X-FORCE by Geoffrey Thorne and Marcus To

[Johnrevenge]

Who is the Big Red Guy in the background? Anyone recognize him?

Seems to be a new character named Tank.

[Hi-Fi]

I wonder if "Sentinels" from the leaked list is actually NYX, making "Mystique" X-Factor.

Tomorrow will give us the answer.

[Jackraow21]

I wonder if "Sentinels" from the leaked list is actually NYX, making "Mystique" X-Factor.

Tomorrow will give us the answer.

Exactly what I was thinking. We'll see who the writer is on NYX, and whether Mystique is headlining (or appearing in) X-Factor. That will tell us. Also, whether Stephanie Phillips is writing Phoenix too, which was on the leaked list.

[NK1988]

Totally disagree, but that's okay. Different opinions make the world go round. X-Force to me, from the very beginning, was a paramilitary offshoot of the X-men. Cable molded some of the New Mutants into soldiers, plus picked up some new recruits who were a bit more hardened (Domino, Feral, Warpath, Shatterstar) and they did the dirty jobs "taking out threats before they came to the mansion's doorstep". Mutants using guns, knives and swords and not just their powers. Liefeld once described it as "X-men meets G.I. Joe" and talked about how the idea of a team of mutant superheroes using weapons would make for action figures that would sell. Or something along those lines.

So all that went into the stew that was X-Force from the beginning. If anything, the Wolverine led black ops "kill squads" just leaned into that even further, making the team less like a militia and more like a group of special forces operators (i.e., better trained, more lethal instruments but still paramilitary in nature).

Again, just how I have always seen X-Force and continue to see it. Admittedly it has veered away from that concept from time to time, but always finds its way back to it in the end.

As a new reader, where did Cyclops' version fall in all this between a militia and a kill squad?

Geoffrey Thorne spends a lot of time on CBR forums, so I don’t want to be rude in case he reads it.

But in terms of why X-fans might not like him… A while back he said some things about the mutant metaphor, that X-fans didn’t care for. Mostly on Twitter and I think that’s gone.

https://gizmodo.com/black-panther-si...wan-1846189427

He sounds like someone who spends a lot of time on internet forums Anyone who has has heard all these points many, many, many times.

[Cyclone_Ablaze]

Seems to be a new character named Tank.

Oh ok. Cool Tank huh? Interesting.

Thank You.

[Havok83]

Totally disagree, but that's okay. Different opinions make the world go round. X-Force to me, from the very beginning, was a paramilitary offshoot of the X-men. Cable molded some of the New Mutants into soldiers, plus picked up some new recruits who were a bit more hardened (Domino, Feral, Warpath, Shatterstar) and they did the dirty jobs "taking out threats before they came to the mansion's doorstep". Mutants using guns, knives and swords and not just their powers. Liefeld once described it as "X-men meets G.I. Joe" and talked about how the idea of a team of mutant superheroes using weapons would make for action figures that would sell. Or something along those lines.

So all that went into the stew that was X-Force from the beginning. If anything, the Wolverine led black ops "kill squads" just leaned into that even further, making the team less like a militia and more like a group of special forces operators (i.e., better trained, more lethal instruments but still paramilitary in nature).

Again, just how I have always seen X-Force and continue to see it. Admittedly it has veered away from that concept from time to time, but always finds its way back to it in the end.


Precisely the vibe I get from it too.

Plus, as Forge detects increasing threats across the planet, he’ll recruit specialists for each target. It’s a revolving door of Marvel guest stars and first up: that regenerating degenerate, Deadpool!

That kinda sounds like that to me. X-Force was a very proactive squad that went after their targets and didnt just wait around for things to happen to them. It seems like this is embracing that

The Wolverine led teams leaned too heavily into the black ops kill squad. It had a compleely different vibe. It was very dark in a way that I dont feel OG X-Force ever was.

[Jackraow21]

As a new reader, where did Cyclops' version fall in all this between a militia and a kill squad?

Good question. Definitely leaned harder into kill squad/wetworks for the first time, with Logan and Laura and Jimmy Proudstar front and center. But they picked up Rhane, and Elixir, and Warren; and later Domino and Vanisher. So I'd say somewhere in the middle. Part of the evolution. Then Logan took that even further in Remender's Uncanny X-Force where it was all adults who had either been manipulated by Weapon Plus (Wolverine, Deadpool, Fantomex) or someone else (Psylocke, who was manipulated by Matsuo and the Hand; and Warren, who was manipulated by Apocalypse). So all of them were trained assassins/soldiers and killers. It was really dark... and awesome. Probably what the majority of folks would point to as the best X-Force run ever, though I believe there are some others that come close.

