Wolverine is done with his solo adventures and thus back in X-Force as the team tries to scrounge up survivors post-Hellfire Gala. It’s not looking good for mutants, and in X-Force #47, it’s quite apparent writer Benjamin Percy is using this time to wrap up some ongoing plots. That includes Beast, but also Kid Omega, who plays a significant role. As the opening salvo of a new story arc, it’s good at setting things up, but can it stand on its own two feet?
The answer is “mostly”, as the narrative wanders a bit to get to its point. Opening with Wolverine, Percy puts us inside his head via captions detailing where he’s at now that he has resolved his loose ends. Very quickly, X-Force is taking him in and trying to set up a new haven for mutants. This leads to some fun Black Tom innovation and a solid name for their new base.
This issue juggles three main plots. The first is what the X-Force will do with Colossus. In a key scene with Domino and Colossus, it’s pretty clear the team is still trying to figure out how to deal with a betrayer who also had no control over himself. The other involves Wolverine and how he treats Kid Omega, while another is about saving any mutants lost to the wind. Ultimately, a lot gets done in this issue, even though it’s mostly a table-setting chapter.
Will there ever be a better era for Black Tom?
Credit: Marvel
That’s the biggest gripe I have, as there are multiple good moments–like one between Daken and Wolverine–but it never seems to get to its main conflict till the very last panel. It’s hard to know where it’s all going aside from establishing a new status quo for X-Force. Looping in the main threat earlier may have helped since there’s very little apparent danger throughout the issue. Fans will adore a lost mutant who is saved, however, and fans of X-Men have plenty to sink their teeth into.
Drawn by Daniel Picciotto with colors by GURU-eFX, the book is well drawn with good detail in backgrounds and costuming. It’s a tad rough in places, but it’s easy to follow, and it nails the dramatic beats. A tricky scene involving super speedsters is pulled off well, for instance, and the final panel revealing the big villain is drawn with great detail.
Fans with patience and interest in general mutant survival will love X-Force #47. It takes a while to get to its central conflict, but there’s a lot of table setting and establishing of mutants who we didn’t know survive popping up. That’s a win if you adore the Krakoan Age.
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