X-Force #119

Posted: Thursday, September 6
By: Jason Cornwell

Writer: Peter Milligan
Artists: Michael D. Allred

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Plot:
As Orphan uses his super-sensitivity to safely remove the cables from young Paco's head, we see X-Force pulls a hasty retreat, but not before another member of the team receives a lethal injury. However, upon returning to base, Orphan discovers that the plans the higher ups have for young Paco are just as bad as the group that X-Force rescued the young boy from, and when he refuses to hand the boy over, he finds himself under attack. However, when his teammates unexpectantly come to his aid, we see Orphan is able to remove himself from the tense situation, as he runs off to fulfill a promise he made to the X-Force member who died in this issue. While here he also manages to place Paco in hiding, but we see that back at the base Orphan's actions have got the Chief turning to U-Go Girl, as he plants the idea of her becoming the new leader of X-Force, if she removes the Orphan from the playing field.

Comments:
My main problem with the past issues has been that the characters that we were supposed to be investing our interest in weren't being developed beyond the "I'm a selfish, egotistical person" stage. This issue takes some very nice strides into making this cast one I can begin to connect with. We have alliances being formed, and characters are making moves to undermine their teammates. We have the good, the bad, and we also have the truly morally bankrupt. Now, this issue still doesn't do all that much for the secondary team-members, as they are still largely blank slates, but this issue does give one more insight into Orphan & U-Go Girl, and we also learn that their Chief is a right bastard who is willing to go to any means to get his way. I still would like to see a string of issues that develop this cast, though at the rate he's knocking them off, this may prove a largely futile exercise, as at one every issue we'll be seeing an entirely new team before the first year is concluded.

The cynicism is also a good deal more biting in this issue, and I for one hope it continues to play a key role in the book, as this is one area where Peter Milligan is at his best. The various nods to how the term celebrity acts as a catchall excuse for their questionable behavior. The idea that America's plan for Paco is just as bad as the one that X-Force had been sent to rescue Paco from. The under-handing dealings that close the issue, and look to be pitting U-Go Girl against the rebellious Orphan. These all combine to make a fairly engaging read, as this book almost gleefully plays with the idea that this team is made up of opportunistic showboats, whose primary motivation is fame & glory. We also continue to discover that their heroic missions are hardly ever what they appear to be, and that a noble streak is something to be discouraged within this group. I'm quite curious as to how Peter Milligan will keep this ball in the air though.

Mike Allred continues to bring a sense of much needed fun to the proceedings, as his Jack Kirby meets underground comics style is a highly energetic, and often times infectious in its ability to make the truly grotesque seem bright & cheery. This isn't to say that Mike Allred's work can't have a real impact, as the death of another one of the team is nicely done, and U-Go Girl's nightmare has itself a nice punch. The art also delivers the little details quite well, such as U-Go Girl's horror when she discovers where she transported the team, and Doop is a continual source of amusement, even though he's basically just a floating green blob. The battle between X-Force, and the Chief's replacements is also nicely done, as while I'm not exactly sure what Succubus' ability is, her appearance/name is a fairly good indicator. The late night visit by the Coach to U-Go Girl's room is also given a creepy feel, and it gives the final page more impact.

Final Word:
I must confess that I wasn't overly impressed with the early issues, though one look at the letters page and one would think that you either hate the book outright, or you're calling a masterpiece. I don't think I fall into either camp, though after this issue I suspect I'd find myself agreeing more with the latter group. I mean, I was a big New Mutants fan, and the occasional X-Force fan, but my beefs with this new X-Force didn't stem from the fact that it made such wide-sweeping changes. It was just that the book seemed more interested in doing something different, while ignoring the idea of telling an engaging story. This issue looks to have reversed this trend, and it's all the better for it.