Issue(s): X-Force #16
Cover Date: Nov 92
Title: "Jacklighting"
Credits:
Fabian Nicieza - Writer
Greg Capullo - Penciler
Harry Candelario - Inker
Lisa Patrick - Assistant Editor
Bob Harras - Editor

Review/plot:
We left with a standoff between X-Force and a group of X-Men and X-Factorers. Havok tries to get X-Force to stand down, but Feral says that she can smell the other teams' intention to attack, so she leaps forward to attack first. This reinforces the fact that X-Force are out of control even to the other mutant teams (Rogue says "That does it! They can't be trusted!"), and the fight begins.

Despite Shatterstar calling him "Lord Wolverine" (see Wolverine #54 for an explanation), Wolvie goes out of control, gutting Shatterstar.

Note this exchange between Siryn and Madrox.

We'll hear more about that in a future part of this crossover.

As with when they fought X-Factor, X-Force are forced to flee.

X-Force literally on the run. I like it. But Wolverine manages to catch up to them.

Feral has a really thin neck.

X-Force are taken captive.

Meanwhile, the other X-team hunt down the Horsemen of Apocalypse. They find them at what is said to be a warehouse complex off of Chesapeake Bay. Next issue will show it to be at the building where X-Factor first fought Apocalypse in X-Factor #6.

After defeating the Horsemen, they get a message from Mr. Sinister telling them that Apocalypse wasn't really involved in anything that's been going on. He does say that Apocalypse "unbeknownst to him" is still the root cause, and to feel free to continue going after him, but he's not directly responsible. Mr. Sinister's comment will cause a little confusion in the next chapter.

He also says that this concludes his involvement in "this mad game". But that's not quite true since he's in the middle of a fight with Bishop.

He tells Bishop that Stryfe is really the one that's behind everything.

Meanwhile, Cable has also figured out that Stryfe is behind everything, so he gets ready to go after him.

Greg Capullo, i can tell that you studied the Rob Liefeld issues before taking this job, but i'm afraid you're not fully there yet. You might have given Cable enough guns, but in doing so you've left spaces in his costume where you could have fit more pouches.

Capullo does do a great job of making Stryfe look good, though.

Note that Stryfe calls Cyclops and Jean father and mother right there, but they will spend the whole crossover trying to figure it out.

Quality Rating: B+

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: This is part four of X-Cutioner's Song. Part five is in Uncanny X-Men #295.

References:

• Siryn's line to Madrox about what they shared refers to the Fallen Angels mini-series.

Crossover: X-Cutioner's Song

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A

Sure that image of "over-prepared Cable" was more a Liefeld "parody" than an actual Liefeld homage? I'm just laughing seeing that image myself. It feels like something you'd expect Deadpool to just say "have enough guns or pouches, buddy?"

Yeah, i'm sure it was meant as a joke.

"Note that Stryfe calls Cyclops and Jean father and mother right there, but they will spend the whole crossover trying to figure it out."

He also calls them "King & Queen". I don't think they were taking his terminology to be literal. Also, He kidnapped them and is giving a classic "villain" speech. Not the most sane person to be listening to, IMO.

Why doesn't Mr Sinister have any brains? I see a large hole in his head but no brains.

And, anyway, Madelyne is Stryfe's mother...

This issue must be why the 90s X-men cartoon would show Sinister getting holes blasted in his body that would heal instantly..well, except for Cylcops' optic blasts which appeared to be Sinister's kryptonite on that show.

I've never, ever liked that scene with Sinister being shot in the head. It was such a blatant "Terminator 2" ripoff...

Question: how come Beast gets speed-starved to be bone-thin by Famine, but he looks normal in further issues of the crossover? He doesn't have a healing factor...

I had the opposite reaction to Sinister getting a hole blown in his head: I thought it was really cool, despite the T2 echo. At this point Sinister was still an enigma, and this incident made it clear we knew even less about him than we'd thought.

It makes me wonder if at this stage the plan was still for Sinister to have Claremont's intended origin, in which case this wouldn't be his real body at all. Unfortunately, there's no attempt to clarify Sinister's origins, motives, or even powers in the next few years, until after Age of Apocalypse, and the result is that he goes from being enigmatic to infuriating.

Actually, the Beast did have a healing factor back in his Amazing Adventures days, but I don't think Lobdell or Nicieza were referencing that.

@Walter: Re: Sinister, we know that androids cannot have holes blown in their heads and repair them;)

In Kieron Gillen's Uncanny X-Men, Mr. Sinister was (literally) oozing out of some restoration machine, so I don't think the "hole in head" thing is so unlikely.

@Ataru320

Deadpool would drop a feather, or throw up another gun in addition to some quirky line about the uselessness of all those pouches and shoulder guns.

"Question: how come Beast gets speed-starved to be bone-thin by Famine, but he looks normal in further issues of the crossover? He doesn't have a healing factor..."

Wait, there are mutants who don't have a healing factor?

Capullo crushed it in the fight scenes. He had a good handle on the entire cast, not just his own guys, quite impressive.

Agreed. Strongest artist in this overrated crossover.

Famine’s powers have been shown to reverse when she’s stopped and her victim gets quick access to food. During Fall of the Mutants, Marvel Girl fought her off and pigged out on street vendor hot dogs to reverse the effects of Famine’s powers. The X-Men just had to get some emergency rations into Beast and he would flesh back out in minutes.