X-Force #1 review starring Black Tom Cassidy *spoilers*

[jwatson]

There is no 'team' exactly, it just feels like a mish mash of Krakoa stuff. If people were not on the cover I don't think there would be any reason to think there was an actual cast.

Everyone read that. Here is my problem, it would be one thing if the story just ignored all the holes it had, but it actually points them out. The people who were caught completely off guard all spent the whole issue talking about the things that made the story fall apart. It is not like we were told that the signature was a 100% match, Sage speaks about it as if the scanner is having a problem. The person who has been missing just mysteriously pops up plummeting towards the surface. Some cashier at a corner store just gave some 30 year old a harder time buying a case of beer.

I think that was the whole point. Moira even mentioned Charles arrogance in her notes. When they thought something was coming originally it looked like a bunch of kids on the shore trying to see who was coming. If it wasn't kitty those kids on the beach would be dead as Jean arrived late. Then I think Xavier was operating under the guise that since no one knew the exact location of karoka they wouldn't have just dove in. But let's say instead of humans they taped dominos skin to a nuke and dropped it. Then what, most would be dead. Then you add in wolverines line about becoming complacent when beast apparently all of a sudden forgot what a predator was. Top that off with the " we don't trust anything that doesn't come through the portal." Like there is no other point of entry and it shows of your going to be a country you have to do country things like have real defenses and a real immigration policy. Then you basically had black Tom telling everybody how basically stupid and naive they are being to be all lalala now that we are just out of there way humans will leave them alone. You also got Jean saying they being slow and stupid and it's all right there. We were heavy handed slapped over the face with just how stupid these guys are being. Now imagine if instead of 4 people it was 100 and he couldn't be more heavy handed why xforce is needed but I don't think it was sloppy it was over the top intentional.

[cranger]

I think that was the whole point. Moira even mentioned Charles arrogance in her notes. When they thought something was coming originally it looked like a bunch of kids on the shore trying to see who was coming. If it wasn't kitty those kids on the beach would be dead as Jean arrived late. Then I think Xavier was operating under the guise that since no one knew the exact location of karoka they wouldn't have just dove in. But let's say instead of humans they taped dominos skin to a nuke and dropped it. Then what, most would be dead. Then you add in wolverines line about becoming complacent when beast apparently all of a sudden forgot what a predator was. Top that off with the " we don't trust anything that doesn't come through the portal." Like there is no other point of entry and it shows of your going to be a country you have to do country things like have real defenses and a real immigration policy. Then you basically had black Tom telling everybody how basically stupid and naive they are being to be all lalala now that we are just out of there way humans will leave them alone. You also got Jean saying they being slow and stupid and it's all right there. We were heavy handed slapped over the face with just how stupid these guys are being. Now imagine if instead of 4 people it was 100 and he couldn't be more heavy handed why xforce is needed but I don't think it was sloppy it was over the top intentional.

I guess my issue is that it feels like the book had already set up the need for X-Force. I suppose we do not know why Domino was infiltrating that group but it would seem most likely as part of a mission given by Xavier. We do know that the location of Krakoa is not a secret, as the treaties provide for a 200 mile off limit zone around it. I could buy a story which had them acting too arrogant that no one would try anything (although that would just be the same old tune) but they had this defense system in place already according to the story. I can see the elements you are picking up on, but I also see the elements that contradict them. It is just a mess, so the best thing to do is just chalk it up to mutants suck at not being killed by humans, right?

[JB]

I read it again and I'm even more freaked out. LOL!

What a powerful moment of weakness for the mutants. Seeing Tabitha and Caliban getting attacked made me sad, along with everyone else.
The sense of urgency was palpable when Jean, Logan, and Hank raced through the woods.
I have to say, I haven't much cared for Hank in recent years but I really liked him in this. He ripped that attacker apart (then tells Logan to not kill the last one, haha).

And as mentioned, Black Tom was the standout for me. His heart was all in and he took out two of the attackers. He wins the Best New Hero award.



Curious about Percy's redactions in the script.

[jwatson]

I guess my issue is that it feels like the book had already set up the need for X-Force. I suppose we do not know why Domino was infiltrating that group but it would seem most likely as part of a mission given by Xavier. We do know that the location of Krakoa is not a secret, as the treaties provide for a 200 mile off limit zone around it. I could buy a story which had them acting too arrogant that no one would try anything (although that would just be the same old tune) but they had this defense system in place already according to the story. I can see the elements you are picking up on, but I also see the elements that contradict them. It is just a mess, so the best thing to do is just chalk it up to mutants suck at not being killed by humans, right?

All the defense system was is a alert system to know if someone was approaching the island. No guns, no canons, nothing. Then most of the mutants didn't even look like combat mutants so I'm not sure exactly what they could do, look how long it took seaskned professionals to react. It's not much of a security system at all it's nothing but an alert system that depends on the shifting winds and tides.

