Uncanny X-Force #18 – Review

By: Rick Remender (writer), Jerome Opeña & Esad Ribic (artists), Dean White (colorist

The Story: The new Apocalypse gives way to a new Genesis.

What’s Good: The Dark Angel Saga has come to a close. It’s been quite a ride. In fact, it’s been such a ride that it’s been hard to follow occasionally. The locations have been unfamiliar and worlds apart, the list of active players has been ever-shifting, and the dastardly scheme has been huge in scope and complex in detail. And it’s been eight issues long. Normally, I would have fatigued on such a prolonged story, but for the break-neck-pace with which it’s been coming out—eight issues in six months, with only one issue featuring a guest artist. It’s a remarkable feat, and a testament to the abilities of Jerome Opeña, Esad Ribic, and Dean White, who have kept the artwork consistently excellent.

But that’s the arc so far. The question now is: does the last issue deliver? The answer: almost entirely. Coming into this issue, I was worried the final battle might feel anti-climatic. After all, in the last issue we saw Archangel take out Sabretooth, Nightcrawler, Wolverine, and the freaking Pheonix Force all at once without appearing to break a sweat. What more can you throw at the guy? Wisely, Remender dodges the trap of simply pulling out a really powerful person who can get the job done. Instead, the final battle comes down to Archangel versus the two people who are most important to his dual personalities. It plays well off some of the bigger themes Remender has been exploring.

Speaking of the themes, would you ever expect Uncanny X-Force to have as one of its central themes the triumph and salience of love? Me neither. But I cannot deny the effectiveness of its implementation here. From its general role in the conflict between the good guys and the bad guys, to the specifics of Deathlok against War and his psychotic host, Remender drives his message home without ever dipping into schmaltz. Similarly effective is the theme the trustworthiness on the part of Fantomex. Have his distortions, whether against friend or foe, been kinder and have served a greater good than all the forthrightness of Psylocke or Wolverine? It’s hard to say.

Uncanny X-Force #11 – Review

by Rick Remender (writer), Mark Brooks (penciller & inker), Andrew Currie (inker), Dean White (colorist), and Cory Petit (letterer)

The Story: X-Force heads off to the Age of Apocalypse to acquire the celestial life seed.

The Review:  Somehow, Rick Remender has become the 90s guy and in a totally good way.  Once again, by revisiting the Age of Apocalypse this month, Remender finds himself making a distinctive callback that often deplored time and manages to make it cool again.  Well, almost.  A picture of Scott Summers with longhair still makes the character look ridiculous and full of 90s “attitude,” but I digress.

In venturing to the Age of the Apocalypse, Remender really succeeds in conveying the fact that X-Force are in a different world, a different reality.  Part of it is that unabashed acknowledgement of this being a relic of the 90s, as it makes the comic feel as though a group of 2011 characters ventured into an older comic world.  Beyond the metatextual stuff, however, Brooks and White also illustrate the setting brilliantly, making it look like a grimy, war-torn dystopia out of Ridley Scott’s nightmares.

Remender also shows that he recognizes the benefits of working in an alternate reality, as it allows you to ignore the rules that Marvel continuity usually forces upon you.  Hence, we have X-Force meeting up with a team of mutants largely composed of characters that are deceased in their home reality, characters that had strong ties to them.  While that works well as far as the interpersonal dynamics of the book go, it’s also just really cool for the reader to see these mutants out and about and kicking ass.  Hell, one of them is actually a villain that seems to have taken Wolverine’s hero role in the Age of Apocalypse, which is even more amusing.  And then there’s the last page, which is sort of an “oh no you didn’t” moment where Remender really shows the amount of fun he’s having with a reality where dead suddenly isn’t dead.

The character-work is solid as well.  Dark Beast is just as much of a dick as you’d expect and his dialogue is characterful and enjoyable.  Deadpool also continues to be fun under Remender, staying fun but never over-the-top.  It’s also amusing to see him occupy yet another uncharacteristic role: we’ve seen him as the team’s moral compass and now we’re seeing him as the pessimistic realist.  Deadpool.

Uncanny X-Force #10 – Review

by Rick Remender (script), Billy Tan & Rich Elson (art), Paul Mounts (colors), and Clayton Cowles (letters)

The Story: Archangel races to cover things up as a reporter gets footage of his killing a guard, but his actions lead X-Force to believe that Warren is no longer in control.

The Review:  When you first open this issue, you’re in for a nasty surprise.  Dean White didn’t color this issue.  Now, that’s not to say that Tan or Elson’s art is bad, or that Paul Mounts’ colors are weak.  I generally enjoy Mounts’ work and the art here is solid, leaving very little to complain about in either that scenes or the action sequences.  It’s a solid looking book with a high-budget feel.  The problem, though, is that Dean White was doing the best work of his career on this book and his unique palette for Uncanny X-Force had become a signature, or staple of the book, never mind the fact that it made the art really, really awesome.  Not having White is a bit of a let-down, as the art becomes instantly less distinctive and closer to being just another Marvel comic, albeit a decent looking one.

Plot-wise, this is a definite improvement over last month.  While Deadpool gets all of one line this month, this issue generally shows the benefit of having a small team and Remender’s ability to highlight the emotions and relationships between them.  I liked, in particular, Logan’s complete lack of hesitation and instant resolve when it comes to heading out to kill Warren, only to freeze up at the last second.  It’s an intelligent move the shows the complexity of the situation and how Logan’s friendship with Warren impairs his natural instincts.  Fantomex’s not-so-secret crush on Psylocke is also awkward, but appropriately so.

Then there’s Warren himself, who comes across like a monster this month.  Even when out of Archangel form, he’s a scary, creepy dude.  That said, Remender also writes the “character fighting for control of his mind” in a way that doesn’t feel utterly tired, an accomplishment in itself.  I swear, no one says “just fight it!”

But really, the best thing about this issue is just how much ground Remender covers.  It’s never a laborious or exposition-heavy read, and flies by quite quickly, but despite that, so much happens, all of it interesting.  We have a brief journalistic thriller, a focusing on Warren’s relationship with his team, a new character is brought (temporarily?) onto the team, and there’s a prelude to the Dark Angel Saga.  In the latter’s case, I am absolutely giddy.   The concept put forward regarding Warren’s current state is guaranteed to make you go “ooooh.”

Uncanny X-Force #9 – Review

by Rick Remender (script), Billy Tan (art), Dean White (colors), and Cory Petit (letters)

The Story: Logan does a favor for Magneto that has him going solo.

The Review:  Last month I raved about just how utterly amazing the art provided by Tan and White was and this month, I think it’s even better, though thoroughly different in tone and content.  This is quieter, more emotionally driven issue, allowing for Tan and White to deliver an issue that’s subtle and haunting.  Tan’s work on his character’s faces speaks volumes and is full of complexity.  What I appreciate most though, and granted this is largely due to White’s colors, is the way in which this issue manages to look both dark/gritty and hyper-polished, two things that don’t ordinarily go together.  The result is a gorgeous issue where single panels would make for great splashes.  Couple this with excellent storytelling all around, and the art just about carries the issue.

