eXit Wounds
written by Peter Milligan
art by Michael Allred
May 2001
$2.25USD/$3.50CDN
Thoughts: Never having been a huge fan of the original X-Force, this was a really welcome change. And what a change! Instead of a theme of anti-mutant prejudice, we have a completely new take on the X-Men franchise, where these young mutants are celebrity superstars. How do they deal with their fame? Not too well, apparently. One member is an alcoholic while another intentionally causes trouble for the sake of ratings.
This is the first non-code approved Marvel book and it certainly shows. They dispatch their enemies with extremely brutal efficiency and pull no punches. This is a stark contrast to the other X-Men comics, where all of the characters actually hold back (heck, even Wolverine, who makes a cameo appearance), regardless of their abilities.
The writing is simply solid. While only time will tell if the concept is a mere gimmick, we are given some pretty top-notch dialogue. Peter Milligan has given us characters that are ultimately flawed and tragic heroes, which readers can easily empathize with.
These guys are the masters of the cliffhanger as well. Suddenly offing 75% of the team in the last three pages, where can we go from there except the to next issue? Stuff like this keeps the audience hungry for more.