stormandforge

[stormandforge]

I love your blog! Forge is one of my favorite X-men characters and I feel like I was the only really enjoying X-Force.

Thanks so much! You were definitely not the only one really enjoying X-Force - I hear people praising it all the time. My interpretation of the situation is that people are stubbornly attached to favourites and didn't pick up this book because it doesn't include uber popular characters 🤷‍♀️

Anyway, I suspect our boy will shine in the last issue, so I look forward to that.

Thanks again!

[stormandforge]

X-Force #9 (2025)

[stormandforge]

This is a Sage world, and we all just live in it

From X-Force #9 (2025). Art by Marcus To, written by Geoffrey Thorne.

[stormandforge]

Raw reactions to X-Force #9

Current sexuality: Sage.

Spoilers below.

You are in the presence of Teresia of House Tarisik, mutant of many names, queen of sci-fi and cyberpunk, quantum supercomputer, first X-Man and lethal spy, v 10.6. BOW.THE FUCK.DOWN.

I don't care about X-Manhunt, so I'm happy to report that this issue doesn't feel like part of a crossover. It feels like X-Force vol 7. And there seems to be consensus that it's the best written part of the crossover anyway, so in your face, stupid Marvel people. We've been telling you that this creative team is fire, it's your loss if you didn't listen.

And as X-Force, it's an excellent issue, possibly the best one yet. The writing keeps giving me envy and the art, my God the art. Objectively, this is just a very, very good superhero comic. What a fucking shame.

I see you, Marcus To and Erick Arciniega, conspiring to make Sage the coolest, most mysterious babe in Marvel. The figure, the moves, the glowing goggles, the black and the blue and the shadows on her face...You can't hear me, but I'm making little noises of appreciation.

Sage in her catsuit is the kind of sight that makes people realise their sexuality. I'm not even joking. I had Larocca Sage, the new generation will have To Sage.

I'm actually going to need Marcus To to calm down, because everyone in this comic is hot. Have you seen John Wraith? He can take me to church any day.

Sage. Tessa. Teresia. Diana. Arabella. The abundance of names is giving international lady of mystery and I am there for it.

That little Sage avatar is so. cute.

Another compliment for Marcus To: he makes Sage's hairstyle look realistic. Many artists make her look like a Playmobil figure, but when To's drawing her she's just a woman who has no time to think about her hair, and probably doesn't care all that much. I feel that.

I see and appreciate all the seeds for future Sage stories Thorne is sowing here. He's revealing a whole separate life for her, where she goes out at night dressed like Catwoman to save Kestrel from certain death or win toyboxes in battles of wits. That vault full of gizmos? Our girl is busy. If only someone would write these stories now.

The upgrading aspect of Sage's power set is a brilliant narrative device. It allows Thorne to address previous iterations of her in a way that makes sense for her mutation, while developing her and opening doors for further developments. Thorne explained his vision on CBR and it's enlightening as usual. Key takeaway: if she upgrades, she can also downgrade. She could return to previous versions of herself and get her telepathy back.

Not that I want her to. She doesn't need the telepathy to be interesting, she needs writers who honour her core mutation. The telepathy only happened when Claremont realised he actually didn't know what 'living computer' meant and that he'd written himself into an impasse. Also, because the MU and its fandom love ranking mutants, if she'd kept her telepathy she'd always have been a ''second-rate'' telepath compared to the big ones, which irks me. Get rid of it.

The alcoholism conversation deserves a closer look. I completely understand that it would upset people to see it deleted with a sleight of hand, but I don't think it's actually what's going on here. Sage doesn't say she got rid of her alcoholism, or even her addiction, she specifies ''chemical addiction''. This is very precise language. The way I see it, she's only erased the chemical aspect of the problem. The rest is still there and can be picked up in future stories. (Will someone address her trauma please?)

One thing that doesn't sit right with me in this issue is Sage's devotion and deference to Xavier. It's diametrically opposed to my interpretation of her backstory. I'd always thought she had beef with him, and that this beef had informed her x-perience fundamentally. However, the upgrading device is so cool I can easily believe she got rid of that resentment at some point, because it would definitely hold her back. And even without stretching this far - writers are allowed to give me any interpretation they want as long as it's well-written. And this is well-written, so I don't mind. Any vexing I feel here is personal and my problem. Thorne did his job and did it well.

Also, if X-Force doesn't fall in line with the current Xavier-hating trend, good. Don't get me wrong, I hate the guy (precisely because of what he did to Sage), but I hate Marvel bandwagons more. I'm a Forge fan - I know what it's like when both writers and fans have decided that only one opinion is acceptable. It's hurtful, not to mention tedious. A bit of nuance has never hurt anyone.

