X-treme Bias: X-Force

Columns, Top Story

On of the recent gems of the X-universe has been X-Force. But really, would this team even be around if it wasn’t for the original X-Force? You know, the Cable with the Guns and Pockets, Sam the Immortal, and Copycat as Domino.

I was a huge X-Force fan when the series started; I had gotten into New Mutants shortly before the end. The appeal to me wasn’t Cable and the mystery behind him (I was already a Wolverine fan, and aspects of Cable at first seemed like a cheap Wolvie knock off); I was more drawn to the young members of the team – Cannonball specifically, and Sunspot, Rictor, and Boom Boom to a degree. I was also a big Warpath fan once he joined the team as well.

It was the interaction of see kids learning to deal with powers, each other, and an overbearing leader. I think that was a reason I liked Geoff John’s Teen Titans; it’s really moved away from those days, but that’s a story for a different time.

Sam became the focus of the book, especially once Cable reveals he came back to mentor and protect him since he’s an External (aka Immortal). Selene later stated Cannonball was not an External, but that remains to be see if it’s true or not. It’s one thing (of many) I’d like to see tied up.

I’ve been reading the current New Mutants book and I’m pretty underwhelmed. It feels like the same New Mutants from my youth; some may be happy with that, but I like stories where characters progress. It almost seems like they are the same kids in older bodies. What happened to Sam’s questioning authority? What happened to the Pete Wisdom covert stuff? It all seems ignored now.

I also liked the angle that they were training to be soldiers in a bigger war, which fits in with the current X-stories. It’s been kind of crazy to see that Cyclops now sees the X-Men today as Cable did X-Force years ago. I remember Cyclops hated Cable and the reason for X-Force; it went against everything of Xavier’s dream. Post M-Day, we are now watching them adapt to a race clinging to survival.

As a result, X-Force has come full circle. They are back to soldiers; they are doing the things the X-Men won’t do. I’d really like one of the current writers bring up this point; have Cable come in and say he knew what he was doing when took over the New Mutants; unfortunately, they won’t do anything like that. We’d have a better shot of seeing the External story-line wrapped up.

I’ve also really taken to Cable in the last few years. I got into Cable/Deadpool at the end of that series, but liked how Nathan was progressing in Messiah Complex and his own title. The one thing I didn’t like is how he stated he came back in time to protect Hope; that contradict his reasoning for coming back to protect Sam (but we know how well creators follow continuity). Now that Hope and Cable have come back to present time, I’ll be curious to see how he is used. I’m pretty sure I read that Apocalypse is coming up in an arc, so he’ll end up being tied to it.

Next week, I’ll make my pitch for an X-Men movie (ignoring the previous ones, of course).