Marvel Comics released X-Factor #3 on September 9. Writer Leah Williams, artist David Baldeon, color artist Israel Silva, and letterer VC’s Joe Caramagna continue X-Factor’s investigation in the Mojoverse for a missing mutant, discovering her fate, as well as the fate of another mutant.
The search for the missing mutant in the Mojoverse comes to an end as X-Factor discovers that the identity of the disappeared mutant is, in fact, Wind Dancer! A tragic but brilliant panel accompanies this discovery by the entire creative team.
Silva,’s colors work well this issue, the use of black and red in this panel is accentuated by Baldeon’s linework, making for a really striking image as Prodigy watches Wind Dancer take her own life for more streaming views. The use of the blood splatter across the “BLAM” adds to the shock and communicates the horror of Wind Dancer’s death that Prodigy views off-panel, while Caramagna’s use of the negative white space between panels that bleeds into the “BLAM” is another nice touch.
While Wind Dancer’s fate is uncovered, X-Factor discovers that another mutant has fallen into the Mojoverse’s thrall–Shatterstar, who has the top stream in the Mojoverse. We learn through his interactions with Polaris, as well as one of Caramagna’s well-designed prose sections that Shatterstar is a captive in the Mojoverse. Polaris promises him that they will return for him, so a return to the Mojoverse seems to be in order for this title (every X-book appears to be cornering a different part of the X-world for itself).
Overall, this was a decent issue that allowed each character’s individual personality to shine forth a little bit more (as opposed to just being interchangeable quipsters). Despite lacking the “Path to X of Swords” banner on the cover, the issue does end with several X-Women sitting around a bar on Krakoa before being surrounded by the same rainbow effect from the end of Wolverine #5, with one of the characters wryly noting, “Don’t worry. It’s just a tie-in.” It is a bit odd that this minor tie-in doesn’t actually contain any of the main cast from X-Factor, but nevertheless, it indicates that X of Swords is upon us!
What did you think of X-Factor #3? Tell us in the comments below!
DC Comics has released a treasure trove of preview images for their upcoming BATMAN/CATWOMAN #1, available through retailers as a 12-issue run, written by Tom King, starting December 1st. The big surprise from DC is that issue #1 will mark the debut in print of an old Batman villain from animation – Phantasm.
Says DC of Phantasm’s (Andrea Beaumont) arrival: “Beaumont’s return calls into question how each character chooses to operate in their costumed, and personal, lives, and any move by Phantasm could change the fate of Bruce and Selina’s future.” You can check out the entire set of preview images and read the full DC press release below.
Are you a Phantasm fan? Does this reveal increase your excitement for the Tom King series? Let us know what you think in the Comments section, and please share this post on social media using the links below.
Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle’s 80-Year Romance Continues in ‘Batman/Catwoman’ by Tom King, Clay Mann and Tomeu Morey… …and Phantasm Debuts in Batman/Catwoman #1 on December 1!
Gotham City. Today. Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle have rekindled their long-running, on-again, off-again relationship. Believing all obstacles are removed from their path, they once again begin operating as a duo in their secret lives: Batman and Catwoman working together to fight crime. In Batman/Catwoman, a crime story told across three separate timelines,Tom King, Clay Mann and Tomeu Morey return to the romantic saga of Batman and Catwoman, continuing the story they began in the pages of Batman!
There’s the past, when The Bat and The Cat first fell in love. Did they meet on the street? Or was it on a boat? Rooftops, ramparts and gargoyles, and over 80 years of fans that have read their comics, are their only witnesses.
There’s the distant future, where after a long and happy marriage Bruce Wayne has passed away. Selina Kyle decides to settle an old score without having to worry about the Batman objecting. Catwoman is serving a very cold dish: Revenge.
And in the present, Bruce and Selina’s union is threatened by the arrival of one of Batman’s past flings, Andrea Beaumont, a.k.a. Phantasm. Beaumont’s return calls into question how each character chooses to operate in their costumed, and personal, lives, and any move by Phantasm could change the fate of Bruce and Selina’s future.
