X-Lapsed, Episode 054 – X-Force #6 (2020)
X-Lapsed, Episode Fifty-Four
Today we’re talking about a surprisingly x-cellent issue of X-Force! Not only that – it’s a one-and-done, that raises the stakes and advances our overarching plot! Now, that doesn’t feel like a “current year” book, does it?
In X-Force #6, our point-of-view character is Hank McCoy… who is going to do some pretty bad things in the interests of the greater good. We establish a new potentially Omega-Level threat in Nanoflorites – and get another formerly unwilling nation to sign on the dotted line for some Krakoan Magic Meds!
Also: Great listener mail, discussing the “silent” Giant-Size issue, as well as some more kind words about our milestone 50th Episode! It’s a great time as always, I do so hope you’ll join us!
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Action Comics Daily:
https://www.chrisisoninfiniteearths.com/p/action-comics-daily_3.html
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@acecomics / @cosmictmill / weirdcomicshistory@gmail.com
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You seemed to enjoy this one a lot more than me. I couldn't get beyond the pretension of the orchestral opening. It felt very Fallen Angels-y.
You're right that there were good ideas in the plot. The plant/human hybrids as villains worked well and opens up ideas for the future. Your speculation about future plots was very interesting and makes for many future stories.
You mentioned the monsters reminded you of the Martian Manhunter, I was reminded of a storyline from Shadow of the Bat by Alan Grant and Dave Taylor when Poison Ivy teamed up with Floronic Man to create a new, more dangerous form of marijuana. Floro was depicted as a constantly changing plant creature who was permanently high and looked very similar to the creatures here.
Reading this I'm pretty sure we're meant to see Hank as a villain. He's so single-minded and ruthless. Experimenting on living subjects is a bit of a moral event horizon.
My biggest problem with the story was Jean-related. Did no one tell Percy that it was Jean who suggested "Kill no human" as a key law of Krakoa? She strikes me as the least likely X-Man to do something just because she's told to. It's so out of character for her to blindly follow Beast's orders. Based on what has happened in this series so far I would expect Jean to be getting Hank removed from the security team because he has gone too far.
I loved the art, though. Stephen Segovia drew the issue of Hellions I read as I'm following Ecchs of Tens and is a real talent. Great action scenes and wonderful character work. They really have got a good bunch of artists working for the X-office at the moment.