The Hellfire Gala 2023 has affected the entire X-Men line of series, but in X-Force #43, Benjamin Percy takes us back right before the party got underway. It’s an issue that plays a heavy part in actions that could give mutants an edge against Orchis, but it hinges on Colossus and his brother’s manipulation of him. That’s right, the ongoing internal conflict of Colossus comes to a head in this week’s issue!
Opening with Colossus, writer Bejmain Percy and artist Robert Gill reminds us Colossus is reeling from the guilt of his actions and the deceit he’s brought to his fellow mutants. As the liaison of the Quiet Council for the X-Force, he’s got a more diplomatic role with Sage as the leader. The X-Force has always been the Hellfire Gala security, but with Colossus serving someone else’s whims, how much security can the team actually bring?
A much more single-character-focused issue, Colossus takes up much of the pages as he sullenly ponders what he’s about to do. Ironically his actions appear to be what could help the team and mutants in general, even though it was a plan meant to do the opposite. The issue spends a bit too much time on Colossus being sad, though and never probing deeper than his regret.
Backstabber!
Credit: Marvel
Since so much time is spent showing Colossus depressed, there’s not much to the book before the cliffhanger drops, but there are some nice character moments throughout. Kid Omega, for instance, gets to have a dress-up party. Deadpool hams it up, and Domino uncovers something truly horrific. We also get to see Xavier show he’s very much unaware of what is going on as he tells Colossus he has a steady hand. Literally and figuratively wrong, one can see Xavier’s time as head of state is no longer deserved.
Gill’s art is strong, with good details regarding environments and structures. The X-Force base is particularly cool, with a nice sense of scale from an underwater shot. Gill gets to redraw the events of the Hellfire Gala, particularly one of the most gruesome attacks by Nimrod–which will bring you back to that horrific moment. It’s fitting for this book to showcase gore as it does here since it has always leaned towards body horror elements.
X-Force #43 is a stable push toward Colossus’ ongoing struggle and story arc to meet its conclusion. Ultimately this issue doesn’t offer much outside of the setup with the cliffhanger, but it continues to handle the team dynamic well, giving each member a moment to shine. It excitingly gives us new context surrounding some of the mutants’ escape which offers a glint of hope and interesting developments for mutants going forward.
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