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Uncanny X-Force (2010)
Uncanny X-Force, Vol. 3: The Dark Angel Saga, Book 1
As Apocalypse falls, Archangel rises!
Warren Worthington is losing his fight with the beast within - the monster known as Archangel, Horseman of Apocalypse, destined to become the heir to the mutant warlord's evil. Only one thing can stop it from happening. Unfortunately for Warren's teammates on X-Force, that one thing is in a dimension in which Apocalypse has brought the world to its knees: the Age of Apocalypse.
But as Wolverine and X-Force encounter twisted versions of familiar faces, one question remains: If the Age of Apocalypse is over, who has transformed this world back into a living hell? Can X-Force recover the item they need and return home in time to stop Archangel's ascension to Apocalypse's throne?
COLLECTING: UNCANNY X-FORCE #8-13
Warren Worthington is losing his fight with the beast within - the monster known as Archangel, Horseman of Apocalypse, destined to become the heir to the mutant warlord's evil. Only one thing can stop it from happening. Unfortunately for Warren's teammates on X-Force, that one thing is in a dimension in which Apocalypse has brought the world to its knees: the Age of Apocalypse.
But as Wolverine and X-Force encounter twisted versions of familiar faces, one question remains: If the Age of Apocalypse is over, who has transformed this world back into a living hell? Can X-Force recover the item they need and return home in time to stop Archangel's ascension to Apocalypse's throne?
COLLECTING: UNCANNY X-FORCE #8-13
144 pages, Paperback
First published December 7, 2011
About the author
Rick Remender
1,271 books1,450 followersRick Remender is an American comic book writer and artist who resides in Los Angeles, California. He is the writer/co-creator of many independent comic books like Black Science, Deadly Class, LOW, Fear Agent and Seven to Eternity. Previously, he wrote The Punisher, Uncanny X-Force, Captain America and Uncanny Avengers for Marvel Comics.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews
April 23, 2015
4.5 stars
So much better than the previous volume! The story itself is dark, but there's so much humor in this, thanks to the dialogue between Fantomex, Deadpool & Wolverine, that I literally giggled my way through the entire thing.
There's quite a bit to this one, but the gist is that Angel has been taken over by his darker personality, Archangel. And in order to save him the X-Force makes a deal with the devil...*cough* Dark Beast *cough*
He knows of a way to bring Angel back, but it requires traveling to The Age of Apocalypse world to retrieve a Life Seed off of some dead SomethingOrOther's corpse.
Sorry, I can't remember what they're calledI know, you're shocked, right?, but they're some kind of powerful super-beings.
With and Evil incarnation of Beast leading the team, I don't see how the plan could go wrong!
Right. So things go wrong. Lots and lots of spoilery things go wrong.
This volume ends on a cliffhanger, so I really want to wrap this review up and head into book 2 of the Dark Angel Saga.
Great story, great pacing, and hilarious dialogue. Loved it!
So much better than the previous volume! The story itself is dark, but there's so much humor in this, thanks to the dialogue between Fantomex, Deadpool & Wolverine, that I literally giggled my way through the entire thing.
There's quite a bit to this one, but the gist is that Angel has been taken over by his darker personality, Archangel. And in order to save him the X-Force makes a deal with the devil...*cough* Dark Beast *cough*
He knows of a way to bring Angel back, but it requires traveling to The Age of Apocalypse world to retrieve a Life Seed off of some dead SomethingOrOther's corpse.
Sorry, I can't remember what they're called
With and Evil incarnation of Beast leading the team, I don't see how the plan could go wrong!
Right. So things go wrong. Lots and lots of spoilery things go wrong.
This volume ends on a cliffhanger, so I really want to wrap this review up and head into book 2 of the Dark Angel Saga.
Great story, great pacing, and hilarious dialogue. Loved it!
August 14, 2014
Professor Xavier, please mind-wipe the fact that I have ever read this book.
The X-Force has been around in various incarnations since Marvel realized that if you slap an “X” on the cover of a book, it would be like printing money. Then they overdid it. Big time. I remember going to comic book conventions and buying a couple boxes for $15 and filling them up with all the X-citing stuff I could carry. Good thing I had my wife with me. “Honey, could you grab one of those 50 pound boxes of comics for me? I love you!”
This story is about Warren Worthington, the Angel. He has wings. He, um, flies. Least exciting X-man alive. X-Force is now the black-ops wing of the X-men and Mr. Worthington is a member. He’s also plagued by his time as Archangel, one of Apocalypse’s Horsemen. Those were bad times, indeed. In order to rid him of this, traveling to alternate realities is required. Traveling through alternate realities, for me, is like taking a city bus. I’ll only do it, if I have to. Here, I opted out of this ride.
The X-Force has been around in various incarnations since Marvel realized that if you slap an “X” on the cover of a book, it would be like printing money. Then they overdid it. Big time. I remember going to comic book conventions and buying a couple boxes for $15 and filling them up with all the X-citing stuff I could carry. Good thing I had my wife with me. “Honey, could you grab one of those 50 pound boxes of comics for me? I love you!”
