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X-Force (2019)
X-Force, Vol. 4
Fear of a green planet! As the Reign of X expands outwards, Beast plants the seeds — and X-Force pulls the weeds. But not if Man-Slaughter has anything to say about it! When the genetic makeup of the shambling soldier is used to infect and control an army of unwilling agents, X-Force must get to the root of the problem — but can they do it before Dr. Bloodroot kills again? Meanwhile, Beast’s best-laid plans invite a threat close to the heart…as the secret works of Mikhail are at last revealed! A dire change for Krakoa is in the wind!
COLLECTING: X-Force (2019) 21-26
COLLECTING: X-Force (2019) 21-26
168 pages, Paperback
Published February 22, 2022
About the author
Benjamin Percy
844 books1,234 followersBenjamin 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
November 19, 2024
The end of this season (six!) of X-Force goes out OK, but overall in the context of this supposedly innovative new mutant era, the main focus of this volume is on a non-consequential battle with a number of foes and some romantically minded issues for Logan; the real meat in this volume is the continuing machinations of Beast (first started under Brian Michael Bendis' run), and becomes more and more evident, the compromising of Colossus! The X-scribes continue to under-write X-Force and not make full use of their black ops status. 7 out of 12, Three Star read.
2024 read
2024 read
June 15, 2022
This picture pretty much sums up this volume of X-Force. Wolverine on an adamantium surf board. So stupid.
These stories are boring as can be. The villains suck. Mostly mute creatures. The stories and plot threads meander. Ugh.
These stories are boring as can be. The villains suck. Mostly mute creatures. The stories and plot threads meander. Ugh.
March 25, 2022
Tell me again why this series haven't been cancelled yet? We're twenty-six issues in and the story still feels like a draft, it lacks direction, and the art keeps coming out rushed and sketchy looking, the only reason I'm not giving it one star is because I still like Black Tom Cassidy in it. I just can't understand Marvel editors anymore, want to make X-Force cool again? Here's how you do it, remove Wolverine, Jean Grey and Beast from the team, Wolverine is already starring in his solo series by Percy, and he clearly doesn't know what to do with Beast and Jean Grey on the team, so just get them out, OUT! Now, bring on some new members, like Fantomex, Shatterstar, Cannonball, Marrow, Boom-Boom, heck, bring on freaking Spiral to the team, or Bishop, he's doing nothing on Marauders either way, and here's a really wild suggestion... Cable! Right? I mean, right? No? Cable and the X-Force? No? Too out there? Ok, whateves, keep doing this episodic floral mess you have going on here, see if I care.
January 10, 2022
There isn't much to say about this run of X-Force. It's not really a team book. It's a title that follows 3 field agents (Wolverine, Quentin Quire, and Domino) as they are coordinated from afar by Beast and Sage. Jean and Colossus make sporadic appearances but are not actually part of a team at all, and both of them make it abundantly clear that they absolute despise Beast. Their hatred of Beast is supposed to be more justified because he is spinning out as a mad scientist, and his sense of morality is fading away.
That's it. That's this book in a nutshell.
This particular volume tries to conclude with a sunnier tone. There is more of a focus upon Quentin Quire's love life with one of the Stepford Cuckoos. We are shown Wolverine trying to surf, inexplicably using an adamantium surfboard. I Googled what surfboards are normally made of because this seemed so ludicrous, and it turns out usually they're at least part foam. So. An indestructible metal would be very different. Somebody should probably look into how much the weight would affect the buoyancy.
There is really nothing to recommend this book. There is no great sense of teamwork. There is no great fascination with powers. Character development is pretty one note. Beast is turning into more of a sociopath, and Quentin Quire is stabilizing as more of a regular person because he loves that Cuckoo. That's pretty much it. Wolverine and Domino are pretty much static.
Grateful for it to be over.
That's it. That's this book in a nutshell.
This particular volume tries to conclude with a sunnier tone. There is more of a focus upon Quentin Quire's love life with one of the Stepford Cuckoos. We are shown Wolverine trying to surf, inexplicably using an adamantium surfboard. I Googled what surfboards are normally made of because this seemed so ludicrous, and it turns out usually they're at least part foam. So. An indestructible metal would be very different. Somebody should probably look into how much the weight would affect the buoyancy.
