X-Force #39
- Writer:
- Benjamin Percy
- Artist:
- Robert Gill
- Letterer:
- Joe Caramagna
- Cover Artist:
- Joshua Cassara
- Publisher:
- Marvel
- Price:
- $3.99
- Release Date:
- 2023-04-19
- Colorist:
- Guru eFX
The X-Force series has been a consistent pillar for the X-Men books since the start of the Krakoan era. Now closing in on 40 issues, the title is undergoing some major shifts. While Benjamin Percy remains comfortably planted in the writer's seat, the cast is seeing some shakeups as Piotr Rasputin -- aka Colossus -- and Laura Kinney -- aka Wolverine -- join X-Force. Colossus and Wolverine join the team in a time of unrest as the fallout from Beast's machinations is still being felt. X-Force #39, written by Percy with art by Robert Gill, colors by Guru eFX, letters by Joe Caramagna, and design by Tom Muller with Jay Bowen, lays the groundwork for an exciting new direction for Krakoa's Black Ops division.
Logan emphatically opens this issue, vulgarly addressing the Quiet Council as he leaves the decapitated body of Beast in the middle of the room. He tells them they need to figure out what to do with the mess they've made of X-Force, and he's not wrong. From the onset, X-Force was designed to be morally questionable at best, but Beast has taken terrifying stances for the greater good. This scene sets the stage for the next era of this book, Logan has quit the team, Sage is promoted to leader, and Colossus joins the team in the name of oversight from the Quiet Council. From here Sage sets out to recruit Laura, arguing the team needs a Wolverine, and of course, there's some action sprinkled in before the end.
Percy has maintained an impressive throughline in this run and this issue is a perfect representation of that idea. How should the X-Force be run? What does it mean for an organization like X-Force to exist, and what moral guidelines should they follow? These questions are central to the thesis for this series, and this issue spends a decent amount of time pondering them and reflecting on how those questions have been tackled so far. Readers have seen how Beast thinks X-Force should operate, now it's time to see the team under different leadership. Sage comes out of the gate with strong ideas and a clear difference in attitude from Beast.
Gill does a fantastic job with the art in this issue. For the most part, this is a calmer issue, with a lot of conversations and some action sprinkled in. Crucially, all the conversations feel just as engaging as the action. Scenes with dense spans of dialogue feature smaller, more packed-together panels, urging the reader to focus in, while panels and pages open up for bigger, more bombastic moments of action. Locations and characters are all brought to life in great detail.
The colors here bring the island of Krakoa to life in a palpable way. The Quiet Council chamber is filled with a cool, soothing blue light from the waterfall surrounding it. The fields of Krakoa are vibrant, full of luscious greens while the yellows from Wolverine and Sage's costumes stand out from the background. As earlier mentioned, there's a lot of dialogue in this issue, and Caramagna handles it exceptionally. Dialogue bubbles flow from one character to the next and no page ever feels overwhelming in its presentation.
Muller and Bowen continue to deliver critical information with their aesthetically pleasing data pages. They serve the dual purpose of providing extra story and working as scene breaks. There are a handful of slow burn plot threads in this series, and the way they're all tied together is captivating to see. It's impressive that nearly 40 issues in things still feel fresh, exciting, and focused. With X-Force #39, Percy and the rest of the creative team deliver a contemplative and promising start to a new era.