This story is about Warren Worthington, the Angel. He has wings. He, um, flies. Least exciting X-man alive. X-Force is now the black-ops wing of the X-men and Mr. Worthington is a member. He’s also plagued by his time as Archangel, one of Apocalypse’s Horsemen. Those were bad times, indeed. In order to rid him of this, traveling to alternate realities is required. Traveling through alternate realities, for me, is like taking a city bus. I’ll only do it, if I have to. Here, I opted out of this ride.
June 11, 2023
With all the killing Wolverine’s X-Force has been doing lately, Warren Worthington’s Archangel persona has begun to subsume his mind. In order to cure him, X-Force must travel to a dimension where the being that gave Warren his metal wings has conquered the world, the Age of Apocalypse!
Rick Remender placated the 90’s era comic fan in me by revisiting the Age of Apocalypse, a bleak world where Apocalypse has instituted his Darwinian mantra of survival of the fittest. In that world, the X-Men managed to kill Apocalypse, but another much more malevolent force has risen in its place.
This new Age of Apocalypse is bleaker than before. All the sacrifices of Magneto’s X-Men have proved futile as their world has slipped further into the darkness. Not even with the power of the Phoenix on their side have they been able to arrest the extinction of humankind.
Remender foreshadows what would happen to Warren should X-Force fail. The death of Apocalypse has created a void his heir must fill and more often than not his heirs have always been the Horseman called Death, as Warren was when he turned to Apocalypse to restore his broken body many comic event cycles back. Again, the art is not handled by Jerome Opeña but by a tag team of capable artists in Billy Tan and Mark Brooks. Dean White is emerging to be the dominant artist on this series as his colors give the book a unifying feel.
Remender is proving to be a master at utilizing past storylines into fueling his stories. He has found a use for Fantomex, Grant Morrison's enigmatic creation, integrated Jesse Aaron's new Deathlok into his team and now firmly linked the Celestials into Apocalypse's mythos for all time.
The wait is getting to be unbearable, but something pretty big is brewing as the Dark Angel Saga concludes in the next six issues, six more opportunities for Remender to once again blow his readers’ minds away.
Originally read on the Marvel Digital Comics Universe app on Marvel.com as single issues.
Rick Remender placated the 90’s era comic fan in me by revisiting the Age of Apocalypse, a bleak world where Apocalypse has instituted his Darwinian mantra of survival of the fittest. In that world, the X-Men managed to kill Apocalypse, but another much more malevolent force has risen in its place.
This new Age of Apocalypse is bleaker than before. All the sacrifices of Magneto’s X-Men have proved futile as their world has slipped further into the darkness. Not even with the power of the Phoenix on their side have they been able to arrest the extinction of humankind.
Remender foreshadows what would happen to Warren should X-Force fail. The death of Apocalypse has created a void his heir must fill and more often than not his heirs have always been the Horseman called Death, as Warren was when he turned to Apocalypse to restore his broken body many comic event cycles back. Again, the art is not handled by Jerome Opeña but by a tag team of capable artists in Billy Tan and Mark Brooks. Dean White is emerging to be the dominant artist on this series as his colors give the book a unifying feel.
Remender is proving to be a master at utilizing past storylines into fueling his stories. He has found a use for Fantomex, Grant Morrison's enigmatic creation, integrated Jesse Aaron's new Deathlok into his team and now firmly linked the Celestials into Apocalypse's mythos for all time.
The wait is getting to be unbearable, but something pretty big is brewing as the Dark Angel Saga concludes in the next six issues, six more opportunities for Remender to once again blow his readers’ minds away.
Originally read on the Marvel Digital Comics Universe app on Marvel.com as single issues.
October 8, 2018
This volume manages to be consistently entertaining despite the fact that it takes us back to the much hated (by me, anyway) 'Age of Apocalypse' parallel universe. No mean feat. It doesn't hurt that the art is solid throughout, despite there being a couple of mid-story artists changes.
August 20, 2021
This one was surprisingly good!
It starts with the team going after people who they perceive as a threat and they have to take down Shadow king and the battle there is intense, meanwhile Warren is losing to Archangel and its gonna be a big battle in his mind meanwhile Wolverine has to do some mission for Magneto and its great to see that they are not holding anything back like they are the Black Ops team, doing missions no one will and I love they are not backing away.
The thing I like the most is the return to Age of Apocalypse and its great to see it especially like the cool visuals and the threats there and warped history and so the X-Men have to team up with X-Force and like save this world, get the life seed in order to prevent the rise of the heir of Apocalypse. Its such a cool-mind visual thing and like just increases the stakes everywhere. Plus I like how Logan and Jean are having moments and the final battle with this world's Logan and the twists and losses and the ending is just so worth it.
I am loving this book and how warped and dark it is and its not holding anything back and as we think of how to avoid the worst case scenarios and it still happens. Its just amazing how the art gets better with every issue and I like this run for it. Plus we get to see what happens to Arch angel and its awesome. Just some great visual stuff and some of Remenders best work for sure. A highly recommended read.
It starts with the team going after people who they perceive as a threat and they have to take down Shadow king and the battle there is intense, meanwhile Warren is losing to Archangel and its gonna be a big battle in his mind meanwhile Wolverine has to do some mission for Magneto and its great to see that they are not holding anything back like they are the Black Ops team, doing missions no one will and I love they are not backing away.