There is really nothing to recommend this book. There is no great sense of teamwork. There is no great fascination with powers. Character development is pretty one note. Beast is turning into more of a sociopath, and Quentin Quire is stabilizing as more of a regular person because he loves that Cuckoo. That's pretty much it. Wolverine and Domino are pretty much static.
Grateful for it to be over.
June 28, 2022
The day may come when I find my favourite superhero riding an indestructible razor sharp surfboard straight through a Great White Shark to be unacceptably ridiculous, but it was not yesterday.
June 10, 2025
It was ok. 2.75 stars
June 29, 2022
Not my favorite book of the series. The whole book seemed to the X-Force on the defensive, and not nearly enough action. This volume contains issues 21 - 26.
Beast is not the only one who can use plants to control and attack people.
Mikhail's spy is revealed. Though X-force have put a dent in the enemies as well.
Pointbreak for Wolverine and breaking point for Kid Omaga.
This volume does keep the story moving slowly but moving. The artworknis pretty good, a revelation but not nearly enough action. The book finishes with a cover gallery with full pages covers and a varient cover of each issue.
Beast is not the only one who can use plants to control and attack people.
Mikhail's spy is revealed. Though X-force have put a dent in the enemies as well.
Pointbreak for Wolverine and breaking point for Kid Omaga.
This volume does keep the story moving slowly but moving. The artworknis pretty good, a revelation but not nearly enough action. The book finishes with a cover gallery with full pages covers and a varient cover of each issue.
February 20, 2022
I've complained/pointed out that X-Force and Wolverine have basically been two halves of the same coin for a while, but this volume highlights the other problem/quirk of the book, which is that it hasn't felt like the team's been working together for a long time.
The first two issues of this volume go a little way to remedy that, with the team coming together to face off the latest Terra Verde monster, Man-Slaughter, who's a Man-Thing. Everyone loves a Man-Thing, especially me, and one that talks always has something fun to say.
Then we're back to the solo stuff, as Colossus takes centre stage for two issues (although it's more about his brother and some horrible maneuvering that's no doubt going to bite the entirety of Krakoa in the ass soon enough. And then finally Wolverine meets a new friend, only to get stabbed in the back and have to chase/murder them and find some stolen X-babies (no, not those ones). These are all interesting, but they don't feel so much X-Force as just more "moving around" issues like I'd expect from the main X-Men book.
On art for the most part is Robert Gill, who's fine. He's been flitting about Marvel and Valiant for a while now, and he's going to be X-Force's main artist for the Destiny Of X era, so it's nice to have some continuity, even if Joshua Cassara's grittier art is a better fit.
X-Force isn't a bad book by any stretch, but it seems more concerned with individual characters rather than being a team book. Which is fine, just a strange avenue for a team book to take.
The first two issues of this volume go a little way to remedy that, with the team coming together to face off the latest Terra Verde monster, Man-Slaughter, who's a Man-Thing. Everyone loves a Man-Thing, especially me, and one that talks always has something fun to say.
Then we're back to the solo stuff, as Colossus takes centre stage for two issues (although it's more about his brother and some horrible maneuvering that's no doubt going to bite the entirety of Krakoa in the ass soon enough. And then finally Wolverine meets a new friend, only to get stabbed in the back and have to chase/murder them and find some stolen X-babies (no, not those ones). These are all interesting, but they don't feel so much X-Force as just more "moving around" issues like I'd expect from the main X-Men book.
On art for the most part is Robert Gill, who's fine. He's been flitting about Marvel and Valiant for a while now, and he's going to be X-Force's main artist for the Destiny Of X era, so it's nice to have some continuity, even if Joshua Cassara's grittier art is a better fit.
X-Force isn't a bad book by any stretch, but it seems more concerned with individual characters rather than being a team book. Which is fine, just a strange avenue for a team book to take.
May 24, 2022
This series doesn’t seem to go anywhere in particular. And it does so at snail’s pace to boot.
There’s actually no real team to speak of. Issues more or less focus on one character for 2 issues and then switch to another character. Beast is turning pure sociopath, Jean is a perfect wallflower, Domino is transparent. Quentin is heartbroken (who gives a shit?). Wolvie goes philosophing on the sense of life on an adamantium coated (???) surfing board.