Which is good, because this isn’t the strongest narrative from Rick Remender.  That’s not to say that it’s bad, only fairly middling, a little too comfortable.  Remender relies on emotional tenor to drive an otherwise unremarkable story.  In some ways, it almost works.  Magneto’s emotions are very human and Logan’s relationship to death and killing is as interesting and engaging as ever.  More than that, these are items that allows for Remender to let Tan tell the story.  Certainly, on the latter plot-line regarding Logan, the issue’s ending on a “what goes around, comes around” warning that reframes the entire issue under that message is a good one.

Unfortunately, beyond these emotional high-points, the nuts and bolts of the story aren’t overly strong.   For instance, I just didn’t buy Logan doing Magneto a favor just because Magneto gives him sad puppy eyes.  This is Magneto, for God’s sake.  Remender doesn’t even really try all that hard to sell this, either.  Magneto asks, looks sad, and Logan, nice guy that he is, caves and moves out.  It’s a big stretch and one that’s oversimplified under a gloss of emotion that almost fools the reader into believing it.

Uncanny X-Force: The Apocalypse Sollution HC – Review

Written by Rick Rememder, Art by Jerome Opena with Leonard Manco, colors by Dean White and Chris Sotomayor, cover art by Esad Ribic.

The Story: Though Cyclops has ended X-Force, Wolverine and Archangel decide to continue operations, bringing in Deadpool, Psylocke, and Fantomex. Their first mission? Kill Apocalypse! As if this would be hard enough, the team has to deal with the fact that Apocalypse is now a small boy.

The Review: Some stories work better as trades. Some work better as monthlies. But rarely does a story work  well in both forms. That’s what The Apocalypse Solution has managed to do—be amazing as a monthly series, and yet be equally as awesome as a graphic novel. Based on this first arc, it’s a shame that Remender didn’t get an Eisner nomination. This is superhero storytelling at its finest. Every character gets to shine, the villains are interesting and dynamic, and while it’s not all about Wolverine, it also doesn’t undercut his character. This first arc was truly about the entire team, how they function, and what it means for each of them to be there. And about killing Apocalypse. That’s important too.

What benefits this story greatly is the length. Remender said in many interviews that this started as a six-issue arc—as the seems to be mandated by Marvel to produce trades—but he cut out all the fat and everything that wasn’t necessary to create four issues of pure substance. That’s what Marvel needs to have all their writers do (I’m looking at you, Fraction).  There is not a wasted panel here. Everything is crucial to the development of the characters and/or the plot.  Even when we’re introduced to the Final Hoursemen of Apocalypse, Remender develops them fully for us as we watch Apocalypse and Nostradamus  go through history choosing them, and then give us nuggets of their story after. It’s clear that they are not simply four horsemen, but have a dynamic as a team. Sanjar (Death), even uses Pestilence’s name when he accidentally attacks her, asking her to forgive him. Rarely are the horseman of Apocalypse shown to have any sympathy or remorse, but here we get it—hopefully we’ll see them again.

Remender also pulls a trick on us. He makes us believe that this is a test for Archangel. In the beginning of issue 2, the team (minus our winged hero) is training Psylocke to be able to Warren, her boyfriend, if he is ever fully taken over by Apocalypse again. All throughout the arc, we see Angel struggling with the Archangel. But we also get a lot of Deadpool, Psylocke, and, especially, Fantomex. I don’t want to ruin the ending for anyone, but this is just as much Fantomex’s story as it is Archangel’s—maybe more so. And we have Wolverine in the middle, the glue of this team. Oddly, this works. You wouldn’t expect Wolverine to be able to hold together the Avengers, but when it comes to this team, he knows what each member needs.

Uncanny X-Force #8 – Review

by Rick Remender (script), Billy Tan (art), Dean White (colors), and Cory Petit (letters)

The Story: Psylocke and the rest of X-Force go out to take down the Shadow King, but is Archangel the greater threat?

The Review:  While it’s not packed with dialogue or overly dense with panels, in telling a complete story from start to finish in 22 pages, Remender gives us a really meaty issue, one that feels like it’s packed with story and worth more than it’s $2.99.  This is a full comic book that does the absolute most that it can with its 22 pages, leading to a well-rounded and satisfying package.

This is also an issue that demonstrates just why Uncanny X-Force is among the very best team books on the market.  Each character is filled with various internal conflicts, making every member just as compelling as any other.  Take for instance Psylocke, who is a big focus this month.  She’s a good woman unable to fully reconcile the killer she finds herself ending up as.  It’s not an unfamiliar story, yet Remender still fills it with just enough sorrow and emotion to make it feel genuine.

Then there’s Warren, and really, what an issue this is for him.  Psylocke’s mental battle with his Archangel side is gritty, dark stuff and when Betsy takes on the Shadow King within the landscape of Warren’s mind, it leads to some really cool stuff that makes for a battle more meaningful and, really, more special than a standard beat-em-up.  This mental battle leads to more emotion and more awesome, over-the-top visuals than any round of fisticuffs could.

But really, the best part is how the story resolves.  Remender leaves us in a tremendously interesting grey area.  Is Warren still Warren, or has Archangel taken over?  Indeed, there are suggestions that it may not be as simple as that, that it’s not one or the other and that rather, we’ve been left with a hybrid…if it that wasn’t always the case to begin with.  That, ladies and gents, is fantastic superhero comic book writing right there and writing that suddenly makes a character more interesting than ever.

Uncanny X-Force #7 – Review

by Rick Remender (writer), Esad Ribic (pencils), John Lucas (inks), Matt Wilson (colors), and Cory Petit (letters)

The Story: X-Force fights their way through Deathloks and the World in their mission to take out Father.

The Review:  While this is probably the best issue of this arc, it still doesn’t quite match up to the previous Apocalypse Solution though, admittedly, that may be due to just how awesome that arc was.  Something about this Deathlok/World centered arc doesn’t have the same sense of energy and uniqueness.  I think that may have something to do with this arc’s reliance on prior continuity, drawing on Grant Morrison’s X-Men work and such.

With that said, Rick Remender nonetheless does do some really cool character-work this month that makes up for much of this.  Surprisingly, much of this comes from Deadpool.  Remender has really done surprising work with Deadpool, making him a more realistic character that isn’t just a caricature of himself.  The Deadpool that Remender gives us here is a compelling, complex character that has quite a lot going on (including a weird mix of pride and self-loathing) beneath that jokey exterior, regardless of how many screws he has loose.  Remender gives us little peaks beneath the hood, both through Deadpool’s clash with Fantomex and Father’s hypnotic words to Wade that reveal a great deal about this character.  This Deadpool isn’t just the comic relief, he’s also a tremendously interesting character.

Fantomex comes off well this month also, particularly due to the hostile relationship he has with Deadpool, with the two trading highly personal barbs.  Through one another’s words, both characters expose each others’ unique and troubled psychologies.  The result is dialogue that isn’t only a joy to read, but dialogue that also illuminates both characters involved, makes them both more nuanced, and makes them both much more interesting to the reader.  Wade’s emphasizing the contest between he and Fantomex to not be the most reviled and disrespected member of the team is a really cool new component to the team’s dynamic and, at issue’s end, Remender reveals just who’s winning that contest in a very subdued and haunting fashion.