In one issue he showed us how easy it is to attack krakoa by sea and land. Not to mention the same old tricks.of throwing on a mask won't work when they can detect mutants with a single drop of blood.

[PrezValentine]

The defense system being for detection instead of outright countering is the most sensible choice, unless you think the Quiet Council should build a wall with guns mounted on it and make the flatscans pay for it.

Hyperbole aside, I'm happy with the setup, it was Sage that was sloppy on her job, but then again, the humans skinned Domino and put her pieces on themselves to avoid detection.

[Grey]

So death is less meaningful now but replaced with more gruesome / more quantity of deaths? Not sure that I’m a fan of the trade off .

Deaths being meaningless before will just be replaced by “let’s see what kind of new way to die we can come up with”, which will become just as tiresome.

I don’t see this status quo lasting.

[nandes]

Other than the plot contrivances already mentioned on this thread, I thought this was a pretty good issue. The art was great (the coloring esp makes it remind me of Jerome Opena's work) and Percy has a good sense of pacing. The scene where Jean visits Piotr and reads his memories was heartbreaking.

[jwatson]

The defense system being for detection instead of outright countering is the most sensible choice, unless you think the Quiet Council should build a wall with guns mounted on it and make the flatscans pay for it.

Hyperbole aside, I'm happy with the setup, it was Sage that was sloppy on her job, but then again, the humans skinned Domino and put her pieces on themselves to avoid detection.

Lmao this doesn't even make sense. Every country has missiles to counter missiles another country might shoot at them. Every country but krakoa. And every country has sea defenses in case you know their invaded. Again, except krakoa.

[JB]

So death is less meaningful now but replaced with more gruesome / more quantity of deaths? Not sure that I’m a fan of the trade off .

Deaths being meaningless before will just be replaced by “let’s see what kind of new way to die we can come up with”, which will become just as tiresome.

I don’t see this status quo lasting.

Death has never been meaningful in comics haha

[PrezValentine]

Lmao this doesn't even make sense. Every country has missiles to counter missiles another country might shoot at them. Every country but krakoa. And every country has sea defenses in case you know their invaded. Again, except krakoa.

The defense system are supposed to be the X-Men, no? Which, as Wolverine put, went soft.

But I can see how your point makes way more sense than mine lol

[jwatson]

So death is less meaningful now but replaced with more gruesome / more quantity of deaths? Not sure that I’m a fan of the trade off .

Deaths being meaningless before will just be replaced by “let’s see what kind of new way to die we can come up with”, which will become just as tiresome.

I don’t see this status quo lasting.

16 million deaths is a long way to go if it's about increasing the quantity. We are at what 7 or 8 so far between all the books.

[cranger]

All the defense system was is a alert system to know if someone was approaching the island. No guns, no canons, nothing. Then most of the mutants didn't even look like combat mutants so I'm not sure exactly what they could do, look how long it took seaskned professionals to react. It's not much of a security system at all it's nothing but an alert system that depends on the shifting winds and tides.

In one issue he showed us how easy it is to attack krakoa by sea and land. Not to mention the same old tricks.of throwing on a mask won't work when they can detect mutants with a single drop of blood.

I don't think I disagree with any of that. It just seemed like there was no reason given why they should be so lazy about security (they have 4 military commanders even).

[jwatson]

The defense system are supposed to be the X-Men, no? Which, as Wolverine put, went soft.

But I can see how your point makes way more sense than mine lol

So only three X-Men are suppose to defend? Storm and co are on a boat sailing. Excalibur groups is prob in other world. New mutants are in space. And who knows what mission of the week Scott is on. What trained X-Men are left?

[Whim]

I'm just not buying a few random non powered humans can just jump in and start killing.

I had higher hopes but this seemed kinda meh. Maybe better than Excalibur but shrug. If we get stuck with Quentin it gets worse not better....

The island should have much better defenses and there should be plenty of mutants around that can actually put up a fight. Instead we just get all these faceless randoms everywhere.

Caliban? Boom Boom ? (for some reason in her old first X-Force costume?) Vanisher? Prism (the Marauder?) should easily be able to take some human soldiers.

What if an actual army or super powered humans came? This makes the whole Krakoa look amateur and stupid. They'd have to be prepared for someone using a mutant to gain access.

[PrezValentine]

So, on the issue itself:
+ Great art. Best work Cassara ever put out that I've seen. Can't wait to see how he'll escalate things.
+ The pacing was really good and sold the urgency of the whole situation.
+ Character work on point, with good interactions, voices done right and all the main people having a good showing, except for Sage and Xavier, I guess lol
- The dialogue was a bit stiff and the skinning of Domino feels like straight out of KY's book LOL

Anyway, this was a strong start. 8/10. Let's hope it doesn't devolve into an edgefest completely as the story goes further.