X-Force #47 - Review/Spoilers

[JB]

I really enjoyed this and I like how Percy set things up. Disclaimer: X-Force continues to do its own thing when it wants to. I don’t know how the timeline of the next few issues will fit with Sabretooth War but we’ll cross that adamantium bridge when we get there.

We open with preview pages, Logan in Upstate NY being chased by two Sentinels. He's been on the run fighting Orchis from the shadows. Suddenly the Bluebird appears overhead and Sage asks him if he's going their way. Off they go and next we see them at the North Pole along with Colossus, Laura, Domino, Quentin, and Omega Red. Sage uses her floating exterior digital screens to create a grid on the ground and sends the coordinates to Black Tom. He's been underwater piloting their mobile base and crashes through the icy surface, approaching the team.

Logan asks Quentin how many mutants are out there but Quentin says his powers have been screwy since returning from the future. Logan tells him to get his s**t together and send out a telepathic beacon for survivors to find their way to them. Black Tom reaches them (in his walking mobile base) then burrows into the ground, modifying the Krakoan flora to become more permanently fixed to the icy land. They call it the Greenhouse.

As they're entering, Logan notices Quentin is falling behind. He approaches him and Quentin is having some kind of painful telepathic flash. We see the reflection of Phoebe in his glasses, reaching out for help. Logan catches him as he then passes out. In the medical bay Logan and Tom are discussing Quentin while Tom uses the flora to help him rest. It's actually quite nice how Tom touches his head in a caring way. We get a close up of Quentin's eye and then the image he's seeing his head. It's the Hellfire Gala, Nimrod killing the X-Men vote team and Moira standing over the Cuckoos, holding one by the throat and pointing her arm cannon at another while Phoebe tries to flee, the same position we saw her before, reaching out and calling out to Quentin.

Later in the control room, Sage is annoyed as she says it'll take months to decrypt all the data in here Beast's mobile base. Tom gets the great line of, "Got to dig deep into the Beastie files to keep Beastie from doing more Beastie things." She asks him how the security perimeter setup is going and he says he has vines and roots spreading outwards a few kilometers. His eyes were closed and then they suddenly open. "... and they're already registering movement." Sage asks what kind of movement and he says someone's coming, somebodies rather. Could be military, Orchis, anybodies.

Three cloaked figures walk through the frozen tundra and are lunged at by Domino and Laura, demanding they stand down. Luckily it's Fang, Northstar and Aurora! Laura and Akihiro give each other a really nice hug. He says they got hit with the telepathic beacon so they came right away. The twins grab all of them and speed back to the Greenhouse. That takes the wind out of Laura and Domino, hehe.

Data page. Sage's Logbook: Colossus Interrogation.
Colossus made a statement about understanding if they want to banish him. He also makes some interesting comments about how he's not pleading absolutely loyalty to everything Krakoa. He doesn't know if he would have joined his brother had his brother asked him at the beginning. He's been under control for so long that he knew really had the opportunity to come to his own conclusions about Krakoa. But he chooses this team, the Greenhouse, and what they currently stand for as a mutant refuge. Sage's log then states that everyone voted for him to stay, "with Logan taking the longest to respond."

Later in what appears to be a new greenhouse (with THE Greenhouse) Peter is tending to some plants. Domino is watching him from the doorway and he says she might as well comes in. She says he seems at peace and he says getting his hands dirty is the only way to clean out his brain. He doesn't think about anything else but the plants. As she gets closer he turns to steel which alarms her. He changes back to flesh, apologizes and says he's feeling very defensive around everyone.



Back at the medical bay Logan apologizes to the sleeping Quentin for being so hard on him earlier. He says if he could wake up that'd be great because they need him. A slight smirk appears on Quentin's face but he's still unconscious. The vision from earlier is continuing and he sees Moira shoot one of the Cuckoos with her cannon point blank. He suddenly wakes up and bolts out of the room, "I'm coming!" Omega Red is outside keeping watch when Quentin flys out of the Greenhouse. He notifies Sage who contacts Quentin warning him not to leave. Quentin is all like "yeah, yeah" and says he's an omega and sent out a temporary jamming signal so he could go dark. Sage tries to warn him that Orchis is using tech they don't know anyt... he don't care and says he's going silent.



Aww!! Quentin picks her up saying he's going to bring her home but just then a Sentinel approaches from above.

Data Page. Sage's Logbook: War Camp.
It's a proposal from Sage on how best to receive any refugees that respond to Quentin's telepathic beacon and setting up a new oversight committee to discuss responsibilities/concerns such as food & water, clothing, medical, terrorism concerns, mutant processing, etc.