The thing I like the most is the return to Age of Apocalypse and its great to see it especially like the cool visuals and the threats there and warped history and so the X-Men have to team up with X-Force and like save this world, get the life seed in order to prevent the rise of the heir of Apocalypse. Its such a cool-mind visual thing and like just increases the stakes everywhere. Plus I like how Logan and Jean are having moments and the final battle with this world's Logan and the twists and losses and the ending is just so worth it.
I am loving this book and how warped and dark it is and its not holding anything back and as we think of how to avoid the worst case scenarios and it still happens. Its just amazing how the art gets better with every issue and I like this run for it. Plus we get to see what happens to Arch angel and its awesome. Just some great visual stuff and some of Remenders best work for sure. A highly recommended read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 8, 2014
Everything that I've enjoyed so much from the first 2 volumes just gets ramped up here. The action is great, violent, bloody, no holds barred; the characterization is great, Remender could and should be allowed to write Wolverine, Deadpool and Fantomex as their own series'; The humour is sharp, sarcastic, witty and real, and nice to see someone realize just because you're staring death in the face, it's no reason to get monotone and boring. Things with Warren aren't going so well, Betsy cannot keep Archangel in check, no matter her efforts (though the Shadow King does kind of help push him over the edge)...It becomes apparent that Warren is losing the battle for his mind.
This leads the team (Wolverine specifically) to a drastic step...freeing a villain to help them help Warren. Without giving away who, it's a brilliant choice, and his actions all make perfect sense. This leads the team to having to travel to the Age of Apocalypse in order to retrieve a device which might be able to defeat Archangel and purge him from Warren.
So ya, we're getting Remender's version of the Age of Apocalypse; and without giving anything away...godDAMN! Awesome. The vibe is just right, the people still alive and fighting together against Apocalypse, just right on, even with a few questions raised; those fighting for Apocalypse, including the major reveal of the major leader of all the evil, and it leads to one fantastic fight showdown.
There's the right amount of gravitas here too, people die, sacrifices are made, and people are proven to be heroes yet again.
One of the craziest, yet most powerful things in the AoA is the discovery that in this world, Wolverine meets someone who he never had a chance to in our world, and this is a bittersweet moment for him, that doesn't last.
The book ends perfectly, jumped through one hurdle, straight into the next big problem, and it's a biggie.
I could gush about this book forever, but I won't. Just go read it.
Oh and I haven't even mentioned the stand alone story about Magneto discovering X-Force, and what happens there, which is quite a surprise, but a very powerful story on it's own.
Remender knows these characters, writes them very well, and doesn't go in for heavy handed dialogue or too many narrative blocks, yet we don't ever feel like we're missing out as readers, as he respects us enough to know we're going to enjoy figuring things out as they happen. The artwork is bang on, and once the team enters the AoA, it's full speed ahead and wow, what a trip.
I'd almost say this is essential reading for most comic readers, any Marvel fans for sure, and others as well. Don't miss out on this extraordinary talent given a great title to tell his stories with.
This leads the team (Wolverine specifically) to a drastic step...freeing a villain to help them help Warren. Without giving away who, it's a brilliant choice, and his actions all make perfect sense. This leads the team to having to travel to the Age of Apocalypse in order to retrieve a device which might be able to defeat Archangel and purge him from Warren.
So ya, we're getting Remender's version of the Age of Apocalypse; and without giving anything away...godDAMN! Awesome. The vibe is just right, the people still alive and fighting together against Apocalypse, just right on, even with a few questions raised; those fighting for Apocalypse, including the major reveal of the major leader of all the evil, and it leads to one fantastic fight showdown.
There's the right amount of gravitas here too, people die, sacrifices are made, and people are proven to be heroes yet again.
One of the craziest, yet most powerful things in the AoA is the discovery that in this world, Wolverine meets someone who he never had a chance to in our world, and this is a bittersweet moment for him, that doesn't last.
The book ends perfectly, jumped through one hurdle, straight into the next big problem, and it's a biggie.
I could gush about this book forever, but I won't. Just go read it.
Oh and I haven't even mentioned the stand alone story about Magneto discovering X-Force, and what happens there, which is quite a surprise, but a very powerful story on it's own.
Remender knows these characters, writes them very well, and doesn't go in for heavy handed dialogue or too many narrative blocks, yet we don't ever feel like we're missing out as readers, as he respects us enough to know we're going to enjoy figuring things out as they happen. The artwork is bang on, and once the team enters the AoA, it's full speed ahead and wow, what a trip.
I'd almost say this is essential reading for most comic readers, any Marvel fans for sure, and others as well. Don't miss out on this extraordinary talent given a great title to tell his stories with.
January 5, 2014
Smart ass sarcasm. Serve me up some heaping helpings of that please. Then the tragedy of Warren's Archangel outbreak, even at the hands of a truly evil telepath. Shadow King is one badass asshole (can I say ass here?) who I really despise and want to see hurt in the worst way possible. Good on you Remender for being able to make me feel that about a guy I've never previously met.
Archangel is making steady progress towards the front of the Worthington bus, and eventually slaps the driver out of the way. Not having seen a fully-Archangel'd Angel before, I'm both horrified by what he's like, and fascinated to see how the rest of the team reacts. He is *not* a good influence on the rest of the kids! I can assure you.
