Uncanny X-Force 2: Deathlok Nation

Comic Info

Uncanny X-Force (1) #5

Reprints Uncanny X-Force (1) #5-7 and #5.1 (April 2011-June 2011). X-Force continues to fly under the X-Men’s radar as they take down a Reaver invasion of Utopia. As X-Force deals with the killing of the child Apocalypse by Fantomex, Fantomex brings more trouble to the team when a group of interdimensional Deathloks attack in an effort to claim a microcosm called the World to guarantee their future.  Now X-Force must team up with Deathlok to take down the other Deathloks…but Fantomex might be hiding more secrets from the team.

Written by Rick Remender and illustrated Esad Ribic (Uncanny X-Force (1) #5-7) and Rafael Alburquerque (Uncanny X-Force (1) #5.1), Uncanny X-Force 2: Deathlok Nation continued to impress critics and fans.  Though a short collection, extra “making of” material is presented with the four issue story arc.

Following the events of Uncanny X-Force 1: The Apocalypse Solution, X-Force is questioning how they can cope with having killed a child to protect the future. The story continues the bizarre down-the-rabbit-hole style of storytelling from the first volume, and it is sometimes very difficult to follow. The book reads like almost a combination of Uncanny X-Men and something like Morrison’s New X-Men. It is fun, but also a challenge to read.

Uncanny X-Force (1) #5.1

Unfortunately, Marvel in their ultimate wisdom, interrupted the storyline with 5.1 after issue 5. The point one issues of Marvel just don’t work. Marketed as a “jump on point” for readers, Uncanny X-Force (1) #5.1 is hard for starting readers because it referencing a lot of old Uncanny X-Men stories from the ’80s with the Reavers and their history with Wolverine and Psylocke…not a good idea for new readers. If you didn’t know anything about the X-Men’s time in the outback, this book wouldn’t make much sense and the characters’ motivations would probably be lost.  It also stalls the plot for the returning readers and is disinteresting all around by having no relation to the previous story arc which has rattled the team. It isn’t the worst stand-alone issue, but it can hardly be considered a starting point or an issue one could read with no background information…the whole proclaimed purpose of the point one series.

I enjoy Uncanny X-Force in that it challenges standard comic books and feels different than most of Marvel’s current books. I have to say it is a challenge to read and isn’t just a straight forward story. I also rather like that non-mutant and non-X-Man Deathlok is introduced as a supporting character since it rarely happens in X-Books. Uncanny X-Force 2: Deathlok Nation is followed by Uncanny X-Force 3: The Dark Angel Saga—Book 1.

Related Links:

Uncanny X-Force 1:  The Apocalypse Solution

Uncanny X-Force 3:  The Dark Angel Saga—Book 1

Uncanny X-Force 4:  The Dark Angel Saga—Book 2

Uncanny X-Force 5:  Otherworld