Shadow and Flame with Magik

Writer Tim Seeley

Artist Michael Sta. Maria

Color Artist Domulo Fajardo Jr.

Letterer VC’s Joe Caramagna

I’m not usually a X-Force type of guy.  Usually none of my favorite characters make the team.  Sometimes they show up to lend commentary or teleport the team somewhere else. 

Cable arrives in the present, with a mission to save the future first mutant president.  I immediately think we are making a President Dazzler reference, and I’m all on board for this team. 

Cable arrives, but in very rough shape, and has Swiss cheese memory.  He has left himself a note, to recruit Archangel, Hellverine, Boom Boom (who I always like to think of her as Meltdown, just to date myself). 

Worthington Industries.  Warren is having to deal with his board of directors.  I love so much thinking about how frustrated they have been with Warren, since . . . forever?  Maybe once he was a blank slate, and they could run the business they wanted to?  You know, in a professional matter?  They reference X-Corp and X-Factor, and how Warren keeps embarrassing them.  Stock is low, but what does Worthington Industries even produce? 

Cable talks to Warren later, and Warren comments on how they don’t have much history together.  I mean, Warren was around for Baby Nathan, and then they were on different X-Force squads, so it does make sense.  I immediately whack my brain for any memorable times together, and I’m pretty sure they don’t have much history together.  I always do appreciate new X-Pairings.

Cable recruits Hellverine, who doesn’t have a solo title, so he has free time.

Cable recruits Tabitha, who I really appreciate being on this team, as I’m not much for gritty high violence titles, that’s just not my thing.  She is bored, classic Boom Boom, and doesn’t even need to pack a bag, she knows Cable has whatever she needs at his base. 

I do appreciate that this is a reunion title, and not a retro mini.  I rather stories be set in the now with flashbacks to the old, it just feels current.  Unless, of course, we’re getting a retro Kitty Pryde, Lockheed, and Magik series, then I’m all on board, variant covers, and all.

The three villains of the issue – Unveil, Speedburn, and DePop, seem interesting.  Not too interesting where we’ll miss them once they are brutally killed, but interesting enough to be subjects of plots. 

They are attacking Ms. Marvel, who I really like.  Inglorious X-Force arrives to help her out. 

Ms. Marvel is so me with this team.  Heroes can kick, punch, chop, but they shouldn’t be stabbing everybody with flame swords.  Or claws.  X-Force isn’t really a team meant to inspire.  They are the creepers of the dark, sometimes as nutty as their foes.  They use force but not The Force. 

Ms. Marvel recognizes Cable and X-Force, neither is really her scene. 

Cable reveals Ms. Marvel’s future, she will be the first mutant president.  Dazzler truly can’t have anything.  I am also reminded that Kitty Pryde is meant to be a future president as well.  But it hasn’t felt like we have been moving in that direction for some time.  Kitty is tired, so I get that. 

I do like the idea that Ms. Marvel, being a late teenager, is already looking forward to the four or eight years of not crime fighting.  She’ll help the team out, but isn’t willing to join full time. 

I like how in the fight, Warren wasn’t using kill blades, but paralyzing darts.  Which I can only imagine still hurt like crazy. 

Issue ends with Domino having Cable in her crosshairs.  I like how she is looking at Leg Party and Housekeeping magazines.  Oh, Domino, you are the best.

I’m not sure if she is joining the team, but I would like another lady or two on this team.  This is one of the reasons why I wasn’t into the second volume of Weapon X-Men, as it was all dudes.