So to see the team rescue is just awesome - hell yeah bring on the even more scummy, despicable player to make this situation go from horrifying to ridiculously brutal. Remender and Brooks showing us their version of Age of Apocalypse? Yes please!
This is how you do an AoA story - I can't even begin to outline all the subtle ways this kicks the ass of most other versions of this story, but suffice to say the fanboy glory heaped on Claremont is horribly misplaced.
Once the team gets in the shit, I'm impressed at the characterizations. Wolverine's muted but awful emotional state is particularly impressive, but the opponents' reactions and moves are equally believable and wrenching.
Brooks is a great artist - here's some really clear, clean art (that is helped immensely by the inks and colours). Nice scenery painting the AoA splash page.
Definitely want to see where this goes next. Yum.
Edit: after reading a very different review by Jeff I had the following comment, which I'd like to add here because I like my own writing: "I'm totally with you on how boring Angel is as a character, and time/reality travel can be lazy - or unleash imaginative slants on familiar stories. I'm a fan of lazy storytelling if that's what it is - give me lots of versions of the same people, and give me an understanding of their reasons for making the same or different choices in totally divergent circumstances. Makes me think about why I make my own choices."
Archangel is making steady progress towards the front of the Worthington bus, and eventually slaps the driver out of the way. Not having seen a fully-Archangel'd Angel before, I'm both horrified by what he's like, and fascinated to see how the rest of the team reacts. He is *not* a good influence on the rest of the kids! I can assure you.
So to see the team rescue is just awesome - hell yeah bring on the even more scummy, despicable player to make this situation go from horrifying to ridiculously brutal. Remender and Brooks showing us their version of Age of Apocalypse? Yes please!
This is how you do an AoA story - I can't even begin to outline all the subtle ways this kicks the ass of most other versions of this story, but suffice to say the fanboy glory heaped on Claremont is horribly misplaced.
Once the team gets in the shit, I'm impressed at the characterizations. Wolverine's muted but awful emotional state is particularly impressive, but the opponents' reactions and moves are equally believable and wrenching.
Brooks is a great artist - here's some really clear, clean art (that is helped immensely by the inks and colours). Nice scenery painting the AoA splash page.
Definitely want to see where this goes next. Yum.
Edit: after reading a very different review by Jeff I had the following comment, which I'd like to add here because I like my own writing: "I'm totally with you on how boring Angel is as a character, and time/reality travel can be lazy - or unleash imaginative slants on familiar stories. I'm a fan of lazy storytelling if that's what it is - give me lots of versions of the same people, and give me an understanding of their reasons for making the same or different choices in totally divergent circumstances. Makes me think about why I make my own choices."
April 26, 2020
This book is amazing Im starting to love these characters and the way they all mesh together with their weird love triangles and fights and jokes. 5 stars all the way, fully recommended. I will give a better review when I finish the story arc
November 17, 2014
Remender is officially my new funny book writer God. Excellent balance of character and plot. And he takes a story idea and just runs with it and pushes it as far as it will go. This may end up being one of my all time favorite series. Great ensemble, and they all have interesting roles. Except maybe Deadpool. Kinda just there, but no real contribution, sans comedic foil (I guess, in a weird way, he sets an atmospheric tone for the book--deadly yet breezy, straddling the hrey areas between "good guy" and "bad guy").
September 14, 2020
Warren Worthington III, known as Angel (Archangel if he's nasty), one of the original five X-Men, has some issues. First, he's part of the X-Force, a hit squad made up of X-Men who unilaterally determine that killing is the solution to some problems. Second, he was tapped to be the heir of Apocalypse, an immortal mutant with the goal of wiping out humans in the name of mutant superiority. Third, his girlfriend Betsy Braddock, aka Psylocke, is on the team with him and struggles with Apocalypse's influence over Warren. And fourth, he's losing his mind to a second personality, an evil one that seems distinctly familiar. In an effort to purge Apocalypse's influence from Warren's mind, the X-Force heads into the alternate reality of the Age of Apocalypse for a cure.
While the Age of Apocalypse seemed like an overlong rehash of Days of Future Past with overblown '90's anti-hero art, this follow-up into that alternate present felt focused, epic, and emotional in a way that the AoA storyline didn't. The assembled team of X-Force was the first draw, made up of the gruff and lethal Wolverine, tortured Angel, determined Psylocke, robotic Deathlok, smartass Fantomex, and the always insane Deadpool. This patently unstable team of assassins setting out to right wrongs through more killing is like watching a slow motion train wreck, in a good way. And they know it. Their interactions are some of the most fun and complex I've seen in a super-team in recent memory, in particular the banter between Fantomex and Deadpool. It was touching and painful watching Warren struggle with his literal demon and essentially sinking deeper into atrocity as Psylocke maintains her faith that she can pull him out. Dipping into the AoA reality and encountering strange versions of familiar people (some of which had died or never existed in the "regular" universe) was a nice detour and a good use of the AoA setting. Archangel's sinister plan is a bold one which readers are given a taste of, and it's smart and compelling. The art is dark and excellent. Though I think the book is passed between at least three different artists, it all feels consistent and clear (another improvement over the original AoA storyline).
I wasn't familiar with several characters before reading this (such as Fantomex, Deathlok, and Deadpool) but it was easy to get into and enjoy. Along with a little bit of background on some of the characters, I'd recommend this volume highly.