Percy seems to be under the delusion he is a good and clever writer. He is neither.
The main plot stalled some time ago already, the so-called team book tells individual stories, the characters are either uninteresting or non-existent. Is there a point to this series?
And the picture wouln’t be complete without the poor sketchy art with ugly colors.
There’s actually no real team to speak of. Issues more or less focus on one character for 2 issues and then switch to another character. Beast is turning pure sociopath, Jean is a perfect wallflower, Domino is transparent. Quentin is heartbroken (who gives a shit?). Wolvie goes philosophing on the sense of life on an adamantium coated (???) surfing board.
Percy seems to be under the delusion he is a good and clever writer. He is neither.
The main plot stalled some time ago already, the so-called team book tells individual stories, the characters are either uninteresting or non-existent. Is there a point to this series?
And the picture wouln’t be complete without the poor sketchy art with ugly colors.
June 10, 2022
A trio of 2-issue arcs that all fail to make much of their promising premises; there’s another mycological/microbial body horror plot with Beast and Black Tom, a Colossus/Rasputin plot that’s heavy with allusions to Russian literature and light on resolutions, and an unexpected Point Break homage with Wolverine and Quentin. They each have fun moments and none of them are awful, they just feel frivolous and lacking any broader sense of purpose or drive. I really enjoyed Cassara’s cover art as usual, but fill-in artists provide most of the internal art for these issues and they’re a noticeable downgrade, with many panels looking lifeless and uncanny.
There is a random issue set in Mobile, AL though!
There is a random issue set in Mobile, AL though!
April 22, 2022
After the Hellfire Gala, with the establishment of the new X-Men team, and their stance on many things political being known, I was concerned about the purpose and function of X-Force. After reading this Volume, though it did entertain and keep my attention, I'm still slightly concerned. (Hopefully the upcoming Inferno will help ease my fears about a Marvel Universe where there are very few evil mutants.)
Highlights:
- The telefloronic issues are still at work here. XENO and Dr. Bloodroot of Weapon Plus have a new villain in Man-Slaughter (Think a beefed up and more violent version of Man-Thing... much closer to an aggravated Swamp Thing). After infecting some of the members of the Order of X, the plot seems to be ended with the death of Bloodroot.
- Mikail Rasputin is trying to unlock the potential of the Cerebro Sword (having somehow obtained it after X of Swords... just don't remember how) and is using XENO to do it, by getting mutant soldiers who can shrink very very small. When one is able to crawl inside of Beast, it takes an internal hunt by Black Tom Cassidy to root out the infection.
- Another of Mikail's plots involve his brother Piotr, or as we know him Colossus. Having placed a "Storyteller" in a pocket dimension, the words that are written become true. We see Piotr living happily with a woman, who he then coldly kills without any emotion at all. With a visit to the cabin by Xavier at the end of the issue, I wonder what is happening there.... (almost feel like I am missing one side of the story...)
- Lastly, apparently Krakoa has some tasty waves and Wolverine wants to surf. Forge makes him a adamantium edged surfboard (leisure and weapon all at once) and he goes to catch waves. Meeting 3 people who share his love for the risky surfing, he forms friendships. They are NOT friends though, and overnight, they steal 3 babies from The Bower (Krakoa's nursery). Logan, along with a moping Quentin Quire (Phoebe Cuckoo recently broke up with him) are able to the stop the 3 and rescue 2 of the babies. One, Max, a baby who has already developed mutant powers, is seen in the care of XENO. (This is not going to turn out well...)
This Volume left me with several questions, which I hope can be answered in the next Volume, or in the current batch of X-Books I am reading through. Either way, like all of them right now, recommend. It is a great time for mutant stories with Marvel.
Highlights:
- The telefloronic issues are still at work here. XENO and Dr. Bloodroot of Weapon Plus have a new villain in Man-Slaughter (Think a beefed up and more violent version of Man-Thing... much closer to an aggravated Swamp Thing). After infecting some of the members of the Order of X, the plot seems to be ended with the death of Bloodroot.
