The X-Force team has taken a beating, with members leaving, dying, or outright attacking each other in cold blood. That’s never been more obvious than in X-Force #39, which has Beast on the run, and the team has multiple short members. Enter Wolverine and Colossus, who are joining the team, but how? We find that out and more in X-Force #39. In a story that continues to play out before Sins of Sinister switched things up, X-Force #39 feels important as we embark on a new era for the team.
Your eyes are not deceiving you – the first page of X-Force #39 looks familiar because it sets the stage for a key moment we saw Wolverine exit last issue. He dropped the cloned body of Beast in front of the Quiet Council, and now we get to see what they discuss after Wolverine left. This scene takes up much of the issue and features heavy-hitting mutants like Xavier and Exodus, all discussing what to do about Beast.
This issue is more political than any before it, as we get to see who takes leadership of the team and how it’s perceived by the Quiet Council. They’re basically the Krakoan government, and like any government, they see the pros and cons of a terrorist outsider like Beast, who seems to have the same goals in mind to preserve Krakoa and all mutants. It’s a slippery slope of morals at work here, and writer Benjamin Percy navigates it well. We get to see the shades of grey in these characters and who among them is purely good at heart.
Juggernaut seems to like it.
Credit: Marvel
I could see some fans feeling like the Quiet Council scene is a bit long, but if you’ve enjoyed the Krakoa era, there’s a lot of nuance to unpack. Given Fall of X is coming soon and may upend everything like the Quiet Council, I for one am soaking it in.
One could argue Sage’s role is questionable. Unfortunately, it’s not touched upon how she is emotionally, although you could probably guess she’s not fixed from her drinking issues we’ve seen in past issues. We’re left to wonder, and since nobody is ever really fixed, we can probably count on her failing the team. That said, it’s unclear.
The second half of the issue is focused on recruitment and base building. Given Beast is still out there running around, a new base that looks capable of moving around like an animal seems like a hint a battle is coming. Beast has a walking headquarters too, so why not. Percy and Robert Gill maximize the entertainment value of bringing in Wolverine. She gets to show what she’s up to when hanging around, and it’s, of course, a violent game with Juggernaut, Blob, and Strong Guy.
Throw in a fun moment for Deadpool, who is his usual weird self, and a call back to an Arakko villain that’s popped up in this and Wolverine titles, and we have a well-plotted and packed with entertainment issue. That allows for a bit of action at the tail end of the issue, as well as another callback to a character that Percy has utilized to great effect in the earlier issues of the series.
X-Force #39 is an efficient issue that features politics, team building, tons of characters getting a chance to shine, and good art. As we wait for Beast to get his due, the team seems to be on track for a new era and resurgence.
Join the AIPT Patreon
Want to take our relationship to the next level? Become a patron today to gain access to exclusive perks, such as:
- ❌ Remove all ads on the website
- 💬 Join our Discord community, where we chat about the latest news and releases from everything we cover on AIPT
- 📗 Access to our monthly book club
- 📦 Get a physical trade paperback shipped to you every month
- 💥 And more!
You must be logged in to post a comment.