X-Force, Vol. 6

X-Force (2019)

by Benjamin Percy, Joshua Cassara (Cover Art), Chris Allen (Artist)

Collects X-FORCE (2019) #34-38.

The planet Arakko is a new target for Arakkii pirate Sevyr Blackmore! But where there's crime, there's inevitably punishment. And that's where X-Force comes in, along with hired hands Maverick and the Mercs! But are even their combined forces up to the task of keeping these deadly warriors from overrunning the solar system? Back on Earth, XENO and its mysterious leader, the Man with the Peacock Tattoo, make their deadly move against X-Force - and all mutants! And Domino, Deadpool and Omega Red are about to fall right into his clutches! At last, learn the secrets of the fiend who's been plaguing X-Force since the series began! But as the terrible truth of XENO's horror-show experiments stands revealed, who - or what - is the Omni-Mutant?!

Genres: Comics, X Men, Marvel, Graphic Novels, Comic Book, Superheroes, Graphic Novels Comics

136 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 7, 2023

About the author

Benjamin Percy is the author of seven novels -- most recently The Sky Vault (William Morrow) -- three short fiction collections, and a book of essays, Thrill Me, that is widely taught in creative writing classrooms. He writes Wolverine, X-Force, and Ghost Rider for Marvel Comics. His fiction and nonfiction have been published in Esquire (where he is a contributing editor), GQ, Time, Men's Journal, Outside, the Wall Street Journal, Tin House, and the Paris Review. His honors include an NEA fellowship, the Whiting Writer's Award, the Plimpton Prize, two Pushcart Prizes, the iHeart Radio Award for Best Scripted Podcast, and inclusion in Best American Short Stories and Best American Comics.

Reviews

[Baba · Rating 3 out of 5]

X-Force has had enough already! Rabid anti-mutant enablers are targeted by X-Force for shutting down, but with a team mate on the booze and a team having to use Omega Red and Deadpool(!) can they get the job done? Very interesting insights into Sage and Domino in this volume, but the trailblazer is Marvel's slow-burn coverage of the Beast's descent into villainy! And, who is behind that green peacock mask? A firm 6 out of 12 Three Stars, which is not bad for a 2020's Marvel book I am saddened to say.

2025 read

[Frédéric · Rating 3 out of 5]

2,5*, rounded up

End of the Peacock arc; decent in spirit if lacking in execution. Too much overblown fireworks- Percy’s style all the way-supported by nondescript art. The idea behind it is not too shabby though.

As for the team: The character formerly known as Beast is now dead; some Dr Mengele apparently took his place. This evolution was not uninteresting to begin with. Beast’s hubris would logically dehumanize him. But to go this far? Tt.t.
Sage and Domino are the only really interesting characters, trying to deal with their past and their flaws. Beast has enlisted in the NSDAP, Omega Red is as blank as ever and Deadpool is, well, Deadpool. Never liked him, never will.

I’m half convinced so far. We’ll see what the next volume will bring.

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

These X-Force volumes offer some welcome focus on minor X-characters, sometimes with actual character growth (Domino!), but the stories are often so random that it's hard to place them in a grander narrative.

This volume includes two arcs. The first finds Arakkan pirate Sevyr Blackmore attacking a space prison, which is defended by Maverick's band of mercenaries. Oh, and the prison was constructed by Beast as a place to test out his mad mutant plans??? Feels like a big puzzle piece in Beast's backstory that arrives out of nowhere.

After Beast is peeled out of that morass by X-Force, they don't bother to, y'know, question his motives, but instead move on to tackling the Peacock Man, who is using mutant genes to craft his own mutant monsters. The volume attempts to provide some backstory for the Peacock Man, but it only succeeds in making him way less intimidating of a villain.

The throughline in X-Force ought to be the upcoming battle with Beast as his plans come to fruition/fall apart. Instead, we get a little of that and a little of random narratives. Perfectly adequate and enjoyable, but I just want to be building towards something.

[Khurram · Rating 2 out of 5]

A disappointing book. I wanted to give this book 2.5 stars. With the book committing one of my personal annoyance in comics. Wolverine is quite prominent on the cover, but he is not in the book. I really hate that. So it gets the round down.

Beast's scheme/sins are exposed well, one of them at least. Can X-Force rescue him from his comeuppance and do the want to?