The only other person besides Bruce and Selina to have been along for the whole ride has been the Joker, and what he did in the past is going to have direct consequences on today and tomorrow. Batman’s greatest foe will intervene any time Batman and Catwoman try to take steps towards peace—he already robbed fans of a Bat/Cat wedding celebration! Any change in the Caped Crusader’s life will be matched with the chaos of the Clown Prince of Crime…
…and the Joker’s not leaving any witnesses. Not even a gargoyle. Will Selina make good on her final kill?
Batman/Catwoman, by Tom King, Clay Mann, Tomeu Morey and Clayton Cowles, edited by Jamie S. Rich and Brittany Holzherr, will launch a 12-issue run on December 1, 2020, with a cover by Mann and Morey and a variant cover by Jim Lee, Scott Williams and Alex Sinclair. New issues will ship monthly with a skip month planned for a Batman/Catwoman Special in June 2021, and the series will carry DC’s Black Label content descriptor, indicating content appropriate for readers ages 17+.
For more information on this series and the World’s Greatest Super Heroes, visit the website at www.dccomics.com, or follow on social media @DCComics and @thedcnation.
Out now, Dark Horse‘s video game tie-in Cyberpunk 2077: Trauma Team #1 applies a Blade Runner aesthetic to a story about PTSD. Written by Cullen Bunn, illustrated by Miguel Valderrama, colored by Jason Wordie, and lettered by Frank Cvetkovic, the book is a strong introduction to the world of the game and a strong story in its own right.
Set in dystopian Night City, Trauma Team #1 revolves around a paramedic/security hybrid squad as they execute their duty to protect high-paying clients. The focus of the story is Nadia, who, for half the book, recalls a mission gone wrong. She’s undergoing a mental health evaluation to determine her “combat readiness” if you will.
What helps the story flow is its structure based on Nadia’s interview. In captions, Nadia’s vague, terse responses to leading questions are juxtaposed with revealing flashbacks. This allows for the simultaneous artistic introduction of the world and a foundation for sympathy with Nadia.
Cool Dystopia, Bro
The creators establish this balance on the first page, wasting no time in their worldbuilding. The page opens on a busy street, capturing in what I would call digital watercolor style cybernetic people as they witness a shootout. In a long stretch of white space, Nadia’s dialogue with her interviewer breaks up the action, setting the tone, location, and character attitude.
NADIA RECALLS A FAILED MISSION.
What’s more, the caption design seems to come straight out of a video game or your cell phone with the alternating colors distinguishing between speakers. These irregular little boxes are unobtrusive, accenting the action, and complementing the aesthetic.
But it’s the character-driven storytelling that allows the comic book to stand on its own, removed from the video game. In the second half of the issue, after she’s been cleared for active duty, Nadia immediately joins a new team and goes out on a mission. On this mission, she recognizes the man who killed members of her team, the source of all her psychological trauma.
Emotional Stakes
Now that the story has its antagonist, the question driving it is whether Nadia will seek revenge and fully contend with her problems. After all, what makes dystopia and cyberpunk interesting is how characters psychologically grapple with their relentlessly cool and dark high-tech environment.
Nonetheless, given that the video game has been pushed back for release in November, the book may satisfy fans’ desire to see what’s been teased in action. Still, fan or not, familiar with cyberpunk as a genre or not, the story has broad appeal.
Who knows? Maybe Trauma Team #1 will make you a fan of the genre. And if you’re a fan of Blade Runner and Altered Carbon, give this book a try.
ComiXology Originals is not afraid to take genre-blending chances with its new creator work. Now, ComiXology has announced a new Sci-Fi Space Western from writer Chuck Austen called Edgeworld, available on September 15th.
In partnership with artists Patrick Olliffe, ComiXology describes the comic as “a gritty, sexy, potent adventure series that’s part science fiction, part detective series, and part western.” You can check out a few preview images and read the full ComiXology press release below.
