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Uncanny X-Force (2010) #1-4
Uncanny X-Force by Rick Remender: The Complete Collection, Vol. 1
Rick Remender's extraordinary, critically acclaimed X-Force saga is collected across two volumes!
Psylocke, Archangel, Deadpool and Fantomex sign up for Wolverine's secret squad of assassins, but their first mission - to deal with the despot Apocalypse, reborn as an innocent child - casts a long shadow. As X-Force struggles to come to terms with their acti ons, startlingly familiar Deathloks att ack from the future, targeting Fantomex for an early execution! And when Archangel unravels, picking up where Apocalypse left off , X-Force must travel to the one place that holds the key to saving him: the Age of Apocalypse!
Collecting: Uncanny X-Force 1-19, 5.1; Wolverine: Road to Hell; All-New Wolverine Saga; X-Men: Spotlight
Psylocke, Archangel, Deadpool and Fantomex sign up for Wolverine's secret squad of assassins, but their first mission - to deal with the despot Apocalypse, reborn as an innocent child - casts a long shadow. As X-Force struggles to come to terms with their acti ons, startlingly familiar Deathloks att ack from the future, targeting Fantomex for an early execution! And when Archangel unravels, picking up where Apocalypse left off , X-Force must travel to the one place that holds the key to saving him: the Age of Apocalypse!
Collecting: Uncanny X-Force 1-19, 5.1; Wolverine: Road to Hell; All-New Wolverine Saga; X-Men: Spotlight
520 pages, Paperback
First published August 19, 2014
24 people are currently reading
252 people want to read
About the author
Rick Remender
1,238 books1,413 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 39 reviews
June 13, 2018
I love most things written by Remender and this is one of my faves. Gritty action, amazing plotting and writing with great characters. I loved reading about this hit squad and the issues that arose from a particular hit. Interesting seeing different heroes in this element. Also loved the Villain Apocalypse. Artwork throughout changed but was really awesome throughout. Was reccomended this as my introduction to xmen/xforce and I cant fault it. Amazing stuff.
February 9, 2020
I have the first half of fear agent in my collection, which I sadly didn't like as much as my friends so this book was not on top of my list but boy oh boy rick remender really knocked it out of the park with this one. The characters and the dialogue are great with a good story underneath it, but the art is something else, in my opinion better than the covers which is mindblowing.
For such an spontanious buy this surprising book was better than it had the right to be, for me a solid 4.5 out of 5 stars.
For such an spontanious buy this surprising book was better than it had the right to be, for me a solid 4.5 out of 5 stars.
February 21, 2020
Well well well, this was a bit of a rollercoaster, huh?
Rick Rememnder had to step up big to take over X-Force, which was pretty dang good under Yost. But step up he did. Giving us a brand new team, Wolverine, Deadpool, Fantomex, Psylock, and Angel, these 5 are basically a hit squad for mutant threats and more. However, right into this harrowing tale we learn what they might do will cross some big lines. With the rebirth of Apocalypse, can this team take him out even if he's a kid?
If that's not bad enough one of their teammates might not be who they seem. When one turns, it makes the entire group fall apart as they are thrown into a different reality. one where Apoc roams the lands as a king of sorts and the world is broken. Can Wolverine and his team stop the future or will this be the end?
Overall, fantastic character developments on multiple fronts. Biggest surprises for me were Fantomex having huge changes that worked, a new mutant born, and Deadpool actually being FUNNY. I know, crazy, huh? Also Wolverine as a leader was great and showed who he truly was. Psylock and Angel story is tragic, but we knew that going in. Really the only negative is there's stuff to do with robot versions of the x-men that is just decent inbetween two great storylines.
This is fantastic, dark, and fucked up, but in all the right ways. I really recommend this for X-Men fans who wanted a darker take on their favorite characters. A 4 out of 5.
Rick Rememnder had to step up big to take over X-Force, which was pretty dang good under Yost. But step up he did. Giving us a brand new team, Wolverine, Deadpool, Fantomex, Psylock, and Angel, these 5 are basically a hit squad for mutant threats and more. However, right into this harrowing tale we learn what they might do will cross some big lines. With the rebirth of Apocalypse, can this team take him out even if he's a kid?