- Mikail Rasputin is trying to unlock the potential of the Cerebro Sword (having somehow obtained it after X of Swords... just don't remember how) and is using XENO to do it, by getting mutant soldiers who can shrink very very small. When one is able to crawl inside of Beast, it takes an internal hunt by Black Tom Cassidy to root out the infection.
- Another of Mikail's plots involve his brother Piotr, or as we know him Colossus. Having placed a "Storyteller" in a pocket dimension, the words that are written become true. We see Piotr living happily with a woman, who he then coldly kills without any emotion at all. With a visit to the cabin by Xavier at the end of the issue, I wonder what is happening there.... (almost feel like I am missing one side of the story...)
- Lastly, apparently Krakoa has some tasty waves and Wolverine wants to surf. Forge makes him a adamantium edged surfboard (leisure and weapon all at once) and he goes to catch waves. Meeting 3 people who share his love for the risky surfing, he forms friendships. They are NOT friends though, and overnight, they steal 3 babies from The Bower (Krakoa's nursery). Logan, along with a moping Quentin Quire (Phoebe Cuckoo recently broke up with him) are able to the stop the 3 and rescue 2 of the babies. One, Max, a baby who has already developed mutant powers, is seen in the care of XENO. (This is not going to turn out well...)
This Volume left me with several questions, which I hope can be answered in the next Volume, or in the current batch of X-Books I am reading through. Either way, like all of them right now, recommend. It is a great time for mutant stories with Marvel.
March 11, 2022
I'm finally getting bored with this book.
The first arc in this book demonstrates how the terra floronic war is heating up. Yet another variant of a Marvel character is created, tying it into mutants and Krakoa, seemingly only driven by the catchy name.
The stuff with XENO is just moving incredibly slow. Then something happens in this book which seemingly undoes much of the buildup. Rasputin reveals a little more of his plan but there's an element to his plan which wasn't explained well (the Chronicler). If he's someone who has been around before, Percy sure didn't do a very good job explaining who he was and what his powers were.
I've come to terms with the fact that Marvel has completed changed the Beast's personality, but now he's completely unlikable. His actions are getting to the point where it almost seems like he's going to be made into a villain (along the lines of the Grey Beast). But everything he does makes me just not want to read about him.
There's also a story involving Wolverine and some "people" trying to steal something from Krakoa. First, I don't have a problem with what Forge did for Logan, but there were aspects of it that just seemed unnecessary. Second, are you really telling me that there is a hole in the defenses around the island, the mutants knew about it, and someone exploited it in a short amount of time? Just feels like sloppy writing to me.
A lot of this just feels like it is filling space, buying time for stuff to happen later. In other words, as a reader, I can tell the story is being dragged out and it's not interesting enough for me to stick around. Thankfully I'm not paying to read this anymore.
The first arc in this book demonstrates how the terra floronic war is heating up. Yet another variant of a Marvel character is created, tying it into mutants and Krakoa, seemingly only driven by the catchy name.
The stuff with XENO is just moving incredibly slow. Then something happens in this book which seemingly undoes much of the buildup. Rasputin reveals a little more of his plan but there's an element to his plan which wasn't explained well (the Chronicler). If he's someone who has been around before, Percy sure didn't do a very good job explaining who he was and what his powers were.
I've come to terms with the fact that Marvel has completed changed the Beast's personality, but now he's completely unlikable. His actions are getting to the point where it almost seems like he's going to be made into a villain (along the lines of the Grey Beast). But everything he does makes me just not want to read about him.
There's also a story involving Wolverine and some "people" trying to steal something from Krakoa. First, I don't have a problem with what Forge did for Logan, but there were aspects of it that just seemed unnecessary. Second, are you really telling me that there is a hole in the defenses around the island, the mutants knew about it, and someone exploited it in a short amount of time? Just feels like sloppy writing to me.
A lot of this just feels like it is filling space, buying time for stuff to happen later. In other words, as a reader, I can tell the story is being dragged out and it's not interesting enough for me to stick around. Thankfully I'm not paying to read this anymore.
March 25, 2022
Here's the problem with XENO as a foe: they're faceless. It's not just that XENO leader is masked, but they also make faceless, mindless enemies like the Man-Things that aren't conversationalists, and thus don't lend to interesting stories. (Are the Russian Dolls theirs? Same deal there.)