Are you anxious to watch a laser fight at the OK Space Corral? Let us know what you think in the Comments section, and please share this post on social media using the links below.
ComiXology Originals Presents Edgeworld, a Sci-Fi Space Western Comic Book Series Written by Chuck Austen with Art by Patrick Olliffe
September 10, 2020 – New York, NY – This fall, comic book writer Chuck Austen is making his surprise return to comics.
Austen’s controversial takes on mainstream superhero characters divided fandom with their romance fueled storylines. Now he’s partnering with his good friend, long-time Marvel/DC artist Patrick Olliffe (Spider-Girl; Hawkman) to create Edgeworld, an edgy expectation-busting western set in the far reaches of outer space. The latest creator-owned comic book series from comiXology Originals, Edgeworld is a gritty, sexy, potent adventure series that’s part science fiction, part detective series, and part western. Joining Austen and Olliffe (who is illustrating his first creator-owned series) are acclaimed colorist Lee Loughridge, letterer Jodi Wynne and editor Bis Stringer-Horne. Edgeworld debuts September 15, 2020 with issue #1 of 5.
“Edgeworld is the place people need to go in order to get somewhere else, but not to stay,” said Austen, “It’s a temporary rest stop, a place to blow off some steam on a long journey between the stars. But no one stays on Pala unless the rest of the universe is done with them. No one, that is except for the oppressed Palans and their lone supporter, Killian Jess.”
In Edgeworld, Killian Jess is the magistrate and a former United Authority soldier who knows the system, upholds the law, and delivers the verdict—with a vengeance. Alongside native Palan Cheela, Killian fights to protect the planet Pala, a backwater, frontier planet on the edge of known space located beneath a riftgate—the greatest and most valuable discovery in galactic history. Together, the duo must battle alien invasions, military forces, black market traders, otherworldly infestations, drug runners and the disastrous, ecological aftermath of a brutal, planet-wide war, in order to save the world they love.
“Pat Olliffe and I had worked together before at Marvel on a couple projects and enjoyed the process, me writing, him drawing, us collaborating on look, scenes, and mood,” said Austen. “We’d talked before about working together again, but I’d left comics. One day we both finally realized, “Hey! Why don’t we create a comic for ourselves? Just for fun?” One rocket-sled ride later, and here we are. We never created this to sell to a publisher. We created it to create and that was very freeing.”
“This has been a project long in the making,” says Olliffe. “Chuck and I have been wanting to work together on something like this for years and are thrilled to finally have it come together.”
Part of the comiXology Originals line of exclusive content, Edgeworld #1 will be available upon release, at no additional cost, for members of Amazon Prime, Kindle Unlimited, and comiXology Unlimited, and for purchase on Kindle and comiXology. Prime Reading offers all Amazon Prime members a rotating selection of thousands of top Kindle books, magazines, short works, comic books, children’s books, and more – all at no additional cost. Kindle Unlimited offers over 1 million titles, thousands of audiobooks, and select current issues of popular magazines for just $9.99 a month with a 30-day free trial at amazon.com/kindleunlimited. ComiXology Unlimited now offers over 25,000 comics, graphic novels and manga for just $5.99 a month with a 30-day free trial atcomixology.com/unlimited.
CONAN: BATTLE FOR THE SERPENT CROWN #5 hits your local comic book store September 16th, but thanks to Marvel Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive four-page preview for you.
About the issue: MEPHISTO TRIUMPHANT?! The trail leading to the SERPENT CROWN has brought MEPHISTO’s ultimate goal within reach! As CONAN makes his last-ditch effort to stake his claim on the treasure, NYLA SKIN makes a daring move! But will the Serpent Crown’s newly revealed secret doom Conan to a fate undreamed of?
CONAN: BATTLE FOR THE SERPENT CROWN #5 is by writer Saladin Ahmed and artist Luke Ross, with colors by Nolan Woodward, and letters by Travis Lanham. The cover is by Mahmud Asrar and Marcio Menyz.