If that's not bad enough one of their teammates might not be who they seem. When one turns, it makes the entire group fall apart as they are thrown into a different reality. one where Apoc roams the lands as a king of sorts and the world is broken. Can Wolverine and his team stop the future or will this be the end?
Overall, fantastic character developments on multiple fronts. Biggest surprises for me were Fantomex having huge changes that worked, a new mutant born, and Deadpool actually being FUNNY. I know, crazy, huh? Also Wolverine as a leader was great and showed who he truly was. Psylock and Angel story is tragic, but we knew that going in. Really the only negative is there's stuff to do with robot versions of the x-men that is just decent inbetween two great storylines.
This is fantastic, dark, and fucked up, but in all the right ways. I really recommend this for X-Men fans who wanted a darker take on their favorite characters. A 4 out of 5.
October 17, 2022
Ahhh what an amazing dark time travel adventure! All of the characters have time to shine! Characters I never really understood before have been done justice. In spite of the dark story they're all three dimensional and layered! Even Deadpool isn't as one note as typically depicted! All of the artists shine with the stories they're given but I have to admit Opeña is the stand out. His details feel very Frank Frazetta or Boris Vallejo in a sci fi setting! Both Metal and Punk at once! But that's superhero fiction! It should go all out and this book does that in a morally complicated way. That's the thing about X-Men stories they should always provoke introspection and intrigue of both philosophies and societal problems. Plus...it's really fun! Knowing that Deadpool 3 will include Wolverine I'm currently hoping the story they adapt will be the first arc in this book; Apocalypse Solution. It would be brilliant.
September 7, 2020
Top notch all the way around.
September 18, 2015
Rick Remender and Jerome Opeña’s “Uncanny X-Force” is a wonderful and surprisingly moving reinvention of the X-Universe’s resident “claws and guns” series that explores the physical and emotional toll that comes from being asked to take a life for the greater good.
The X-Men don’t kill. But does this look like the X-Men to you, bub?
Things start with Wolverine and Archangel reviving the X-Force moniker for a black ops team featuring a who’s who of X-Men willing to cross that line - Psylocke, Archangel, Deadpool and Fantomex. Their first mission is to stop the resurrection of En Sabah Nur, better known as longtime X-Force adversary Apocalypse. Killing Apocalypse is a no brainer, but what if the the only way to succeed also involves killing an innocent child? Lines are drawn and the choices made here influence the rest of the series.
Prior to writing this series, Remender was best known for this:
Don’t get me wrong, “Frankencastle” was fun, but his work here is on another level. While previous volumes of X-Force focused on violence this volumes differentiates itself by being about the consequences of said violence. Remender raises tough questions and draws a fascinating parallel to the plight of real world soldiers.
Remender deserves leaps of praise for taking the character of Fantomex, a throwaway Gambit pastiche from Grant Morrison’s X-Men run, and making him one of the most compelling characters in mainstream comics. He deserves similar praise for his work with Deadpool, dialing back the cartooniness of the last ten years for a take that rivals Joe Kelly’s definitive run.
The pacing is excellent – you can tell Remender went into this book with a clear vision of where things were headed. The character interaction is spot on and the storytelling is so confident. Oh, and the book has a sense of humor, even if it’s mostly hidden behind three layers of angst.
So what about the art? You need two things to do a good job here – the ability to draw great action and the ability to convey emotion in the characters, some of whom are in full facial masks. Opeña nails it and has a great attention to detail. The painted colors by Dean White, filled with heavy greens and blues, compliments the moodiness of the book.
Don’t let the blade-filled covers fool you. This is a deep story that will stay with you for a long time.
Bonus! Me and Remender at the Vegas comic con:
kit: Twitter | Tumblr
The X-Men don’t kill. But does this look like the X-Men to you, bub?
Things start with Wolverine and Archangel reviving the X-Force moniker for a black ops team featuring a who’s who of X-Men willing to cross that line - Psylocke, Archangel, Deadpool and Fantomex. Their first mission is to stop the resurrection of En Sabah Nur, better known as longtime X-Force adversary Apocalypse. Killing Apocalypse is a no brainer, but what if the the only way to succeed also involves killing an innocent child? Lines are drawn and the choices made here influence the rest of the series.
