View source for Cyber Force (comics)

{{short description|Comic book series}}
{{Use American English|date=September 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox comic book title
|image= Cyberforce 01 cover.jpg
|caption= First issue cover
|publisher=[[Top Cow Productions]] ([[Image Comics]])
|date=''Cyber Force'' #1 (Oct. 1992)
|main_char_team={{ubl|Ballistic|[[Cyblade]]|Heatwave|Impact|Ripclaw|[[Codename: Strykeforce|Stryker]]|[[Velocity (comics)|Velocity]]}}
|issues = {{collapsible list|'''(vol. 1)''': 4 <br> '''(vol. 2)''': 36 <br> '''(vol. 3)''': 6 <br> '''(vol. 4)''': 11 <br> '''(vol. 5)''': 11}}
|writers = Eric Silvestri
|artists = [[Marc Silvestri]]
}}
'''''Cyber Force''''' (also '''''Cyberforce''''') is a comic book series created by [[Marc Silvestri]] in 1992 through his publishing studio, [[Top Cow Productions]], and published by [[Image Comics]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Nadler |first=Lonnie |url=http://bloody-disgusting.com/news/3198571/review-cyber-force-1/ |title=Review: 'Cyber Force' #1 |publisher=[[Bloody Disgusting]] |date=2012-10-18 |accessdate=2016-01-11}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Atrant|first1=Chris|title=Marc Silvestri Strikes Back With CYBER FORCE|url=https://www.newsarama.com/10687-marc-silvestri-strikes-back-with-cyber-force.html|website=Newsarama|accessdate=2016-01-11|language=en|date=2012-12-27}}</ref>

==Publication history==
{{refimprove section|date=September 2016}} 

===Volume 1===
''Cyber Force'' was first published as a mini-series in October 1992 by [[Image Comics]] in association with [[Malibu Comics]].<ref>{{Cite book|title=Cyber Force #1|publisher=Image Comics|year=1992|pages=inside cover}}</ref> Created by and illustrated by Marc Silvestri, the series was written by his brother,  Eric Silvestri: "When the guys at Image and I were starting out, we weren't really sure what the reaction would be to our characters. So, just to play it safe, we decided to put out our projects as mini-series to test out the public reaction".<ref>{{Cite book|last=Martell|first=Pete|title=Inside Image #8; CyberForce: Interview with Marc Silvestri|publisher=Image Comics|date=October 1993|pages=5–7}}</ref> 

The first story titled "Tin Men of War", follows Carin Taylor, a mutant otherwise known as [[Velocity (comics)|Velocity]] as she attempts to escape the forces of Cyberdata, a corrupt mega-corporation. Her attempts to evade Cyberdata's task force, led by her sister, Cassandra Taylor a.k.a. "Ballistic" bring her into contact with the Cyber Force, a group of cybernetically enhanced mutant escapees from Cyberdata, consisting of [[Codename: Strykeforce|Stryker]], [[Cyblade]], Heatwave, Impact and Ripclaw. After Velocity is rescued, the team explains to her that they were created by Cyberdata to enhance their mutant abilities, turning them into super-soldiers known as S.H.O.C.s (Special Hazardous Operation Cyborgs), but they escaped and formed Cyber Force, making it their mission to bring down Cyberdata for good.

===Volume 2===
After high sales for the mini-series, an ongoing series was launched in October 1993 with the Cyber Force #0 one-shot, which contained a script and art by [[Walt Simonson|Walter Simonson]] based on a plot by Marc and Eric Silvestri. The new monthly series was published by Image through Silvestri's [[Top Cow Productions]] beginning in November 1993, running 35 issues. The series [[fictional crossover|crossed over]] with ''[[Wildcats (comics)|Wild C.A.T.s]]'' for the "Killer Instinct" storyline spanning ''Wild C.A.T.S'' #5-7 and ''Cyber Force'' vol. 2 #1-3.