This is the concluding chapter of the five-issue miniseries. The issue also comes with a parental advisor due to mature content.
Check out the CONAN: BATTLE FOR THE SERPENT CROWN #5 preview below:
What’s your favorite CONAN book that Marvel has put out since reacquiring the license? Sound off in the comments!
DC Comics is heading back to the Dark Multiverse this December with three new one-shots. This time, a series from the 1980s (Crisis on Infinite Earths), the 1990s (War of the Gods), and the more recent Dark Nights: Metal are getting the grim “What If?” treatment.
Here’s all the info:
THE EVIL OF THE DARK MULTIVERSE CONTINUES TO CORRUPT DC’S BIGGEST EVENTS
Three New Tales from the Dark Multiverse Coming in December
Looks like the Dark Multiverse continues to have a lasting effect on the DCU, blemishing many of DC’s defining moments from across history. This December, the infection continues to fester, as the publisher announced three new titles to get the Dark Multiverse treatment this December.
TALES FROM THE DARK MULTIVERSE: WAR OF THE GODS #1 (December 1)
Written by VITA AYALA
Art by ARIEL OLIVETTI
Cover by DAVID MARQUEZ
In this 48-page, $5.99 Prestige Format one-shot, the realms of the gods have been turned upside down and inside out, on the verge of engulfing Earth and its people. Only one hero stands to defend it: Wonder Woman! But this dark mirror image of an epic tale features a Wonder Woman who is ready to destroy our world!
Cursed by the evil goddess of magic, Hecate, the Amazon warrior princess Diana has become a weapon of vengeance ready to tear down any god or superhero that stands in her way. Will Earth and its heroes survive her might? Or are they doomed to worship the dark princess of the Amazons for the rest of eternity?!
TALES FROM THE DARK MULTIVERSE: CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS (December 15)
Written by STEVE ORLANDO
Art by MIKE PERKINS
Cover by DAVID MARQUEZ
When the Anti-Monitor’s deadly grudge match with the Multiverse was finally foiled, there was only one Earth left! But which Earth? That was crucial to what would happen next. In one timeline, Earth-1’s Superman stopped the Superman of Earth-2 from going into final battle, but in the Dark Multiverse, it’s Jor-L of Earth-2 who survives, changing the landscape for all that follows!
When Surtur comes looking to crush all life, the beleaguered heroes jump into their next big battle, jumping from one Crisis to the next…but will the last days of the Justice Society of America play out differently if Green Lantern Alan Scott steps into the darkness?
TALES FROM THE DARK MULTIVERSE: DARK NIGHTS: METAL #1(December 29)
Written by COLLIN KELLY, JACKSON LANZING and SCOTT SNYDER
Art by KARL MOSTERT and TREVOR SCOTT
Cover by DAVID MARQUEZ
In the event-defining epic Dark Nights: Metal, the Justice League defeated the vile Barbatos and his Dark Knights to save our universe from sinking into the abyss of the Dark Multiverse. But… what if they failed? What if Barbatos reigned victorious? Enter an alternate timeline where the DCU as you know it has been dragged down into the darkness. Witness the Justice League you once knew, hideously transformed into dragons who serve at the mercy of evil.
Duke Thomas, the Last Monitor, will have to seek out Nightwing and the few remaining survivors of the Metal event to assemble the Final Justice League in an attempt to save the Multiverse. Featuring a story by Dark Nights: Metal architect Scott Snyder, rising stars Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing, and art by red-hot artist Karl Mostert, you won’t want to miss the biggest, loudest arena rock concert in the history of the DC Universe!
All three of these titles are 48-page Prestige Format titles, each selling for $5.99. For more information on these titles and the World’s Greatest Super Heroes, visit the website at www.dccomics.com, and follow on social media @DCComics and @thedcnation.
