Credits: Written by Fabian Nicieza, pencilled by Greg Capullo, inked by Harry Candelario and edited by Bob Harras.
Plot: Surrounding the X-Men/X-Factor team (Havok, Wolverine, Wolfsbane, Polaris, Gambit, Strong Guy, Rogue and Multiple Man) and trying to look as mean as possible X-Force (Cannonballl, Feral, Boom Boom, Rictor, Sunspot, Siryn, Shatterstar and Warpath) stand their ground. Alex/Havok and Sam/Cannonball are trying to talk about things, without either giving ground, but Feral feels that an attack is imminent and goes pre-emptive causing ranks to break and a large melee breaks out. Although they start out strong, X-Force realise that they’re not going to win this and they pull out running.
Elsewhere, near Chesapeake Bay, another X-Men team (Storm, Iceman, Archangel, Colossus, Quicksilver and Beast) arrive near a warehouse and enter, looking for Apocalypse and his Horseman. Well they do find Famine and Death/Caliban who immediately take Beast and Colossus to the floor before Storm and Iceman work together to coat most of the warehouse in ice. With Death frozen, Archangel and Quicksilver soon subdue Famine before they find some kind of electrical device which produces a 25 ft tall hologram of Mr Sinister. The hologram confesses that he took Jean and Scott, but then points out that his part in all of this is done and Apocalypse played no part in what has happened so far. This enrages Archangel, who destroys the device. The actual Mr Sinister is at the mansion holding Stevie Hunter and Val Cooper hostage as he faces Bishop whose bluff he calls. Thing is, Bishop isn’t actually bluffing and fires a couple of shots into Sinister’s face. Sinister is unharmed, despite the hole in his head, but quite impressed with Bishop’s conviction. He is playing his own game and wants the man behind the assassination stopped and he leaves a piece of paper with Val, letting her know who he is. At a safehouse in Switzerland, ready to take on Stryfe, Cable stocks up on weapons in a scene that borders on parody.
In the penultimate scene, Forearm brings Cyclops and Jean Grey’s unconscious bodies to a room with Zero and also Stryfe who welcomes the King and Queen of what is to come to the end of tomorrow. Finally we are in Texas and the X-Men have caught up with X-Force and demolish the team and Cannonball surrenders the team and Havok asks the question “What do we do now?”
Notes: After successfully ratcheting up the tension, now we get some action. Sinister plays every side for his own benefit as he leads both team of X-Men into his own agenda. Cable and Stryfe start to move towards conflict with one another as Stryfe introduces himself to Scott and Jean, albeit in one.of the most dramatic entrances you can imagine, going full goth Vader in his theatrics. We also get Cable arming himself for a fight, recognising Stryfe’s hand in some of these events. The comic doesn’t mention the (to my mind vital) bit of trivia that Stryfe and Cable look alike. I mean exactly. It just assumes you know that, otherwise Cables comment of “Literally, face to face!” sounds really out of place.
We’ve also get to see X-Force taken down. I mean properly down. There’s no real restraint given that some of these kids were students not so long ago. At one point, Wolverine impales Shatterstar. Not cuts him, straight up runs him through and his surrender moment has razor sharp blades centimetres from Feral’s throat. I don’t know that Sam knew he was beaten, but he must of thought that keeping the fight going would get one or two of his people killed. There was action and fun, such as Mr Sinister about to go into some kind of arch soliloquy before having a hole shot in his head by Bishop. It doesn’t stop him talking, but he does like it. This iteration of Sinister, the agent of chaos is a fun one as it’s one I understand. Sinister has goals and he moves towards them, people aren’t his friends, or enemies, just people there either to help, hinder or be ignored by him and he does it all with the panache of a glam rock Ming the Merciless, this is where he became one of my favourite villains.
Verdict: Writing 4 out 5: Fabian does a solid X-Force issue, playing the hero stuff straight and going hog-wild with the villains, the story moves along and honestly there’s nothing else you can do with it. It’s nothing spectacular, but for part 4 of 12, it does the job exactly as it needs to be done.
Art: 4 out of 5 : By the time X-Force was a few months old, I was over the art and was ready to drop it, but Greg Capullo kept me in for another year. He does action, personal and high concept really well and everyone looks the part and looks as good as they ever have. His action works and is able to create images that really stick with you.
Overall: 8 out of 10: This is a fun comic that delivers on the action that the cover promised. Some part 4-8 of 12 issues are a bit padded out, but this is not one, it’s taut and enjoyable and feels as much integral to the story as anything with the words X-Men in.
Next Time: A left field choice as we go outside the Spider books and visit the New Warriors.
My Marvel Life 