Uncanny X-Force #1

This book most definitely continues the wave of excellence that the term X-Force has been riding the past few years. I have never read anything by Sam Humphries before. In fact, before The Ultimates (which I gave up on long before he took over), I had never heard of him. I didn't hear many things about his run on the book, and the few things I did hear weren't glowing. But he's hooked me right away. He fills in the gaps of what happened after the last incarnation of the team disbanded almost immediately, while still leaving a few questions left to answer to get you to come back for more. You still get a sense that this is what an X-Force book should feel like, but with it's own new take on it.

All of the characters are easily introduced in a way that new readers can get into the groove right away, even if the lesser known characters aren't fleshed out entirely. You get the feeling you'll learn what you need to in the next couple of issues. One of the best attributes of the book is the fact that, so far, all of the characters have back story together. It's not like the readers nor the cast don't know who anybody is. We can get right past introductions and on to the meat of the story right away.

Ron Garney has been a favorite of mine for many a year, and this book really shows you why. He has a way about him that allows him to draw the grittiest of battle-hardened heroes, to the most sexiest of women. In this instance, they are one in the same. His stuff looks the best it has in years. The coloring almost acts like a character itself as well, setting the mood quite exquisitely in each exotic locale.

Rick Remender's run on the last volume of Uncanny X-Force drug on too long. The book needed a fresh perspective. This is without a doubt that. While there are currently two books with the name X-Force on the stands, I feel this one just made itself the true bearer of the name.

Oh, and that last page is sure to get some tongues wagging across the 'Net!