Kill a Man original graphic novel hits your local comic book store on October 7, but thanks to AfterShock Comic, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive four-page preview for our readers.
The book is written by Steve Orlando & Phillip Kennedy Johnson, with art & colors by Al Morgan, and you will read Jim Campbell’s letter work.
About Kill a Man: The Truth is Worth Fighting For.
As a child, James Bellyi watched his father die in the ring as payback for slurs he threw at his opponent. Today, James is a Mixed Martial Arts star at the top of his game, and one of the most popular fighters in the world…until he’s outed as gay in his title shot press conference.
Abandoned overnight by his training camp, his endorsements, his fans, and his sport, to regain his title shot, Bellyi is forced to turn to the last person he ever wanted to see again: Xavier Mayne, a gay, once-fighter in his own right…and the man James watched kill his father.
A singular achievement from writers Steve Orlando (Martian Manhunter, DEAD KINGS) and Phillip Kennedy Johnson (Aquaman, Adventure Time, The Last Time), and artist Al Morgan (Midnighter, Daredevil, Battlestar Galactica).
KILL A MAN will be printed in a 6.5 x 9.5 softcover format.
Enjoy the preview below:
After reading the synopsis, this story is going to go after your heart. The color palette and words are strong; I need to read the next page. Is Mayne going to fight back?
With my love of Rocky films, the fight ring always gets my blood pumping, and it makes for a great introduction to a story as you can go from a wide focus to a very intimate focal point quickly.
What did the announcer sound like in your head, this is what it sounded like to me:
The Babysitter: Killer Queen, the sequel to Netflix’s campy horror-comedy, The Babysitter, is more ridiculous than its predecessor. Not a bad thing at all, these films are not taking themselves that seriously. The over the top gore sequences are back, and so is the exposition based dialogue. The Babysitter: Killer Queen follows the same formula as the original, but there are unexpected twists this time around and a lot of unanswered questions from the first film are resolved.
Netflix’s coming of age horror-comedy certainly didn’t need a sequel, but the mid-credit scene from the previous film indicated there was room for more. What worked so well for the original was the heartwarming relationship between Bee and Cole. Also, Cole was an easy character to get behind, and all the actors made the most of the horrendous dialogue they were given to work with. Once again directed and co-written by McG, The Babysitter: Killer Queen stars Jenna Ortega, Bella Thorne, Hana Mae Lee, Robbie Amell, Emily Alyn Lind, and Judah Lewis. Set two years later, Cole (Lewis) is still haunted by the night he defeated a satanic cult lead by his babysitter, Bee. He’s considered crazy, but his next-door neighbor, Melanie (Lind) convinces him to attend a lake party and his old enemies return.
Andrew Bachelor, Bella Thorne, and Robbie Amell in The Babysitter: Killer Queen
This film probably will upset fans of the original because actress Samara Weaving, who played Bee, will not be at the center like before. Despite that, The Babysitter: Killer Queen can stand on its own without the leader of this satanic cult. Overall, the dialogue is awful as expected, the plot is just as uninteresting, but watching everything unfold is what will keep viewers glued. Every single character is underdeveloped outside of Cole, and that’s fine for this film because there’s no point to it other than to give you a few laughs at just how absurd it is. Lewis rocks it as Cole and it’s great to see him back in this nerdy role, but more mature.
Cole doesn’t need a babysitter anymore, his interest in girls is heightened, and Lewis gives off the perfect shy and unexperienced vibes. Newcomer Ortega, who many will recognize as the little sister from YOU, enters this film with purpose and comes off as if she has always been here. She’s the new girl at school, Phoebe, and she has a shocking connection to Cole that many won’t see coming. Ortega has been making great impressions with her recent projects and her performance here is just another good showing. Again, despite how lacking the script is, these actors and actresses give it their all once again. McG delivers yet another fast-paced film and doesn’t turn back once Cole and his friends arrive at the lake.
