This is a review of Excalibur Epic Collection: The Sword is Drawn. This graphic novel is written by Chris Claremont, who wrote Excalibur along with most of the X-Output in the 1980’s. I read a lot of Chris Claremont comics growing up.
Excalibur consists of five members, three former X-Men (Nightcrawler, Shadowcat, the Rachel Summers Phoenix) along with British superheroes Meggan and Captain Britain. All but Captain Britain are mutants – or muties, in Claremont Parlance. Sidenote: I don’t consider an X-title finished unless some stupid human says muties. The events of Excalibur take place after the Mutant Massacre, a famous (or infamous) crossover that shook up the X-Books.
Excalibur has all the elements of a Chris Claremont book: ensemble cast, soap opera histrionics, and short, punchy storylines. Characters say things like – “I know you’re a hero. But let’s see if you’re a man!” It’s amazing that a title whose feature characters are Nightcrawler and Kitty Pryde lasted over a hundred issues. I think it likely that the wonderful art by Alan Davis – who went on to write the book after Claremont left – has something to do with that.
Excalibur’s origin story lasts exactly one issue, and then we are off to the races. Honestly, the team has no real reason for existence, but who cares? Whatever they did worked. Excalibur has no problem finding its legs. The title comes roaring out of the gate, as the members fight bounty hunters from outer space, interdimensional werewolves, Arcade, and the Nazi versions of themselves. There’s also a two-issue crossover with the X-Men, an Inferno storyline in which Excalibur is so superfluous none of the crossover’s major players even know they are there.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention this. The first time I read Excalibur, I was still a kid and some of this title’s more, uh, grown-up elements flew over my head. The creators like dress-up and cosplay, because this title features lots of costumes -some sexy, more often outright bizarre. There are also a few gratuitous underwear shots, mostly female. As a kid I didn’t mind; as an adult, it’s embarrassing. If you find this offensive, I’d avoid this graphic novel.
A good read for fans of the 1980’s X-Men.
Abandoned Places 