Prior to writing this series, Remender was best known for this:
Don’t get me wrong, “Frankencastle” was fun, but his work here is on another level. While previous volumes of X-Force focused on violence this volumes differentiates itself by being about the consequences of said violence. Remender raises tough questions and draws a fascinating parallel to the plight of real world soldiers.
Remender deserves leaps of praise for taking the character of Fantomex, a throwaway Gambit pastiche from Grant Morrison’s X-Men run, and making him one of the most compelling characters in mainstream comics. He deserves similar praise for his work with Deadpool, dialing back the cartooniness of the last ten years for a take that rivals Joe Kelly’s definitive run.
The pacing is excellent – you can tell Remender went into this book with a clear vision of where things were headed. The character interaction is spot on and the storytelling is so confident. Oh, and the book has a sense of humor, even if it’s mostly hidden behind three layers of angst.
So what about the art? You need two things to do a good job here – the ability to draw great action and the ability to convey emotion in the characters, some of whom are in full facial masks. Opeña nails it and has a great attention to detail. The painted colors by Dean White, filled with heavy greens and blues, compliments the moodiness of the book.
Don’t let the blade-filled covers fool you. This is a deep story that will stay with you for a long time.
Bonus! Me and Remender at the Vegas comic con:
kit: Twitter | Tumblr
June 12, 2016
Earlier iterations of the X-Force property tended to be focused on shallow x-treme (pardon the pun) violence, and I say that even about the volume that immediately preceded this, written by the otherwise reliable Craig Kyle and Chris Yost and continuing many plot threads from their earlier run on New X-Men. Rick Remender's Uncanny X-Force, while utilizing some of the moral conundrums explored in earlier volumes, such as the by now very played out issue about superheroes killing, the story he chooses to tell here is deeply infused with wild sci-fi concepts from the X-universe. This feels very much like a regular X-Men title, albeit a very good one, furthering many threads from earlier in the X-Men's history, most notably the story of Warren Worthington/Angel and his history as a Horseman of Apocalypse. Moreover, despite the dark nature of X-Force, this is a book that very much affirms the importance of Charles Xavier's dream of a better tomorrow (to the point of basing much of its story in the "Age of Apocalypse" timeline where Xavier was never around). And by the book's end, the seemingly brutal choice made by Fantomex in the opening arc has been revisited in a way that feels, in many respects, much more optimistic.
July 19, 2017
Perhaps I only have myself to blame for getting my expectations hyped up too high, but I found the volume mostly disappointing.
Everything from too high stakes (saving more than one world!) to repeated use of the same gimmick (look everyone's dead! oh wait, it was another illusion) to a heavy emphasis on characters I just couldn't begin to care about (I'm looking at you, Fantomex).
I don't regret having read through it, but after loving Uncanny Avengers vol. 1 so much I was expecting something a little different I guess.
Everything from too high stakes (saving more than one world!) to repeated use of the same gimmick (look everyone's dead! oh wait, it was another illusion) to a heavy emphasis on characters I just couldn't begin to care about (I'm looking at you, Fantomex).
I don't regret having read through it, but after loving Uncanny Avengers vol. 1 so much I was expecting something a little different I guess.
February 18, 2017
I had heard so many good things about Remender's "Uncanny X-Force" and having read some of his other works and enjoying them, I was looking forward to reading this collection when I found it at the library. However, it was not the page turner that I was hoping it would be.
While I was a big fan of the team, particularly Wolverine, Psylocke, and Deadpool, I had previously had very little exposure to Fantomex and Angel/Archangel has never been one of my favorites. I had also had some ideas of what to expect from reading "Uncanny Avengers" and knew where all of this would eventually lead (to a story arc that was good, but not as good as I felt it should/could be). The ret-conning that has occurred with Apocalypse and his legacy is bordering on ridiculous in my opinion and his specially chosen, set in cold storage until now final Horsemen were a little interesting, but also a bit of a strange ret-con at the same time. The initial arc felt anti-climatic, although there were obviously plot points set for later on.