Uncanny X-Force #6 – Review

by Rick Remender (writer), Esad Ribic (pencils), John Lucas (inks), Matt Wilson (colors), and Cory Petit (letters)

The Story: Fantomex fights to keep the World safe from superpowered Deathloks, but will X-Force bother to save him?

Review:  In some ways, this latest installment of Uncanny X-Force is a disappointment.  A big part of what made Rick Remender’s title, for me, so special was the team dynamic and the relationships among this small band of five.  Yet, this month, instead of an X-Force book, we get, for the most part, a Fantomex/Deathlok team-up with action scenes all over the place.  That’s well and good, Fantomex is as fun as always and the action scenes are drawn in exciting and intense fashion by Esad Ribic, but it’s not the book at its best.

That being said, amidst this Deathlok story, there are some really cool ideas.  For instance, what would a world look like without superheroes?  According to Remender, pretty damned awesome.  The future these Deathloks come from is one without superpowers and, as such, it’s a utopia.  It’s a really neat move by Remender, as seriously, how many times have we seen a burning, future dystopia due to a lack of heroes?  It’s one of the most well-worn plot points in superhero comics and for Remender to reverse this entirely is not only brilliant, but it also puts X-Force into yet another moral conundrum.  After all, in fighting the Deathloks, they are preventing a lot of deaths, but they’re also possibly stopping utopia from being reached.  And when Remender reveals just who hope is pinned on and who the rebel is in the future, well yeah, that just makes that conundrum all the wonkier.

Interestingly though, the opening scene of the book is probably the strongest, even though it has nothing to do with Fantomex, Deathloks, or the World.  It’s a conversation between Psylocke and Captain Britain that is really well-written and a great piece of introspection for the character, showing Betsy’s increasingly tragic situation regarding her role in X-Force.  The twist at the end of this scene is wonderfully sad, even pathetic, and the whole scene shows Remender’s strengths as a writer.

I think this fantastic opening may also play a role regarding my comparative disappointment with the Fantomex/Deathlok stuff.  All the bluster and action just felt a little shallow compared to this awesomeness.  That being said, Fantomex is pretty darned funny and is as charming as ever, so the comic never drags.

Uncanny X-Force #5.1 – Review

by Rick Remender (writer), Rafael Albuquerque (art), Dean White (colors), and Cory Petit (letters)

The Story: X-Force races to stop Lady Deathstrike and the Reavers from destroying Utopia.

Review: Out of all the .1  issues thus far, Rick Remender’s Uncanny X-Force may very well have come the closest to accomplishing what the .1 initiative is meant to.  It provides a perfectly accurate representation of what readers can expect from the series month in and month out in both tone and narrative.

As such, this is a brutal comic book.  It pulls no punches and it’s violence and gore are uncompromising, but never remotely close to exaggerated or slapstick.  Instead, it’s an X-Men comic of gritty realism and it feels like X-Men MAX, a MAX title without swearing, essentially.  The book thus carries a harsh and dark tone that is as alluring as ever.

This month, Remender does his best character work on Wolverine.  He manages to accomplish that fine balance of making it clear that Logan is an intelligent and well-read guy, while also maintaining that gruff, beer-swilling surface demeanor.  It’s always a tough job for any writer tackling the character, but Remender definitely succeeds.  Moreover, he gives some wince-inducing narration from Wolverine as well.

As far as villains go, Lady Deathstrike gives a solid performance.  She’s as crazed and ruthless as ever but, more than that, thanks to Wolverine, Remender makes her look as legitimate as possible.  Rafael Albuquerque’s depiction of her is also solid, reminding me quite a bit of the American vampires of that title.

There are problems though.  Psylocke’s fretting and navel-gazing over whether she enjoys killing her enemies too much is, at this point, a fairly tired internal struggle for comics in general and it’s one we’ve seen way too many times, with Remender not adding anything new to it.  In fact, the whole thing makes Betsy even come across a tad melodramatic.

Worse still, this whole inner turmoil spirals out of Remender’s use of X-continuity relating to Betsy and the Reavers.  Especially for a .1 issue, it was surprising to see Remender lean so heavily on X-Men continuity, particularly that which lies outside of his own series.  Uncanny X-Force has, to me, been particularly strong due to its independence so it’s a weird choice by Remender, particularly given that this issue is meant to bring in new readers.

Wolverine #4 – Review

by Jason Aaron (writer), Renato Guedes (pencils), Jose Wilson Magalhaes & Olclair Albert (inks), Matthew Wilson (colors), and Cory Petit (letters)

The Story: The possessed Wolverine tries to take out Colossus while Logan attempts to start a revolution in Hell by taking on the Devil.

What’s Good: You like great action?  Then this is your comic.   It’s largely composed of two action scenes and they both are really, really good, while also being completely different from one another.  Wolverine’s fight with Colossus, and later, the X-Men, is brutal, close quarters stuff.  It makes the possessed Wolverine come across like a real monster, while also highlighting Logan’s friendship with Colossus and Colossus’ emotional vulnerabilities.  There’s even a great little pisstake on Colossus’ tradition of tossing Wolverine.  It’s gritty, thrilling stuff that’s made all the better by the possessed Wolverine, who Aaron makes sound as evil and demonic as possible.

Then you’ve got Logan’s fight with the Devil.  It’s about as “omg wtf” as it sounds and it comes across as both over the top and epic.  There’s even a scene that reminded me of the movie 300…in hell.  It’s completely ludicrous, particularly in scale, but that’s what makes it so much fun.  Logan’s running narration only serves to enhance, making the fight seem all the more important, while adding emotional touches thanks to his self-loathing.

It’s clear that in writing the scenes in hell, Jason Aaron is clearly in his element.  It’s big stuff, but there’s always a hint of cheesy fantasy/horror and grindhouse to it that should please fans of his run on Ghost Rider.

Aaron also throws in a cliffhanger that’s guaranteed to excite.  He introduces a new/old character that not only comes totally out of left field, but also leaves Aaron with a great deal of significant creative freedom.  With so much having been done with the character, it’s a surprise that so little has been done in the area Aaron is about to approach.  If getting Logan to hell was done solely so Logan could have this encounter, I’m totally fine with that.  That should hint at how big this.

Guedes’ art is really good this month as well.  After all, action scenes are only as good as the artist drawing them and their success is Guedes’ as well.  His demons look great, his hell looks dense and well-imagined, and everything works well while also having a look of its own.

Uncanny X-Force #1 – Review

by Rick Remender (writer), Jerome Opena (artist)

The Story: Wolverine and Archangel have assembled a new X-Force behind the X-Men’s backs, consisting of fellow X-Man Psylocke, merc with a mouth Deadpool and international thief Fantomex.  While on a mission, Deadpool discovers that one of the mutants’ deadliest adversaries, Apocalypse, has returned.  As the team battles his horseman, War, it’s revealed that not only has the villain come back to life, but he’s come back in a most unexpected way.