Here's the problem with Percy's X-Force: they're not a team. So we get individual pairings like Beast and Tom fighting a Russian Doll and Logan and Quire surfing, and those interactions are often great, but they're far and few between.
Here's the problem with Logan surfing: he's got a &(@#$ing adamantium skeleton. He sinks!
This volume is mostly made up of all of that. There's some interesting stuff going on in Russia and with Piotr (I have no idea what!) but the rest is dragged down by this volume's problems.
Here's the problem with Percy's X-Force: they're not a team. So we get individual pairings like Beast and Tom fighting a Russian Doll and Logan and Quire surfing, and those interactions are often great, but they're far and few between.
Here's the problem with Logan surfing: he's got a &(@#$ing adamantium skeleton. He sinks!
This volume is mostly made up of all of that. There's some interesting stuff going on in Russia and with Piotr (I have no idea what!) but the rest is dragged down by this volume's problems.
September 25, 2023
I’m still really enjoying this series. I liked the story with Man-Slaughter a lot. The story with the nesting doll soldiers inside of Beast with Black Tom was fascinating and I’m really intrigued by the Mikhail/Colossus/Chronicler storyline which seems to be what will drive a big portion of the Krakoa story from here on out if I had to guess. The Wolverine story seemed pretty out of place, but I still enjoyed it. I won’t ever complain about seeing Wolverine riding a surfboard knife and slicing right through a huge shark.
March 21, 2022
3.75
Adamantium surf board...ugh
Adamantium surf board...ugh
May 23, 2023
percy really knows how to write an x-book
October 25, 2022
After reading Way of X, X-Force honestly just seems kind of silly. Featured within this fourth volume:
- The team battles a plant/swamp-man nemesis.
- Beast battles a very tiny man inside his body.
- Wolverine falls in love with a surfer who is, for some reason, catching waves on Krakoa.
It's almost entirely nonsense, except for the background story floating through most of the issues regarding Colossus being quietly manipulated by his Russian brother. Whenever that story moves to the foreground, I'm sure X-Force will return to being a high-caliber X-book. This fourth volume is breezy mutant silliness.
- The team battles a plant/swamp-man nemesis.
- Beast battles a very tiny man inside his body.
- Wolverine falls in love with a surfer who is, for some reason, catching waves on Krakoa.
It's almost entirely nonsense, except for the background story floating through most of the issues regarding Colossus being quietly manipulated by his Russian brother. Whenever that story moves to the foreground, I'm sure X-Force will return to being a high-caliber X-book. This fourth volume is breezy mutant silliness.
April 16, 2024
Reread: still stupefied by the below.
____________________
Forge makes Wolverine an adamantium surfboard...
____________________
Forge makes Wolverine an adamantium surfboard...
July 1, 2022
Not suer if this series will continue, or if it does, if I will continue with it,...
February 25, 2025
Benjamin Percy trata de ser consecuente con todo lo que ha ido presentando en esta cabecera de amenazas más "a degüello" para Krakoa en forma de esos avances armamentísticos humanos ligados a lo florónico y ingeniería genética fuera de toda lógica. Esto supone un popurrí de capítulos que pasan por tener una especie de variante de Man-Thing pudiendo reconectar con su humanidad sesgada en el laboratorio a un "Viaje Alucinante" en las entrañas de Bestia cuando un invasor que puede producir versiones cada vez más minusculas de sí mismo por cada muerte física. Incluso se da otra incursión más ligada a las emociones con Lobezno sacando su espíritu surfero en las olas descomunales de las costas Krakoanas. Es en este último apartado, donde también Benjamin trata de seguir apostando por el personaje de Kid Omega y este estado de madurez produciendo el desencuentro romántico con Phoebe "Cuckoo".
March 21, 2022
For as much as I've really hated earlier incarnations of X-Force this series mostly works for me. Is it kinda dumb that Wolverine is now a surfer? You bet! But at the same time that he would find a connection with an adreniline addicted super villain feels like an honest way to explore a over used character in a new way. I totally understand why this series isn't for everyone, especially folks who want more sex and violence with their X-Force, but I'm really responding to this series.
