Review: ‘X-Force’ #42 Is Back From The Future

X-Force has been setting up its dominoes (pun not intended) for nearly four years now. As the last arc before Fall of X reaches its climax, the next phase of Marvel’s darkest mutant team is clearly in sight.

Benjamin Percy, Paul Davidson, Guru-eFx, and Joe Caramagna bring one chapter of X-Force to a close.

Hank McCoy rules the future with an iron fist (literally). As their quest nears an end, X-Force’s only hope to stop this future is to take the fight to Beast’s AI dominated empire. But even fully reunited as a team, will they have enough power to face a Beast that’s evolved into Nimrod?

Though Percy’s Beast story isn’t over yet (we’ll see how it goes in next week’s Wolverine), he comes as close as he can to resolving the major plots of his X-stories without leaving him no story to tell. It’s a largely satisfying ending, but he also gives us readers just enough that we want to see the last of what he’s setting up. He also bases so much of it in the characters that it’s impossible to not get invested, especially as Caramagna captures the back and forth of the dialogue perfectly.

Davidson’s art has the grit that’s become the trademark of X-Force, but he does so much more. He fills the pages with ugly mutants, and then puts them in a cyberpunk nightmare. He paces the action through the layouts that no moment feels wasted, and the pace keeps up. His characters are expressive and Guru’s colors makes it all come to life.

X-Force may be free of the influence of Beast, for now. It’s made for a hell of a ride, and I’m ready to see what’s next.

X-Force #42 is available now from Marvel Comics.