On the second story arc, Domino uncovers a couple of secrets. Just in the for a showdown with XENO.

Some interesting things in this book for later and good character bits for Sage and Domino, but not much action. The book finishes with a varient cover gallery and a thumbnail version of the varient covers.

[Marco · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is pure garbage.

[Tyler Jenkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good ending to this run of X-Force. Not completely sure if they’ll be back since it seems like all this interconnected X-Men storytelling is ending soon but this team has served its purpose for the most part.

[Matthew Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the team dynamic in this one. Sage and Beast work well together. Domino, Deadpool, and Omega Red work very well together. The threat in this one felt huge, but also was taken down in a calculated manner. Beast is so much more likable in this title so far since he seems to be doing enough to protect mutants, but hasn’t exactly crossed any serious lines in this title yet. Curious how the events of this one and the last Wolverine volume will affect this title and how Beast helps keep Krakoa and mutants safe going forward.

[Rahul Nadella · Rating 2 out of 5]

The conclusion of this story arc was a long time coming. It has been built up, dropped off and picked up again so many times that it made me very happy to see some definite closure on several plot points. The Xeno plot coasts to a smooth conclusion, though it's not particularly surprising or intense. It's all just falls flat considering how powerful this organization has been shown to be, especially early on in this series. It should have been the epic final showdown... and it just feels like the ending of a normal story. Maybe Percy has dragged this for too long and it has lost its momentum.

[Nate Deprey · Rating 2 out of 5]

The wild swings between Beasts DEEP heel turn, Sage's guilt over what X-Force's rapidly escalating body count and the binge drinking she is doing to cope, and Deadpool shenanigans create a tonally impossible book. Really dark things are happening in plain sight in X-Force and Deadpool can't really joke this stuff away.

[Anna Quilter · Rating 3 out of 5]

This really sets up what happens with Beast over in WOLVERINE....and you need to check out Vol 6 of that title if you want to see it blow up.

[Bertazzo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beast went from Hank McCoy to Hank Mengele really fast.

[Alex Sarll]

One of the great things about this series has been its willingness to lay trails far in advance, and in many respects that's still here; Colossus' mind-control is still bubbling away, while Sage's drinking and Xeno's experiments come to a head - even if the alcoholism material does veer a little close to very special episodes of US network TV at the last. But while it's absolutely in keeping with Percy's Beast that he should have been conducting deeply unethical experiments in an off-planet black site, it feels like we've barely heard about the place before it's in revolt, which inevitably dulls the emotional impact. And once the riot has happened and the extent of the dirty secrets Beast has been keeping comes to light, we see him brought back in cuffs - but then next time we see him, he's only in mild disgrace, which feels like something between anticlimax and delaying tactics.

[Adam Fisher · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars.
Is Beast going to become an enemy? He is taking things way too far...
Highlights:
- Sage handles much of the Krakoan intel, including running things for many elements of Krakoan forces. How does she get downtime? By drinking herself into a stupor so she can sleep...
- As Domino and Deadpool capture some of XENO's mutations (with the help of Maverick and his mercs) we find out that many of them are ending up in a secret bio testing facility run by Beast, having convinced himself that running all kinds of illegal and immoral tests and experiments on the "bad guys" will work out better for the good. The rest of X-Force finds out and loses much trust for him.
- Domino goes to Mumbai in disguise to meet with XENO, but is recognized and almost captured again, but gets taken back to X- Force headquarters.
- At an auction, the Genengineer is able to purchase a krakoan egg which he will use to clone himself again, using the clone to help create the "ultimate being"
- X-Force uses Krakoan technology to plug into Domino and find where XENO is on Genosha
- Showdown on Genosha! X-Force is able to: 1) Fight the Omnimutant, 2) Leave the Genengineer to his own creations to be killed.3) They are able to save the kid/clone who was shown to have telepathic powers.
Not really sure of the direction of X-Force at this time, but I look forward to see it unfold.
Recommend.

[Michael Church · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually enjoyed this more than I didn’t. I do think it’s funny that Wolverine is on the cover of this volume, but he doesn’t appear on a single page. This arc focuses on Domino and Sage for the most part. The first half seeing Sage grapple with her alcoholism. It’s hard for comics to do any sort of real addiction storyline. I get it, but at the same time it always makes it feel half baked or like it’s an after school special instead of something actually looking at the disease.