Logan and Fang are in the hangar and Fang asks if Logan is going to say something like "I'm glad you're okay." Logan says it, saying he's been distracted but he knew Fang would be okay because he's tough. He touches Fang's face which is nice. Stepping outside Fang asks what they're going to do with all of the mutants that have responded to Quentin's call. We see a number of mutants have shown up (if anyone recognizes some please post them, I think I only recognize Anole and the octopus legged girl from Hickman's X-Men #1.) Logan says they're going to protect them and is about to get everyone into a line to be identified/processed when Peter says he needs to speak to him. Now. About Sabretooth. Logan is about to start talking to him when Quentin comes rocketing in and crash lands into the snowy ground.

[danielsan52]

My first X-Force issue from this volume and I have to say I enjoyed it. I came here because Alpha Flight.

I'll be sure to get the next. Not sure what all the hate is about concerning this title, and I really don't care.

[JB]

My first X-Force issue from this volume and I have to say I enjoyed it. I came here because Alpha Flight.

I'll be sure to get the next. Not sure what all the hate is about concerning this title, and I really don't care.

This for me had the same vibe as early X-Force with a nice dose of emotion and family. Quentin finding Phoebe really got me in the heart.

[Frontier]

I'm glad Colossus is finally free even if the aftereffects on him and his relationships are still there. That it took so long for Logan to vote for him...

Bringing things full-circle from the time Phoebe utterly rejected Quentin earlier in the run.

It's surreal seeing Logan get a tender moment with Daken.

Beast with a sniper rifle should be a meme image.

[Rnap22]

This was a great issue the first in a long time that was just overall great. I’m happy to see Fang, Northstar and Aurora join up. I’m happy to FINALLY see Sage taking charge. It’s been too long since we saw a Sage that was sure of herself. I would like to see this team stick together (in some form) into the new era. Northstar and Aurora would be great as the could fall into the X-factor role as a subset of X-force.

And can we finally have Colossus stop being so miserable in every era? When was the last time the poor guy wasn’t in some sort of turmoil? Claremont and Byrne? I dunno.. Peter just really needs an era of peacee and no manipulation for a few years.

[JB]

This was a great issue the first in a long time that was just overall great. I’m happy to see Fang, Northstar and Aurora join up. I’m happy to FINALLY see Sage taking charge. It’s been too long since we saw a Sage that was sure of herself. I would like to see this team stick together (in some form) into the new era. Northstar and Aurora would be great as the could fall into the X-factor role as a subset of X-force.

And can we finally have Colossus stop being so miserable in every era? When was the last time the poor guy wasn’t in some sort of turmoil? Claremont and Byrne? I dunno.. Peter just really needs an era of peacee and no manipulation for a few years.

Agreed about the issue. It just really worked and I liked how the team immediately is focused on taking refugees in. I'm happy to see mutants already responding to Quentin's beacon.

Also agreed about Colossus. I'm hoping he gets a big heroic moment in this arc that will finally set him on a much better feeling path.

[Jackraow21]

My first X-Force issue from this volume and I have to say I enjoyed it. I came here because Alpha Flight.

I'll be sure to get the next. Not sure what all the hate is about concerning this title, and I really don't care.

This was actually a good issue. As JB said, definitely feels like the same vibe as early X-Force, which IMO was the strongest book of the initial post-House of X line for the first ten issues… then it fell off, meandered for a bit (plant people!), and ultimately got just plain bad. Seems like Percy might finish strong here, though.

I really like this team, with Logan leading the field branch and Sage in charge of intel/overwatch. Omega Red seems like the odd man out to me, but I suppose that’s by design. Would love to see some interaction between him and Logan, just to see how he handles his former enemy — a serial killer mind you — being under his command on this team.

At any rate, solid issue. Hoping this incarnation of X-Force at least finishes strong.

Agreed about the issue. It just really worked and I liked how the team immediately is focused on taking refugees in. I'm happy to see mutants already responding to Quentin's beacon.

Also agreed about Colossus. I'm hoping he gets a big heroic moment in this arc that will finally set him on a much better feeling path.

I miss when he and Neena were in a carefree fun relationship back in Hopeless’ Cable & X-Force series. That was the last time Piotr didn’t feel totally miserable.

[Mungho]

This was actually a good issue. As JB said, definitely feels like the same vibe as early X-Force, which IMO was the strongest book of the initial post-House of X line for the first ten issues… then it fell off, meandered for a bit (plant people!), and ultimately got just plain bad. Seems like Percy might finish strong here, though.