The second arc was another bit of a head scratcher, particularly for someone who was not really familiar with Fantomex prior to this volume. Partner this with the always double-edged sword that is time travel in comics and I really felt that it dragged and was less then compelling. It obviously laid groundwork for the next arc, but the pay off wasn't worth it in my opinion. I did enjoy the addition of Deathlok to the X-Force family however.
The last arc was my favorite of the whole bind-up and bumped it from a two star to three. This story finally gives us some payoff as we find out that their quest to stop the rebirth of Apocalypse is a failure as Archangel has begun a villainous transformation to assume the mantle of his former master. In order to prevent this, the rest of the team makes a deal with the devil (in this case the Dark Beast- a personal favorite of mine) to travel to the Age of Apocalypse for a piece of Celestial technology that will not only halt this process but reverse it. I was a huge fan of the 90s AoA, so this was a bit of a fun treat, even if there have been some things that have changed since then. However, this is all part of the plan which was set into motion by Warren essentially since issue one. This final chapter makes for some pretty big stakes, even if it felt perhaps a little drawn out, it certainly ended this book on the highest note of the whole collection.
All and all, I truly wish this had been more enjoyable. There were times where it was a bit of a chore to stick with it. Great interpersonal interaction by team members (Deadpool being the voice of reason at one point!), a return to the Age of Apocalypse, and some decent action in the final act are high points. A heavy reliance on past events, clunky pacing, and questionable ret-cons were some of the lows.
I love the idea of Wolverine continuing the concept of the X-Men's "hit squad", this time unknown to even Cyclops, but I felt like I could have been more intrigued and entertained than I was. Definitely worth a look if you are a fan of X-books, Wolverine, Apocalypse and his many facets. I will go back and read the previous iteration though, if for nothing else than comparison.
While I was a big fan of the team, particularly Wolverine, Psylocke, and Deadpool, I had previously had very little exposure to Fantomex and Angel/Archangel has never been one of my favorites. I had also had some ideas of what to expect from reading "Uncanny Avengers" and knew where all of this would eventually lead (to a story arc that was good, but not as good as I felt it should/could be). The ret-conning that has occurred with Apocalypse and his legacy is bordering on ridiculous in my opinion and his specially chosen, set in cold storage until now final Horsemen were a little interesting, but also a bit of a strange ret-con at the same time. The initial arc felt anti-climatic, although there were obviously plot points set for later on.
The second arc was another bit of a head scratcher, particularly for someone who was not really familiar with Fantomex prior to this volume. Partner this with the always double-edged sword that is time travel in comics and I really felt that it dragged and was less then compelling. It obviously laid groundwork for the next arc, but the pay off wasn't worth it in my opinion. I did enjoy the addition of Deathlok to the X-Force family however.
The last arc was my favorite of the whole bind-up and bumped it from a two star to three. This story finally gives us some payoff as we find out that their quest to stop the rebirth of Apocalypse is a failure as Archangel has begun a villainous transformation to assume the mantle of his former master. In order to prevent this, the rest of the team makes a deal with the devil (in this case the Dark Beast- a personal favorite of mine) to travel to the Age of Apocalypse for a piece of Celestial technology that will not only halt this process but reverse it. I was a huge fan of the 90s AoA, so this was a bit of a fun treat, even if there have been some things that have changed since then. However, this is all part of the plan which was set into motion by Warren essentially since issue one. This final chapter makes for some pretty big stakes, even if it felt perhaps a little drawn out, it certainly ended this book on the highest note of the whole collection.
All and all, I truly wish this had been more enjoyable. There were times where it was a bit of a chore to stick with it. Great interpersonal interaction by team members (Deadpool being the voice of reason at one point!), a return to the Age of Apocalypse, and some decent action in the final act are high points. A heavy reliance on past events, clunky pacing, and questionable ret-cons were some of the lows.
I love the idea of Wolverine continuing the concept of the X-Men's "hit squad", this time unknown to even Cyclops, but I felt like I could have been more intrigued and entertained than I was. Definitely worth a look if you are a fan of X-books, Wolverine, Apocalypse and his many facets. I will go back and read the previous iteration though, if for nothing else than comparison.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 26, 2019
So, I loved Christopher Yost and Craig Kyle’s X-Force. When I picked Rick Remender’s Uncanny X-Force up, I thought to myself “there’s no fucking way this can even come close to the brilliant Kyle/Yost run.”