The second half, focused more on Domino, is a bit better. I still don’t much care about the character, but the book makes a solid case for why I should try. This also ties into the end of the Xeno arc and the big reveal of who is under the mask of the Man With the Peacock Tattoo. It was a choice. One I hadn’t predicted. It didn’t carry a ton of weight for me.

Deadpool and Omega Red are mostly present as foils to one another and extra muscle for Domino when on missions. Neither one gets to do much. Beast does have some significant moments but the biggest one is kind of brushed under the rug by the next issue. I am really ready to focus on that problem and see it come to a head.

The art is pretty consistent, if unremarkable. It’s sometimes a little smudgy and dark, but I think that’s the vibe the book was going for.

[Jason Tanner · Rating 4 out of 5]

We've been watching Beast turn into a less competent Dick Cheney for some time now, and I'm glad that we're finally seeing the negative effects it is having on the team dynamics of X-Force. Sage and Domino are struggling with their demons. Omega Red is undergoing what seems to be a legitimate period of growth. Deadpool is still Deadpool.

I'm glad to see what appears to be the resolution to the Xeno thread. The Krakoa era has been marked by organizations of humans eager to twist their own genetics to try and beat the mutants at their own game; Xeno was just one of many and I won't miss them.

I'm hoping the next thing we see is the Colossus situation coming to a head. Domino knows something is off, and with her memory restored, it's another piece of the puzzle. I'm ready to see Mikhail's endgame, and I really want to see Colossus get some payback for being mind controlled for so long. The man has not gotten a break since Krakoa started.

In all I like this one. I'm a little iffy on Percy's Wolverine, but his X-Force is solid. Nice pacing, strong art, generally good storytelling and character beats. As much as anything, I just want to see the X-Force cast get a little time to rest. Except Beast. F*** him.

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of those 'tale of two halves' books.

The first half deals with an intergalactic breakout as one of Beast's darker (and stupider) schemes falls apart, bringing Sevyr Blackmore over from the Wolverine solo book into conflict with X-Force and Maverick, furthering the 'Beast is a fucking asshole' storyline for better or worse.

The second half is much better, focusing in on XENO and the Man With The Peacock Tattoo. His origins and his ultimate downfall are delicious and ironic in equal measure, and feature a fantastic moment for Domino, while the Colossus subplot continues to bubble in the background.

The addition of Omega Red and Deadpool works surprisingly well, and Percy uses Deadpool sparingly enough that he doesn't steal the show.

Series artist Robert Gill handles the XENO story, while Christopher Allen of Miles Morales fame heads over the first two issues. I do wish they'd managed to keep Joshua Cassara around for a little while longer though, his presence is missed.

X-Force is a little bit of a rollercoaster in terms of consistency, but it's always fun even when it's being daft.

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thought it was pretty good. Two distinct stories. In the first, Beast has created a black ops prison in space where he's conducting experiments on humans, mutants, whatever and whoever he can get his hands on. In the course of uncovering this, several prisoners escape and must be captured again, including the mutant pirate Sevyr Blackmore, whose mutant power seems to be...corrosive vomit? In the second arc, the team finally takes down XENO and we find out who's behind the mask of the man with the Peacock Tattoo. This was a satisfying end to one of the more gruesome story threads that's been at work almost since the re-launch of this group of X-Men. Things are not looking good for many of the members of X-Force and I'm kind of wondering about the ultimate resolution to this whole Krakoa storyline. It's nice to see mutants with some agency, fighting back against the multitude of forces arrayed against them, but it's kind of hard to always be fighting without losing some of your soul in the process.

[RubiGiráldez RubiGiráldez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vuelve a ser un conjunto de aventuras X-Force ciertamente al tono R de la formación. Sobre todo ya con Bestia en clave "Mad Doctor" que horroriza a gente como Lobezno, Deadpool o incluso Omega Rojo. Aunque, por supuesto, lo más interesante y pertinente está en poder finiquitar (aparentemente) la amenaza de Xeno. Esa organización de bioingenería humana con componentes físicos mutantes capitaneada por el hombre enmascarado con tatuaje de pavo real. Aquel que atrapó a Domino al inicio de la cabecera para experimentrar a expensas de de rebanar su cuerpo a un punto en el que las heridas producidas siguen mellando en ella aunque tenga un nuevo cuerpo y estén excindidos recuerdos de esos terribles días. Algo que tendrá que volver a asimilar para poner punto y final a esta pesadilla para Krakoa.

