X-Force (1st series) #117

Issue Date: 
August 2001
Story Title: 
Mister Sensitive
Staff: 

Peter Milligan (writer), Mike Allred (artist), Laura Allred (colorist), Mike Allred & Blambot (letters), John Miesegaes (assistant editor), Axel Alonso (editor), Joe Queseda (editor in chief), Bill Jemas (president)

Brief Description: 

The remaining X-Force members review their last mission and start to blame each other for the failure. The Coach announces that new members (Bloke, Vivisector, Phat, Saint Anna, Orphan) have been chosen to join the team and their origins are revealed via a series of press packs. The new team gathers to get briefed on their new mission, which is to rescue a suspected mutant child who is imprisoned in his homenation of Bastrona. The team later attends a press conference to publicly introduce the new team and are attacked by members of the original X-Force. After a brief fight, the Coach continues to announce the Orphan as the new team leader, to U-Go Girl’s chagrin, who abruptly teleports away from the conference. The Orphan returns home; right after he enters a gunshot is heard...

Full Summary: 

Mister Sensitive (Guy Smith) is taking a shower of fine mists, recollecting how much he is effected by the slightest disruptions around him. Exiting the shower, he puts on his special suit designed for him by Professor X. He loads a gun, which he calls his “friend”, with a single bullet and places it on the table next to his armchair, after spinning it’s drum.
U-Go Girl, the Anarchist and the Coach review the videotapes of their last mission, which resulted in the deaths of the rest of the X-Force team. Tike tries to convince the Coach that the fatal missile was aimed at him but he managed to dodge it in time. The Coach claims that it was an accident and nothing they shouldn’t expect. Edie wants to be the new team leader, but Tike challenges her that she was conspiring with Zeitgeist to get him out of the way and claims that she would be ineffective as team leader. Edie recounts her kill rate on the mission and accuses Tike of framing the team, so he could build a new X-Force in his image. Coach breaks their argument and announces that the new members have been chosen. Edie is surprised that she has not been asked about this, but the Coach explains that the teams’s new owner has changed the rule of senior members being able to veto new applicants. He continues that the team is now possessed by 34-year old computer software trillionaire Spike Freeman.
The new X-Forcers are introduced through one-page biographies, the “press-packs” Coach has sent to the press. Bloke (Mickey Tork) is a bulky mutant with body strength and the chameleon ability to change his skin color to mesh with his surroundings. He originally had Rainbow-colored skin and fought as a mercenary but now his regular skin-tone has stabilised as pink. Vivisector (Myles Alfred) is a brainy philosophy student from an academic family, who has the ability to turn into a werewolf-like creature. Phat (Billy Bob Reilly) comes from a decadent environment, he is a gang-member and he has the ability to bloat his body parts with extra skin and subcutaneous fat. Saint Anna is the bastard daughter of a Buenos Aires priest and a irish girl who worked in his missionary. When she developed her powers of healing and telekinesis, the locals worshipped her as a saint. Mister Sensitive showed his unusual mutant characteristics (purple skin, antenna) already at birth and was orphaned by a house fire while he was still a baby. He travelled across the world to gain more control over his acute senses, while he learned many martial arts techniques and meditations. Professor X located him and created a special suit for him to completely harness his senses.
The new recruits are gathered in the X-Force building’s lobby. Phat is arguing with Vivisector, who doesn’t seem to want to be a member of X-Force, or a mutant. Bloke tries to defend mutant rights, misquoting Malcolm X which causes an outbreak from Vivisector. Edie arrives to break off the fight and she and Tike argue once more about the leadership position. Coach gathers them in the screening room for the new mission debriefing. Video footage is shown of a recent incident at the border near San Diego. A family from the republic of Bastrona tried to illegally travel to the US, but were killed, only their child, little Paco Perez survived and was deported back to Bastrona. X-Force wonders what this has got to do with them, but apparently young Paco is a mutant. A large crater appeared near the building where the frightened boy is held, it seems that he manifested some devastating ability, and now X-Force are supposed to rescue Paco. Edie presses once more when the Coach will publicly name her as team leader, and he replies that the new leader will be presented to the media during today’s press conference.
Some timelater, right in the middle of the press conference, Guy decides to change his codename and announces that he wants to be called the Orphan, as he thinks that is what defines him best. Suddenly four members of the original X-Force burst into the scene (Cannonball, Domino, Meltdown and Proudstar). Cannonball argues with Tike and Edie, accusing them of degrading the X-Force name and not caring about the plight of mutants. Meltdown incites the conflict by shooting at Tike, and Edie teleports her and Meltdown in the sky over a highway where they can fight undisturbed. Tike jumps on Cannonball trying to reason with him by projecting the new team’s high mortality factor. Domino tries to stop the fight by pointing a gun at Doop’s head, but Guy with his heightened senses calls her bluff and disarms her. The end of the fight isn’t shown as the TV reporter announces that selected scenes are available only later on pay-per-view. The team battered from the fight has gathered again to continue the press conference and the Coach announces the Orphan as new team leader. Guy is surprised by this decision and asks the Coach to change his mind since he considers Edie a better candidate for then position, but the Coach says the choice is final. Edie is outraged by the news since she was aiming for that position and teleports away from the scene. Tike congratulates Guy, explaining to him that he feigned interest in the leadership position to spite Edie.
Guy returns to his home, greeted by the TV reporter. He answers her questions sharply, telling her of his mixed feelings about the new position and that he will soon be moving into the X-Force building with the rest of the team. After he enters his house, the reporter’s narration is interrupted by a gunshot from inside
Guy’s home ...

Characters Involved: 

Anarchist, Bloke (formerly Rainbow) / Mickey Tork, Coach, Doop, Orphan (formerly Mister Sensitive) / Guy Smith, Phat / Billy Bob Reilly, Saint Anna, U-Go Girl, Vivisector / Myles Afred (all X-Force)

Cannonball, Domino, Meltdown, James Proudstar (previous incarnation of X-Force)

An unnamed TV reporter (she was already in last issue)
Flashback :

Professor Xavier
Via video footage :

Anarchist, U-Go Girl

Battering Ram, Zeitgeist (both deceased)

Spike Freeman, X-Force’s owner

Paco Perez, a kid from Bastrona

Story Notes: 

The previous X-Force team was last seen in X-Force#115, where they were declared dead. No explanation is given of their return.
The story about little Paco Perez seems to have been inspired by the Elian / Cuba incident from the news (a few months back).

Issue Information: 
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