X-Factor #13
Re-X-aminations
Writer: Peter David
Pencils: Pablo Raimondi
Colours: Brian Reber
Letters: VC’s Cory Petit
The Long of It
|
And believe me, this lot have some major issues to resolve. |
A long time ago, in a Marvel Universe far, far away, Peter David had an idea. He would get Doc Samson to hold a psych-therapy session for each of the members of his X-Factor team. At the time, that team consisted of Havok and Polaris, as well as Jamie Madrox, Guido Carosella, Rahne Sinclair and Pietro Maximoff. The result was a classic issue (X-Factor #87) that lingers long in the memory. Touching, witty and poignant, this issue stands the test of time as possibly the best single issue of an outstanding run. Now, many years later, David has re-visited the idea, and the team have re-visited Doc Samson’s couch, including the latter four members of the original group. And believe me, this lot have some major issues to resolve.
|
Confused? Good. So are they. |
For those of you who haven’t been reading this latest run of Peter David on X-Factor, firstly shame on you. The fools: they know not what they do. Secondly, here is a brief recap of where the characters are at. Guido (Strong Guy) has just been mind-controlled into killing someone, rather nastily. Monet St Croix is softening her aggression somewhat, and has started a relationship with”¦.. Jamie Madrox. Now Jamie’s just discovered that his parents were murdered because of him, and that he’s not a mutant. He’s “something else”. Just to complicate matters further, because of his weakening control over his duplicates, he’s also having a relationship with”¦.. Theresa Cassidy. Siryn herself is in total denial over the death of her father (Banshee), refusing to acknowledge that he’s actually dead. Layla Miller, who has become the focal point for most of what X-Factor are doing these days, “knows” that she will end up marrying Madrox (he gets about a bit, doesn’t he?). But she is convinced that when the critical moment comes for the team, she will be at best marginal, and at worst dead. That’s where we come to Rahne (Wolfsbane), who has seen a vision of herself killing Jamie and Layla on their wedding day, and is suffering a lot of self-doubt because of it. Rictor is having some real anger-management issues, as a result of his losing his powers on M-Day. Which is at least partially the fault of Pietro Maximoff (Quicksilver), who is now using his new-found abilities (well, newly stolen from the Inhumans) to restore mutants’ powers to them, albeit in a less fluffy, less controllable way. Confused? Good. So are they. And they dump all this and more onto Doc Samson.
|
But most of all it’s brilliant because it’s Peter f*cking David. |
Quite simply, this book is bloody brilliant. It’s brilliant because it tells you all you need to know about each of the characters in the book, to know which issues the team are going to have to deal with in future storylines. It’s brilliant because while doing all that, it does enough to pique your curiosity, without giving you too much of what’s coming. But most of all it’s brilliant because it’s Peter f*cking David writing about the characters he helped define and revisiting the best example of that. He gets these characters. He just gets them, and that’s all you need to know.
The dialogue is as stilted as it should be when talking to a psychiatrist, but still in-keeping with the characters. Did I mention it’s bloody brilliant?
|
Yes, the art could be a little tighter, but it’s certainly better than a lot of other stuff out there. |
Raimondi’s art is perfectly suited tone-wise to the noir feel the book has had since it’s re-launch. Having said that, it’s not perfect. Some of the faces look a little”¦ well”¦. off, and I’m not overly keen on his Wolfsbane interpretation. What I will say though is that it does nothing to detract from the writing, and in all honesty that’s why I’m reading this book. Yes, the art could be a little tighter, but it’s certainly better than a lot of other stuff out there. If the style’s right, and the things that I’m not 100% positive about don’t mess with my enjoyment of the book in the slightest, then that’s a very good thing. Ya hear that Ladronn?! Take note. I certainly wouldn’t go to the extent that some idiot did on the letters page about Pablo, and I’m a little disappointed in Marvel for even printing that letter. Way to undermine your artist there, guys.
I’m not going to say anymore for fear of doing the written equivalent of premature ejaculation all over PAD’s lap.
Except for this (the random thought of the day): If Madrox isn’t a mutant, how come one of his dupes died of the Legacy Virus? Could it be that he’s not a mutant but his dupes are, and that’s why he can’t control them anymore? Or could it be simply the long-ignored-by-every-subsequent-writer fact that non-mutants could also be killed by the Legacy Virus. Yeah, probably that. Why have I even left this dumbass question in this review? I don’t know either. It’s just part of my stream of consciousness review style. If I thought it, it stays in. Deal with it.
