Uncanny X-Force #1

I was quite sad when Kyle and Yost’s X-Force came to an end, but when I heard Rick Remender and Jerome Opena were taking over the book and starting with a new team I became a little more okay with it ending. I really love these two as a team, and when Punisher went sour with the introduction of Frankencastle and I left the book, I really missed these two and the work they did. So to finally get a chance to experience them in action again was exciting.

First, I think I should talk about the new X-Force team. The team features returning characters Wolverine and (Arch)Angel, and introduces Psylocke, Fantomex, and Deadpool to the team, replacing X23, Domino, Vanisher and Warpath. There are good and bad aspects of this new team. The good is that Psylocke should be an awesome addition to the team. I don’t know much about Fantomex, but after reading the issue he seems really interesting and I enjoyed his narration throughout the story. The one member I am really skeptical about is Deadpool, I feel as though Marvel is just putting him on the team to draw in new readers, but they are really going to have to prove his usefulness and make him interesting to keep up with the others in my opinion. It is cool that they gave him a new covert style white costume, and they seem to be going in the right direction with his character and his relation to the team, lets just hope it stays that way and that he doesn’t become the focal point of the book.

This first part of the story arc is really awesome. When you begin reading you really do not know what is going on in the story and you are left perplexed to the end of the issue, but that mystery is what keeps the story going and really gives the issue that “pop” that it needs. I wont say what happens at the end of the issue because that makes the issue as great as it is, but lets just say that readers will be happy. The issue is filled with a nice balance of story and action, but the one thing it lacks is an introduction to the characters for new readers. I was surprised that they didn’t use the little bubbles with the name of each character and their powers etc like they do in most other issues. What the issue did include is a text section at the end the chronicled the last X-Force series, which is useful for new readers.

I have a lot of faith in Remender and Opena, and this issue delivers their best as per usual. The first story arc of this new series is going to be really exciting with direction they are taking, and readers will not be disappointed. I am greatly looking forward to the next issue, and this is a series any comic fan would enjoy.

9 out of 10