Comic Info
Comic Name: Uncanny X-Force (Volume 1)
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Writer: Rick Remender
Artist: Jerome Opeña/Esad Ribic/Robbi Rodriguez
# of Issues: 5
Release Date: 2012
Uncanny X-Force (1) #15 Variant
Reprints Uncanny X-Force (1) #14-18 (October 2011-February 2012). The Death Seed has come to Earth, and Archangel is set to end humanity. With the X-Men battling him and his Horsemen of the Apocalypse, the end is near. Can Warren Worthington III be saved or is he doom to die a mad tyrant? Plus, Fantomex’s master plan is revealed and it could change everything about Apocalypse.
Written by Rick Remender and illustrated by Jerome Opeña, Esad Ribic, and Robbi Rodriguez, Uncanny X-Force Volume 4: The Dark Angel Saga—Book 2 continues the storyline that began in Uncanny X-Force Volume 1: The Apocalypse Solution and built to a head in Uncanny X-Force Volume 3: The Dark Angel Saga—Book 1. The story collects the parts four through eight of the event and the bigger Regenesis crossover issue from Uncanny X-Force (1) #18 (February 2012) which helped realign the X-Men titles.
Uncanny X-Force is one of those really interesting comics. It doesn’t pull any punches and it doesn’t attempt to dumb down the story for new readers. As a result, it is one of the most complex titles on the market.
Uncanny X-Force (1) #19 Variant
It is a bit unfortunate that due to the marketing of Marvel Comics and the current state of comics that The Dark Angel Saga had to be split into two books. It isn’t that long of a comic series and it doesn’t read as strongly when it is broken up. There is a brief “catch-up” at the beginning of the book, but new readers will probably be completely lost as to the events going on if they made the mistake of starting here.
The conclusion to the story does provide a lot of good points. It relaunches the totally jacked up Angel who went from being interesting to a mess before this series started (plus a great moment with Psylocke at the “end”). It brings (a version of) Nightcrawler to the Marvel Universe again after his death. It also sets up a very interesting story with Apocalypse as Genesis and returns to the nature/nurture question that has been a theme throughout the series’ run. I particularly like how Fantomex tied it into the Superman origin.
Uncanny X-Force is a great comic filled with great moments and Uncanny X-Force 4: The Dark Angel Saga—Book 2 is no exception. Be it Psylocke’s lifetime with Angel or explorations with Genesis, Remender made this title a lot better than it could have been. Uncanny X-Force Book 4: The Dark Angel Saga—Book 2 is followed by Uncanny X-Force 5: Otherworld.
Related Links:
Uncanny X-Force 1: The Apocalypse Solution
