Cerebrax takes its toll on Krakoa in X-Force #29, by writer Benjamin Percy, artist Robert Gill, colorist GURU-eFX, and letterer Joe Caramagna. Percy and company knock it out of the park again, with a surprise ending that plays into a character’s past.

Kid Omega searches Krakoa for his friends as an injured Wolverine tells Domino to get moving after Cerebrax, who has just devoured Black Tom. Sage enlists Omega Red to help as Domino fights it out with an even more powerful Cerebrax. Kid Omega finds Wolverine and bends him back into shape, literally, and the two of them join with Domino, saving the day for her. Cerebrax escapes and finds the Cuckoos. Before he can devour Phoebe, trying to get Kid Omega’s attention, Omega Red attacks, planting a virus inside Cerebrax. Sage can’t get through the firewall, so Kid Omega flies into it, destroying Cerebrax, but disappearing.

Percy dials this issue up to eleven. There are several different threads playing throughout the whole thing, and Percy brings them all together expertly. There’s a lot of action, which definitely helps keep the pace up, and bringing Omega Red into the proceedings and having Sage be the only one who can get through to him is an interesting choice that could definitely pay off. X-Force has been a great book for this kind of action and storytelling choices, and this chapter pays that off well. Cerebrax has been a cool villain for this story arc, and it shows just how weak Krakoa could be.

Percy has made sure to do a lot with Kid Omega. Quentin Quire has always been one of the biggest missed opportunities among the X-Men. Everyone seems to just use him for a little while and discard him for other characters, but Percy has put the work in with him. This installment is no different, as he gets the two big saves. There’s a lot to focus on, but by the end of the issue, he’s the obvious star. Percy makes a bold choice with him, one that looks familiar to longtime fans of the character, and it will be cool to see where he takes the whole thing.

Gill and GURU-eFX do an amazing job with the art in this book. Gill following Cassara was always going to be hard, but he’s delivered with each issue. His facial proportions can be off a little bit, but there’s still some great imagery, especially with giant Cerebrax. GURU-eFX’s lush colors make everything pop. His colors have been the main artistic continuity of this book, and it’s paid off.

X-Force #29 packs in action and thrills and hits the right emotional notes. Percy builds a great story, and Gill and GURU-eFX make it real. This issue is a banger, make no mistake about it.

Grade: A