Oh how wrong I was. Defying all reason, this ended up being as good, and maybe even better.
I don’t even know how to start. Every single moment of this story is assembled so meticulously. Every character choice matters. Nothing is haphazard, extraneous or arbitrary... this is a tightly woven series of stories and moments that build to a very deliberate climax.
Be prepared for some unexpected emotional beats that linger. Angel will never be the same. Some characters long thought dead will re-emerge from alternate realities. Shit will get weird.
As a huge fan of Age of Apocalypse from the 90s, I was really fucking jazzed to see that world revisited. In a way, this almost partially serves as an epilogue to that iconic arc. Through new context, it actually makes that story matter even more.
Art? That’s a big fuck yeah. Between Esad Ribic, Leonardo Manco, Jerome Opeña, Rafael Albuquerque, Billie Tan, Mark Brooks, Scot Eaton, Robbie Rodriguez, and a host of exceptional colorists, this book is stacked. It’s almost comical (ha) what a dream team onslaught of exquisite artists are involved here. Every page is jaw dropping.
Man. I’m still speechless. What an amazing fucking run. I have the second volume, and I really cannot wait to crack it open.
Essential reading.
Oh how wrong I was. Defying all reason, this ended up being as good, and maybe even better.
I don’t even know how to start. Every single moment of this story is assembled so meticulously. Every character choice matters. Nothing is haphazard, extraneous or arbitrary... this is a tightly woven series of stories and moments that build to a very deliberate climax.
Be prepared for some unexpected emotional beats that linger. Angel will never be the same. Some characters long thought dead will re-emerge from alternate realities. Shit will get weird.
As a huge fan of Age of Apocalypse from the 90s, I was really fucking jazzed to see that world revisited. In a way, this almost partially serves as an epilogue to that iconic arc. Through new context, it actually makes that story matter even more.
Art? That’s a big fuck yeah. Between Esad Ribic, Leonardo Manco, Jerome Opeña, Rafael Albuquerque, Billie Tan, Mark Brooks, Scot Eaton, Robbie Rodriguez, and a host of exceptional colorists, this book is stacked. It’s almost comical (ha) what a dream team onslaught of exquisite artists are involved here. Every page is jaw dropping.
Man. I’m still speechless. What an amazing fucking run. I have the second volume, and I really cannot wait to crack it open.
Essential reading.
Read
October 25, 2024This is the X-Force team that spins out of Second Coming, following the dissolution of the previous team put together by Cyclops (in the series written by Kyle and Yost). Wolverine now leads X-Force, which in this incarnation includes Angel (Archangel), Psylocke, Fantomex, and Deadpool.
I enjoyed this, but I think Remender tries too hard to be "smart" in his plots. Things get overly complex and strange one too many times, and it feels like he's trying to prove his cleverness at points. The main storylines have the same "epic world-ending" stakes, wearing a bit thin by the end of the book. On the flipside, I like this team, especially Fantomex and Deadpool providing comic relief. The look at Angel and Psylocke's relationship is also compelling. And I appreciate how these 19 issues kind of tell a complete story, bringing the kid Apocalypse plot to its conclusion (his and Angel's story continue in Jason Aaron's Wolverine and the X-Men). I'm curious where the rest of the run will go.
I enjoyed this, but I think Remender tries too hard to be "smart" in his plots. Things get overly complex and strange one too many times, and it feels like he's trying to prove his cleverness at points. The main storylines have the same "epic world-ending" stakes, wearing a bit thin by the end of the book. On the flipside, I like this team, especially Fantomex and Deadpool providing comic relief. The look at Angel and Psylocke's relationship is also compelling. And I appreciate how these 19 issues kind of tell a complete story, bringing the kid Apocalypse plot to its conclusion (his and Angel's story continue in Jason Aaron's Wolverine and the X-Men). I'm curious where the rest of the run will go.
December 19, 2016
Great story regarding the Xmen's covert killing squad, the complexities of it's members and specially the morality of the need or not to kill.
Just finishing that first story arc and it gets you thinking ; add to it many apocalypse related things (Horsemen, another age of Apocalypse and the relationship between some of its members to him) makes for a interested read and worthwhile for readers invested in the legacy regarding it.