While the Age of Apocalypse seemed like an overlong rehash of Days of Future Past with overblown '90's anti-hero art, this follow-up into that alternate present felt focused, epic, and emotional in a way that the AoA storyline didn't. The assembled team of X-Force was the first draw, made up of the gruff and lethal Wolverine, tortured Angel, determined Psylocke, robotic Deathlok, smartass Fantomex, and the always insane Deadpool. This patently unstable team of assassins setting out to right wrongs through more killing is like watching a slow motion train wreck, in a good way. And they know it. Their interactions are some of the most fun and complex I've seen in a super-team in recent memory, in particular the banter between Fantomex and Deadpool. It was touching and painful watching Warren struggle with his literal demon and essentially sinking deeper into atrocity as Psylocke maintains her faith that she can pull him out. Dipping into the AoA reality and encountering strange versions of familiar people (some of which had died or never existed in the "regular" universe) was a nice detour and a good use of the AoA setting. Archangel's sinister plan is a bold one which readers are given a taste of, and it's smart and compelling. The art is dark and excellent. Though I think the book is passed between at least three different artists, it all feels consistent and clear (another improvement over the original AoA storyline).
I wasn't familiar with several characters before reading this (such as Fantomex, Deathlok, and Deadpool) but it was easy to get into and enjoy. Along with a little bit of background on some of the characters, I'd recommend this volume highly.
November 14, 2012
After the events of Uncanny X-Force: Deathlok Nation, Deathlok has joined the team, and we see Psylocke trying to help Angel keep Archangel at bay, as the latter is getting ever closer to gaining full dominance over Warren. But, through the Shadow King's involvement & machinations, Archangel does end up taking over Warren.
Fixing him is easy (Not!): Simply procure a Life Seed & use it on him. Now, to keep things interesting, the team must travel to The Age Of Apocalypse dimension with Dark Beast, and retrieve the Seed from his lab.
In this book, and in its continuation (Uncanny X-Force: The Dark Angel Saga, Book 2), Rick Remender writes a story that will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the other classic X-Men tales, such as X-Men: The Dark Phoenix Saga and X-Men: Age of Apocalypse. It is big, epic, and will most likely have lasting consequences within the X-Universe, if only because of the character called Genesis, whose [former] identity I will not reveal.
Like the previous volumes of this series, there is still a lot happening (and very fast), but by this point we've become accustomed to the pace and we barely break a sweat.
This book ends with one of the best cliffhangers I can recall. This particular story arc concludes in Uncanny X-Force: The Dark Angel Saga, Book 2.
Fixing him is easy (Not!): Simply procure a Life Seed & use it on him. Now, to keep things interesting, the team must travel to The Age Of Apocalypse dimension with Dark Beast, and retrieve the Seed from his lab.
In this book, and in its continuation (Uncanny X-Force: The Dark Angel Saga, Book 2), Rick Remender writes a story that will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the other classic X-Men tales, such as X-Men: The Dark Phoenix Saga and X-Men: Age of Apocalypse. It is big, epic, and will most likely have lasting consequences within the X-Universe, if only because of the character called Genesis, whose [former] identity I will not reveal.
Like the previous volumes of this series, there is still a lot happening (and very fast), but by this point we've become accustomed to the pace and we barely break a sweat.
This book ends with one of the best cliffhangers I can recall. This particular story arc concludes in Uncanny X-Force: The Dark Angel Saga, Book 2.
October 31, 2012
Truly excellent stuff. A clever story that utilizes every character and is full of surprises that keep you gagging for more. The art is also exceptional, especially Mark Brooks' work on the latter few issues.
September 3, 2015
X-Men (1991-2001) #1Wow! Rick Remender's writing in this series just keeps getting better. Back in the 80's I thought Angel was a really lame character. He was one of my least favorite Marvel characters and my 2nd least favorite X-men character (I despise Cyclops). Then along came Apocalypse into the pages of X-Factor and made angel into Archangel. He immediately became one of the cooler characters in all of Marvel comics. Out of the hundreds of characters in Marvel comics, Archangel jumped into the top 25 of all Marvel characters for me and I've been a fan every since.
Psylocke is not only my favorite X-Men character, but my favorite Marvel comics character, AND my favorite comic book character of all time from any company. This is the best story arc she has since the early issues of X-Men (1991-2001) #1. Her and Archangel being a couple were always one of my favorites. (Gambit and Rogue being the only couple I liked better.) I love how Remender is writing Psylocke.
Deadpool and Wolverine are also in my top 25 favorite Marvel characters. This series is my first encounter with Fantomex, but he's already growing on me. Add in Dark Beast, tons of people from the Age of Apocalypse storyline (one of the greatest M-men stories ever) and you have one of the best comics put out by Marvel in a long time. I'm loving it and I want more.
The art in this issue is leaps and bounds better than the previous 2 volumes. Immediately upon opening the book, I see Billy Tan's flawlessly drawn characters and it just keeps getting better the more I read. After the first 3 issues, Mark Brooks takes over and his art is even better than Tan's. This series is definitely better because of the art. The writing was already superb, but now the art is equal to the writing.
