The team is tracking down another fracture that could be apocalyptic, but will internal strife bring about the team’s end and, with it, the world?  Your Major Spoilers review of X-Force #3, awaits!

X-FORCE #3

Writer: Geoffrey Thorne
Artist: Marcus To
Colorist: Erick Arciniega
Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramagna
Editor: Mark Basso
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: September 25th, 2024

Previously in X-Force: Forge has supercharged his abilities and has created The Analog, a device that is able to track down events that could cause the world to end.  He has assembled a team to help him put a stop to these problems, without drawing attention to themselves.

BLAST FROM THE PAST

X-Force #3 opens with the team heading to Cambodia in search of the newest fracture that was detected by The Analog.  Forge tries to explain how it works to Sage, but before he can finish, Surge notices a massive path of destruction on the ground.  She readies herself to go help the people, but Forge attempts to stop her.  The two argue until Surge jumps out of the plane to help.  The rest of the team discovers the source of the destruction, a mutant and old foe of The Avengers, Nukio.  Tank attempts to fight him hand-to-hand but is taken out.  Askani and Captain Britain are able to subdue him telepathically by entering into his mind.  There, they find an army of old-school Avengers in their way.  Betsy prods Askani until she finally loses it and is able to blast away the mental projections.  Afterward, they discover the core of Nukio’s mind, the old Avengers Mansion.  Outside, Forge and Sage are able to figure out how to take down Nukio.  They, along with Surge, begin attacking but are unable to finish the job and are also incapacitated.

A GOOD CONCEPT WITH SOME EXECUTION PROBLEMS

X-Force #3 looks to continue the trend of the series by presenting the team with a sort of “monster of the week” type scenario that is the major focus while sprinkling in some interpersonal scuffles and bickering. For the most part, this works.  Everyone gets a chance to use their abilities, the action is fun and varied, and some of the arguing is emotional in the right ways.  It doesn’t work particularly when Akansi and Captain Britain start squabbling.  The goal seems to be to enforce the extra relationship that these two have outside of the team, but what it reads as is if you found yourself in that uncomfortable position of watching two people in a toxic relationship argue in public, and you can’t just get up and leave.  The switch between argument and then hitting each other with some sort of pet name or affectionate phrase doesn’t come off as being a trait of their partnership, but rather like the creators wanted to have their cake and eat it too, in that they want these two to have a relationship, but also wanted to double down on the theme of team members having problems with each other.  Getting to see Nukio in action as well as a bunch of retro Avengers looks, was a nice addition to this issue that helped make the conflict more interesting.

BOTTOM LINE: A SHAKY BUT ENTERTAINING START OF AN ADVENTURE

X-Force #3 is the first non- one and done issue of the series but doesn’t skimp in terms of action and interesting events happening. There’s a strong focus on the team composition here and it appears like there’s a strong effort to try and differentiate this iteration of X-Force from past versions.  In that this team isn’t a collection of gritty violence fetishists, but rather a team with missions that was put together for their abilities in a pragmatic way.  Some of the internal strife is poorly executed in this issue, making a good chunk of this issue uncomfortable to read.  But the groundwork here is enough to make me want to see how this particular adventure wraps up.  3.5 out of 5 stars.

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X-Force #3

70%

70%

The Adults are Fighting Again

X-Force #3 kicks off the next adventure for the team and does so in a fun and engaging way. The periphery of this conflict though isn’t so fun and is a bit hard to get through.

• Writing

  7
• Art

  7
• Colors

  7
• User Ratings (0 Votes)
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