Silvestri later turned his duties over to other artists, including [[David Finch (comics)|David Finch]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dccomics.com/talent/david-finch |title=David Finch |publisher=DC Comics |date= 4 March 2012|accessdate=2016-01-24}}</ref> The original comic book focused on a team of [[mutant (fictional)|mutants]] who were captured by Cyberdata, an enormous corporation planning to take over the world. The mutants were experimented on and had their abilities enhanced with cybernetic implants in hopes of making them S.H.O.C.s (Special Hazardous Operations Cyborgs). The mutants subsequently escaped and banded together as  Cyber Force, determined to defeat Cyberdata.{{Citation needed|date=July 2015}}

===Volume 3===
The series was revived in a third volume in 2006 (April-September) as a six-issue limited series written by [[Ron Marz]] and drawn by [[Pat Lee (comics)|Pat Lee]] titled ''Rising From the Ashes''. This series continues with Ripclaw and Velocity's travel to Antarctica to find a cure against a doomsday virus, which was created as a [[failsafe]] by Cyberdata to destroy all mutants. Along with dealing with the virus and greedy sailors, Velocity uncovers the true origin of Cyberdata while being brought to a long-crashed sentient alien ship inside a frozen cave. It is revealed here that Cyberdata was created by an Antarctic explorer by the name of Emil Zadrock, whose mind became corrupted by 1,000-year-old living machinery that he found in the cave over 100 years ago. The process of creating mutants was done by combining human beings with alien DNA. The heroes eventually engage in a confrontation with the ancient alien race that created the living machinery and the crashed sentient spaceship. The team was given an updated look, a new base of operations, and changes to its roster. Important subplots include the death and resurrection of Ripclaw, [[Codename: Strykeforce|Stryker]] being away from the action, Impact wanting to leave the team, and a growing romantic relationship between Ripclaw and [[Velocity (comics)|Velocity]].{{citation needed|date=December 2012}} The story also ties into the [[JLA/Cyberforce]] crossover that takes place between issues #0 and #1 of volume 3.

===Volume 4===
Top Cow debuted the fourth volume of the series in October 2012. This was a rebooted ''Cyber Force'' as part of the company's  "Top Cow Rebirth" initiative. Funded through a [[Kickstarter]] campaign, the first five issues were released for free.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Arrant|first1=Chris|title=SDCC '12: Silvestri Reboots CYBER FORCE, Offers It for Free|url=https://www.newsarama.com/9850-sdcc-12-silvestri-reboots-cyber-force-offers-it-for-free.html|website=Newsarama|accessdate=2015-07-24|language=en|date=2012-07-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Dietsch|first1=TJ|title=CCI EXCLUSIVE: Kickstarting "Cyber Force" At Top Cow|url=https://www.cbr.com/cci-exclusive-kickstarting-cyber-force-at-top-cow/|website=Comic Book Resources|accessdate=2016-09-04|date=2012-07-10}}</ref> Silvestri provided [[cyberpunk]]-influenced art for the rebooted series, while Khoi Pham was brought aboard as illustrator after five years of exclusive work for [[Marvel Comics]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/620244384/cyber-force-returns/description |title=Cyber Force Returns! by Top Cow Productions |publisher=Kickstarter |date=2012-07-19 |accessdate=2016-09-04}}</ref> The first issue received a positive review from Benjamin Bailey of [[IGN]], who described the post-apocalyptic setting as both interesting and genuine. Commenting on Pham's art, he cited some inconsistencies, particularly with respect to renderings of technology.<ref>{{cite web|author=Benjamin Bailey |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/10/18/cyberforce-1-review |title=Cyberforce #1 Review |publisher=IGN |date=2012-10-17 |accessdate=2015-07-24}}</ref>

===Volume 5===
The fifth volume of the series was announced as a 2015 digital-only series written by Matt Hawkins, released on the [[webcomic]] service [[Webtoon (platform)|Webtoon]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=White|first1=Brett|title=Silvestri Brings New "Cyber Force" Chapters To LINE Webtoon|url=https://www.cbr.com/silvestri-brings-new-cyber-force-chapters-to-line-webtoon/|website=Comic Book Resources|accessdate=2024-02-17|date=2015-07-06}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author1=Newsarama Staff|title=CYBER FORCE To Return As Digital Series By SILVESTRI & HAWKINS|url=https://www.newsarama.com/25051-cyberforce-to-return-as-digital-series-by-silvestri-hawkins.html|website=Newsarama|accessdate=27 December 2017|language=en|date=2015-07-06}}</ref> It was eventually launched as a printed comic series by Image in 2018.<ref>[https://imagecomics.com/comics/releases/cyber-force-2018-1 "CYBER FORCE (2018) #1"]</ref>