August 14, 2022
Meandering and episodic, though there were some things I liked, like the mini-Black Tom chasing a Russian nesting doll inside Beast's body, and even Wolverine surfing (I know a lot of people hated that). The art is passable, though could use some more definition.
January 24, 2023
This series has been going downhill fast. I was excited about the make-up of the team in the early issues, but lately Benjamin Percy seems disinterested in half of the team's roster. If you aren't interested in the characters you hand selected for your team book, maybe you chose poorly what characters to include.
This main story about the Man With the Peacock Tattoo heading up the evil XENO organization seems to be spinning its wheels and going nowhere. In this volume we have a story about a Man-Thing offshoot called Man-Slaughter that's woefully uninteresting, and from there we go to a story about one of XENO's Russian Nesting Doll soldiers shrinking down and entering Beast's body. There are some fun moments that recall the 1980s film Innerspace, but the story ultimately feels inconsequential. There's also this other story arc where Mikhail Rasputin is planning his oh-so-evil plans, but everything is rolling along so slowly and without a clear direction that I'm losing interest fast. The final arc in this volume features some sinister surfers sent by XENO to steal babies from Krakoa's nursery. I find myself utterly uninterested in all of this, but at least the story is still coherent as it starts to fly off the rails, compared to worst mutant series Excalibur.
Unfortunately so much of this volume comes across as ridiculous or comical, when I don't think that was the tone Percy was going for. When the Man With the Peacock Tattoo introduces his super soldiers to Mikhail, one of them exhibits a rocket punch power against a giant ice bear, "the only true predator of man and mutant" (wait, what??), and I was laughing out loud at the absolute absurdity of the scene. Later, Wolverine has Forge make him an adamantium-lined surfboard, because yes, a metal-coated surfboard used by a dude with a heavy metal skeleton makes sense. Surfing is definitely a hobby that Wolverine should have. The subsequent scenes with Wolvie surfing around Krakoa with a couple of other seemingly random thrill seekers reminded me of that episode of the 1960s Batman where Batman and the Joker surf off against each other. What is this book even trying to be anymore?
The best thing I can say about this book at this point is the art duties performed by Robert Gill, Martin Coccolo, and Joshua Cassara with GURU-eFX on colors are very nicely done. It's at least a pretty-looking book, even if it's starting to get pretty stupid.
This main story about the Man With the Peacock Tattoo heading up the evil XENO organization seems to be spinning its wheels and going nowhere. In this volume we have a story about a Man-Thing offshoot called Man-Slaughter that's woefully uninteresting, and from there we go to a story about one of XENO's Russian Nesting Doll soldiers shrinking down and entering Beast's body. There are some fun moments that recall the 1980s film Innerspace, but the story ultimately feels inconsequential. There's also this other story arc where Mikhail Rasputin is planning his oh-so-evil plans, but everything is rolling along so slowly and without a clear direction that I'm losing interest fast. The final arc in this volume features some sinister surfers sent by XENO to steal babies from Krakoa's nursery. I find myself utterly uninterested in all of this, but at least the story is still coherent as it starts to fly off the rails, compared to worst mutant series Excalibur.
Unfortunately so much of this volume comes across as ridiculous or comical, when I don't think that was the tone Percy was going for. When the Man With the Peacock Tattoo introduces his super soldiers to Mikhail, one of them exhibits a rocket punch power against a giant ice bear, "the only true predator of man and mutant" (wait, what??), and I was laughing out loud at the absolute absurdity of the scene. Later, Wolverine has Forge make him an adamantium-lined surfboard, because yes, a metal-coated surfboard used by a dude with a heavy metal skeleton makes sense. Surfing is definitely a hobby that Wolverine should have. The subsequent scenes with Wolvie surfing around Krakoa with a couple of other seemingly random thrill seekers reminded me of that episode of the 1960s Batman where Batman and the Joker surf off against each other. What is this book even trying to be anymore?
The best thing I can say about this book at this point is the art duties performed by Robert Gill, Martin Coccolo, and Joshua Cassara with GURU-eFX on colors are very nicely done. It's at least a pretty-looking book, even if it's starting to get pretty stupid.