[mbm721]

This looks interesting with a promising cast, def a mixed crew with some fan faves, good to see Surge again, Betsy back in xforce is cool too. I can live without Deadpool on the squad but yeah I get it, felt the same with Remender but that worked really awesome so being optimistic.

I’m down with the creative team, Thorne has some good ideas, I liked what I read of his DC Green Lantern stuff. I believe Thorne used to post on these boards a few years back, it’d be cool to see if he’ll post again/interact with readers/fans/posters. Always a fan of To’s art. Hope this clicks and is a solid book.

[Nicoclaws]

Looking at those uniforme I cannot help but think this was going to be X-Treme X-men until someone rightly deduced that the X-Force title was going to sell better.

Ah true ! I was wondering what the colors reminded me.

[Jackraow21]

That kinda sounds like that to me. X-Force was a very proactive squad that went after their targets and didnt just wait around for things to happen to them. It seems like this is embracing that

The Wolverine led teams leaned too heavily into the black ops kill squad. It had a compleely different vibe. It was very dark in a way that I dont feel OG X-Force ever was.

You don't remember Cable shooting Black Tom point blank in the face while he clung to an elevator shaft, surrendering? Or when he shot Sauron from behind and the exit wounds blew out of his front, after Sauron "killed" Cannonball? While they weren't trained assassins per se, they did some killing even back then. It was clear this was a different vibe than the X-men, and don't forget they had the Comics Code Authority back then too. So that was pushing it about as far as it could go in those days.

But, yes, the Logan led teams in the 00s took it even further in the "murder-death-kill" direction. And both the Kyle/Yost and Remender runs were awesome IMO, as a huge X-Force fan.

Regardless, you're right that this is leaning into the proactive strike force vibe of the early days, even if it doesn't feel quite as "paramilitary" to me. But perhaps the darker teams of the 00s ruined me in that respect. So while this doesn't really feel like X-Force to me, I'm willing to try it out.

[Rift]

Surge and Forge, finally reunited. At the very least, I'll be reading the first issue.

[JB]

Going by the premise and with Betsy and Rachel on the team and To illustrating I wonder if they'll jaunt over into Otherworld once in a while. Someone needs to ask that question when Thorne does his inevitable AiPT:XMM interview.

Good call! I'll indeed be submitting that question when the opportunity arises and please feel free to do the same. Jaunts into Otherworld would be delish.

[Marvell2100]

I'm in! Can't wait!

[Digifiend]

A mutant that has only one appearance in Ironheart, apparently:

https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Tank_...t)_(Earth-616)

Seems to be a new character named Tank.

Hmm, is he new? The one in Ironheart seemed to die fighting against Riri and Miles, but that was 2019, so there's plenty of time for a resurrection, or it's possible he never died in the first place. Hard to tell if it's the same guy considering his face is completely covered up on the X-Force cover.

I'm glad that Forge keeps getting a push even after the Krakoa era is over. After all those years being a side character in X-books, it's deserved.

Surge is a welcome surprise, but considering X-books' history with her generation, I'm cautious.

Deadpool is just here for an arc? Good. I mean, not at all would be better, but at least he'll eventually go away.

I still think Tank may be Taki or Madison.

Marcus To is great.
I've only read Solo and Mosaic by Thorne. Solo was terriible, while Mosaic was pretty good. Kinda hope Mosaic will appear as a guest in X-Force. He's a character who should have gotten a push.

Mosaic? He's an Inhuman, and his book was an ongoing that bombed into mini status. None of the New Inhumans are getting any page time now except Moon Girl and Kamala. Editorial will probably shoot it down if Thorne even suggests it, despite him being his creator.

[Redjack]

hey! Geoff Thorne, here. Yeah, I do post on CBR but I'm not a lurker. I don't drop bombs or come in to fight. I love comics so, sometimes I come here to talk about them.

Couple of things...

1) I don't want anyone here (or anywhere) to feel RESTRICTED in what they have to say, good or bad, about the book. There's no point to the forums if you can't speak your mind. I take nothing personally when it comes to the work. DO NOT censor yourselves because MAYBE, I MIGHT come through. I don't LIVE here. Even if I did, the forums are for everybody. But I'm not a diplomat so, bear that in mind. I'm a real actual person.

2) As for what to expect from the book, if it will be a retro-style thing or throwback to previous eras, etc.? Heh. Love the canon but nostalgia is not my thing so make of that what you will.

3)Marcus is bringing the heat. Fans and detractors will both be surprised by what we're giving.

4) All opinions about art are equally valid, even if they directly oppose one another. It's the one arena where everyone gets to be simultaneously right and wrong.