OneMetal.com REVIEW:
X-Force: Sex & Violence #1

For a comic that’s subtitled ‘Sex & Violence’, you’d be forgiven for expecting a liberal dose of both. The slight problem with this three issue mini-series from Marvel Comics is there isn’t much of the latter, and what’s there of the former isn’t that violent at all.

As a self contained X-Force story, writers Craig Kyle and Christopher Yost have pretty much free reign to take the characters in interesting directions. The setup of the story certainly promises good things too: a bloody Domino makes her way back to the X Compound seeking healer Elixir to patch her up, where Wolverine interrupts the healing process demanding to know what’s happened. From there, we’re taken on a flashback that tells how Domino has managed to incurr the wrath of the Asassin’s Guild. Wolvie promises to help Domino, but as we find out in a nice twist near the end, she’s not been 100% honest with Logan…

So let’s look at the two component parts separately. Violence: ok, there’s a fair bit – yet Marvel have somewhat tied the hands of the creative team by keeping the book as a PG-13 rather than slapping their usual Max mature readers label on there. Within that context, there’s enough blood, bullet wounds and loss of teeth (root and all) to keep most readers happy. Punches have impact, bones are broken, but you’ll still get the impression that there’s a firm hand on the editorial reigns stopping the artist from going evisceration–crazy like we all know (but rarely see) Wolverine can.

Sex. Well, there’s the Wolvie and Domino kiss and… that’s it. If the book’s an attempt to fuel teenage fantasies of Marvel characters engaging in carnal pleasures, it’ll fall a little shy of the mark. Admittedly, there’s an undercurrent of sexual tension there, which could ultimately explode in a sexual orgy to equal the violent one that’s unfolding on the pages, but perhaps it’s intentional and a hook to bring readers back to the two concluding issues to follow.

From a character point of view, this is very much the Dom and Wolvie show, with the young mutants of X-Force playing little or no role in this story. Elixir looks and feels out of his depth, which is a real step back for a character that’s come a long way since his days in the anti-mutant Reavers. Also there’s not a whole lot of character development going on either: Wolvie is impulsive, Domino mysterious, so all’s as you might expect in the Marvel Universe.

If the story is a little light, the artwork makes up for it. Gabriele Dell’Otto’s fully painted cover and interior artwork are dark, brooding, and at times bloody. It reminded me at times ofsome of Simon Bisley’s late 90’s work on Slaine, Lobo and Judge Dredd, so if you like that style you’ll be more than happy with Dell’Otto’s work. The only slightly worrying thing is that occasionally Wolverine stops looking like Wolverine and starts looking more like Jim Valentino’s Shadowhawk. There’s more than one frame there where you’d think you’ve picked up an old Image Comic by mistake. This aside, the artwork really compliments the story, and adds a great deal of credibility and value to the story as a result.

As it stands, issue one of X-Force: Sex & Violence does just enough to make you want to come back and see what happens next because maybe, just maybe, future issues will push the envelope a little further.

Bottom Line

OK, not that sexual. OK, not that violent. But great visuals, and enough promise to warrant spending some time on.