X-Force #15
As X-Force decides what to do about Colossus and Omega Red, a new threat emerges in X-Force #15, writer Benjamin Percy, artist Joshua Cassara, colorist GURU-eFX, and letterer Joe Caramagna. Percy has proven that he's one of Dawn Of X's unsung heroes, and this issue shows why on so many levels.
Jean Grey uses her telepathy to scan Colossus's mind, trying to find out if he's involved with Russia's use of his brother Mikhail against Krakoa. Beast is impatient with the whole process, wanting his chance, but Wolverine does not allow it. Colossus's mind is clean, and he's allowed to leave, but Jean tells Beast that she demands he apologizes to the Russian mutant. On his way back to the Savage Land, Colossus saves a group of young mutants as Krakoa changes part of its landscape. However, a black seed falls into the ocean. Wolverine and Beast argue over what to with Omega Red, and Beast comes up with a solution- use a Forge-created Carbondanium Synthesizer to turn him into an inadvertent spy. The seed takes over a massive blue whale. Forge shows Beast the new diving suit made from Krakoan biotech he's invented, and then Beast gives him the specs for the spy device. A ship passes close to Krakoa, but it's attacked by the whale, who sprouts tentacles from its mouth. Beast visits Colossus in the Savage Land, trying to make peace with him by giving him paints Beast made. He also asks Colossus for a favor. Back on Krakoa, Domino and Black Tom are having a beach day when a bunch of bodies start to wash up, sprouting black tentacles from their mouths and attacking the pair.
Percy does a masterful job with this issue. He balances so many plots that it's not funny. Jean and Wolverine are not at all happy with Beast's decision to imprison and interrogate Colossus and won't allow him to be a part of it. Beast is pretty angry that the two of them are not only stonewalling him but not respecting his authority. There's the whole thing with Omega Red, and his mission from the vampires is made all the more complicated since it's revealed that he is being manipulated a little bit. Finally, there's whatever came out of Krakoa and started attacking things.
That's a lot of plot to work through, but Percy makes it all work admirably. At no point does anything feel rushed or like it's just there to move things forward; it all matters and has weight. Even something like the Omega Red plotline, which will most likely play out in Wolverine, is there to show just what lengths Beast will go to ensure the safety of Krakoa. This book is kind of making a great case for why Beast was not only a bad choice for the job of X-Force but also perfect- he's indulging in all of his worst tendencies, and he's actually very good at it, almost like he had been waiting for years to have no restrictions.
Joshua Cassara's art is perfect as usual, with GURU-eFX's colors really making the pencil's pop. His character acting sells what Percy needs it to, and there are a lot of really cool scenes in this issue- from Jean's telepathic interrogation to the way he draws Omega Red to seeing a while attack a Naval vessel. Cassara's art delivers every step of the way, with GURU-eFX's colors giving the whole thing a nice lush vibe.
X-Force #15 is yet another great issue from Percy and company. The writer throws a whole lot of balls in the air and juggles everyone of them while also doing a lot of great character stuff with Beast, Wolverine, Jean Grey, and Colossus. Cassara and GURU-eFX are the perfect art team for this book, making Percy's script come to life. X-Force #15 throws a lot at readers, and it will be fun to see where it all ends up.
Grade: A
