The extraordinary adventures of Kraven continue in X-Force #31, which have shown to be very bad for new member Deadpool. Not only does it continue Kraven’s hunt, but it also ties into A.X.E.: Judgment Day, as seen in the preview. Benjamin Percy and Robert Gill continue to explore what this team is at its core while revealing some significant cracks in its armor.
As seen in the last issue, Wolverine has quit the team or left unexpectedly, leaving Omega Red as the team’s requisite killer. Following up with the mission he and Deadpool went on, this issue leans into Omega Red’s far more dangerous and violent ways while showing how Beast may be running out of patience. Percy continues to explore Beast’s immoral behavior and uses events and character interaction in this issue to show he may get even worse. His respect for fellow teammate Sage, for instance, suggests trouble is coming for the team.
Immorality seems to be the name of the game for this team, though, so it’s par for the course. In one pivotal scene, Sage offers Omega Red the chance to use the Shadow Room, basically the holodeck from Star Trek. She wants him to let out his aggression and violent ways in the room, so no one is harmed, yet fully admits she’ll look the other way at the atrocities he’ll get up to. Pair that with Beast’s desire to manipulate others, and the team’s identity is more confident than ever. Not the most moral of teams, eh?
That’s where Deadpool comes in, and Percy seems to be set up as the lighter, fun aspect that might make this team less evil. The character is funny and weird, with Gill depicting his healing powers in a most fantastical way with a hand and torso with no head running around. How the body can control itself without a brain remains to be seen, but that’s comics for you! Deadpool adds levity to an otherwise dark and violent issue.
Now, whether or not Deadpool can save himself from the clutches of Kraven is another story. The issue opens with Kraven, who is confirmed to be a clone of the classic villain. He presents himself to the Progenitor Celestial, hellbent on proving himself. Percy makes a strong case for why a clone of Kraven may be even more competitive and dangerous than Kraven himself, with excellent captions detailing his animalistic ways. Later on we see him interact with Deadpool very much with his eye on the prize. This leads to a cliffhanger that should have fans salivating, especially given Joshua Cassara’s excellent cover depicting Beast skinned by Kraven.
Literally presenting himself to a Celestial. What a boss.
Credit: Marvel
Sage’s drinking problem continues to add a bit of realism to the story. Kraven’s obsession with the hunt and Omega Red’s downright evil nature aren’t as easy to relate to, making Sage’s drinking almost a byproduct of the insanity around her. While it’s fun to see how Omega Red can function in society, Sage’s drinking problem is something to keep tabs on from a personal character level.
X-Force #31 balances the immoral core of the team with the wild cards that are Omega Red, Deadpool, and Kraven. This team is not all right, far from it, and Percy continues to poke and prod at the various members until heroes rise triumphantly, or the entire thing folds like a house of cards. That’s exciting and entertaining complexity worth reading about.
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