Of all the X-Men teams, X-Force might have been the one that changed the most depending who was on the team, and who leads that team. Under Cable, the New Mutants became a more proactive fighting force. Under Cyclops (and later Wolverine), they became a kill squad aiming to take out threats to mutantkind. In the Krakoan age, they were meant to be the first line of defense for the mutant nation. Now, X-Force #1 from Geoffrey Thorne and Marcus To takes an unexpected approach.
When Forge triggers a boost to his mutant abilities, he comes to a horrifying realization: The world is broken. Being an inventor, he decides to fix it and assembles a unique team consisting of Sage, Tank, Betsy Braddock and Rachel Summers. The new X-Force finds themselves in Japan, where they stumble across Nori Ashida – aka Surge – and a strange monstrosity that feeds on innocents.
Marvel
Thorne was very clear in the lead-up to X-Force that his version of the team would be different than any that came before, and in that respect he was right: Forge isn’t a brawler like Wolverine or a soldier like Cable. He knows how to fix things, meaning his strategy is placing people in the right spot and letting them utilize their unique abilities. I also love the character dynamics between the members of X-Force, whether it’s Betsy and Rachel’s couple arguments or Sage’s blunt answer to…well, everyone.
X-Force #1 also looks insanely gorgeous, courtesy of To. I wasn’t sure about the new red and black suits that X-Force is sporting, but To makes them look amazing by adding unique elements to each costume; Forge’s signature headband, Sage’s sunglasses, and Rachel’s 90’s-style jacket. To also has a unique way of depicting superpowers, especially when Surge deploys hers – she becomes a being of pure lightning, with Erick Arciniega adding a electric blue flair to the scene.
We also have to talk about the Deadpool of it all, as the Merc with a Mouth shows up to play a key role in defusing the crisis. Granted, his appearance is more or less playing into Deadpool & Wolverine‘s opening weekend – Deadpool even says “movie tie-in baby!” But there’s a method to the madness, and the creative team understands that a little Deadpool goes a long way. X-Force offers a new look at how to save the world, with some gorgeous art to boot.
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