Kid Omega may have taken center stage in X-Force #29, but now that Deadpool has been accepted as an X-Force member, he’s kicking his feet up and being heard. Ben Percy and Robert Gill shake things up with X-Force #30 in a couple of ways, spelling a big change for the series. Or with Deadpool on it, at least some headaches, laughs, and plenty of lopped-off limbs.
X-Force #30 opens with Wolverine slashing at the tree on Krakoa that represents its face. He wants to know where Kid Omega has gone, and he wants to know now. This scene sets up the fact that Wolverine is exiting the island and the X-Force, at least for now. This also sets up the fact that Deadpool bothering Wolverine is not the focus like it was the last few issues, but instead, he gets to annoy others. That allows Percy to play around with the far rougher relationship between Omega Red and Deadpool. Boy, does it go badly for Deadpool.
Frankly, though, this opening scene with Wolverine may be the weakest part of the issue. From there, we’re given some primo time with Kraven, the new story arc’s main villain. Percy does an exceptional job getting into his head and showing the man lives to hunt. There is an intimacy explored via these captions to show how seriously Kraven takes hunting, killing, and then wearing the spoils of his kills. It’s very well done and sets up a cliffhanger that should have readers waiting in anticipation.
I imagine at least one mutant a day attacks him.
Credit: Marvel
A lot of time is spent in this issue showing Deadpool hanging out on Krakoa. He’s been wanting in for years, so it’s nice to give him the win here. Gill handles the comedy well, capturing the utter annoyance Deadpool gives off simply hanging around. The dialogue helps, of course, and is worth an audible laugh or two. Omega Red stands out as a highlight visually as well as he’s big, formidable, and cranky as heck.
Intermixed with Deadpool, Wolverine leaving, and Kraven are some data pages that give context as far as how X-Force is handling the world knowing about resurrections. This leads to a powerful scene where protestors have kidnapped a key mutant and require some justice in the way of guns and violence. Percy is layering in some political troubles X-Force will soon be forced to deal with while setting up the villain and Deadpool’s chaotic nature on the team. All these elements combine into a satisfying issue, rather dense in the grand scheme of things.
X-Force #30 is a satisfying chapter to a new story arc that fully utilizes Deadpool and the comedy he brings. Juxtaposed with Deadpool are a deadly serious Kraven and Omega Red, making for a great dynamic worth exploring further in future issues. X-Force continues to show how to maximize entertainment.
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