X-Force #32
Kraven begins his hunt on Krakoa in X-Force #32, by writer Benjamin Percy, artist Robert Gill, colorist GURU-eFX, and letterer Joe Caramagna. Percy and company give readers a fun little ride with this one.
Kraven steps through the gate to Krakoa, making his way to the Hatchery. He destroys the eggs there as Deadpool bites his tongue off to leave a trail for everyone. Later, Sage and Omega Red investigate, and Sage thinks it was the Eternals. Red knows better and tells her it was done with a knife. They find Deadpool’s tongue, and Sage works out that someone used him to get to the island. Meanwhile, Kraven kills his way across the island, trying to find someone who’s worthy of him. He loses Deadpool’s head but finds out who’s the toughest mutant on the island - Wolverine - and where to find him. Black Tom finds Deadpool’s head and tries to get in touch with Beast, but Kraven already has him and decides to use him and the Shadow Room to lure in Wolverine. With no guidance, Black Tom makes a new body for Deadpool and some swords. Omega Red shows up to investigate Tom’s call, and Deadpool clashes with him. Wolverine, back from his trip to kill the Celestial, is called to the Pointe by Beast. Following blood stains to the Shadow Room, he walks right into Kraven’s trap, with Beast’s life on the line.
Percy gives readers another entertaining issue. He digs into Kraven’s mind throughout the comic as the Hunter judges the fitness of the people of Krakoa. Honestly, this chapter is rather simple. As this book goes on, it seems like Percy is trying to get readers to hate Beast. There’s a line with Sage when she finds the destroyed eggs in the Hatchery, and Beast says it’s a good thing he wasn’t there because he’s so important to Krakoa’s defense. One could look at it as him trying to be funny like he used to be, but it comes across as him just being a terrible person.
Percy also brings up Sage’s alcoholism again, this time in an info page. She references it affecting her work, with that section of the log entry crossed out. It’s subtle, but it’s pointing to a developing problem with her. It’ll be intriguing to find out where he takes this plot point in the future. All in all, this is a well-structured middle chapter of a story.
Gill and GURU-eFX do fantastic work on the art. As usual, the colors are as lush as ever, and Gill does an excellent job with the page layouts. There’s not a lot of action in this issue, more like slaughter, but there’re some stand-out images. The last splash page looks wonderful. Deadpool and Omega Red clashing is a lot of fun. Gill and GURU-eFX are a highly underrated team, and it’s great to see them work.
X-Force #32 is a simple but effective comic. Percy keeps the story going in an entertaining manner, playing with a couple of his long-term plots. Gill and GURU-eFX are an amazing team, and their art really elevates the book. It’ll be interesting to see how this story shakes out.