The art it's awesome and some of the villains used where surprising choices and the new ones too.
Just finishing that first story arc and it gets you thinking ; add to it many apocalypse related things (Horsemen, another age of Apocalypse and the relationship between some of its members to him) makes for a interested read and worthwhile for readers invested in the legacy regarding it.
The art it's awesome and some of the villains used where surprising choices and the new ones too.
February 14, 2024
This is a great follow-up to the previous run on X-Force. I had misgivings about Fantomex at the beginning, but he grew on me throughout the story. I really loved the Dark Angel plot line. It felt like a satisfying climax to Angel's struggle with his Archangel persona going back to the previous X-Force run.
January 21, 2021
One of the best collections/story-arcs of any comic series I've read. Admittedly, I have read very few but I don't think a larger sample source would diminish from the quality of this work. The stories, writing and progression were all outstanding. REALLY looking forward to Volume 2.
March 30, 2024
This was fun!
I was a bit worried about the scale of the story once I realised it - I bounced off DC's Final Crisis hard, as it tried to be grossly grandiose but felt cheap - but here the characters and their connections keep it driving forwards at good pace, and made me want to keep reading.
I was a bit worried about the scale of the story once I realised it - I bounced off DC's Final Crisis hard, as it tried to be grossly grandiose but felt cheap - but here the characters and their connections keep it driving forwards at good pace, and made me want to keep reading.
July 4, 2017
This is one of the best comics what I ever read!!! Buy it and enjoy it.
July 30, 2017
I really enjoyed this. I learned about some new characters and I feel like the whole story had weight. It also flowed nicely from issue to issue. A lot of things to like here.
January 25, 2019
One of the coolest ideas in comics, these guys will do whatever it takes to save mutantkind, their souls be damned. Great story featuring Wolverine, Fantomex, Psylocke and Deadpool.
September 26, 2019
Solid story from the X-Men universe. If you don't pay much attention to the X-Men comics, you'll be a little lost but still able to enjoy the story.
April 24, 2020
I enjoyed these the first time around, probably a decade ago, but I remember the artwork being better back then... still, they hold up pretty well.
February 7, 2021
This is a great collection of one of my favorite runs Marvel ever produced.
February 27, 2021
I read this as a Remender fan. I really don't know enough about X-Men to appreciate it. It was interesting though.
August 17, 2021
This was an incredible recommendation from a very good friend.
March 13, 2024
2.5⭐️
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May 27, 2024Sucks that Psylocke has such chronic Written By A Man Syndrome in this book cuz aside from that this is a fantastic read
September 3, 2015
I usually start off with the art in these, but I'm going to start with Rick Remender's writing this time. I wasn't familiar with the author when I picked this up. I mainly got it because my favorite Marvel character, Psylocke, is one of the main characters. Remender obviously knows these characters well. Not only does he know them, he loves them as much as I do. Psylocke, Wolverine, Angel/Arcgangel, Deadpool, and Fantomex make up the team. Fantomex is the only character that I didn't know in the book. He was created since I had last read X-men related comics on a regular. I have nothing to go on as a comparison for him. Other than that, I feel like Wolverine is the only character that doesn't really shine through in this book. To me, it just seems like he is simply there. I don't think anyone has written Deadpool as well since his early days. I was greatly impressed by the tone of the book and Remender's handling of the characters. I REALLY enjoyed seeing the characters from the Age of Apocalypse since Creed is the only one that has been in a title that I've read since the original AoA storyline nearly 20 years ago. I will definitely be picking up volume 2 of this really soon. Writing gets 5 stars.
