Hellfire Gala Previews and Predictions: X-Force

This summer, the mutant nation of Krakoa is opening its doors to the world for the inaugural Hellfire Gala. Anyone who is anyone is going to be there starting on June 2, even the mighty Avengers! But there’s only one superhuman team charged with protecting the Hellfire Gala’s guests: X-Force.

The Quiet Council doesn’t like to publicly acknowledge X-Force, but it’s an open secret that its members are a mutant black ops team who carry out Krakoa’s dirty work. Wolverine and Domino are both veterans of previous incarnations of X-Force, while Kid Omega, Sage, and Beast have joined them on the current team. It’s also widely rumored that Jean Grey recently resigned from X-Force over ethical concerns.

Regardless, X-Force is the metaphorical fist that goes with the open hand that Krakoa presents to the world. And make no mistake, Krakoa has plenty of enemies. Some are going to walk in the front door of the Hellfire Gala as invited guests, while others are planning to crash it by any means necessary. That’s why X-Force has been charged with making sure that no one disrupts this event. Someone has to work security at the biggest party of the year, even if they’d rather enjoy themselves.

The good news is that designer Joshua Cassara has made sure that the team is gonna do it in style. Wolverine in particular is rocking a sleek black suit that still gives him the room to be “the best there is at what he does.” Wolverine and the rest of his team are also sporting bolo ties with the X logo.

As for the living computer, Sage, her outfit has the body of a gown and the long, cuffed sleeves of a suit. This event might be somewhat awkward for Sage, since she was once a member of the Hellfire Club herself. From there, Sage joined the X-Men and she has once again come to prominence on Krakoa. Whether there will be any tension between Sage and her former compatriots remains to be seen.

Domino is going “all business” for this event. Unlike Sage, Domino isn’t incorporating many elements of a gown in her suit. But she is accessorizing with a few pouches on her leg. Which is so delightfully ‘90s of her. As a more modern touch, Domino is armed with a Krakoan tech gauntlet, but it’s offensive and defensive capabilities are currently unknown.

Beast is also wearing a suit, but he’s going for comfort over style. That’s why he’s got shorts instead of pants and shoes. That may also make it easier for Beast to leap into action at a moment’s notice.

For a self-proclaimed rebel, Kid Omega’s suit is surprisingly traditional, perhaps looking to garner a more respectable reputation. He's been through a lot alongside X-Force recently, so we’ll see how long that lasts.

Finally, the founder of X-Men, Professor Charles Xavier, has been spotted among the X-Force team. He is also wearing Krakoan tech, perhaps in a response to an attempt on his life several months ago. Word has it that X-Force failed to protect Xavier that time. But that’s a failure that X-Force isn’t willing to accept again.

Want to know what happens next? Pre-order X-FORCE #20 with your local comic shop, then read it on Wednesday, June 2!