REVIEW: ‘X-Force’ Issue #1

X-Force #1 is published by Marvel Comics, written by Geoff Thorne, art by Marcus To, colors by Erick Arciniega and letters by Joe Caramagna. As part of the From The Ashes relaunch of X titles, Forge creates his own X-Force team intending to invent a solution to a broken world.

Like the other first issues of From The Ashes, X-Force #1 is larger than the average comic, allowing an intriguing structure and pace to unfold. A large part of the issue revolves around Forge, who attempts to explain his mutant power and where he has landed following the fall of Krakoa. He gathers his new team slowly, going for Sage first. It allows for a brief mission before the comic is flung into action. It is there the structure gets most interesting. The characters will get introduced in the battle; then there will be a flashback to Forge recruiting them.

Askani (Rachel Summers,) Captain Britain (Betsy Braddock,) Tank, and special guest star Deadpool finish up the team for this first chapter. The structure can be confusing, but it allows for a mix of exposition and action without losing track of either. The aim of this team appears to be solving problems instead of directly targeting threats to mutant-kind. There is only a glimpse of that within the first issue, but it adds a unique spin to how a team will respond to the damage done to mutants.

The lineup within this team is a gamble. It’s undoubtedly intriguing as almost every member has been selected for their mind, not their muscle. Forge and Sage are problem solvers with mutant powers that make them perfect for the idea surrounding the book. Captain Britain and Askani are powerhouses, both incredibly powerful telepaths that increase each other’s powers. The outsiders of that hypothesis are Deadpool and Tank. Tank is the physical powerhouse of the group, strong and silent, while Deadpool appears to have been selected for timeliness.

Thorn intends to have a group based on intellect instead of might, although this group is formidable in a fight. It is a slight critique, but three telepaths (Sage also counts as one) could be considered excessive and lack a variety of powers within the group. But it is difficult to avoid that when Askani and Betsy are an adorable and incredibly strong couple.

The art is fantastic. The characters are incredibly cool and all have uniforms that allows To to create a redesign for each. Whilst they are based on the same theme, every costume fits the individual personality and design of the X-Force member. Initially seen as a duo, Forge and Sage look like suave spies, intensified by Sage’s sunglasses.

Deadpool fits in naturally without changing much. Despite the psychics in the squad, the battle in the second half of the issue is very physical and diverse in scale. At first, they are outnumbered by average goons before being dwarfed by something much larger. Even though the former X-Men are slick and hardcore in their suits and out in the field in their personal lives, they show vulnerability and fragility, displaying some depth within the storytelling.

The colors help to depict the synergy across the team. The new uniforms for X-Force are all red and the same shade of red. It’s a powerful shade that works brilliantly in bulk. Even with the uniformity, those distinct shades that characters like Rachel and Betsy have (orange and purple, respectively) still shine through. Caramagna is one of the most experienced letters in the business, and that can be seen with the easy-to-read and dynamic word balloons.

Forge’s selection as leader is important as having a Native American lead is huge within X-Men history. He has also been a crucial member of X-Men teams throughout generations. But there is no A-lister within this lineup, possibly warding away new readers. However, the lack of huge names isn’t always a negative, as it can lead to the stars being built up instead of installed. Deadpool is that headline act but is a guest star. It will be fascinating to see if more guest stars are in the series going forward.

X-Force #1 seeks to both fix and fight. Whilst the team may be built around the brains of those brought together, there is more than enough of a battle in this first issue to show that they won’t back down from conflict. This a gorgeous issue that wants to traverse the globe and fix a world that has been shattered.

X-Force #1 is available where comics are sold.