Psylocke is not only my favorite X-Men character, but my favorite Marvel comics character, AND my favorite comic book character of all time from any company. This is the best story arc she has since the early issues of X-Men (1991-2001) #1. Her and Archangel being a couple were always one of my favorites. (Gambit and Rogue being the only couple I liked better.) I love how Remender is writing Psylocke.
Deadpool and Wolverine are also in my top 25 favorite Marvel characters. This series is my first encounter with Fantomex, but he's already growing on me. Add in Dark Beast, tons of people from the Age of Apocalypse storyline (one of the greatest M-men stories ever) and you have one of the best comics put out by Marvel in a long time. I'm loving it and I want more.
The art in this issue is leaps and bounds better than the previous 2 volumes. Immediately upon opening the book, I see Billy Tan's flawlessly drawn characters and it just keeps getting better the more I read. After the first 3 issues, Mark Brooks takes over and his art is even better than Tan's. This series is definitely better because of the art. The writing was already superb, but now the art is equal to the writing.
March 5, 2013
This is exactly why I started reading X-Force in the first place. I've always been fascinated by Archangel as a character and a big fan of Betsy and Warren as a couple. This book is the beginning of the story arc that ties together everything else that has happened so far in Remender's run and does a fantastic job of it. There are new dynamics as the group travels across time and it's always incredibly fascinating to watch the teams enter the Age of Apocalypse. This is just another notch in this creative team's belt that shows they know what they're doing and that they have been carefully building to what is already set up to be an incredible climax.
In addition, the artwork is phenomenal. The style is a bit more realistic than some of the other X books, but it's certainly grown on me. Overall, just a fantastic read, and I cannot wait to get to the second half.
In addition, the artwork is phenomenal. The style is a bit more realistic than some of the other X books, but it's certainly grown on me. Overall, just a fantastic read, and I cannot wait to get to the second half.
Read
May 9, 2015I'm not sure yet. I'll come back later and attempt.
April 8, 2020
Oh Remender - why must you always remind me why I lose interest in your series. The first volume - amazing and I was hungry for more. Second one - still great art but the focus was getting lost. This one? Yeah - he is already falling back on "alternative reality" to write his stories. So Angel gives into his dark side (wow X-Men love going back to the well for that one: Dark Phoenix, Dark Storm, Dark Cyclops and now Dark Angel) and the X-Force needs to go find a life seed in an alternative universe ruled by Dark Wolverine! Look, it wasn't that bad a story it's just lacks effort. We have Fantomex (I still have no idea who this guy is and this is volume THREE) who time after time does his illusion (he calls it something else but he's an illusionist) like he does every volume where the bad guys think they are killing our heroes but BAM they realize (and we the reader see) it was an illusion. Now in volume one this was cool! Then when it happened in volume 2 - okay. now when it happens in volume 3 and we see the heroes die only to find out it was an illusion - I have to wonder if Remender just has one good idea and repeats it over and over again.
Anyway - not horrible but frustrating to see no real progression in this team and Remender not bringing anything new to the table.
Anyway - not horrible but frustrating to see no real progression in this team and Remender not bringing anything new to the table.
June 17, 2018
Wow! This was a very entertaining, very compelling story. Some of my favorite comics produced in the last couple of years have been Remender's creator owned books. However, this series has been my first experience with his Marvel stuff & I haven't been disappointed in the least. Looking forward to Dark Angel Saga Book 3!
December 22, 2023
I loved it for the amazing artwork. The story was great. The only problem was Deadpool. The person who wrote his character didn't understand his voice. He was very subdued. His dialog was not his normal voice.
March 14, 2020
The inconsistent art drug this down, and I’m not fond of graphic novels ending with a cliffhanger. Singles issues sure, but still overall really great stuff.
May 19, 2025
Hectic
February 12, 2026
4.5 stars
December 29, 2011
It's mostly X-Men and Age of Apocalypse as usual. Wolverine pines for the dead Jean Grey, and so lusts for this universe's still-living one. The Age of Apocalypse world is still a miserable dystopia, one we're said is worse, but nothing in the art or story seems grimmer than when the old king was in charge. In fact, nothing really seems to be changing. We quickly come to terms with this being a story of flash rather than substance. The only meat is Archangel's fall from grace, leaving the entire story literally hinging on the binary outcomes of "We'll save him" or "He'll become a bad guy." Everything about the major casts of both X-Men and Age of Apocalypse are essentially static, either annihilated or liberated.
So we deal with the flash, which is a lean balance. “Dmitri” seems to be the Age of Apocalypse equivalent of 616’s mutant brain, and serving as Dark Beast’s doorman is amusing. It’s also funny to spot this universe's MODOK having a built-in Cerebro. These innovations hold up against the poor decisions, like the “Orange Hulk,” or having Age of Apocalypse’s Wolverine not only survive the canonical disaster but have turned into another Apocalypse. The story doesn’t make much of any of the new ideas, good or bad, which sets it far apart from the traditional Age of Apocalypse which thrived on consequences coming from its different world. In this case we have AoA Sabretooth running into 616 Psylocke, and the editors seem to recall their romance, but it’s only mentioned and dropped after a page. The story bleeds potential.
Instead, this world-hopping is a backdrop for the Archangel drama that will be paid off in a future trade. What we put up with for now are placeholders and tropes; in just one issue there are two "we shouldn't do this" conversations that convalesce into "we shouldn't do this" kisses that go nowhere.
