Marvel’s X-Men lineup wouldn’t be complete without an X-Force title, and the From the Ashes era promised some fan favorite mutants for this iteration of the strike force. While this book boasts some strong character dynamics and striking visuals thanks to writer Geoffrey Thorne and artist team Marcus To and Erick Arciniega, this era of X-Force has been uneven, and this collection doesn’t fully change that impression.
Collecting issues #6–10 of the 2024 X-Force run, this book ends Forge’s newly assembled strike team as they tackle both internal and external threats. The series balances two main threads: Forge, Captain Britain, Askani (Rachel Summers), and Tank facing the magical-technological villain La Diabla, and a separate storyline where Sage aids a desperate Professor Xavier. The latter thread ties into the line-wide X-Manhunt crossover and even features the shocking reveal of the last remaining Krakoan resurrection egg. The Forge side of the book provides action-heavy sequences and some emotional beats, including his complicated reunions with Mystique and Storm, while the Sage/Xavier plot slows the pace down and explores Xavier’s conflicted motives. The book tries to juggle ongoing subplots with the demands of the crossover, and not all of it lands.
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Marcus To and Erick Arciniega do excellent work throughout the volume. The action sequences against La Diabla are blocked well and capture the action effectively. I enjoyed how Betsy and Rachel’s powers are displayed, and the quieter moments (like Sage’s and Xavier’s scenes) have a more muted palette. To’s clean linework and Arciniega’s colors remain a highlight even when the story pacing drags. The lettering is clear and helps the action flow smoothly.
Like some of the other From the Ashes books, there is a clear ambition in what some of the writers are trying to cover in their respective plots, but it ends up feeling wandering and then disrupted by crossovers. It has good character moments, but the split focus and uneven pacing left me wanting. If you’ve been following this run, it’s worth reading to see how these threads develop heading into the finale, but it may not convert skeptics of this current era.
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