Millar is to further be commended for the way in which he infuses the theme of parental abandonment into this narrative. David Xavier is a complex villain because he commits unforgiveable acts of murder and yet has an upbringing that begs the reader to empathize with him. His father was neglectful and abandoned him when David needed him the most. This is made worse by the fact that his father has now created a surrogate family for himself with the X-Men, intensifying his feelings of loneliness and rejection. It humanizes both David and Professor Xavier, the latter of which used to seem more like an archetype than an individual who makes mistakes in his pursuit of his dream.

The validity and effectiveness of pacifism is another theme that permeates this story arc. Professor Xavier preaches a non-aggressive approach to the protection of human lives, which is something that doesn’t always seem to work in implementation. Colossus in particular doesn’t share the same views as his mentor and leaves the team because of this, though he has added reasons pertaining to his feelings of underappreciation and the endangerment he faces as a member of the X-Men. Colossus also vehemently disagrees with Professor Xavier’s psychic manipulation of Magneto. Indeed, many important questions are raised here. Are non-violent actions a viable solution when faced with aggressive opponents? Can one really claim they are a pacifist when they’re manipulating the mind of another person without their permission? World Tour doesn’t really provide any answers to either of those questions. Although, Millar comes close as he gives the X-Men an irredeemable foe that must be dealt with in as aggressive a manner as possible. Professor Xavier’s psychic surgery of Magneto’s mind creates a rift in the X-Men as well. There’s a growing distrust towards him, particularly from Beast and Colossus, the former of which suspects that his relationship with Storm may be a lie. These kinds of character explorations are really interesting and help to add depth to this collection.

The main storyline for this collection is really great. Millar pens a really cohesive narrative that is sure to resonate with readers and he continues to flesh out these characters so that they feel like complicated individuals. Kubert and Bachalo’s pencils are noteworthy, with Bachalo especially adding a touch of creepiness to the arc once things start to get topsy-turvy with David’s manipulation of reality. The two issues written by Chuck Austen, which introduce fan-favourite Gambit to the Ultimate Universe, are unfortunately quite weak and feel disjointed when collected in this trade. Regardless, World Tour is more of a hit than a miss and is a really fresh take on an iconic storyline from the X-Men oeuvre. Millar and co also get bonus points for their reimagining of Psylocke (a British S.H.I.E.L.D. agent? Yes please!).

RATING: B