What’s Good: Remender goes the smart route with the script, introducing readers to the story in media res.  With the team already assembled and the raison d’être behind their grouping already discussed, we can jump right into one of their first adventures without any of that “getting the band together” nonsense that slows down so many first issues.  I’m happy that one of the more prominent sub-plots being focused on in this issue is Angel’s identity crisis.  It’s something that I’ve wanted more of in this title after his regression to the Archangel   persona in the previous series.  Having Psylocke help him out with this mental quandary is a nice decision and it gives her a legitimate reason for hanging around.  The decision to focus on Apocalypse is also a welcome direction for the book.  The presence of the old foe of the X-Men serves to give this title a singular agenda (at least for this arc) that not only makes sense to the members of this Black Ops X-squad, but to old-time readers as well.  The ageless villain has been an implacable and deadly foe in the past, so if anyone deserves to be taken out with extreme prejudice, it’s En Sabah Nur.  The twist of putting the baddie’s essence in the body of an innocent is also a nice twist that I’m sure will make some members of the team hesitate when, and if, they get the kill shot.

Uncanny X-Men #525 – Review

by Matt Fraction (writer), Terry Dodson (artist)

The Story: Hope hates Cyke for maybe killing her dad.  Utopia starts exploding.  The X-Men battle Nimrods on the streets of San Francisco. X-Force arrives in the future and finds out, yep, it blows.  Then they decide, screw it, let’s just kill everybody.  The Avengers and the Fantastic Four show up to help, but that don’t really work out.

What’s Good: Fraction redeems himself with this chapter of Second Coming by delivering a near perfect script as we enter the third and final act of the crossover.  Whereas the writer has had problems with keeping characterization consistent in the past, especially with characters from other titles, here he gets everybody almost right and the story’s breakneck pace benefits from the lack of distraction.  (Okay, Archangel acts a bit of a wuss, but I’ll chalk that up to stress for now.)  One point that Fraction seems intent on spotlighting is that Hope is, despite years of military training and being on the run, still a teenager, prone to a teenager’s angst and mood swings.  While that doesn’t always fit with her pre-established character, it works well here as she flips her lid when she discovers that Cyclops has sent her father-figure, Cable, on a suicide mission into the future.  This is exactly how a young person would react in such a situation, and the scene is strengthened by this portrayal of Hope.  Another benefit of the script is the injection of some humor into the proceedings.  While the storyline has succeeded primarily on its unrelenting direness and desperate, last stand-like tone, a little humor never hurt anyone.  If anything, it serves to make the serious scenes more weighty.  Dr. Nemesis’ reply to Mr. Fantastic’s appraisal, Cable’s first thought to the odds stacked against them in the future, and possibly the only time that I have ever liked the character of Fantomex.  “Ha Ha.  That film was stupid.”  Indeed.  Notable mentions go to raising the stakes by bringing in the Fantastic Four and the Avengers, the Professor’s peace with Scott, the “red sky” battles of the Bay Area, and the allusion to Days of Future Past.  All admirably visualized by the Dodsons.

X-Force #17 – Review

By Craig Kyle & Cristopher Yost (Writers) and Mike Choi & Sonia Oback (Artists)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: The less said about the Messiah War, the better. I still have *shiver* flashbacks from the trenches. So instead of diving into my nightmares, let’s just move forward…

The Story: X-23 attempts to rescue Boom-Boom from the Leper Queen and, as a result, becomes a H.A.M.M.E.R. prisoner.Meanwhile, Rahne Sinclair and Hrimhari are attacked by Frost Giants. Hellion and Surge are helped by Wolverine and Archangel, but Surge can’t seem to control her powers. As for Domino, she arrives back in the present just in time to see…

What’s Good: Craig Kyle and Christopher Yost write the latest issue of X-Force as though the Messiah War never even took place. A good move that I appreciate quite a bit, especially since it allows the writers to hit the ground running at almost the same speed they were traveling before a brick wall (roughly the size of the Great Wall and with the words “Messiah “War” painted on it) got in the way. The story by Kyle and Yost is frantic, violent, and pretty thrilling, just like an X-Force story should be.

I didn’t realize how much I missed the work of Mike Choi and Sonia Oback until now. The artwork in X-Force #17 is sleek, detailed, attractive, clean, and clear. In other words, it looks much better than the work done for the last few issues of the series. A few scenes, like the Frost Giant attack or the final spread, are great to look at and show the range Choi and Oback are capable of.

What’s Not So Good: The only real problem I have with X-Force #17 is that its storyline never really comes together all that well. It’s a bunch of little segments that continue where the series left off months ago, but it never completely stops feeling disjointed and jerky. It brings a bit of closure to the recent past and sets things up for the future, but there just isn’t a whole lot to really chew on as far as story is concerned. Understandable, but not exactly satisfying.

Conclusion: It’s nice to see X-Force get back into the swing of things. Once it settles down a bit, I’m sure the series will regain its spot as one of the best “X” books

Grade: C+

-Kyle Posluszny

Cable #14 (Messiah War Chapter 4) – Review

By Duane Swierczynski (Writer) and Ariel Olivetti (Artist)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: I’ve pretty much given up on any hope that Messiah War is going to end up being a truly worthy follow-up to the fantastic Messiah Complex event. While the crossover has been entertaining enough, it lacks the sense of urgency and intensity that made Messiah Complex one of my all time favorite “X” stories. Still, I know I’ll stick with the X-Force/Cable crossover regardless of my disappointment. And that’s because I’m genuinely interested in finding out what direction Hope takes following the War being fought because of her.

The Story: Warpath is stuck in a torture device designed by Stryfe. Hope is a captive of both Bishop and Stryfe. Cable, Deadpool, and most of X-Force try to work out a plan to get inside Stryfe’s citadel. On top of all that, Archangel answers the call and confronts Apocalypse…

What’s Good: I’ve been pretty hard on Duane Swierczynski in the past. Most recently, I thought he really dropped the ball when first handed the reigns of the Messiah War crossover (for chapter two). That said, I give credit where credit is due. And credit is definitely due in this case.

In Cable #14, Swierczynski does a really nice job of ramping up the tension of a storyline that definitely needed one more push to get to the next level. He effectively uses a mix of dialogue and internal monologue to bring out the best in a number of the characters. A few scenes in particular really stand out, like Warpath’s reaction to torture, Archangel’s reunion with Apocalypse, Cable’s battle with remorse, and Bishop’s reaction to the current situation. They feature character moments or bits of information that leave me thinking that the Cable/X-Force crossover might actually be able to overcome it’s rocky start.

What’s Not So Good: Unfortunately, there are two things holding Cable #14 from earning a higher grade. One of them is the artwork by Arial Olivetti. The other has to do with how Hope is handled.

The artwork looks either far too static or, in some cases, downright silly. I understand that it can be difficult to show pain or surprise, but a few of Olivetti’s character shots are just simply hilarious. Two choking scenes are the main offenders, but Warpath’s torture scene doesn’t exactly make a great visual impact either. Sure the device looks nasty, but the results are less than spectacular. I mean it looks as though Warpath is just having a particularly nasty visit to the dentist in one panel.

The problem with Hope (outside of looking really odd) is that she is written in a way that is really inconsistent. She is either sounds too much like an adult or too much like a dumb teenager. It’s like Swierczynski sort of dances around a desirable sweet spot for the character, but never really nails it.