If anything’s striking, it’s the flimsy voices. Archangel is probably the least consistent, bouncing between pretentious world-ending dialogue and stuff like, "Soooo... you don't look like you're going to hand over the life seed." Deadpool would take the runner-up award, as he seems to exist here to announce the obvious. This dialogue issue is complicated by the number of cliches - the "I know the man I love is still in there," and "Whatever you have planned, please don't do it!" and "I saw what he world would be like if you succeed - it is a nightmare," all of which are exact quotes from just one scene.
So we deal with the flash, which is a lean balance. “Dmitri” seems to be the Age of Apocalypse equivalent of 616’s mutant brain, and serving as Dark Beast’s doorman is amusing. It’s also funny to spot this universe's MODOK having a built-in Cerebro. These innovations hold up against the poor decisions, like the “Orange Hulk,” or having Age of Apocalypse’s Wolverine not only survive the canonical disaster but have turned into another Apocalypse. The story doesn’t make much of any of the new ideas, good or bad, which sets it far apart from the traditional Age of Apocalypse which thrived on consequences coming from its different world. In this case we have AoA Sabretooth running into 616 Psylocke, and the editors seem to recall their romance, but it’s only mentioned and dropped after a page. The story bleeds potential.
Instead, this world-hopping is a backdrop for the Archangel drama that will be paid off in a future trade. What we put up with for now are placeholders and tropes; in just one issue there are two "we shouldn't do this" conversations that convalesce into "we shouldn't do this" kisses that go nowhere.
If anything’s striking, it’s the flimsy voices. Archangel is probably the least consistent, bouncing between pretentious world-ending dialogue and stuff like, "Soooo... you don't look like you're going to hand over the life seed." Deadpool would take the runner-up award, as he seems to exist here to announce the obvious. This dialogue issue is complicated by the number of cliches - the "I know the man I love is still in there," and "Whatever you have planned, please don't do it!" and "I saw what he world would be like if you succeed - it is a nightmare," all of which are exact quotes from just one scene.
December 16, 2019
Everything is telling me that I should not like this collection. It panders to the X-Men fanboy by hitting all the nostalgic buttons. I don't care. It was a fun ride that takes me back to the Age of Apocalypse and finally reveals what really happened to Angel during his transformation into Archangel.
The Dark Angel Saga opens with Angel's delicate road to recovery threatened by the Shadow King. Warren becomes even more violent, and X-Force must go to the Age of Apocalypse to save him from succumbing to the darkness.
We learn that Archangel is without a doubt Apocalypse' heir and that generic coding proves too powerful to keep in check. This particular storyline was set back in 1988 within the pages of now-classic X-Factor #25. Angel has been struggling ever since to contain the evil within him and deny his role as Apocalypse's successor. It was such an overused plot device of the past two and a half decades that eventually nobody cared. It was gratifying to see Rick Remember deal with it in a new way: what would happen if Angel could no longer hold it back?
It was even better to see Rick Remember tie it in one of my absolute favorite storylines. We not only get to return to the Age of Apocalypse, but it is even more grim and dismal. A new and more ruthless ruler has emerged, and it is someone close to the X-Men.
The writing and art set a distinctively dark tone, but it isn't without a lot of humor. The dialog is witty and sharp. Some of the funniest moments centers around the uneasy relationship between Wolverine, Fantomex, and Deadpool.
I am less thrilled to see the Celestials in any X-Men book, but it makes sense here given their role in transforming En Sabah Nur into Apocalypse. The revelation of his (and now Archangel's) cosmic purpose was out of place, and the "death seed" and "life seed" are some contrived plot devices.
I am going to assume it all fits into some larger Marvel-wide Celestial agenda since they are not distracting enough to take away from an otherwise great read.
The Dark Angel Saga opens with Angel's delicate road to recovery threatened by the Shadow King. Warren becomes even more violent, and X-Force must go to the Age of Apocalypse to save him from succumbing to the darkness.
We learn that Archangel is without a doubt Apocalypse' heir and that generic coding proves too powerful to keep in check. This particular storyline was set back in 1988 within the pages of now-classic X-Factor #25. Angel has been struggling ever since to contain the evil within him and deny his role as Apocalypse's successor. It was such an overused plot device of the past two and a half decades that eventually nobody cared. It was gratifying to see Rick Remember deal with it in a new way: what would happen if Angel could no longer hold it back?
It was even better to see Rick Remember tie it in one of my absolute favorite storylines. We not only get to return to the Age of Apocalypse, but it is even more grim and dismal. A new and more ruthless ruler has emerged, and it is someone close to the X-Men.
The writing and art set a distinctively dark tone, but it isn't without a lot of humor. The dialog is witty and sharp. Some of the funniest moments centers around the uneasy relationship between Wolverine, Fantomex, and Deadpool.
I am less thrilled to see the Celestials in any X-Men book, but it makes sense here given their role in transforming En Sabah Nur into Apocalypse. The revelation of his (and now Archangel's) cosmic purpose was out of place, and the "death seed" and "life seed" are some contrived plot devices.
I am going to assume it all fits into some larger Marvel-wide Celestial agenda since they are not distracting enough to take away from an otherwise great read.