Forge! Where are you? There he is. Just a few panels, but he's here, mermaid hair and all. Loved the glare he gave La Diabla. I don't think he meant it to be sexy, but he's being drawn by Marcus To, so he can't help it.

'He doesn't even know what he's for': I know this is a serious, foreshadowing line, but I read it like a dig and I giggled. Bless his heart, he doesn't even know what he's for.

I appreciate the realism of Forge needing a minute to build things, but couldn't he have kept his rattle from last time? Silly boy.

We all need an objective point of view every once in a while, to remind us that the X-Men are, in fact, fucking weird. Thanks, Kestrel.

I found the contrast between the two narrative strands - the explosive comic book action in Estrella and the sneaky wench nighttime action in Mexico City - to be very cinematic. I loved the two parallel panels of Sage and Rachel.

'And it's Tessa. Again.' This is almost meta. Sage implies that it was her choice to change names back and forth, but the dialogue also nods to the confusing change of names by different writers. All in a full stop and a single word. Details that make me smile.

Naked Lilandra. Nope. *turns page* AAAAHHHH NOOOO SHE'S STILL NAKED AND NOW SHE'S MAKING OUT WITH CHUCK IT'S LIKE XMEN '97 ALL OVER AGAIN...Oh thank God Sage has brought clothes.

''Full sweaty reunion''?? EEEEWWW SAGE NO WHY WOULD YOU PUT THIS IMAGE BACK IN MY HEAD

OK, full list of languages used so far: Japanese, Spanish, Cheyenne, Esperanto, a whole bunch of code, runes (?), binary, French and now Krakoan, Russian and whatever the hell those symbols were Sage was using to overwrite the Thinkerware. I will miss the linguistic feats. Even if there were mistakes in places. It was cool. 😞

Only one issue left. I can't wait to see how it ends, but I also don't want it to end. I have a month to manage my own expectations, remind myself that the writing will be rushed, and most likely derailed because it's an anniversary edition. That the focus on Forge will be truncated. Sigh.

[stormandforge]

Awkward

Forge: You want to talk to me alone, so something must have gone to shit?

Storm: Your fucking power-neutralizing gun has come back to bite us in the ass again.

Forge: Oh for fuck's sake, not this again! That was 35 years ago, can you get off my case? I've destroyed all trace of it anyway.

Storm: You're enough of an idiot to have forgotten something.

Forge: I'm not. I don't think.

*AWKWARD SILENCE*

*HALF OF READERSHIP THINKS OF LIFEDEATH*

*OTHER HALF GOOGLES ''WHY STORM FORGE AWKWARD''*

*AWKWARDNESS INTENSIFIES*

Forge:...ok there was this dude I worked with who might have memorized it all you were right I'm an idiot.

Storm: Imma break your teeth.

Marauders #10, 2020. Written by Gerry Duggan, art by Stefano Caselli.

[stormandforge]

Forge's mermaid hair

I think I finally got it. Why I've been obsessing over Forge's hair in the new X-Force.

Sure, it's more luscious and glossy and beautiful than it's ever been, but why is it so damn sexy?

And then I realised: it's feminised.

Look at how Marcus To draws it:

Guest artist Jim Towe follows the trend:

The hair moves in curves and waves, it gets messy, it shades his eyes, it frames his face. The artists are giving Forge's hair the amount of attention usually reserved for women's hair, and make it move in the same way.

And the juxtaposition of feminised hair with his usual raw maleness does something to me that is NSFW.

You know what I feel when I look at this version of Forge? The queer influence. I'd seen glimpses before:

[Mermaid hair alert in this 2021 variant trading card cover - thanks, Russell Dauterman!]

[More pretty hair in X-Men '97. I love this little curl.]

There's finally been enough queer people at Marvel that it's become acceptable to draw my boy with mermaid hair for an entire run.

Life isn't all bad.

[stormandforge]

Forge with a braid

[X-Men #15 and #17, 2021]

I cheered.

In 2021, Joshua Cassara drew Forge with a braid. It was the first time in the character's history.

That it felt so groundbreaking to me tells you everything you need to know about the way Marvel has treated Forge and his identity over the years.

A Cheyenne man with a braid? Surely not.

[stormandforge]

X-Force #9 preview

Sage is helping Xavier?! I'm so surprised by this - to me it was a given she would tell him to get lost. She's not exactly radiating love for him either, so maybe things are not what they seem. Actually I'm sure they're not, otherwise there would be no tension and what would be the point?

Not me straining the see details of the Aerie in the background, of course not. Is that an atrium? Nice.

Will Xavier calling Sage "Teresia" ever not feel like a transgression? God I hate this man.

Sage in denim, yes! It's about time she's shown dressing like a normal person. No one is *that* keen on black leather.

Magical power clash, yasss! Love the role of colour in this panel.