Judah Lewis as Cole in The Babysitter: Killer Queen
Beat for beat like its predecessor, calm innocent setup that gets undone by an unexpected character decision. From there, we have over an hour’s worth of ridiculousness unfolding. McG provides a suspenseful ride that you’ll only care to see finish just because it’s so over the top. Of course, Cole being the only character you will have interest in makes the film watchable as well. The components that worked before work here, it really just comes down to the fact that this film has awful dialogue throughout, and it’s mixed with characters you don’t care about because they are throwaways. The score in the film matches the campy, coming of age narrative, so there are some redeeming qualities for this sequel.
The Babysitter: Killer Queen may or may not be another sleeper hit for Netflix, but it’s fine for what it is. Just another horror-comedy that adequately balances the genres, and gives you enough to at least sit-down and endure it. It is a decent follow-up to another subpar film, and fans of the genre will appreciate the redeeming qualities it possesses.
On September 9, Marvel Comics released Marauders #12, featuring a recently resurrected Kate Pryde re-entering the world. Writer Gerry Duggan, artist Matteo Lolli, color artist Edgar Delgado, and letterer VC’s Cory Petit show Kate reuniting with her friends as well as coming face to face with the man who killed her–Sebastian Shaw.
Duggan begins this issue with a ceremony similar to the one seen in House/Powers of X, celebrating Kate’s resurrection and recognition by Storm, with Kate surrounded by the mutants she rescued and brought to Krakoa.
Later, as Kate and Emma horseback ride to a reunion party with friends like Nightcrawler, Iceman, Rachel Summers, and Magik, Kate telepathically reveals her plans of revenge against Shaw, who confronts her at the party. What follows is an excellent sequence by the entire creative team, as Shaw congratulates Kate on her resurrection with a bottle of whiskey, and while he seems to be attempting to intimidate her, Kate throws him off balance.
Everything about this scene works, from the look of surprise drawn on Shaw’s face to the lettering for Kate’s whisper to Shaw, to her admonition to celebrate. But readers know that Kate has something special in store for Shaw.
Another great scene in this issue comes in the tattoo parlor, where she gets the knuckle tattoos seen on the cover. There are two standout scenes with the tattoo artist. The first occurs when the tattoo artist asks about the tattoos themselves.
The look in both characters’ eyes and the whispered reply of the tattoo artist communicates the shared experience two women who have suffered from abusive men, from the look of vulnerability in Kate’s eyes to the squint of remembrance and the whispered “say no more” of the tattoo artist.
The other scene involves an interesting step in the direction for Kate.
Historically, Kitty Pryde has always been attached to Colossus as a love interest; however, both characters have each moved on. The Marauders has, at least in part, been about Kate’s journey of self-discovery, leaving behind who she thought she was and embracing a life of adventure on the high seas. This scene really captures her hunger for life and the surprise she feels at her own actions as she continues to become “Kate” and leaves “Kitty” behind.
While Marauders #12 carries the “Path to X of Swords” moniker, it doesn’t appear to really tie-in to the lead up in any obvious way. Given her new tattoos, she apparently has something very special in store for Shaw, and perhaps the beginnings of a new love interest. Kate’s resurrection has given her a new lease on life, and one gets the impression that she won’t be surprised by betrayal ever again.
What did you think of Marauders #12? Tell us in the comments below!
Marvel Comics releases X-Force #12 on September 9. Writer Benjamin Percy, artist Bazaldua, colorist Guru-eFX, and letterer VC’s Joe Caramagna deal with the aftermath of the attack on Krakoa, the fate of Kid Omega, and the plans of Mikhail Rasputin (older brother of Colossus and Magik). This issue also bears the “Path to X of Swords” moniker.
Writing
In this issue, Percy reveals that Mikhail is working with the anti-mutant group Xeno. He offers them the Sword of Cerebro, which readers learn contains all of Krakoa’s intelligence, although how it is accessed remains a mystery. Xeno is also in the process of creating an army of super-soldiers sliced and diced from mutant DNA, and now Mikhail offers them Kid Omega’s body to experiment on.
