Psylocke: Ninja #3 – The Silence After The Whispers

After fusing the telepathic abilities of Betsy Braddock with the trained assassin’s body of Kwannon, the Hand has unleashed Psylocke, a deadly assassin, against their sworn enemies, The Chaste. The Chaste have taken something powerful from The Hand, the one and only Elektra Natchios, one of The Hand’s most feared assassins. During battle, Elektra and Psylocke psychically bonded, forcing each to relive and regain memories of their former lives. Now having captured Jubilee and Wolverine for The Hand, Matus’o Tsurayaba tries to mold Wolverine into the ultimate killing machine for the Mandarin.

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Creative Team

Writer: Tim Seeley
Artist: Nico Leon
Color Artist: Dono Sánchez-Almara
Letterer: VC’s Ariana Maher
Cover Artist: Derrick Chew

Writing

What an issue! I have to admit, in the beginning, I was worried about people new to the series being able to catch up, but Tim Seeley has done a great job of providing all the necessary information to enjoy this series without having to know all of the backstory. This issue from Seeley allows us to see the results of what we first saw in Psylocke’s battle with Elektra.

My favorite thing about this issue is the emotion. While there is action and excitement, Seeley treats us to an in-depth look at the emotions Betsy experiences in her new body. While such issues have been discussed in X-Men comics before, I don’t know that we’ve seen such a high level of thought and feeling placed into what Betsy feels like adjusting to her new life. Seeley does a beautiful job highlighting how, while Betsy’s thoughts are finally her own again, her body is not, and the result is a little like learning to walk again.

Art

The art from Nico Leon and Dono Sánchez-Almara continues to stun in issue 3. I am a sucker for traditional panel shapes and layouts. Suffice to say that with current Marvel comics, I’ve been getting my fill of those, and Leon and Sánchez-Almara treat me to another right out of the gate in this issue. Leon’s lines are clean and polished. The decision to have Psylocke’s Psi-sword break across the panel, interrupting otherwise clean panel lines, is a small detail that really stands out when you study the art and panels.

Dono Sánchez-Almara brought it up with colors on this issue. I love the way Sánchez-Almara plays with the hues of pinks and purples when dealing with Betsy’s powers. This issue in particular sees a lot of the first few pages taking place in a dimly lit setting, which really makes the purples and pinks pop off the page. Those colors are suddenly interrupted by another, which immediately catches your eyes, adding to the impact.

Ariana Maher continues to stun in her lettering. As I mentioned earlier, we spent a lot of time with Betsy’s thoughts on this issue. That could create a conundrum for less experienced letterers, but for Maher, it’s just another day at the office. The story flows well with Maher guiding the reader’s eyes through both Betsy’s thoughts and the action on the page. Maher uses colors to snatch your attention to impactful moments of dialogue after making you feel comforted with soft lettering and colors for Betsy’s inner thoughts.

Final Thoughts

Psylocke: Ninja #3 continues the high standard this creative team has set since the very first issue. Seeley, Leon, Sánchez-Almara, and Maher have allowed fans to explore Betsy at a depth we’ve rarely seen before. The story feels satisfying yet fresh. Like a puzzle that you already know the outcome of, but the picture is more crisp, clear, and shows you greater detail.

Overall Grade: 10/10

Until next time, may your pulls be magical, and your multiverse remain stable.