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Who is the greatest threat to the X-Force? You would probably think it’s humans, and while they are certainly just the worst, Beast may be an even bigger issue, and he doesn’t even know it!
His team will pay the price in X-Force #10, written by Benjamin Percy, with art by Joshua Cassara, colored by Guru-eFx, lettered by Joe Caramagna, and with designs by Tom Muller. The cover is provided by Dustin Weaver and Edgar Delgado.
A Temple…Of Doom!
X-Force #10 quickly establishes itself tonally as a horror story. The team makes their way into the temple as traps are set off, aiming to kill them but narrowly missing. Still, Percy takes Wolverine and Quentin off the board to leave Domino on her own only several pages in. They’re both pulled away by a mysterious force, leaving you on the edge of your seat for what will happen next.
The mood in the temple is dripping with malice and mystery. It’s thrilling to see Cassara one-up himself in real-time from issue-to-issue. The tendrils of the branches stretching across the panels are so creepy and feel like encroaching death. Guru going crazy with the pink for Quentin’s powers looks simply gorgeous and compliments Cassara’s pencils quite well.
It’s Domino’s Show Now
Domino’s journey throughout X-Force so far has been a driving force for the series, and X-Force #10 brings that back to the forefront, at least for a time. She brings up an interesting point in the beginning of the issue, telling Wolverine that her being resurrected without certain memories was for the best, even though she herself had advised against that beforehand.
It’s a crisis of identity, as she’s unsure if the “her” who said she wanted those memories was even the real “her.” It adds another level of uncertainty to the protocols that surround resurrection and what the state of mind is for mutants both pre- and post-resurrection.
A “Hairy” Situation
Luckily, Domino finds Wolverine fairly quickly after making her way through the temple. However, he is now caught up in what looks to be a horrifying ritual. Krakoa can and will revive him, sure, but does that erase the pain of going through…whatever this is? No, or at least probably not, given that Wolverine doesn’t much care for having things plucked out of his mind, having been the victim of that himself too many times over the years.
Domino still has her organic “war mitten” from Forge, which is a fantastic name and should absolutely be considered canon, but is it enough to free the trapped Logan? Maybe! But more importantly, it is yet ANOTHER opportunity for Cassara to flex his skills at drawing amorphous biology. One could argue this whole issue is orchestrated to show off Cassara as being one of the best at Marvel right now, and I would happily accept that.
The Brilliant Fool
Hank McCoy is the X-Men’s smartest idiot, full stop. Every once in a while a writer feels compelled to remind us of this, such as when Brian Michael Bendis had him bring the original five X-Men back from the past to confront Cyclops in the wake of Avengers Vs. X-Men. Beast’s biggest problem is that he thinks he can solve anything, and tries to, but he often makes things worse and doesn’t even consider the consequences, or doesn’t consider them enough.
The results of his actions not only invoke the ire of Jean Grey, but dooms the people of Terra Verde, and even his own team. Percy uses Jean to show you that Hank is not a hero here, and needs to be taken to task by someone with a conscience. The question is should X-Force be lead by such a person? Or should their leader be someone with a moral compass who will keep them on the straight-and-narrow? X-Force is a grey area in the best of times and this whole engagement really highlights how shady their practices can be, and potentially even should be.
Saving The Day
Black Tom, god bless him, is the first to attempt a rescue of the captured X-Force members. Percy always seemed to have the most fun writing Black Tom, and with good reason. He adds levity to the series as a whole, while also maintaining a level of competence and strength that doesn’t lead you to question his involvement in the first place. However, he only makes it so far on his own.
Jean arrives with Sage in-arms to drag the team’s asses out of the fire. In a display of teamwork and power, Jean, Sage, and Black Tom unite to free the captured mutants and revert the people of Terra Verde, at least to a point. It’s a success for the team, but there is no celebrating victory here, just Quentin dead yet again, playing the punching(killing?) bag for this run so far.
It’s About Time
X-Men fans are a horny lot, this much has always been true. The writers know this and like to indulge themselves whenever possible, such as with the hints over in X-Men that Jean, Logan, and Scott all have connecting rooms and share a relationship together. Well look no further for confirmation, dear reader, because Percy is here to give Logan and Jean their time in the sun at long last.
Arguably, it’s my favorite part of all of X-Force #10 that Logan and Jean share this moment together. There’s a great dynamic in the wake of Jean quitting the team as a result of Beast’s omission of truth. Jean needs to have agency, and having her work under Beast was never going to go well in the long run. It’s not enough that the scene simply exudes horny energy, but also feels romantic, reaffirming that there is more to this than what we can see at this time.
Data Pages Of X-Force #10
Percy has consistently nailed the data pages in each issue, but these are some of my favorites this time around. Both pages focus on Beast and his deception. They work out like cause and effect, where the first highlights what he’s done wrong and his realization of it, and the second highlights the results when Jean finds out, and the consequences of what he’s done. Percy is clearly a skilled prose writer, so that really exceeds with these longer breakdowns.
Should You Read X-Force #10?
X-Force continues to be a can’t-miss-book for the new line of X-books. Cassara is on a mission every issue he’s on to show you just what he’s made of and how strong his storytelling skills are, rendering creepy and dramatic imagery with incredible pencils. Guru gets so many chances to shine here, with his brilliant work on the flowers that burst out of Quentin being particularly dazzling. It’s a package that entices you on every front, and I am ecstatic to finally see it back on the shelves.