Let's be real: how does Betsy sustain this level of awesomeness? Does she just wake up a legend every morning?

"Forge can take care of himself". HAHAHAHAHAHAHA oh honey he can't, he really can't. Unless you call talking to holograms and building stuff that's gonna precipitate the end of the world taking care of himself.

I so want my 2 nerds in the same location again. There's a real chance they won't have time to reunite now, and that makes me sad. And this is where I should stop, because I don't want my brain to go to sad places again.

Very excited for this issue, cancellation and crossover be damned.

[stormandforge]

From X-Force Vol. 7 #008, “The Devil’s Lesson”

Art by Marcus To and Erick Arciniega

Written by Geoffrey Thorne

[stormandforge]

This comic is, as is usual for Wednesday’s comics, chosen by my Patrons. Speaking of…

Check my Patreon out if you’d like to support the comic, even a little bit helps. Or just to check out the reward tiers, there’s some neat bonus stuff and I tried to make them fun: https://www.patreon.com/waitingforthet

[stormandforge]

On the cancellation of X-Force

I’ve been trying to put my thoughts in order about this. I don’t want to be melodramatic, especially in the context of the world we live in, but my depression does love an excuse, so I’ve been sad.

Very sad.

I don’t want to go into theories about the cancellation, why it’s unfair, why we can’t have nice things, why From the Ashes is a failure or why Tom Brevoort is the worst person on Earth. People have every right to react this way, but for me that would mean succumbing to bitterness, anger and cynicism, and none of these things have ever served me.

What I do need to do is put my grief into words. As someone who’s lost very real people, I am ashamed to use this word, grief, about fictional characters, but it is the most fitting one. What I’m feeling is the anguish of loss: something that brought me joy on a deep, personal level is being taken away.

We all feel like our fan losses are more valid than other people’s, but in my case I am somewhat justified. Forge had not been written consistently or accurately in 30 years. He’d been background, filler, comic relief, or a negative point of comparison to boost more popular characters. Much of the same could be said of Sage, another character I had been keeping close to my heart for decades.

When Thorne’s X-Force started, my fan brain went from living off ancient issues and crumbs of characterisation to feasting on sustained character focus and spectacular characterisations every month. So it came to expect this regular dose of joy. And now it needs to accept that it’s all going away.

Also that the ending will be rushed. That the potential of future stories, character development and character relationships is going down the drain. That all my excited theories and hopes for the story and characters were for absolutely nothing.

And worst of all, that my Forge (and my Sage) are most likely going back on the shelf. For God knows how long. And that they will probably never be on the page together again.

I don’t know why I'd hoped it would last, really. Thorne’s X-Force was a small miracle: a writer who loves the same two characters I adore, pulls them out of obscurity, puts the focus on them shamelessly, develops them, gives them a sizzling dynamic when together. It’s the kind of shit you dream about but never get.

Except I did get it, if only for a minute. For a little while, the Forge (and Sage) fan in me had it all. How lucky is that?

This is what I will try to focus on. Sure it’s gone, but it existed. Even if future writers decide to ignore Forge, I got to see him lead a team and work with a seriously awesome Sage. I’d never thought it would happen.

And I got to follow the development of a favourite project in real time, which I hadn’t done in ages. I got to read Thorne’s brilliant observations about the characters and feel vindicated by his interpretations. I got to speak to nice people online and get recommendations for more reading.

We still have 2 issues to look forward to. There were a lot of posts about the comic I was thinking of writing, but I won't try to rush them all out before April. I want to keep talking about this title for a long time.

To Thorne’s X-Force!

[stormandforge]

X-Force vol 7 is cancelled.

I'll have more to say later I'm sure. For now I'm just upset.

Feel free to commiserate with me in the comments.

[stormandforge]

Storm #5 - "Oblivion Waits… No Longer" (2025)

written by Murewa Ayodele art by Lucas Werneck & Alex Guimaraes

[stormandforge]

Raw reactions to X-Force #8

Who needs a Tank identity reveal when you can get a Sage real name reveal!

Spoilers below.

Meet Teresia Karisik, everyone. She's stolen the show and our hearts (also Forge's house) and no one's complaining.

Sage was always on my mind when I was writing about Forge needing a real name, because of course they were in the same situation: 40 years of history without a real name. I am SO glad Sage's getting her due.

Now the question is: how did Teresia become Tessa? Hypothesis: Charles Xavier being a racist dick.

Geoff Throne says he's trying to fill in the blanks when it comes to both Sage and Forge, so I'm hoping for a Forge name reveal soon. Praying. Crossing my fingers and toes. Begging Marvel to give Thorne the time he needs to go where he wants to go. (Ignore me, I'm just worried about the impending solicits.)

