X-Force #36
X-Force begins making its play for XENO in X-Force #36, by writer Benjamin Percy, artist Robert Gill, colorist GURU-eFX, and letterer Joe Caramagna. This book dives into the XENO plot as well as the Colossus one, giving readers great twists and turns.
Domino, with Deadpool and Omega Red as backup, pretends to be a human biotech buyer to get information on XENO and what they’re up to. They show her bioengineered organs, made using mutant DNA, and she asks for more proof before she makes the buy. Outside, Deadpool and Omega Red are discovered, and a battle ensues. Inside, Domino is attacked, but she takes out her attackers, as do Red and Deadpool. They bring evidence back to Krakoa of what’s going on. In her biome, Domino discovers a painting of her from when she was in XENO custody in Colossus’s style. She confronts him, but he denies it and chastises himself after she leaves. Beast and Sage come up with a plan to trap XENO, using an unfertilized resurrection egg, but the man with the peacock tattoo has his own plan.
Many readers out there complain about Percy’s style of writing, how he sets up so many plots and takes so long to finish them. That’s a matter of personal preference, but one can’t deny that he does a good job with them whenever he brings them back. This issue is a great example of that ability. He gives readers an exciting plot issue, using a classic trope of spy stories - the infiltration gone wrong. The whole thing is well done and well-paced, and it honestly feels like the book could end there, and everything would be fine. It doesn’t, adding even more to the story and setting up the next phase expertly.
Another place where Percy can’t be faulted is his characterization and how he progresses the story of X-Force itself. From Domino always asking if Sage is onboard with Beast’s plans to Deadpool’s mile-a-minute banter to Omega Red’s no-nonsense, single-word answers and more, he does a remarkable job of showing readers what’s going on with the group and their interpersonal dynamics. This issue also picks up the Colossus plot again, illustrating his reticence and pain. He’s desperately trying to break free, but the Chronicler won’t let him. It’s not a long scene, but it gets the point across so very well, especially the info page that goes after it.
Gill is on fire, but that’s to be expected at this point. From the beginning of the book onwards, he kills the visuals of every panel. His character acting and emotional storytelling are great, his page layouts are wonderful, and the action scenes are crisp. The detail and line work are both very good. GURU-eFX’s colors are phenomenal, really making the artwork so much better. Gill and GURU-eFX have done a marvelous job on this book, getting better and better.
X-Force #36 is yet another fantastic issue. It picks up two different plots and does very well with both of them. It’s the kind of comic that does everything right - excellent plot, awesome action, brilliant character-building moments, and an ending that drives up the stakes. This book has always been great, so it’s no surprise that this issue keeps that up.