Now for the art. There are a bunch of artists in this volume. Leonard Manco drew the short intro story. Jerome Opena drew issues 1-4 and came back for issues 14-18. Rafael Albuquerque drew issue 5.1. Esad Ribic had art duty on issues 5-7. Issues 8-10 were drawn by Billy Tan. Mark Brooks came on board for issues 11-13 and the #19, the final issue, was drawn by Robbi Rodriguez. Opena had the most issues in the series unfortunately. He had the worst art in the book. His characters looked terrible, especially the faces. Opena's version of Psylocke looked like a crack addict. He did do a decent job on the characters with masks and his art has a lot of detail, but faces were his downfall. Albuquerque's work is only slightly better than Opena's. Albuquerque has no detail in his work and doesn't even try to draw a background. It's like he got a notice to draw the issue 30 minutes before it was going to be printed, drew the characters really quick with some sloppy lines, and sent it to the colorist, who is 5 yrs old, to slap some color on it. Rodriguez's characters look like cartoonish caricatures. Some of his panels have detail, but others have the lazy, painted background. The art just seems off somehow. Manco has the least art in the book, but doesn't really impress. In some panels, his faces look good. In other panels, they don't. Some panels have detail. Some do not. The 4 or so pages of his art is really inconsistent. Tan is the first artist in the book that has good artwork. He doesn't offer anything in terms of background, and the colorist doesn't color the background in like a spastic kindergartner either. This lack of detail actually makes the eye drawn to his stunningly gorgeous characters. All of the faces Tan drew look fabulous and each character has tons of detail. I would love to see some more of his work. Lastly we have Mark Brooks. Brooks art has tons of detail and all of the characters look amazing. Nightcrawler and Jean Grey are the 2 highlights for me. Those characters look great. I put Brooks slightly ahead of Tan because his characters are almost on par with Tan's, but his attention to everything else in the background and the clothing just adds another level to the art. I would give Brooks' art 5 stars. Tan's 4 1/2 stars, Manco 2 1/2 stars, Rodriguez gets 2 stars, Ribic 2 stars, Albuquerque 1 1/2 stars, and Opena 1 star. That average comes out to 2.64 stars, but since the worst artist drew half of the book, I'd actually round the whole thing down to 2 stars for the overall art.
There are various variant covers inserted between the issues of comics in the book. The 2 that stand out to me as being really great are J. Scott Campbell's variant for issue #1 and Adam Kubert's variant for issue #12. The end of the book has an appendix with some other covers, the best of which is by Mark Brooks, an interview with writer Rick Remender, and a history of X-force, as told by Wolverine, that runs from the end of House of M all the way up to the beginning of this series. The Remender interview was cool, but the X=force history was the highlight of the appendix.
Normally I take an average from the art, writing, and extras to get my overall rating for the book, but Remender's writing overshadows the low art score. This book is extremely well worth reading. Overall, this book gets 5 stars.
Now for the art. There are a bunch of artists in this volume. Leonard Manco drew the short intro story. Jerome Opena drew issues 1-4 and came back for issues 14-18. Rafael Albuquerque drew issue 5.1. Esad Ribic had art duty on issues 5-7. Issues 8-10 were drawn by Billy Tan. Mark Brooks came on board for issues 11-13 and the #19, the final issue, was drawn by Robbi Rodriguez. Opena had the most issues in the series unfortunately. He had the worst art in the book. His characters looked terrible, especially the faces. Opena's version of Psylocke looked like a crack addict. He did do a decent job on the characters with masks and his art has a lot of detail, but faces were his downfall. Albuquerque's work is only slightly better than Opena's. Albuquerque has no detail in his work and doesn't even try to draw a background. It's like he got a notice to draw the issue 30 minutes before it was going to be printed, drew the characters really quick with some sloppy lines, and sent it to the colorist, who is 5 yrs old, to slap some color on it. Rodriguez's characters look like cartoonish caricatures. Some of his panels have detail, but others have the lazy, painted background. The art just seems off somehow. Manco has the least art in the book, but doesn't really impress. In some panels, his faces look good. In other panels, they don't. Some panels have detail. Some do not. The 4 or so pages of his art is really inconsistent. Tan is the first artist in the book that has good artwork. He doesn't offer anything in terms of background, and the colorist doesn't color the background in like a spastic kindergartner either. This lack of detail actually makes the eye drawn to his stunningly gorgeous characters. All of the faces Tan drew look fabulous and each character has tons of detail. I would love to see some more of his work. Lastly we have Mark Brooks. Brooks art has tons of detail and all of the characters look amazing. Nightcrawler and Jean Grey are the 2 highlights for me. Those characters look great. I put Brooks slightly ahead of Tan because his characters are almost on par with Tan's, but his attention to everything else in the background and the clothing just adds another level to the art. I would give Brooks' art 5 stars. Tan's 4 1/2 stars, Manco 2 1/2 stars, Rodriguez gets 2 stars, Ribic 2 stars, Albuquerque 1 1/2 stars, and Opena 1 star. That average comes out to 2.64 stars, but since the worst artist drew half of the book, I'd actually round the whole thing down to 2 stars for the overall art.
