Uncanny X-Force 6, Deadpool 11

Uncanny X-Force 6
Humphries (w) and Alphona and Soy (a) and Sotomayor and Curiel (c)

In the physical world, Betsy has been kidnapped by Cluster, who fears that Fantomex has been captured by Weapon XIII and wants Betsy's help. Betsy, still angry with Fantomex and the way things ended with them, refuses. The conversation is cut short when Spiral, free from Puck and Storm, teleports beside them and attacks, knocking Cluster away and teleporting away with Psylocke. When they land, the two begin fighting, with Psylocke still furious at Spiral for a great number of things. Right as Betsy seems in the prime position to kill Spiral, Spiral's apparent actual concern for Ginny and her seemingly real desire to just live a normal life wins out and Betsy spares her. Meanwhile, through all of this, Psylocke has also been having a mental chat with Wolverine which involves Wolverine being mostly angry at the way things are turning out for this X-Force team. The two traverse a calmer section of Betsy's mind, talking and arguing a good deal. When things finally get a little heated and Wolverine and Psylocke seem poised to fight one another, the giant bear that was in Bishop's mind appears behind Betsy, backing her. Apparently he has connected to her after she pulled a thorn from its paw and now resides in her mind. Wolverine settles down and Betsy ends the mental conversation. Back in the real world, Psylocke has rejoined her team, who Cluster had also returned to after she lost Psylocke rethinks and agrees to help Cluster to rescue Fantomex.

This book is on the brink, it feels like, of being a really great book. There are lots of things being set up quietly that you can see if you squint hard enough. It's still a mystery how these pieces will fall into place but the pieces themselves are pretty impressive. Each individual issue (this one included) are solid reads, engaging and entertaining enough, but it feels like whatever it is they're leading to has a chance to be truly incredible. Of course, time will tell for that and it's hard to say too much just yet but there's still a lot happening as Humphries has had a little more time to delve into characters these last couple of issues. I can also almost safely say, hopefully for real this time as opposed to EVERY OTHER TIME I'VE SAID THIS, that the Fantomexes will play a big role in the next issue. Still REALLY looking forward to seeing more on their end.

Deadpool 11
Posehn and Duggan (w) and Hawthorne (a) and Staples (c)

Deadpool is taking a more personal approach with the Agent Preston story as he's entered her house and tied up her husband and son in order to explain things and cook them food. He's also invited Agent Adsit along because apparently the writers wanted to remind me how much I hate in-jokes. The three people from Preston's life believe Deadpool's story and intend to try to help Agent Preston in any way they can. For the time being, though, Deadpool must deliver another soul for Vetis. The soul this issue is of a creepy man who, thanks to his powers, can shapeshift. We first see him pose as Luke Cage to try and have sex with Jessica Jones before Deadpool breaks in and chases him out (Jessica was, fortunately, at the point of realizing how not Luke Cage the guy was). Back on the streets, the shapeshifter takes a couple different identities, all of which Deadpool spots and tries to attack, only to be rebuffed by local civilians who believe he's attacking someone innocent. Finally Deadpool runs afoul of Daredevil. Suspecting that this Daredevil is also the shapeshifter, he attacks only to find that it is, in fact, the real Daredevil. Deadpool gets pretty thoroughly beaten by Daredevil as the shapeshifter escapes. Deadpool breaks out of the restraints Daredevil has put him in and shoots a civilian in his thigh, hitting the femoral artery and forcing Daredevil to take the man to the hospital. Deadpool trails the shapeshifter and kills him, delivering the soul to Vetis. The next person on Vetis' list is Deadpool's friend Michael, who Deadpool explains he's already killed and sent the soul to hell, meaning that Vetis can't have his powers. Vetis is enraged and, with the powers he has now, attacks Deadpool as the issue ends.

I'm still not a huge fan of this series. I do think this arc has been a significant step forward from the last one, featuring the dead presidents, which felt rather like the same joke over and over again and was certainly more laden with in-jokes and puns and references and what not. This arc has taken a step away from that formula (though not a giant step) and the writing is improved by it. Still I often find myself halfway through an issue wondering how the issue isn't over yet. The scene with Daredevil in this issue was certainly the most compelling scene, even if it didn't particularly add anything (that's too soon to tell; if Daredevil or other heroes come back in a bigger way because of Deadpool's actions today, it'll make this scene more important). The way that he interacts with Daredevil and other heroes is always an interesting look into Deadpool as a character and his solution to get Daredevil off his back is a nice character choice. Still the book feels mostly weak overall. Any step in the right direction, though, is a good one.