Conclusion: Good, but still not great. That’s the best way to describe both the issue and the crossover that it is involved in. A lot of it works, but enough of it doesn’t to keep it from earning higher than a…

Grade: B-

-Kyle Posluszny

X-Force #14 (Messiah War Chapter 3) – Review

By Craig Kyle & Christopher Yost (Writers) and Clayton Crain (Art)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: The Messiah War crossover event really hasn’t even started yet. So far, it’s been a whole lot of expositional dialogue and very little action. I’d expect that to change in chapter three, especially considering how chapter two ended.

The Story: X-Force, Cable, Hope, and Deadpool fight off Stryfe’s warriors in a bloody battle. During the fight, Archangel hears a voice calling out to him. Meanwhile, Stryfe waits for the best moment to attack. As for Bishop, well he’s in charge of most of the exposition.

What’s Good: The latest part of Messiah War is definitely a step up from the last one, though that really isn’t saying much. While most of it is driven by crazy action sequences, the writing team does a nice job of balancing the book by effectively using character moments and slower scenes to move the plot along. It helps that Craig Kyle and Christopher Yost have a very good handle on the fairly large cast. The characters could easily be lost among the bloody violence, but that is, thankfully, not the case. Everyone gets a chance to make an impact under Kyle and Yost. Especially in the case of Vanisher, who manages to bring dark humor to the story more successfully than Deadpool, a character that pretty much lives and dies by how well a writer handles his particular style of black comedy.

What’s Not So Good: The artwork in the third chapter of Messiah War is very much a mixed bag. While I firmly believe that Clayton Crain is a great fit for a series like X-Force, he tends to be his own worst enemy. When everything in his work manages to click (which it does quite often), it looks extremely good. But when something is off, an entire panel can be ruined. And too many panels are ruined in X-Force #14. Sometimes the work is far too dark. Other times everything looks very muddy and undefined. The worst though, is when the character work bounces from one extreme to another, sometimes in the same panel. The art looks either too hyper-detailed, and over-exaggerated or so indistinct that characters look like little more than blobs of color.

As for the story, it still feels like it’s plodding along. While the action in X-Force #14 is welcome and the ending is intriguing (if a bit too predictable), the whole thing lacks the kinetic urgency that drove the Messiah Complex along. I find that a bit surprising, especially because the stakes are just as high, if not higher in some ways.

Conclusion: The Messiah War is definitely gaining momentum, but it’s still a ways behind the Messiah Complex in terms of both scope and excitement.

Grade: B-

-Kyle Posluszny

Cable #13 (Messiah War Chapter 2) – Review

By Duane Swierczynski (Writer) and Ariel Olivetti (Artist)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: Messiah War got off to a solid start last week despite the fact that half of chapter one was spent on recapping the past. Now, with the pieces in place and the main players introduced into the event, I look forward to where the Messiah Complex sequel will go next. Hopefully, it’s somewhere good.

The Story: Much like the first chapter, the second part of Messiah War spends a lot of time going over past events. Only this time, the past events offer up information that’s new, regardless of whether or not the reader has been following X-Force and/or Cable. What that means is that Cable #13 reveals just what future-Deadpool has been up to all these years. Also, the issue reveals how the present future came to be and what is up with the partnership between Stryfe and Bishop.

What’s Good: The Messiah War story continues to hold quite a bit of potential. Thanks to the funny segment featuring Deadpool and the bits of effective narration from Bishop, it’s possible to come up with a fairly clear picture of what type of future the characters are operating in and how it came to be that way. In other words, with the set-up hopefully finally out of the way, it seems as though the X-event can finally start moving forward comfortably.

What’s Not So Good: In my review of the Messiah War one-shot, I expressed concern over how the event would fare in the hands of the Cable creative team. As it turns out, Cable #13 proves that my concern was more than justified. And Duane Swierczynski and Ariel Olivetti are both at fault.

With the exception of how Stryfe is written, Duane Swierczynski does a pretty poor job of handling his series’ guest stars. Deadpool comes off way too strong (his comic fan “in jokes” are more annoying than funny), Wolverine’s dialogue is at times, atrocious (asshat?! honestly!?), and I really can’t picture X-23 expressing much concern about how someone feels when such an important mission is going on. Two chapters in, and I’m already starting to think that Marvel should have just let Christopher Yost and Craig Kyle handle the entire event.

As for Ariel Olivetti’s work…well…he uses a very “love it or hate it” style. As a whole I can’t really stand it and as a result, I’m not a fan of the visuals in Cable #13. That said, I will give him credit for an appropriately hideous looking Deadpool and some pretty cool looking scenery.

Conclusion: Cable #13 pretty much justified and made real my fears about what would happen when Swierczynski and Olivetti took the reigns of an interesting story. I look forward to what’s coming next in the Messiah War, but at the same time, not really because of anything that took place in its second chapter. Consider me currently disappointed, but optimistic for the future.

Grade:  C–

-Kyle Posluszny

X-Force/Cable: Messiah War One-Shot Review

By Craig Kyle & Christopher Yost (Writers) and Mike Choi & Sonia Oback (Art)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: The X-event The Messiah Complex was one of the reasons I got back into reading comics. So, needless to say, I’ve been looking forward to the sequel. That said, I’m not really sure what to expect from it, quality-wise. I really like what Craig Kyle, Christopher Yost, Mike Choi, and Sonia Oback (along with Clayton Crain) have done with X-Force. However, Duane Swierczynski and Ariel Olivetti have left me feeling fairly indifferent towards Cable. While I’ll readily agree that Cable has improved quite a bit since its rocky start, I can’t help but wonder if the crossover will maintain a level of consistency between the different creative teams.

The Story: The Messiah War kicks off with…well… mostly a summary to get readers caught up on the events that have lead to the crossover. Cyclops sends X-Force into the future to help Cable protect Hope, where they run straight into a familiar, unstable mercenary. Meanwhile, Lucas Bishop hits a bar in an attempt to persuade a returning “X” adversary to help eliminate Cable and Hope.

What’s Good: Event one-shots are something of a necessary evil. They must accomplish the rather tricky task of explaining enough about the past in order to make new readers feel welcome while at the same time advancing the story enough to satisfy longtime fans. And as far as that task is concerned, I have to consider the Messiah War one-shot to be a success. Simply put, the creative team manages to present a comic that keeps the old information from feeling stale and the new stuff from feeling too stunted. The narration and dialogue from Craig Kyle and Christopher Yost adequately sums things up by establishing what’s at stake. As for the visuals, Mike Choi and Sonia Oback do a nice job telling the story while, at times, putting forth some of the best work I’ve seen them do. Especially worth noting are the scenes featuring Deadpool, as they are almost worth the price of admission alone. Hilarious and disturbing, just like something involving the Merc with a Mouth should be.

What’s Not So Good: Despite being well handled by the creative team from both a writing standpoint and an artistic standpoint, there is no shaking the “been there, done that” feeling the first half of the one-shot gives off. It seems as though the whole section might have been better suited to being part of one of those free Saga releases so more time could be spent on advancing the War plot. In all honesty, the situation is understandable. But it still warrants a mention or else I wouldn’t be doing my job.

