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 #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.