Benjamin Percy focaliza la relevancia de la historia en Domino. Un personaje bastante estable en esta formación en la que Deadpool ya está totalmente suelto en su anarquía personal comiquera que incluso se enfrenta al terrorífico hieratismo de Omega Rojo.

[Shannon Appelcline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Percy's X-Force _finally_ starts to come together in this excellent sixth volume.

The first story is all about Beast's character, which has been, shall we say, Darkening since at least Endangered Species and Messiah Complex. His new space prison is a great extension of this long-running plot, and if it feels like there aren't enough repercussions for murderous attitude, we have to assume X-Force doesn't know the full extent of it.

But then we finally the backstory and a conclusion to the Xeno story, and it's not just great but a lovely integration with X-Men history. Too often, Xeno stories focused on body horror instead of character, and that's resolved here.

The biggest problem with Percy's story has been its meandering nature, but at least when we get a payoff it feels good. Now if we could just get back to the mostly ignored story of what's happening to Piotr.

[Joey Nardinelli · Rating 3 out of 5]

This seems to be offering up resolutions on XENO and Beast within the X-Force and Wolverine lines, but I was left scratching my head by several things here. The art is fine and the story feels pretty rushed. Logan appears briefly in a closet that Beast has a hidden Krakoan Gate in, but that’s never expanded upon at all. Beast is also pulled out of the Dark Prison in handcuffs but is seemingly free by the next issue? And the ending for the man with the peacock tattoo felt so hurried as the undercut the sort of danger he presented in the first place (the resolution just feels far too quick and tidy). Hoping the next volume picks it back up a bit, but this current version just seems to be missing a few more compelling wrinkles within the portrayal of the team.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Art and writing is a step up from last volume. These Krakoa X-men comics really lack something that other X-stories usually had. They don’t focus on character as much as they lean on the plots. The plots can sometimes be interesting. But if the mutants don’t act genuine, the plots don’t matter so much.

Percy may have realized that in this book. Emotions are a little obtuse, but at least they are on display. Here we see Domino and Sage, two X-people that were never that interesting before, and gave them a purpose.

On a side note: Omega Red is given the opportunity to be a protagonist. Reminds me of when they did the same with Sabertooth years back. It will take some work not to fumble this.

[Ross · Rating 2 out of 5]

FINALLY! We get an answer on the identity of the 'Man With the Peacock Tattoo'
..
...
and it's a Genosha thing? Seriously? Of all the ways to reveal this epic idea..

Just let Domino move on. The Colossus angle has taken FOREVER to resolve. Please, just advance the overall plot and get this series moving on. It feels like every version of X-Force is made to implode from its own secrets and lies. Think I'm wrong?

Name ONE version of the team that hasn't fallen apart or disbanded.

---
Bonus: One whole issue on alcoholism? Boy, does this book need the humor of Deadpool.
Bonus Bonus: Omega Red is a sociopath with no redeeming value. Good for selling issues, right? (sarcasm)

[Subham · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yeah idk about this run, some stuff is good, the other stuff is not so good, but you know we get the part of X-Force finding Beast and what he has been doing and why Wolverine quits the team, X-Force vs XENO happens and we get the origin of the leader and not the most well executed but there are a couple of cool moments in fight scenes for the characters and then the Omni-mutant which is just a mish-mash of X-Force members and I didn't like it that much. But atleast this long running plot got resolved.. the art was decent and you do get new members starting the next arc so that should be interesting as the confront Mikhail and resolve the plotline with Colossus maybe?

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.75
Possibly the best current X-Men run. And there are some good ones. Percy has weaved an excellent, ongoing story diving into a wide variety of characters, all with really great arcs. That's how you do it.

[Joshua]

The state of Percy’s slice of Krakoa is strong

[Fiona · Rating 3 out of 5]

not a single person on this team is okay but i quite like them all together

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's fine but pales compares to the Wolverine book at the moment

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like Wolverine, this series never felt like it had its footing. But it's starting to gain some much needed momentum.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Man with the Peacock Tattoo reveal was a bit meh, but overall I enjoyed it.

[Daniel Butcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some fighting and tieing up some older Krakoan age storylines.

Beast…you’re not right man!