For The Love of Comics

‘Nuff Said

Mock Away - I Want X-Force!

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting and don't forget to tip your waitress!!

Comic Book Resources’ George A. Tramountanas has posted an interview with X-Force editor John Barber about the post-Messiah Complex direction of the X-books in general and X-Force in particular.

I recognize that there are plenty of reasons for me to dread this title - from the lame title to the black, “edgy” costumes to the endless hype. They’re one step away from calling this X-Treme Force and totally backsliding into something from the 90’s, but I can’t help myself. Maybe it’s the 12-year-old X-men fanboy in me, but I’m really interested in this book.

After the “Messiah CompleX” story concludes, the X-books are labeled “X-Men: Divided We Stand.” How does “X-Force” play into this new heading?

The landscape after “Messiah CompleX” is different. The X-Men aren’t functioning as a unit anymore; the school’s gone, and it feels like everybody’s on their own. X-Force is a part of that. But even more – they’re secret. The rest of the X-family doesn’t know about them. Rahne can’t tell her friends in X-Factor what she’s doing. Scott’s not telling Emma – but it’s harder to keep secrets from a telepath, and we’ll be delving into that in “Uncanny” and “X-Force” as time goes on.

Even within the X-Force team, there are divisions. Everybody’s there for their own reasons, and that doesn’t mean they’ll be getting along.

Dude, they’re a super secret strike force rampant with internal strife and angst!!

How can you not be excited?!?!

This is something Wolverine has had to live with as long as he’s been an X-Man, and he’s reluctant to let anybody else go down that path. He’s always walked a dark path, but he’s always bonded with people on the light side of life, like Kitty Pryde or Jubilee. This time, though, Logan’s surrounded by people willing – even eager – to embrace his path, which doesn’t sit well with him.

See?!?! ANGST!!!

You’re all laughing at me right now - stop it.

In all seriousness, though, there is no doubt that this book has the potential to be totally lame and have crap like X-23 listening to Morrissey and using her claws to cut her arms while she sits in her room and cries, but statements like this:

Wolverine wouldn’t do that. On the field, he’s the best there is right? But he’s a loner when he’s doing this kind of work – killing work – because he doesn’t want to bring those people with him.

If he were more of a leader, he probably would lead X-23, Warpath, and Wolfsbane the hell away from X-Force. As it is, he accepts their decisions. Well, except for Rahne. But you’ll have to read to see what I mean, there.

Logan is very matter-of-fact. But you’re right; he’s not a natural leader. And the rest of the team are not natural followers.

and

These are lost souls, the X-Force team. At least, that’s how I see them. You might disagree. I know the characters would disagree with me. But I think they’re all looking for something, and none of them know what it is they’re looking for. Or maybe they don’t even know they’re looking.

Give me hope that they’ll find a smart, mature way to do this and explore the character of these team members and their motivations. It could be incredibly lame, but it could also be incredibly good.

Read the rest of the interview at CBR

Technorati Tags: comics, John Barber, Marvel, X-Force, x-men

Popularity: 19% [?]

If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.