INGLORIOUS X-FORCE #1 (MARVEL COMICS)
From the Shadows Of Tomorrow, a force has returned.
Since 1991, there has been one team in the Marvel Universe that has a reputation like no one else. A pro-active mutant strike team that isn’t afraid to cross a line. There have been a few incarnations bearing the moniker, but unless CABLE is involved, it’s just not X-FORCE!
Thirty Five years later, Nathan Summers is once again back at the helm with another mysterious mission driving him. His memories might be damaged but that’s not stopping him from achieving success. Putting together a new line-up is only one phase. Taking on their latest mission will be a whole other ballgame.
INGLORIOUS X-FORCE #1 by Tim Seeley, Michael Sta. Maria, Romulo Fajardo Jr. & Joe Caramagna kicks off a bold new era for the infamous X-team!
Let’s take a closer look at what is going down now!
INGLORIOUS X-FORCE #1 by Tim Seeley, Michael Sta. Maria, Romulo Fajardo Jr. & Joe Caramagna (Marvel Comics)
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
Seeley takes Cable to a very familiar setting to open events up. Throwing the time traveler into a presidential assassination to prevent it fits his M.O. The writing shows how he is desperate to stop the attack but fails. It results him in waking up in a spot longtime fans know. Readers watch as he gets right to business in forming the team. It carries the aura of the 90’s Cable which is arguably his best. This becomes undeniable as he begins recruiting.
Archangel’s involvement is one what plays off his most recent failures. The dialogue shows Cable breaking the winged mutant down by playing off these emotions. This method works on Daken extremely well. It isn’t needed when dealing with Boom Boom. If there’s one character that really feels out of sync, it’s Tabitha Smith. Her reunion with Cable is very natural. Her mannerisms and dialogue really don’t seem to mesh. This moves events to the mission in question. Readers get a huge reveal that spider webs into more questions. The final pages sum up what has gone down with another bombshell dropped. The issue caps off with a parting shot fitting for Cable’s return to his stat quo. Lots of room to take this group from here. Solid start.
Sta. Maria & Fajardo Jr. puts the frantic state of the assassination directly in reader’s faces. A full image of Cable arriving too late takes over panels. It is a battle inside his mind processing what is going on. The panels reflect the effects of time-travel. This leads to a solid landing in a very familiar place. Seeing some throwback images pop up kicks in the nostalgia of where this story strives to be. It is capped off with a close-up of his recruitment list. At this stage, the mood gets more intense.
The scenes with Archangel coming to terms with his failures pours with frustration. Daken’s scenes carry much of the same vibes. There’s one that stands out which is for polarizing reasons. Boom Boom’s reunion comes off awkward in moments due to her personality and behavior. It moves from here to their target at hand. Readers see the team in action via half panel. They go right to work in a mix of small and normal size panels. This leads to an intense face-off with their target. Knowing her future, Readers see how she reacts to the news. This segways into a quieter finish. Cable’s expressions wear the pain and tough road he walks. This leads right into the final guest star’s appearance. The near full shot doesn’t miss closing up events for now and after a great start.
FINAL GRADE: 8.6
The classic x-team returns striking on NCBD with an unapologetic debut. Seeley’s writing takes the best from the past and forges with a more intense future. Sta. Maria & Fajardo Jr.’s craft the intensity needed for a series with this legacy. New fable, Same Cable. Buckle in for one hell of a ride.
Let me know your thoughts on INGLORIOUS X-FORCE #1 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
