Uncanny X-Force vol. 2: Deathlok Nation
This one was loaned out to a friend shortly after I got it, but I wanted to say that it wound up being more enjoyable than the previous volume. Granted, that could’ve been because I didn’t spoil the ending for myself this time but there’s a lot of craziness to appreciate here. It also has the side effect of getting some good use out of what is probably Jason Aaron’s weakest “Wolverine” story. All you need to know is that “Tomorrow Dies Today” introduced a “good” Deathlok whose sentient computer overrode its psychopathic host’s desires. Which is a good thing for everyone involved here because now it’s X-Force versus superhero Deathlok hosts from the future!
They’re all after Fantomex because he’s currently in possession of The World, the time-accelerated breeding ground for the Weapon Plus program which gave birth to him, Wolverine and Deadpool previously. Now it’s also home to The Father, a creepy mind-controlling schemer who is using Deathloks to manipulate the future so he can rule the past. None of this is good news for the faux-Frenchman who is on the outs with the rest of the team for shooting kid Apocalypse in the head at the end of vol. 1.
The three issues of this arc feature plenty of snappy writing from Rick Remender who makes the most of Fantomex and shows us that there’s more to him than his wisecracking self-consciously cool exterior. It’s too bad we won’t be seeing more of his relationship with his mother, but I’m dying to know what the motivation is for his secret project. We’re also treated to what is probably the best use of Deadpool that I’ve ever read as he learns that there’s a fine line between “nice dad” and “creepy uncle.” Art for this arc is from Esad Ribic who proves to be a deft hand at action-driven storytelling with a strong enough design sense to make the parts set in the world appealingly bizarre. My only quibbles are an overreliance on technobabble in some parts and one obvious plot hole during the second chase with EVA. Otherwise, it’s good stuff.
That’s not all, as the volume leads off with a one-off tale of the team versus Lady Deathstrike and the Reavers. It’s an issue made up mostly of fighting with a perfunctory plot about Psylocke worried about getting too much enjoyment out of beating on the villains who nearly ruined her life. Remender makes it serviceable, but the real star of the issue is artist Rafael Albuquerque. Best known around here for his work on “American Vampire,” he offers up a much less restrained style here that takes a “slash and burn” approach to rendering the characters and their environment. The end result is an issue dripping with barely contained rage, which fits the tone and story quite well.
Next up is the first part of the much-vaunted “Dark Angel Saga.” After this volume, I’m expecting it to live up to the hype.