Between all of the political intrigue and gladiatorial combat, X-Men: Red isn't ready to take its foot off the gas just yet. The third issue continues to expand and escalate discord amongst Mars' mutant population. Written by Al Ewing and drawn by Stefano Caselli alongside colorists Federico Blee and Fernando Sifuentes and letterer Ariana Maher -- X-Men: Red #3 once again raises the stakes for the mutants of outer space.

X-Men: Red #3 is almost exclusively set on the mutant planet of Mars, where Vulcan, AKA Gabriel Summers, finds a way to win the hearts and minds of Arakko, despite his fragmenting and fracturing mental state. Storm and her Brotherhood of Arakko shadow Vulcan and Abigail Brand's machinations, concerned by S.W.O.R.D.'s X-Men Red team dedicated to policing Mars on their own terms. One way or another, it will all end with a confrontation in the Circle Perilous, and only one combatant will survive.

Related: REVIEW: Marvel's Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty #1

Ewing continues to carefully construct a world that feels intricate but organic, motivated by characters, their choices, and convictions. Characterization is firmly underlined as the nerve center of the comic in X-Men: Red #3. Magneto really is the stand-out character of the second half of the comic. Ewing makes potent use of dramatic irony, letting readers collect hints and breadcrumbs from each character's limited perspective to cobble together a more complete picture. Even with a superior vantage point, it is hard to see how all the pieces will fit together. Ewing successfully weaves a tantalizing mystery filled with shadowy influences and unseen hands. This is reinforced by the excellent prose pieces that intercut X-Men: Red -- memos, messages, and all kinds of formal and informal documents give the surrounding world weight and depth.

Caselli's art in X-Men: Red #3 feels complex and sensitive, wringing every last drop of potency from each facial expression. The bulk of the issue is spent on dialogue, where this careful attention to detail pays dividends. Interpersonal conflict is treated as a subtle but lethal action from which Caselli creates unlimited tension, using delicate changes in expression and line to draw out layers of opposition and harmony between characters. The central action scene is remarkably engaging. Caselli deftly captures each movement to create a tightly plotted and tautly executed battle. He renders all of the grisly consequences of mutant brawling. Limbs stick out at awful angles and gruesomely rearranged faces look on in horror at the carnage.

RELATED: X-Men Red is Setting Up an Omega-Level Brawl That Could Destroy an Entire World

The coloring team of Blee and Sifuentes have done absolutely stellar work on X-Men: Red #3, capturing the luscious earthy hues of Krakoa, the black uninviting coldness of space, and the extraterrestrial tones of Arakko in powerful concert. The colors elevate the art and create a unique atmosphere for each setting. Maher's work on letters is compelling throughout. She carefully uses weight and emphasis to add even more layers of nuance and ambiguity to the dialogue. Her sound effects are intuitive and satisfying, and they help to draw out the momentum of action sequences.

X-Men: Red #3 makes huge strides in fleshing out the world of Arakko, particularly in terms of its leaders and power structures, effortlessly weaving together lore and characterization to create a story that resonates in both the macro and microcosm. The creative team can do it all. This issue swings from a terse political thriller to a sensationalized violent spectacle without a hitch. The dramatic conclusion demands an equally dramatic fallout, meaning that next month's issue can't come soon enough.