I really like this team, with Logan leading the field branch and Sage in charge of intel/overwatch. Omega Red seems like the odd man out to me, but I suppose that’s by design. Would love to see some interaction between him and Logan, just to see how he handles his former enemy — a serial killer mind you — being under his command on this team.

At any rate, solid issue. Hoping this incarnation of X-Force at least finishes strong.

*sigh*I guess this was better then the ones before it and it did remind me of the first 6 or so issues of this title. Can you imagine I actually liked this title when I started it? I'm just disappointed that bad-Beast's big revelation is he wants to kill all of X-Force. I was hoping that they discover something about bad-Beast which is why they bring back Avengers' Beast next month.

I'm really afraid that Beast won't recover from what Percy's done to him, even if they shift all the blame to the bad one.

[Alex.]

I still think it's extremely disturbing how Percy decided to do a romance arc with the neo-Nazi school shooter kid while using the sister of the girl he used to stalk as a Damsel in distress to further his redemption arc. But I couldn't expect anything more from the writer who turned Beast into a 007 villain and who thought it would be cool to have a surfboard made out of metal (which was so stupid that it was at least funny)

I'm afraid the Cuckoos are going back to being 3 with 2 of them dead. Again, 3 is fine, but the other 2 should be doing something else. Being in otherworld, for example.

As for Colossus, I'm really sorry he was done so dirty. He'll probably have a pity party that hopefully will lead to something brighter.

The issue wasn't terrible, but it wasn't great as well, imo.

Edit:

I'm just disappointed that bad-Beast's big revelation is he wants to kill all of X-Force.

I still think bad-Beast is a good development. But do we really think one of the smartest mutants would choose to aim at Wolverine's head out of everyone there? To me, this level of silliness is closer to Martinique Jason creating visual illusions to deceive Daredevil than it is to Reed Richards.

Again, not mad about him being bad. But why and especially how. And it is still justifiable for you to feel this way.

[Jackraow21]

*sigh*I guess this was better then the ones before it and it did remind me of the first 6 or so issues of this title. Can you imagine I actually liked this title when I started it? I'm just disappointed that bad-Beast's big revelation is he wants to kill all of X-Force. I was hoping that they discover something about bad-Beast which is why they bring back Avengers' Beast next month.

I'm really afraid that Beast won't recover from what Percy's done to him, even if they shift all the blame to the bad one.

Beast is getting a reset. He’ll be good again in the cartoon too. Not sure how much more assurance you need than that. This story is winding down, and so is the current era. Better days are ahead for Hank in the next era, so no use crying over spilled milk. Turn the page.

[Mungho]

Beast is getting a reset. He’ll be good again in the cartoon too. Not sure how much more assurance you need than that. This story is winding down, and so is the current era. Better days are ahead for Hank in the next era, so no use crying over spilled milk. Turn the page.

I know, I'm sorry for whining. I've just been bummed about the hate I keep seeing for him all over the internet. From now on, whenever anyone talks about Beast, they'll bring up Percy's run and say 'This disgusting monster(or sack of ****, I've heard both) didn't deserve to get reset'.

I really need much less internet.

[The Twilight Mexican]

I know, I'm sorry for whining. I've just been bummed about the hate I keep seeing for him all over the internet. From now on, whenever anyone talks about Beast, they'll bring up Percy's run and say 'This disgusting monster(or sack of ****, I've heard both) didn't deserve to get reset'.

I really need much less internet.

Don't be sorry. Your boy has been done beyond dirty. It's not like better days are actually ahead for Hank either, as Jackarow said. There will be better days for a Hank, but not this one.

[Rift]

I stopped reading the second I saw the word "Quentin."

[JB]

I stopped reading the second I saw the word "Quentin."

Out of the hundreds of mutant characters Quire is my lease favorite of them all and yet, I kinda liked him here.

[Uncanny X-Man]

Great recap as always, JB!

I also really enjoyed this issue which I think featured Ben Percy's strongest writing in some time. I also loved seeing the Alpha Alphans join X-Force in giving shelter to mutants in need as well as the character work on Piotr and Quentin.

I also can't help noticing how a number of books now have characters voicing concerns over Krakoa and basically referring to it as a failed experiment. I'm looking forward to reading how Gillen and Duggan will approach the topic in Rise and Fall as, timeline resets notwithstanding, a narrative will have to be built to make leaving the Krakoa era behind believable for a lot of characters.