Pursuing leads on the missing sword, Beast and Sage discover a message carved in the ground by the dying Kid Omega. The message contains one word: MIKHAIL. Beast proceeds to round up all mutants with either national or family ties to Mikhail, including Omega Red (whose appearance in this issue with Wolverine doesn’t quite jive with Percy’s use of both characters in the Wolverine series, but oh well) and Colossus (although not Magik).
Beast, in yet another show of shadiness in the character’s portrayal in the last few decades, makes a spectacle of Colossus’s arrest, putting him in handcuffs and gathering a crowd of mutants in Krakoa to watch him come through the gate, much to Domino and Wolverine’s consternation (the latter punches Beast). Nevertheless, Wolverine seeks Jean Grey’s help to psychically determine what, if anything, Colossus and Omega Red might know.
It appears that X of Swords is going to be an event fought on many fronts. In Cable, the Sword of Galador has involved a bunch of sci-fi space knights, while in Excalibur, Brian Braddock has acquired the mystical Sword of Might. X-Force has now added the Sword of Cerebro to the mix. I’m not sure that any of us are prepared for how big and multi-faceted this event is going to be!
Art & Colors
Bazaldua’s art in this issue is great! The faces in this issue are done really well, particularly when they are capturing the sinister or intimidating nature of the character. When he is looking down at a dying Quentin Quire, Bazaldua provides the impression of a robust and confident killer.
Bazaldua is, of course, assisted by colorist Guru-eFX, whose blackened, empty eyes help to capture Mikhail’s threatening presence.
Likewise, Bazaldua and Guru-eFX create a beautiful panel showing Mikhail and the leader of Xeno staring each other down.
This panel captures the menace of both men. Both are stone-cold killers with evil behind their eyes and yet a cool respect for the other’s power. One gets the impression of two snakes waiting to strike the other (speaking of snakes, doesn’t the Xeno leader kind of look like Cobra Commander here?). The shading of the colors on the Xeno leader’s mask and the shadows around his eyes add to this effect.
Finally, Beast just can’t help but continue being terrible as a character, and his assholery is on full display, which the art team portrays well when depicting his smug, arrogant face.
The first panel reflects his confrontation with Omega Red, which makes sense because readers of Wolverine know that Omega Red is up to no good. The second panel, however, depicts Beast confronting Colossus, his longtime friend, and ally. We definitely see a Beast in this issue, which is too smart for his own good and is letting his power go to his head.
Letters
Caramagna’s letters are serviceable for this issue. There are a lot of character interactions in this issue, but the dialogue never gets out of control and is well-constructed around the images. Likewise, Caramagna’s sound effects are subtle and merely accentuate certain actions beats.
There are, however, two prose pages in this issue. The first is from Beast’s log, explaining his reasons for parading Colossus through Krakoa. I have some doubts about the necessity of this panel. It certainly fleshes out Beast’s motivations, but this is an example of something being told to an audience when it should be shown (although it does avoid expositional thought balloons).
The second prose section is actually interesting, reflecting some sort of third-person journal or autobiographical novel of some sort being written by Colossus. The last paragraph has been struck through, but readers get a glimpse into the darkness of Colossus’s thought life and a potentially different fate for Beast (if Colossus didn’t have so much self-control).
Conclusion
X-Force #12 is another part of a tapestry being created for the X of Swords event. Krakoa will be facing many threats from all sides, which now includes Mikhail and Xeno. Beast flirts with fascism and continues to be dragged through the mud as a character. Someone should really stop putting him in charge of things after Astonishing X-Men and the Illuminati and All-New X-Men and Secret Empire…should I go on?
I am curious to find out what Percy is planning for Omega Red, as he has figured prominently in both his Wolverine and X-Force series (although seemingly in disconnected ways).
What did you think of X-Force #12? Are you excited about X of Swords? And do you think a reckoning is coming for Beast? Tell us in the comments below!
