The Good
There's no question about it, this first issue starts out with a serious bang. Lot's of action and butt kicking, so if that's what you are looking for then you will definitely be entertained. The style of writing, the way the story is structured and the characterizations of many of these characters feels completely different then what we were seeing in the previous X-FORCE series, so be prepared for some seriously huge surprises.
One of the first things that I really enjoyed about this issue was the interaction between Storm and Psylocke. These two characters really come into their own on the pages of this first issue and it's clear that writer Sam Humphries won't be neglecting to mention the recent developments in both of their lives. It becomes very clear early on that Humphries will be delving very early on into the way these characters have been feeling and how the events that transpired in both their lives will change them.
Admittedly, there are some things that feel really out of place and as if they do not make any sense at all. Once the issue concludes, however, things seem to come together and begin to line up in a significant way. You find yourself beginning to understand the specific actions that these characters have taken and why they changed.
The art in this issue is fantastic. The line work is clean, the colors are vibrant and really beautiful, and it matched the story really well. The art was really well done.
The Bad
Reading this issue, these characters feel like they are written a tiny bit forced. I don't know if I am believing the attitude change that certain characters have relayed, and that's part of the problem. Is it because they are starkly different from the way they were previously written, or is it because we don't have the whole story yet? Being that this issue is the first in the relaunch, it's hard to say. The story is interesting, but I don't know whether I am entirely convinced.
The Verdict
This is definitely a departure from the previous X-FORCE series by Rick Remender and it's clear that writer Sam Humphries is striving to make this series his own -- and I have to give him credit for that. And although all these changes are good and interesting, there are moments where things do feel a bit forced. It may be the newness of it all, but these feel like a group of characters that are totally unrecognizable. And, that may not necessarily be a bad thing. In the end, things do feel like they are starting to come together, even if they feel jarring initially.