There are various variant covers inserted between the issues of comics in the book. The 2 that stand out to me as being really great are J. Scott Campbell's variant for issue #1 and Adam Kubert's variant for issue #12. The end of the book has an appendix with some other covers, the best of which is by Mark Brooks, an interview with writer Rick Remender, and a history of X-force, as told by Wolverine, that runs from the end of House of M all the way up to the beginning of this series. The Remender interview was cool, but the X=force history was the highlight of the appendix.
Normally I take an average from the art, writing, and extras to get my overall rating for the book, but Remender's writing overshadows the low art score. This book is extremely well worth reading. Overall, this book gets 5 stars.
February 6, 2019
It felt like I didn't gave any justice to this book by giving my review very late. This is one of Marvel's notable masterpieces in comics/graphic novel format and I'm sure that it can stand with those best graphic novel titles we all came to know.
The toying around of morality as the basis of eliminating greater threats has been Remender's hallmark in this book. The story is easy to follow with strong build-up and shocking conclusion. Characterizations are brilliantly done, each protagonist acts as who they really should be minus Deadpool's 4th wall breaking. The art is just great and the overall coloring scheme complements the tone of the book though I have to admit that I favor Jerome Opena's art, the whole artistic team deserves commendations. I just hope that in these coming years, a graphic novel as great as this can still be produced.
The toying around of morality as the basis of eliminating greater threats has been Remender's hallmark in this book. The story is easy to follow with strong build-up and shocking conclusion. Characterizations are brilliantly done, each protagonist acts as who they really should be minus Deadpool's 4th wall breaking. The art is just great and the overall coloring scheme complements the tone of the book though I have to admit that I favor Jerome Opena's art, the whole artistic team deserves commendations. I just hope that in these coming years, a graphic novel as great as this can still be produced.
December 17, 2020
I've got to admit that i'm not a fan of x-men at all. The reason why i chose to read this book that has to do with 'em is because i expected it to be different.
The good news is that it kinda did... The problem was that because of my lack of x-men knowledge i had soooo many questions like "what is this"(for example wth is this world??!) or "who the hell is him/her" etc.
This was not the only setback for me tho... The other thing that bothered me was the story itself. While the main concept is interesting, there are moments were i was completely lost and left wondering about what i was reading.
I don't recommend it to x-men newbies (as myself) at all, 'cause there are going to be many important plot points lost.
The good news is that it kinda did... The problem was that because of my lack of x-men knowledge i had soooo many questions like "what is this"(for example wth is this world??!) or "who the hell is him/her" etc.
This was not the only setback for me tho... The other thing that bothered me was the story itself. While the main concept is interesting, there are moments were i was completely lost and left wondering about what i was reading.
I don't recommend it to x-men newbies (as myself) at all, 'cause there are going to be many important plot points lost.
June 2, 2021
Remender Must Have 3 Brains Like Fantomex
OVERALL RATING: 4.5 stars
Art: 4.5 stars
Prose: 4.75 stars
Plot: 4.5 stars
Pacing: 5 stars
Character Development: 4.5 stars
World Building: 4.5 stars
Remender really delves into a black ops X team in such an adult way. Philosophy mixed with jostling of pecking order within a team full of alphas, intrigue, brutality (lots of) and a smattering of humour. Best X team book I've read.
OVERALL RATING: 4.5 stars
Art: 4.5 stars
Prose: 4.75 stars
Plot: 4.5 stars
Pacing: 5 stars
Character Development: 4.5 stars
World Building: 4.5 stars
Remender really delves into a black ops X team in such an adult way. Philosophy mixed with jostling of pecking order within a team full of alphas, intrigue, brutality (lots of) and a smattering of humour. Best X team book I've read.
May 24, 2022
Still one of the best Marvel stories I've read. Also just love Wolverine, Deadpool and Fantomex.
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