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