June 21, 2022
I’m pretty torn on these issues. On the one hand, I’m super I retested to see what happens with Colossus. On the other hand, I don’t care about the rest of it. That doesn’t mean it’s bad, it’s just not as interesting.
There’s a whole arc about the Man-Slaughter character (derivative of Man-Thing) that was created by Ben Percy about 2 years ago. It fits with the X-Force story thematically to an extent, but feels shoehorned in at the same time.
I did enjoy getting to see Hank suffer a bit. Still holding out for his heel turn to be recognized by the people around him. But that similarly makes me really curious what that conversation was going to be between Colossus and Xavier.
The wannabe Point Break issues felt really awkward. Has Wolverine ever been a surfer before? Is that a thing? I thought his big weakness was drowning with his healing factor, plus the heavy metal skeleton. Also, there was almost an acknowledgement of Wolverine and Quentin’s history, but they missed. Yet we do get more confirmation of Jean and Logan being romantically involved, which I don’t love. I love the throuple angle, but focusing on just the two of them feels weird to me for some reason.
The art is pretty consistent throughout at least.
I’m still curious for more, but it’s not my favorite title. Nothing about this makes me love any of these characters like Hellions did for Nanny and Greycrow, for instance.
There’s a whole arc about the Man-Slaughter character (derivative of Man-Thing) that was created by Ben Percy about 2 years ago. It fits with the X-Force story thematically to an extent, but feels shoehorned in at the same time.
I did enjoy getting to see Hank suffer a bit. Still holding out for his heel turn to be recognized by the people around him. But that similarly makes me really curious what that conversation was going to be between Colossus and Xavier.
The wannabe Point Break issues felt really awkward. Has Wolverine ever been a surfer before? Is that a thing? I thought his big weakness was drowning with his healing factor, plus the heavy metal skeleton. Also, there was almost an acknowledgement of Wolverine and Quentin’s history, but they missed. Yet we do get more confirmation of Jean and Logan being romantically involved, which I don’t love. I love the throuple angle, but focusing on just the two of them feels weird to me for some reason.
The art is pretty consistent throughout at least.
I’m still curious for more, but it’s not my favorite title. Nothing about this makes me love any of these characters like Hellions did for Nanny and Greycrow, for instance.
November 25, 2023
This was another decent one with it focusing on man slaughter story that Percy did in a one shot a few years back and he has the team deal with some Dr bloodroot whose making these monstrosities and how X-Force and Manslaughter fight him, he gets a decent backstory of why he is doing what he is doing, the tragic deaths and all, twists and then a fun story with some mini thing invading beast from a previous issue and how he gets rid of it, its equal parts brutal and gross and Beast with an eye patch looks cool but also has like an effect of Beast going even more brutal thinking the enemies will never stop coming and Mercy is not an option.
There is another great one with some surfers taking children from hatcheries and how the team rescues them and XF has to deal with them, there's a romantic angle for Logan here with a woman named "Pike" which is not fully explored that much but oh well. Quentin has his heart broken and I feel so bad for that guy.
Its another okay volume and has some cool standalone tales like the 25th issue and maybe the best title in the krakoan era maybe? Its got good character doing stuff kinda stories, has the large story with XENO and Mikhail play out really well and the art was good for the most part!
There is another great one with some surfers taking children from hatcheries and how the team rescues them and XF has to deal with them, there's a romantic angle for Logan here with a woman named "Pike" which is not fully explored that much but oh well. Quentin has his heart broken and I feel so bad for that guy.
Its another okay volume and has some cool standalone tales like the 25th issue and maybe the best title in the krakoan era maybe? Its got good character doing stuff kinda stories, has the large story with XENO and Mikhail play out really well and the art was good for the most part!
May 5, 2023
Benjamin Percy's X-Force was never the crown jewel of the Krakoan era, but the dip in storytelling of the series following "X of Swords" and the "Hellfire Gala" has killed the semblance of quality it once had. There's no cohesive quality to the storytelling, with issues focusing on random members of the team without building towards anything meaningful. There is an underlying threat in the form of the Man with the Peacock Tattoo and Colossus' brother, Mikhail Rasputin, but neither are really cultivated to be anything other than props for X-Force to rally against. And do they really rally against these emerging foes for Krakoa? Not really. Instead, we're treated to an issue of Wolverine surfing (why not just do this in the main Wolverine book?).