Sneaky wench protocols, lol. Sage's humour continues to be gold.

Aww, is that Sage wearing her signature look in blue? It's nice to see her out of the black. (We don't talk about the Jubilee coat, it didn't happen.)

Having too many tabs open has never looked this cool.

I'm amazed at how Thorne transcribes Sage's mutation. He just goes for it. Most writers shy away from Sage, even Claremont. They leave her as an unrealised premise, because embracing her power and its implications feels too technical. (I could make a comment about keeping complicated women out of sight, or being afraid of their power, and oh look, I just did). What she needed was someone who did their homework and just...took the risk. And now she's shining.

We're all Sage's bitches now, I hope you realise. She's making us read her code, and not only are we obliging, we're asking for more. We are now her bitches. I don't make the rules.

Is that Xavier calling her at the end? What right does he think he has to ask for her help? I get the feeling he's using her name as a way of getting her attention as well, regardless of whether it's ok for him to use it. Absolute d***. Oh, I cannot wait for her to kick his ass next issue.

Marcus To + Sage close ups = happiness.

Oh Forge's eyes are shining like crazy. He has a power signature. My boy has a visible power signature 🥹

He just used his magic and his mutation at the same time. Like, in tandem. A combination of the two. DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH SHITTY FANFIC TEENAGE ME WROTE ABOUT THIS?

Is that new though, or are we to assume he's always done it?

And now he's speaking in Cheyenne. I just died.

Geoff Thorne's Duolingo probably looks unhinged at this stage.

Oooooh, page turn on Forge making an entrance, NICE!

Let's think about the implications of what La Diabla's saying: is she just disparaging Forge's power, or is she implying that he's already built the wrong machine, or broken something?

I already liked Corazón, but the moment she first called Forge ''mi amor'' she became my soul sister. I call him that too. In my head. Sometimes out loud.

Forge calls the team his machine, or his fix. Does La Diabla mean something similar when she talks of an equation? Is the team the equation that needs balancing? Or is she trying to lead Forge to a certain point? I wanna knoooooow!

Yes, the Tank mystery is dragging at this stage. I don't think this issue eliminates Colossus as a contender though - we're just none the wiser.

Love all the swearing. It feels organic, so it works.

'Lady Braddock' is being used too liberally I think. When Forge said it once I thought it was cute, meant in an affectionate way. But now it's both Forge and La Diabla doing it, so it's starting to sound sarcastic.

Artists of Tumblr, here's a prompt: draw Betsy's Vogue and Elle spreads. Go!

Betsy's power signature making it look like she's surrounded by little hearts 💜

A very action-packed issue. My taste is with a slower pace, but this was great all the same.

[stormandforge]

Teresia Karisik.

That's the main thing I have to say today.

[stormandforge]

X-Force #8 preview

WE'RE BACK. It's only been 2 months, why do I feel like I haven't seen these guys in 5 years?

OK, now I understand why GT has been talking about Sage being able to upgrade her own body. So cool.

Love the detail of the medical gown mirroring her traditional outfit. Nice touch.

Also, the temporary headcanon I described in my previous post wasn't far off at all: Sage hanging out in the Aerie doing Sage things. She's made herself so comfortable she might as well serve Forge with eviction papers at this point. And the Aerie is supposed to be this impenetrable fortress - I love this whole scenario. I love her.

No really, Sage gets cooler by the minute. She's distracting me from Forge. That's saying something.

WHY DOES SHE KEEP TALKING IN THE THIRD PERSON? At first I thought it meant something, now I'm wondering if it's just a character choice, but either way I wanna knooow.

Tessa: *tries to quit* GT: *keeps pulling her back*

To be fair, how can anyone want to leave a team with SUCH A HOT LEADER OH MY GOD. His hair, God help me. I want to lick his face.

YOU WERE MISSED MARCUS TO (and not just because of the Forge hotness. OK, mainly because of the Forge hotness, I am but weak flesh...)

Really love how Forge's power keeps being presented as part of the action. Also the creative uses of his prosthetic hand continue to be fun.

I'm sorry, I'm very sorry for nitpicking, but the Aerie is on the top floors of a skyscraper. Not a ten-story building. It's an aerie, a nest - it needs to be high up, it's all in the name. The building on these pages is missing about 50 floors.

Oh, Corazón's Forge obsession is still going strong. You and me both, girl, you and me both.

This might be the issue the Tank mystery gets solved?

[stormandforge]

Daisy dukes and nothing else

Just found New Mutants #66 again:

The shorts situation is out of control. He usually wears a polo shirt with them at least, but not here, noo. Penciller Bret Levins decided that in the land of mutants, there is no need for clothing.

There is no conclusion to this post, except to say that the 80s were wild, and that Mr Blorbo over here continues to embarrass me on a regular basis.