Conclusion: Messiah War definitely gets off to a slow start, but things pick up well enough by the time the first chapter reaches its conclusion. I look forward to seeing where things go next. Hopefully it involves more Deadpool.

Grade:  C+

-Kyle Posluszny

X-Force #10 – Review

By Craig Kyle & Christopher Yost (Writers), Mike Choi (Art), and Sonia Oback (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: X-Force is one series that I can’t help but root for. While inconsistent and far from deep, there is almost no denying it’s appeal. A team of X-Men assigned to take down various villains from “X” lore by any means necessary? As an X-Men fan, I find the concept almost impossible to resist despite it’s inherent (or inevitable?) flaws. X-Force #10 marks the conclusion of “Old Ghosts,” the second arc of the series that’s doing a lot to build my confidence in the long term viability of a concept that, admittedly, seems quite shallow at first.

The Story: Warpath and Ghost Rider deal with the rampaging Demon Bear as the rest of the cast battles Cameron Hodge’s Army of the Right over possession of the deadly Legacy virus. I really can’t go into much more detail without heading into spoiler territory since the issue relies so heavily on its twists and turns.

What’s Good: While I still think that the artwork by Mike Choi and Sonia Oback is a bit too slick considering the gritty, violent tone of the series, that doesn’t change the fact that X-Force #10 is one nice looking book. And it’s a good thing too, because the visuals definitely go a long way towards making up for the somewhat lackluster storytelling throughout the issue. That said, there are still enough good plot seeds planted to make the whole thing worth reading despite its hang-ups. In fact, now that I think about it, the future looks pretty bright for X-Force, especially considering that the Messiah War “X”-event is fast approaching.

What’s Not So Good: From start to finish the conclusion of “Old Ghosts” feels rushed. It’s as though Craig Kyle and Christopher Yost were more convinced about delivering in the future than in the present. There is just far too much action, explanation, and set up for the future crammed into twenty-two pages. As a result, the quality of the arc as a whole takes a hit and the individual issue feels less than satisfying.

Conclusion: X-Force #10 is definitely what I would call a (very attractive) mixed bag. Why? Because it disappoints as an ending, but succeeds as a beginning. I like where the series is headed, I just wish it didn’t have to frustrate so much on the way there.

Grade:  C

-Kyle Posluszny

X-Force #8 – Review

By Craig Kyle & Christopher Yost (Writers), Mike Choi (Art), and Sonia Oback (Color Art)

The Story: As Warpath continues his journey to his brother’s grave, the rest of the X-Force team hunts down Vanisher in an effort to recover the lethal Legacy virus. It turns out that Vanisher is quite the wanted man, as the team finds that Domino is aiming for the exact same target.

What’s Good: While Clayton Crain’s dark, gritty work is a better fit for the series, there is no denying how nice this issue looks. The violent action flows well and the characters are well done (though a bit shiny). Mike Choi and Sonia Oback make a great team.

What’s also good is the return of Domino and the way the Legacy virus has been injected into the storyline. While I have my issues with how things are playing out, I am interested in finding out where things will go from here.

What’s Not So Good: Simply put, X-Force continues to be an extremely confusing series.  There is little information regarding where the storyline might fit into current continuity, and it seems as though the very concept of the team has been completely forgotten. Angel’s storyline is a complete mess, Warpath seems completely disconnected from the team at the moment, and for a “secret” team, there sure are a lot of people aware of what X-Force is doing.

A lot of stuff is happening in this series, but not enough of it is coming together all that well.

Conclusion: X-Force entertains and frustrates in equal measure. It has interesting ideas and attractive visuals, but really it’s making a mess of things from a continuity standpoint. Average at best.

Grade: C

-Kyle Posluszny

X-Force #6 – Review

By Craig Kyle, Christopher Yost (Writers), and Clayton Crain (Artist)

I have to admit, this one surprised me quite a bit. I never thought that Craig Kyle and Christopher Yost would manage to get a satisfying conclusion out of the increasingly convoluted “Angels and Demons” arc, but, lo and behold, they have. While there are a few things keeping X-Force #6 from being truly great, it is easily the best issue yet.

In an effective change of pace, the storyline is framed within a status report given by Wolverine to Cyclops. Long story short, all hell breaks loose at the Purifier base as all the various tensions and plotlines explode into an orgy of violence. Wolverine breaks up a standoff between Risman and Bastion, Archangel goes on a rampage against the choir, X-23 and Warpath kill a lot of Purifiers before facing off with someone changed by Magus, and Rahne stands up to her Purifier father. All of it works extremely well to bring the first arc of the re-launched series to a satisfying and appropriately, open-ended conclusion. That said, I have to acknowledge that are a few gaps in the storytelling that I wish Yost and Kyle would have taken the time to explain. While I won’t spoil anything here, the gaps involve the nature of Magus and transformation of Warren Worthington.

I have to hand it to the writers for changing the storytelling style for this issue. The decision pays off in a big way and allows the few plot holes to be fairly understandable given the context. If I have one complaint, however, it is that Wolverine’s narration is a little bit heavy on the “tough guy” image from time to time. Also, he swears quite a bit (which actually works well in giving the narration a conversational tone) and it made me realize the series would be much better off as a MAX title. Clayton Crain’s artwork (which I’ll get to in a moment) is already shockingly (MAX level) graphic, so why the need for censorship for some commonly used swear words? I know that’s a discussion for another day, but I feel it’s worth bringing up.

Crain’s artwork (see, I told you I would get to it) has never been better. The color palette is still a bit too dark and the characters occasionally look oddly proportioned, but those flaws can’t overshadow how visually compelling the action in this issue is. It is brutal, disturbing, and (oddly enough) beautiful all at the same time. Some of the pages have to be seen to be believed.

I really don’t know how much more I can say. I went into X-Force #6 fearing the worst and came away from it more than pleasantly surprised. If the momentum from this issue can be sustained, X-Force is going to be one series worth keeping an eye on. Action fans and “X” fans, consider this one a must buy. (Grade: B+)

– Kyle Posluszny

A Look at X-Men’s Angel

Angel – by Alex Ross

Warren Kenneth Worthington III, aka, Angel, has been a mainstay character of the X-Men series since its inception. The spoiled rich kid who was used to getting everything he wanted fleshed out the original five X-Men nicely, not only sharing witticisms and wisecracks with the Beast and Iceman but creating the first love triangle between Jean Grey and Cyclops.

Although there have been many changes to his character over the years, including moving onto other comic adventures in The Defenders and The Champions, it is the reunion of the original X-Men team in X-Factor that changed Warren the most; turning him from jovial playboy to a brooding harbinger of death.

So with the return of this dark personality in the pages of the new X-Force, lets go back to that first life changing episode and understand the depth of Warren’s struggle as The Archangel.

The Mile High Club

Angel in X-Men # 25

“How can I explain to any earthbound being… even a mutant the indescribable joy of flying? This is why I was born to soar… to feel the air racing by my wings!” (X-Men #26)

The original X-Factor series brought together the first students of Xavier’s School to continue the Professor’s dream of helping mutants to control their powers for the betterment of society. The setup was disingenuous, though, as the team posed as a mutant hunting organization while in reality locating new gifted youngsters and taking them under their wing. The entire project was funded by Worthington, with long-time friend Cameron Hodge serving as publicist and lover Candy Southern as financier.

