Warning! Spoilers for X-Force #10 ahead!
TheX-Menfranchise just revealed the truth behind its mysterious masked hero, known as “Tank,“with the latest issue ofX-Forceconfirming what many fans had already started to suspect over the course of the prior several issues: that Tank is, in fact,Colossus, operating under a new codename, with a fresh new design, but still fundamentally the same heroic version of the character that readers are familiar with.
X-Force#10, written by Geoffrey Thorne, with art by Marcus To, stages the moment of Tank’s unmasking as the issue’s centerpiece reveal, and while it might not be a total surprise, it is a relief for a huge segment of theX-fandom, given that the series has also featured avillainous version of Colossus, which struck some readers as an unusual choice, given the character’s recently completed redemption arc.
At the same time, some readers have expressed criticism of the decision, arguing that Marvel should have followed through on making Tank an original character.
Marvel Confirms New X-Men Powerhouse “Tank” Is Actually Colossus
X-Force#10, written by Geoffrey Thorne, with art by Marcus To; Color By Erick Arciniega; Lettering By Joe Caramagna
The Krakoan Era of theX-Menfranchise featured a fall from grace for Colossus, who became an antagonist for a significant stretch of time, before having a triumphant return to heroic form.X-Forceseemingly undermined that arc, but now it is clear that Piotr Rasputin is once more firmly on the side of good.X-Force#10’s confirmation of Tank’s true identity ends an early thread of speculation for the series,validating the widely held fan theory about who was under the mask, though the question of “why” still remains.
While Colossus fans are happy he hasn’t been reduced to a villain once more, someX-Forcereaders are unsure whether the destination will ultimately have been worth the journey with this character arc.
X-Force#10 even “lampshades” this itself, or in other words, calls attention to it, by having Captain Britain say, “it’s about time you dropped that blood helmet, ‘Tank’,“as if the X-Force squad themselves couldn’t clearly understand why Colossus had adopted a new identity. Readers know to wait for subsequent issues to clarify things before judging the current in-progress arc too harshly, but while Colossus fans are happy he hasn’t been reduced to a villain once more, someX-Forcereaders are unsure whether the destination will ultimately have been worth the journey with this character arc.
As “Tank,” Colossus Got An Exciting Wardrobe Upgrade; But Will It Stick?
The Jury Is Still Out On The “Tank = Colossus” Reveal
One of theexciting things about “Tank” when the character was introducedat the start of this current volume ofX-Forcewas that he was seemingly an entirely new mutant hero. For some readers, the Colossus reveal might strike them as disappointing, because it feels like a step backward. Further, the convoluted nature of the current storyline, which involves abad version of Colossus, and now a good one, hasn’t necessarily generated a lot of excitement. Instead, it has been a source of unease forX-fans.
Tank’s costume design, in particular, has received praise from fans, and now the concern among the fandom will be that the outfit will fall by the wayside, whenever Piotr reclaims his classic designfrom the villainous impostor who has appeared in the last several issues. The flip side is that this could potentially be a reinvigorating start to a new era for Colossus, one that the character arguably needs on the heels of his Krakoan era.X-Menreaders will have to remain cautiously optimistic about Marvel’s plans forColossusnow that his role as “Tank” has been confirmed.
