New Excalibur #3- I was looking forward to the new series because I initially heard Alan Davis was going to pencil the project. For whatever reason, he isn't and Micheal Ryan is doing the job, which I think is fantastic. I love this work on New X-men (or New Mutants or X-men: Academy, or whatever the title is was called back then... Marvel can be so fustrating with the title changes...) So I'm glad he is on board. But I wish he was on New X-men and Mark Brooks which places.
As for the story so far, "evil" X-men are terrorizing the city.... I think this story has been done before. New team forms to stop the imposters. More questions are made than answered. Argh... Who knows if this storyline is going to lead anywhere in the future, but my bet is not. The comics is a poor balance by the excellent art from Mr. Ryan and the poor unknown if significant story. RATING: STORY- 3/10 ART- 8/10.

New X-men #22- Speaking of Mark Brooks's New X-men. This is issue is the last part of the arc that is suppose to settup the next storyline. Lot of melodrama and teammates hooking up in here. The squadrons from the previous issues are disbands and are combine to form one. How are the New Mutants and the Hellions going to get along now that they have to work together? Plus WIlliam Stryker is back forming a gang of mutant hunters.
This storyline is alot of setup and is more interesting that New Excalibur, but could have been done in one extra sized issue and not with 3 -$2.99 issues. Kinda sad because I think Kyle and Yost are excellent writers, but I'm sure they are pressured to make storyline span 3 or more issue these days. RATING: STORY- 7/10 ART- 8/10