X-Factor (2006 Series) #19

May 15, 2007

Quick Rating: Very Good
Rating: T+

One of Jaime’s dupes is dying – and saving him may kill them both!

Writer: Peter David
Pencils: Khoi Pham
Inks: Sandu Florea
Colors: Chris Sotomayor
Letters: Cory Petit
Editor: Andy Schmidt
Cover Art: Andrea DiVito
Publisher: Marvel Comics

I must confess, my teaser up top really doesn’t do this issue justice. There’s a lot going on here besides just Jamie trying to save a dying duplicate. As usual, Peter David uses the erratic behavior of the duplicates to great effect here.

The rest of the team is split up as well, following Layla’s vague instructions. Rahne and Guido continue their hunt for Pietro, while Syrin and Monet have encountered three former mutants from the X-Cell, and they’re none too happy to be face-to-face with some of the few mutants who managed to hold on to their powers after M-Day. Layla, meanwhile, has a heart-to-heart with the former mutant girl Nicole.

Nobody in the entire X-universe is using the fallout of the M-Day storyline as well as Peter David is. While the X-Men are pretty much business as usual – off in space or fighting evil mutants or whatnot – here in X-Factor the depowering has become a personal storyline for several of our characters, and the stakes are clearly very high. This title, hands down, is the single greatest thing to come out of House of M.

Pham and Florea have been on board for several issues now, and I’m very happy with their artwork. Their Blob in particular has an inspired design, with his powers gone but his girth still there. I just wish they would get to redesign some of the characters who appear in this issue that have more of a distinctively “90s” feel.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: X-Factor is the best X-title Marvel is publishing right now. Period.

Rating: 8/10

X-Factor (2006 Series) #18

April 16, 2007

Quick Rating: Very Good
Rating: T+

On the streets of Mutanttown, X-Factor finds themselves encountering old foes and old friends.

Writer: Peter David
Pencils: Khoi Pham
Inks: Sandu Florea
Colors: Brian Reber
Letters: Cory Petit
Editor: Andy Schmidt
Cover Art: Pablo Raimondi
Publisher: Marvel Comics

Not being a particularly religious follower of the X-titles, I’m really not sure if the characters we see this issue have already been established as losing their powers on M-Day. Fortunately, that doesn’t really matter, the story still works just as well. As Quicksilver continues offering new powers to the mutants who lost their gifts in the Decimation, the authorities are picking up X-Factor members to find out what they know about the terrorist group called the X-Cell.

Peter David amps up the funny this issue – Rictor’s interrogation and Layla’s antics in particular are really quite amusing. (If you had told me two years ago that the Layla character could be made even remotely interesting, I’d have laughed in your face.) We also catch up with a lot of X-characters this issue – some interesting, some less so, but David is using them and the whole Decimation concept to great effect in this series. I’ve got enough faith in him that I even think the character who shows up at the end, who I’ve long considered one of the single least interesting X-Men, has the potential to have a good story as the series progresses.

Pham and Florea’s artwork continues to be a perfect match for this story – a little gritty, a little noir, but still recognizable as being part of the Marvel universe.

Quite simply, this is the best title in the X-corner of the Marvel Universe right now, and it doesn’t look like it’s in danger of losing the pole position any time soon.

Rating: 8/10

X-Factor (2006 Series) #17

March 19, 2007

Quick Rating: Very Good
Rating: T+

Jamie hunts down another rogue dupe… but someone is hunting his teammates.

Writer: Peter David
Pencils: Khoi Pham
Inks: Sandu Florea
Colors: Brian Reber
Letters: Cory Petit
Editor: Andy Schmidt
Cover Art: Pablo Raimondi
Publisher: Marvel Comics

After a truly phenomenal issue 16, X-Factor #17 is just a tad lackluster. This reads mostly as a prologue to the next story arc, “X-Cell” (beginning next issue), and as such, it’s strong enough. Jamie is still on his quest to hunt down all of his missing dupes, but the one he stumbles across in Detroit is heavily burdened with knowledge he just doesn’t want Jamie to have. Fortunately, he’s got a plan to keep it away and do a little himself in the process.

Rictor and Rahne, meanwhile, have a little heart-to-heart. She isn’t necessarily approving of his current association with Pietro, and she’s not shy about mentioning it. Meanwhile, Layla and Guido are just sorta hanging out, but none of the X-Factor members are aware of just how closely they’re being watched.

Like I said, this issue is mostly set-up. The things Jamie’s dupe says are clearly intended to be seeds for the next story, and the offer laid on the table for him is the same. What’s going on with the rest of the team? More set-up. Still, there are good bits in here. For his purposes, the plan the dupe comes up with is ingenious. The scene with Rictor and Rahne is nice too – as an old-school New Mutants fan, it’s nice to see that David remembers the relationship the two of them shared (or at least almost shared) back in the 90s.

Khoi Pham and Sandu Florea’s artwork fits pretty well into the style this book has enjoyed since the first issue. It’s dark, it’s grim, but it still tells the story without getting messed up or muddy. More importantly, it fits the quasi-noir feeling Peter David has established with the script.

X-Factor is still one of the best – heck, it’s probably the best – book in the X-Men family. This issue was just a little weaker than usual.

Rating: 8/10