March 19, 2012
$#@! yeah!- The Shadow King! The Age of Apocalypse!
I was just thinking not too long ago that I wanted to see the Shadow King again. Hasn't had a great arc since The Muir Island Saga (since Psi War wasn't any great shakes). Although he is completely under-utlized in this arc, I'm glad to see him resurface in Remender's capable hands.
Its also like a trip down memory lane seeing the Age of Apocalypse again, the Bizarro X-Men world, where Sabretooth is Wolverine and Wolverine is Apocalypse. Remender really has a grip on how to channel the 1980's X-Men down to a tee. Although most consider the 80's the Bronze Age of comics, tit was where the X-Men did all their best work.
This Uncanny X-Force book on the whole has been an amazing feat on the part of Remender and, for the most part, Opena.
Highly recommended.
I was just thinking not too long ago that I wanted to see the Shadow King again. Hasn't had a great arc since The Muir Island Saga (since Psi War wasn't any great shakes). Although he is completely under-utlized in this arc, I'm glad to see him resurface in Remender's capable hands.
Its also like a trip down memory lane seeing the Age of Apocalypse again, the Bizarro X-Men world, where Sabretooth is Wolverine and Wolverine is Apocalypse. Remender really has a grip on how to channel the 1980's X-Men down to a tee. Although most consider the 80's the Bronze Age of comics, tit was where the X-Men did all their best work.
This Uncanny X-Force book on the whole has been an amazing feat on the part of Remender and, for the most part, Opena.
Highly recommended.
February 18, 2012
Gahhhhh, cliffhanger! Luckily I don't have to wait that long for the next hardcover since it took me so long to finally start reading this series.
Remender clearly loves the whole Apocalypse mythos of the X-Men universe, and that is fine with me. If anyone can take huge, earth-ending baddies and write believable stories about them, I'm on board. This, the first half of the Dark Angel Saga, does that all over the place. Alternate worlds, the universe-shaping Celestials, unavoidable doom, it's all in here, and it all feels fresh. The occasional soap opera-tinged dialogue is the only real hiccup in an otherwise lightning-quick story that constantly builds on itself, becoming more and more desperate even when that seems impossible.
Remender clearly loves the whole Apocalypse mythos of the X-Men universe, and that is fine with me. If anyone can take huge, earth-ending baddies and write believable stories about them, I'm on board. This, the first half of the Dark Angel Saga, does that all over the place. Alternate worlds, the universe-shaping Celestials, unavoidable doom, it's all in here, and it all feels fresh. The occasional soap opera-tinged dialogue is the only real hiccup in an otherwise lightning-quick story that constantly builds on itself, becoming more and more desperate even when that seems impossible.
December 13, 2014
At long(ish) last, a return to the Age of Apocalypse! (I'm reading this series because it's the only Apocalypse stuff I could get my hands on after the Saga...)
I thought the Age was done well, and it's recognizable from the original. I was disappointed that Magneto didn't have a stronger presence, but that seems to be common in X-Men stuff at the moment... Other than that, the plotting is still improved. The story's not complete yet, so I'm reserving final judgment.
I still really dislike Psylocke, but I see her value. I appreciate having female characters who are morally questionable. Doesn't mean I LIKE her any more, but since everyone on this team is a little iffy, I'm glad she is too.
I thought the Age was done well, and it's recognizable from the original. I was disappointed that Magneto didn't have a stronger presence, but that seems to be common in X-Men stuff at the moment... Other than that, the plotting is still improved. The story's not complete yet, so I'm reserving final judgment.
I still really dislike Psylocke, but I see her value. I appreciate having female characters who are morally questionable. Doesn't mean I LIKE her any more, but since everyone on this team is a little iffy, I'm glad she is too.
June 20, 2014
More goodness stemming from the phenomenon of having a creator start a series with a vision beyond simply adding characters together to create a team. Every character gets to either revel in or daringly tip-toe with a darkness inside them that in effect becomes shared with the rest of the team. The entry into the Age of Apocalypse universe skews a little geeky and nostalgic, but it terrifically raises the stakes for the core team, as well as the alternate universe "sister team."
More credit should be given to Remender for writing perhaps the beast Deadpool dialogue ever: not overly cartoony, but odd, hilarious, and mildly disturbed.
More credit should be given to Remender for writing perhaps the beast Deadpool dialogue ever: not overly cartoony, but odd, hilarious, and mildly disturbed.
August 5, 2011
This is a good story, I just wasn't a big fan of the artwork. Once again this is a bridge to a greater story which, frankly, has better writing. Nothing to complain about. It seems a little drawn out. After the battle with the Shadow King, X-force required an issue that concentrates on how the team deals with Angel's obvious problem. I'm in the middle on this one.
October 31, 2012
Exceptionally good stuff. I can see why everyone was raving about this series now, as this arc starts well and goes on to be even better. Thankfully I have Book 2 lying around so I can see what happens next. I also like how the book uses past continuity without being too heavy handed, so you can read it with the minimum amount of knowledge about the Age of Apocalypse.
April 5, 2012
Wow! This was pretty good. I've not always been a fan of Rick Remender--his writing is sometimes too dark, sometimes too complicated. But here, it comes together with great art to create a pretty compelling storyline. Looking forward to Book 2.
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