Angel and Iceman – Uncanny X-Men # 289

When the Marauders began to massacre the misshapen mutants known as the Morlocks in the sewers beneath Manhattan, X-Factor sprung into action to save their fellow homo superiors. Tragically, Angel’s wings are savagely pinned to the sewer wall by the energized harpoons of the dully named Harpoon. Warren is eventually saved and returned to X-Factor by Thor who recognizes Angel from his days as an X-man. The ordeal leaves Warren in St. Vincent’s hospital on his deathbed.

Suddenly, Warren’s world begins to fall apart around him. His financing of X-Factor Investigations, the supposed mutant bounty hunters, is openly revealed which raises questions of why a mutant would fund such an organization and launches a government investigation into possible fraud of Worthington Industries shareholders and the public. The only person able to save his business and investments from going under leaves him. And most tragic of all, the only way to save his life is to amputate his gangrenous wings.

X-Factor # 12

“No! I’m the Angel– now and forever! I’d rather die than lose my wings!” Warren replies. Unlike other homo superiors whose powers reside internally and covert to most, the Angel’s mutation are external appendages that exist extraneously from his body. To sever his wings is to cut off his mutant identity. Integral to his ability to be an X-Man and moreover a superhero is the ability to use those wings. To be without them is a kind of poverty, a personal lack of value and ability to recover from it. He is useless and ashamed, and suddenly what he was born to do is no longer a possibility. Therefore, for Warren it is better to die than never feel the airs race beneath his wings.

Furthermore, amongst superheroes flight is a rather unremarkable attribute and more to the point unattributed to any particular appendage. Would Superman fly without his feet? Or the Sentry? Certainly Iron Man or any other technology based superhero could not fly without their devices, but such things can be repaired. Flesh and bone not so much.

Unfortunately, Warren’s supposed friend Cameron Hodge gets a court order to undergo the operation against his will. The surgery leaves Warren emotionally scarred beyond his own comprehension. Trying to recapture that “indescribable” joy of flying, Warren jumps on his personal jet and takes off into the sky… only to blow up in mid-air.

To the Brink of the Apocalypse

The Man in the Mirror- Uncanny X-Men # 289

“It’s all in your self-image. Just because your wings were surgically removed and Apocalypse regrew them into the blades of death is no reason to spend the rest of your life sulking.” (Uncanny X-Men #289)

Thanks to Apocalypse, Warren survived the explosion, orchestrated by Hodge to kill him and make it look like a suicide. The technologically advanced Social Darwinist rebuilds Worthington into his last horseman, Death, and gives him the precious gift of flight once more. But this doesn’t come free and Warren serves as Apocalypses high-flying hand of doom. From his new metal wings he can rain down barrages of blades at his enemies and fly at speeds never reached before.

But he is no longer the heroic figure he once was: inside him burns a seething rage and thirst for blood that is manipulated by the hand of Apocalypse. Together with the other horsemen, Warren will build a new world out of the strong who survive the Pestilence, the War, the Famine, and Death!

That is, until Warren seemingly kills Iceman, breaking free of the evil social architect’s control. Warren takes flight from his friends to regain his senses. Although he escaped Apocalypse’s brainwashing, he cannot escape his rage and seeks vengeance on Hodge who has now kidnapped Candy Southern.

Long ago, Warren walked into a East Village club in New York City to get his mind off of Jean Grey when from behind a pair of hands covered his eyes. “Guess who, Warren!” a voice coys. “Candy Sothern,” he replies, ” the light of my misspent youth!” (X-Men #31). The two catch up on old times and get up to dance when suddenly Warren is called into action by the Professor. He promised her a second date and the two remained friends, business partners, and lovers from that day forward.

Uncanny X-Men # 289

As Warren swoops into save Candy, Hodge murders her. Overcome with feelings of betrayal, hatred, loss, disgust, and most of all, helplessness, Angel uses his new metal wings to slice off Cameron Hodge’s head. The entire ordeal leaves Angel more distressed than ever and it is sometime before he returns to the X-Men at Beast’s provocation.

He has hard time dealing his powers (i.e. deadly wings that act out of his subconscious and a lust for death) his public notoriety because of the X-Factor mess, and the inhuman color of his blue skin. Yet Warren moves on and tries to be the X-Man he was under the new codename– Archangel.

Feathers Stick Together

Although Warren regained his “Angel” persona sometime ago, the return of “Archangel” marks a chilling reminder of what has already traversed:

“What follows can be described only as wanton destruction. And for the source of this horror there is the blank oblivion of unconsciousness. The X-Man known as Archangel sees nothing of the carnage he has wrought. Or more correctly the carnage wrought without his direction by his wings themselves” (Uncanny X-Men #285).

In X-Force Vol. 2, # 4 and 5, Wolfsbane, under the control of the religious mutant-hating Purifiers, rips off Warren’s wings to recover Apocalypse’s technology that will build an army of metal-winged crusaders. The trauma causes Apocalypse’s tech to activate and transform Angel once more into his bloodthirsty alter ego.

What will come of Warren Worthington III now? Will he remain the tragic harbinger of death? Or is there hope that he can regain his angelic persona once more?

Archangel Returns!

Check Out X-Force #6 August 26 to find out.

And check out the classic adventures of the winged wonder in Essential Classic X-Men Vol 1 & 2, Essential X-Factor Vol. 1 & 2, and issues of 285 to 300 of Uncanny X-Men.

– Steven Bari

White Down to Metal Tuft: A Look at the X-Men’s Angel

Angel - by Alex Ross

Warren Kenneth Worthington III, aka, Angel, has been a mainstay character of the X-Men series since its inception. The spoiled rich kid who was used to getting everything he wanted fleshed out the original five X-Men nicely, not only sharing witticisms and wisecracks with the Beast and Iceman but creating the first love triangle between Jean Grey and Cyclops.

Although there have been many changes to his character over the years, including moving onto other comic adventures in The Defenders and The Champions, it is the reunion of the original X-Men team in X-Factor that changed Warren the most; turning him from jovial playboy to a brooding harbinger of death.

So with the return of this dark personality in the pages of the new X-Force, lets go back to that first life changing episode and understand the depth of Warren’s struggle as The Archangel.

The Mile High Club

Angel in X-Men # 25

“How can I explain to any earthbound being… even a mutant the indescribable joy of flying? This is why I was born to soar… to feel the air racing by my wings!” (X-Men #26)

The original X-Factor series brought together the first students of Xavier’s School to continue the Professor’s dream of helping mutants to control their powers for the betterment of society. The setup was disingenuous, though, as the team posed as a mutant hunting organization while in reality locating new gifted youngsters and taking them under their wing. The entire project was funded by Worthington, with long-time friend Cameron Hodge serving as publicist and lover Candy Southern as financier.

Angel and Iceman - Uncanny X-Men # 289

When the Marauders began to massacre the misshapen mutants known as the Morlocks in the sewers beneath Manhattan, X-Factor sprung into action to save their fellow homo superiors. Tragically, Angel’s wings are savagely pinned to the sewer wall by the energized harpoons of the dully named Harpoon. Warren is eventually saved and returned to X-Factor by Thor who recognizes Angel from his days as an X-man. The ordeal leaves Warren in St. Vincent’s hospital on his deathbed.