The first two volumes of X-Force tread a nice tonal balance with the other X-titles by employing a more darker undertone, but this evaporates completely in this volume. It almost feels slice-of-life, but not in a way that is remotely interesting. The roster needs a major shake-up to keep this book interesting, because the quality drop is pretty significant here.
The first two volumes of X-Force tread a nice tonal balance with the other X-titles by employing a more darker undertone, but this evaporates completely in this volume. It almost feels slice-of-life, but not in a way that is remotely interesting. The roster needs a major shake-up to keep this book interesting, because the quality drop is pretty significant here.
November 7, 2022
Hang ten with mutant counterterrorists, DUDE! This was a not so righteous collection of single issues to make up volume 4...
It looks like everything is derivative in the MU. Krakoa, Terra Verde, and now ...Man-Thing(?) all share a dark side in the telefloronics game. Plant assassins in various shapes and forms. The Man-Thing variant? Man-Slaughter (????!) I just...
Whatever.
We're reminded how closely tied this book is to the current run of Wolverine as their plots keep jumping back and forth. (At this point they should have just merged the two and called it 'Wolverine and Friends'). X-Force used to be a team book, but they're not really 'teaming' anything. Quentin gets his big boy pants and upgrades from antisocial yet righteous powerhouse to ....whiny powerhouse? It's almost jarring jumping from character development (NEEDED!) to threadbare plots (...again with the loooooong game)
Bonus: His superpower is to write you into a good story? Could have used him in vol. 1 (hahahaha!)
Bonus Bonus: Russian 'Nesting' soldiers are....disgusting
It looks like everything is derivative in the MU. Krakoa, Terra Verde, and now ...Man-Thing(?) all share a dark side in the telefloronics game. Plant assassins in various shapes and forms. The Man-Thing variant? Man-Slaughter (????!) I just...
Whatever.
We're reminded how closely tied this book is to the current run of Wolverine as their plots keep jumping back and forth. (At this point they should have just merged the two and called it 'Wolverine and Friends'). X-Force used to be a team book, but they're not really 'teaming' anything. Quentin gets his big boy pants and upgrades from antisocial yet righteous powerhouse to ....whiny powerhouse? It's almost jarring jumping from character development (NEEDED!) to threadbare plots (...again with the loooooong game)
Bonus: His superpower is to write you into a good story? Could have used him in vol. 1 (hahahaha!)
Bonus Bonus: Russian 'Nesting' soldiers are....disgusting
April 13, 2022
In my head, I’ve really liked this current run of X-Force. When I look back at my reviews, however, the scores average around a 3/5. This volume feels, I guess, the same. The art was often dodgy and the character designs felt uninspired. Narratively, I don’t really care about Logan here, nor Kid Omega and definitely not Domino. Everyone felt flat and the slow burn approach to Russia, Colossus, and XENO just isn’t doing it for me. While I appreciate that this series isn’t rushing to kill and resurrect characters as frequently as it maybe once was, I still think having some stakes in play would make this all more interesting. The body horror around the Beast segments were maybe the most engaged I found myself, but those quickly washed back out with the breakers towards the end of the volume.
July 4, 2023
I think this would rate higher for me if I was't getting tired of plant monsters. Got excited for a moment that Man-Thing would make an appearance. But, and this is a spoiler, it isn't him. Just some kind of half-cousin. On the plus side, Forge is featured in these issues, and I have to say that he is much more interesting than he has been in years.
There are a couple of gross-out issues featuring the Beast and bad guys that can become nesting dolls. Here we can see some tiny human dissection and exploration into the human body. But unfortunately Beast is so unlikeable now that it's hard to find him interesting, and the gross-out art just kind of feels flat.
Also worth noting is that Colossus is here and part of a bigger story. But that feels like something that will pay off in future volumes.
There are a couple of gross-out issues featuring the Beast and bad guys that can become nesting dolls. Here we can see some tiny human dissection and exploration into the human body. But unfortunately Beast is so unlikeable now that it's hard to find him interesting, and the gross-out art just kind of feels flat.
Also worth noting is that Colossus is here and part of a bigger story. But that feels like something that will pay off in future volumes.
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