In this review of Generation X-23’s 3rd issue, Laura Kinney confronts both X-Infinite and her own insecurities as a guiding influence. At the same time, Facility 23 organizes against the X-Numbers.
GENERATION X-23 #3
Writer: JODY HOUSER
Artist: JACOPO CAMAGNI
Main Cover: PARTHA PRATIM
Variant Covers: JHONY CABALLERO, IVAN TALAVERA
Page Count: 25 pages
Release Date: 4/29/26
This review contains spoilers
“How did it go so wrong?”
After last issue’s events, Laura has nearly healed up following the death of X-73 and X-Infinite’s declaration that she will have to answer for it. Laura blames herself, despite remembering Gabby fiercely yelling that it’s not her sister’s fault.
Laura recalls telling Gabby to be a shoulder for X-99, as she processes the death of a friend. The X-Numbers are just kids, and Laura ponders her approach with them before contrasting her mentorship skills with Logan.
“I guess I thought I’d be better at this mentor thing. Logan is.”
Lost in thoughts, she’s interrupted when another vision of X-80–the recently deceased mutant, also belonging to Facility 23 who bore the facial and superpowered resemblance of Kidan—tells her she isn’t “there yet”.
A confused and bandaged up Laura remarks that she feels the X-Numbers are hiding something about the facility. Consequently, she’s over playing nice and decides to snoop.
“Did you know I used to be just as quiet as you?…We hear things that other people don’t.”
Laura approaches X-92, and strikes up a familiarity by mentioning they both have reserved natures. She exclaims that she believes X-92 knows a secret that could help their friends, and wins them over. The young mutant opens a portal and outstretches a hand for Laura to come through.
They teleport her to X-80’s room, where she sees an infinity symbol painted onto the wall. She has X-92 teleport her onto X-Infinite’s lab, before his work makes her unsheathe her claws and furiously ask why he’s experimenting on samples of her skin.
He assures her he’s not looking to clone her, before revealing he’s looking into her healing factor as a potential treatment for the other kids as they deal with their powers.
Wolverine agrees that a treatment will come along to help the kids, and it may likely involve her healing factor. But she starkly proclaims she won’t allow him to continue experiments on pieces of her skin that he took without her consent.
X-Infinite has no intention of giving them up, while acknowledging they don’t trust each other. Laura attacks him, and he forms blades curated of energy. During their battle, The Facility’s mercenaries mobilize and subdue some of the kids with tranquilizers.
Gabby experiences her first sleepover alongside X-99, who paints one of her claws an amethyst color. But it’s interrupted by an enemy that kicks down their door and quickly gets slashed up by Scout. X-99 is confused how their safety is breached after all the defense measures the Numbers implemented, but Gabby instantly mobilizes and leads X-99 away.
They’re intercepted by an assailant in lobster-themed mecha armor, who captures and threatens X-99, forcing Gabby to surrender.
X-Infinite outmaneuvers Laura, but her experience comes to an advantage as she destroys the lab’s experiments, unraveling her younger opponent. He implies Laura is selfish, to which Laura disagrees. She states she cares about the Numbers, but Infinite’s actions of stealing mutant DNA for experiments makes him no different than their makers.
The argument is interrupted by a terrified X-92, who teleports them away. Laura sees Gabby being captured, and understands she wouldn’t go so easily unless she was protecting another person. She lays back to formulate a plan, while an enraged Infinite blames himself and tries to run after the van, prior to being stopped by Wolverine.
He reveals that the Numbers have secondary mutations, ones that were written onto their DNA by him. Facility 23’s scientists forced him to do so, with the intention of killing his friends. They knew his intelligence had far surpassed theirs, so they instead attempted to break him emotionally.
Laura understands all too well the pain and guilt of actions undertaken when one is stripped of their autonomy.
“The things we were made to do are not our fault. And not who we are. It’s not an easy lesson to learn. But if you’re half as smart as you say you are… maybe you can learn it faster than I did.”
Infinite thanks Wolverine for the advice, finally calling her Laura instead of X-23. The issue ends with a fired-up Laura then telling him to prepare to retrieve their friends and shut down Facility 23 once and for all.
Analysis
Last month’s momentum carries forward, as the art is good and the writing is even better. Laura is a character that has felt like she was in limbo for the last few years, so receiving development through the sub-plot of mentorship is a very welcome addition. Jody Houser sets up a small insecurity arc at the beginning of the issue regarding Laura’s coaching, and it comes to fruition at the end as she resolves the main emotional conflict of a younger Generated.
In doing so, she gains X-Infinite’s trust enough for him to respect her worldview, referring to The Wolverine by her preferred name instead of her Generated number. Her method of doing this is through validating his pain and showing him how to forgive himself. The interaction between the two displays one of the commonly shared trauma points of Marvel’s Mutant/Generated community, and why Laura has always been so good in healing the pain of others.
The action is lacking, but it’s made up for in dialogue. The X-Numbers plotline continues to nicely bounce off and reflect Laura’s internal conflicts.
Gabby, ever the jokester, provides some much needed and genuinely funny comedic relief. But her role extends to showing the lengths Mutants/Generated go to protect one another, willingly giving herself up.
Final Thoughts
Issue 3 holds the same structure of less action and more dialogue as we navigate Wolverine’s latest journey. Continuing to use the X-Numbers to amplify and elevate Laura’s story, Jody Houser evolves the theme of her emotional conflict from identity to mentorship, finding fresh ways to flesh out Laura’s character.