Suddenly, Warren’s world begins to fall apart around him. His financing of X-Factor Investigations, the supposed mutant bounty hunters, is openly revealed which raises questions of why a mutant would fund such an organization and launches a government investigation into possible fraud of Worthington Industries shareholders and the public. The only person able to save his business and investments from going under leaves him. And most tragic of all, the only way to save his life is to amputate his gangrenous wings.

X-Factor # 12

“No! I’m the Angel– now and forever! I’d rather die than lose my wings!” Warren replies. Unlike other homo superiors whose powers reside internally and covert to most, the Angel’s mutation are external appendages that exist extraneously from his body. To sever his wings is to cut off his mutant identity. Integral to his ability to be an X-Man and moreover a superhero is the ability to use those wings. To be without them is a kind of poverty, a personal lack of value and ability to recover from it. He is useless and ashamed, and suddenly what he was born to do is no longer a possibility. Therefore, for Warren it is better to die than never feel the airs race beneath his wings.

Furthermore, amongst superheroes flight is a rather unremarkable attribute and more to the point unattributed to any particular appendage. Would Superman fly without his feet? Or the Sentry? Certainly Iron Man or any other technology based superhero could not fly without their devices, but such things can be repaired. Flesh and bone not so much.

Unfortunately, Warren’s supposed friend Cameron Hodge gets a court order to undergo the operation against his will. The surgery leaves Warren emotionally scarred beyond his own comprehension. Trying to recapture that “indescribable” joy of flying, Warren jumps on his personal jet and takes off into the sky… only to blow up in mid-air.

To the Brink of the Apocalypse

The Man in the Mirror- Uncanny X-Men # 289

“It’s all in your self-image. Just because your wings were surgically removed and Apocalypse regrew them into the blades of death is no reason to spend the rest of your life sulking.” (Uncanny X-Men #289)

Thanks to Apocalypse, Warren survived the explosion, orchestrated by Hodge to kill him and make it look like a suicide. The technologically advanced Social Darwinist rebuilds Worthington into his last horseman, Death, and gives him the precious gift of flight once more. But this doesn’t come free and Warren serves as Apocalypses high-flying hand of doom. From his new metal wings he can rain down barrages of blades at his enemies and fly at speeds never reached before.

But he is no longer the heroic figure he once was: inside him burns a seething rage and thirst for blood that is manipulated by the hand of Apocalypse. Together with the other horsemen, Warren will build a new world out of the strong who survive the Pestilence, the War, the Famine, and Death!

That is, until Warren seemingly kills Iceman, breaking free of the evil social architect’s control. Warren takes flight from his friends to regain his senses. Although he escaped Apocalypse’s brainwashing, he cannot escape his rage and seeks vengeance on Hodge who has now kidnapped Candy Southern.

Long ago, Warren walked into a East Village club in New York City to get his mind off of Jean Grey when from behind a pair of hands covered his eyes. “Guess who, Warren!” a voice coys. “Candy Sothern,” he replies, ” the light of my misspent youth!” (X-Men #31). The two catch up on old times and get up to dance when suddenly Warren is called into action by the Professor. He promised her a second date and the two remained friends, business partners, and lovers from that day forward.

Uncanny X-Men # 289

As Warren swoops into save Candy, Hodge murders her. Overcome with feelings of betrayal, hatred, loss, disgust, and most of all, helplessness, Angel uses his new metal wings to slice off Cameron Hodge’s head. The entire ordeal leaves Angel more distressed than ever and it is sometime before he returns to the X-Men at Beast’s provocation.

He has hard time dealing his powers (i.e. deadly wings that act out of his subconscious and a lust for death) his public notoriety because of the X-Factor mess, and the inhuman color of his blue skin. Yet Warren moves on and tries to be the X-Man he was under the new codename– Archangel.

Feathers Stick Together

Although Warren regained his “Angel” persona sometime ago, the return of “Archangel” marks a chilling reminder of what has already traversed:

“What follows can be described only as wanton destruction. And for the source of this horror there is the blank oblivion of unconsciousness. The X-Man known as Archangel sees nothing of the carnage he has wrought. Or more correctly the carnage wrought without his direction by his wings themselves” (Uncanny X-Men #285).

In X-Force Vol. 2, # 4 and 5, Wolfsbane, under the control of the religious mutant-hating Purifiers, rips off Warren’s wings to recover Apocalypse’s technology that will build an army of metal-winged crusaders. The trauma causes Apocalypse’s tech to activate and transform Angel once more into his bloodthirsty alter ego.

What will come of Warren Worthington III now? Will he remain the tragic harbinger of death? Or is there hope that he can regain his angelic persona once more?

Archangel Returns!

Check Out X-Force #6 August 26 to find out.

And check out the classic adventures of the winged wonder in Essential Classic X-Men Vol 1 & 2, Essential X-Factor Vol. 1 & 2, and issues of 285 to 300 of Uncanny X-Men.

– Steven Bari

X-Force #5 – Review

By Craig Kyle, Christopher Yost, (Writers) and Clayton Crain (Artist)

The previous issue of X-Force was, in my opinion, the strongest yet. Everything about it seemed to suggest that the series was finally moving in a positive direction as the story, characters, writing, and artwork came together really well. Unfortunately, X-Force #5 isn’t quite as strong as I had hoped, but it does take the story in an interesting direction that I believe will pay off well when the arc concludes next issue.

This issue focuses mostly on the division between Matthew Risman and Bastion, the leaders of the Purifiers. Risman comes to recognize the error of his ways in allowing Bastion to seize control of the Purifiers and plans to take action into his own hands by using the winged-warriors (created last issue). Bastion, meanwhile, continues to manipulate the Purifiers through William Stryker in order to bring about the total destruction of the remaining mutant race. For a Purifier-centric issue, the story works well, but it makes the inclusion of X-Force seem like an afterthought. To be honest, the team doesn’t do a whole lot. Wolfsbane is once again in Purifier captivity while the rest of the team chases down an enraged Archangel and that’s about it! The issue lacks any sense of balance between the two storylines and suffers because of it.

By framing most of the issue around Matthew Risman, readers are given a glimpse into the humanity of some of the religious extremists. When Risman is in control of the narrative, things work extremely well. But I must say that Craig Kyle and Christopher Yost disappoint when it comes to everything else. There are a few solid lines of dialogue, but, as a whole, anything outside of the Purifier storyline feels like filler. In short, the storytelling style works well, but the rest of it is average at best.

Visually, X-Force #5 is a pretty good looking book, but a little bit of light would go a long way. I understand the dark, gritty look and it fits the style of this series extremely well, but sometimes it gets a bit out of control. When the action comes across as more confusing and muddy than kinetic and bloody, it might be time to lighten things up. That said, the larger scenes are quite impressive and the character work continues to improve so I can’t come down too hard on Clayton Crain.

Overall I feel that X-Force #5 presents an equal measure of the good and bad aspects of this series. It is a decent, but slightly below-average read. (Grade: C-)

-Kyle Posluszny