==In other media==
A half-hour ''Cyber Force'' animated series was planned for the 1995–96 season on [[Fox Kids]] as part of an hour-long block that would also have featured a ''[[Youngblood (comics)|Youngblood]]'' series.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Thomas|first1=Michael|title=To the Extreme: A conversation with Rob Liefeld|url=https://www.cbr.com/to-the-extreme-a-conversation-with-rob-liefeld/|website=Comic Book Resources|accessdate=2016-09-04|date=2001-07-30}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Arrant|first1=Chris|title=The Big Picture: Marc Silvestri|url=https://www.newsarama.com/434-the-big-picture-marc-silvestri.html|website=Newsarama|accessdate=2015-07-24|language=en|date=2008-07-15}}</ref> Although completed character designs and a [[model sheet]] were featured in magazines, the series never progressed past the planning stage.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Avila|first1=Mike|title=WATCH: That time Cyberforce: The Animated Series was supposed to replace X-Men|url=http://www.syfy.com/syfywire/watch-that-time-cyberforce-the-animated-series-was-supposed-to-replace-x-men|website=Syfy|accessdate=December 26, 2017|language=en|date=December 26, 2017}}</ref>

==Bibliography==
===Series=== 
* ''Cyberforce'' Volume 1, #0–4 (October 1992 – September 1993)
* ''Cyberforce'' Volume 2, #1–35 (November 1993 – September 1997)
* ''Cyberforce'' Volume 3, #0–6 (April 2006 – October 2006)
* ''Cyberforce'' Volume 4, #1-11 (October 2012 – February 2015)
* ''Cyberforce'' Volume 5, #1-11 (March 2018 – July 2019)<ref>{{cite web|title=Cyber Force |website=Image Comics |url=https://imagecomics.com/comics/series/cyber-force |access-date=1 October 2022}}</ref>

===Collected editions===
*''Cyberforce: The Tin Men of War'' (collects ''Cyberforce'' Vol. 1 #1–4)
*''Cyber Force: Origins'' Volume 1 (collects ''Cyberforce'' Vol. 1 #1–4, #0, and ''Cyberforce Annual'' #1)
*''Cyber Force: Origins'' Volume 2 (collects ''Cyberforce'' Vol. 2 #1–8, and ''Cyberforce Origins'' #1 – ''Cyblade'')
*''Cyber Force: Origins'' Volume 3 (collects ''Cyberforce'' Vol. 2 #9–16, and ''Cyberforce Origins'' #2 – ''Stryker'')
*''Wildcats/Cyberforce: Killer Instinct'' (collects ''WildC.A.T.S. Covert Action Teams'' #5–7 and ''Cyberforce'' Vol. 2 #1–3)
*''Cyberforce: Assault with a Deadly Woman'' (collects ''Cyberforce'' Vol. 2 #4–7)
*''Cyberforce-Hunter/Killer'' (Collects ''Cyberforce-Hunter/Killer'' #1-5)
*''Cyber Force: Origins'' Volume 4 (collects ''Cyberforce'' Vol. 2 #17–25)
*''Cyberforce: Rising from the Ashes (collects ''Cyberforce'' Vol. 3 #1–6, #0)
*''Cyberforce: Rebirth'' Volume 1 (collects ''Cyberforce'' Vol. 4 #1–5)
*''Cyberforce: Rebirth'' Volume 2 (collects ''Cyberforce'' Vol. 4 #6–10)
*''Cyberforce: Rebirth'' Volume 3 (collects ''Cyberforce'' Webtoons Comic + ''Cyber Force: Artifacts'' #0)
*''Cyberforce: Rebirth'' Volume 4 (collects ''Cyberforce'' Webtoons Comic)
*''Cyberforce: Awakening'' Volume 1 (collects ''Cyberforce'' reboot #1-4)
*''Cyberforce: Awakening'' Volume 2 (collects ''Cyberforce'' reboot #5-8)
*''Cyberforce: Awakening'' Volume 3 (collects ''Cyberforce'' reboot #9-11)

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* {{comicbookdb|type=title|id=1616|title=''Cyberforce'' (1992)}}
* {{comicbookdb|type=title|id=2479|title=''Cyberforce'' (1993)}}
* {{comicbookdb|type=title|id=6277|title=''Cyberforce'' (2006)}}

{{Cyberforce}}
{{Image Comics}}
{{Marc Silvestri}}
{{Webtoon (platform)}}

[[Category:1992 comics debuts]]
[[Category:American comics]]
[[Category:Characters created by Marc Silvestri]]
[[Category:Cyber Force characters| ]]
[[Category:Cyborg comics]]
[[Category:Mutants in fiction]]
[[Category:Top Cow titles]]