So at long last, it’s time to accept that my favorite comic book character has been killed and there’s nothing I can do about it. But considering he died in this issue, one might ask how I could possibly be expected to review it objectively. That’s a fair question. And my answer is: because I say I can. Simple as that. It’s still a comic book. I still read it. I even enjoyed it.

X-Factor #227

Even if those bastards killed him!

Comic rating: 4/5: Good!

I’m going to spoil the character that was killed after the jump. In fact, I’m going to spoil the whole issue. That’s kind of my thing. A lot of other review sites don’t spoil the books, so good for them. But I’m something of a niche blog, so I’ve got no problem spoiling the stories. I like to think that some people might read my reviews just to get spoiled. I’m fine with that.

Suffice to say, the death in this issue of a prominent member of X-Factor doesn’t really have much at all to do with the story. It’s more like a big cliffhanger to lead us into the next story arc. Frankly, this whole story arc has seemed kind of lackluster. There are way too many members of X-Factor these days, and this issue has a completely unimportant guest star and serves as the introduction of a new villain. So there are a lot of characters to juggle. Peter David does an OK job with the juggling, but no one piece gets enough attention to be really good.

Still, at least my favorite character died in an issue that’s worth reading. Spoilers after the jump.

Peter David, or PAD, does a really good job introducing the villain in this issue, as well as foreshadowing the death at the end. The very first narration box on the very first page reads, “You never know what’s going to happen next.” Now the villain, Bloodbath, has been whispered about for a few issues, and may have appeared as the puppetmaster of a re-animated corpse. But this is our first chance to really see him in action and see what he’s like. He’s actually kind of fun and funny. He seems to be kind of obsessed with movies, as if he’s pretending that he’s in a movie at all times.

We get a taste of this as the issue opens with Bloodbath, in shadow, chasing the young boy, Terry.

Please, violence doesn't get an 'R' rating anymore

We met Terry and his mom a few issues ago, and X-Factor is hot on the trail to save Terry from Bloodbath. In fact, their arrival at Bloodbath’s lair stops him from striking the killing blow. He can just sense the team’s arrival, and that stops his blade from killing Terry. Bloodbath tells Terry to just chill, ‘smoke’em if you got’em’ and that he’ll be back to finish the boy off later. Then we cut to X-Factor standing outside the lair, which is the old, abandoned Imperial Studios, I assume in California.

See what I mean about way too many characters?

They have followed The Hangman, a guest star who appeared last issue doing Bloodbath’s bidding. Hangman, as I understand it, is a really old Wonder Man villain who Peter David dusted off to appear in this storyline. Hangman is not very interesting whatsoever. He wasn’t last issue, and he wasn’t this issue either. He’s Terry’s father, and X-Factor is going to save his son from Bloodbath. Hangman explains that Bloodbath swore to kill Terry if Hangman sets foot in the studio, but everyone kind of figures that Bloodbath didn’t say ‘X-Factor’ couldn’t set foot in the studio.

At least this gets Hangman out of the picture.

We also get a few panels explaining who Bloodbath is; he’s a demon. Hangman met Bloodbath when he died and went to Hell. But Hangman broke out of Hell (yep), and Bloodbath insisted that Hangman reap souls for him. Hangman declined, so Bloodbath kidnapped his son, Terry. Souls, apparently, have an essence called ‘puissance’ that demons like Bloodbath can convert into malleable energy. That’s how he was able to reanimate corpses.

Anyway, Strong Guy gets bored of all the exposition.

Strong Guy Smash!

The team heads inside, leaving Hangman behind. But not before Longshot asks if Hangman had anything to do with David Carradine’s hanging death.

So I guess that was all Carradine...

As the team explores the studio, Madrox narrates and gives a little background. He says that Imperial Studios used to be a cover for the Sub-Mariner, and that he named it after himself. I don’t know if that’s true, but it would be cool if it was. Perhaps in early issues of Sub-Mariner comics, decades ago, he was based out of a movie studio and Peter David dusted it off to use as the setting in today’s comic. That would be neat.

The team debates the merits of splitting up, considering how dangerous Bloodbath is. Then they argue whether or not Layla Miller, who ‘knows stuff’ and knows the future, should just tell them where Bloodbath is hiding. Layla explains that she can’t because this moment is not a fixed point in history. Any number of outcomes could occur in their battle with Bloodbath. They egg her on, trying to get some sliver of hint to where he may be and how they find him. But Layla says that they don’t find Bloodbath.

He finds them.

Yes, yes she did

I like Bloodbath’s look. Black and red are colors that go well together, and definitely create a menacing presence. Plus with a name as silly as ‘Bloodbath’, he definitely had to have a menacing look. He’s all tattered cloak, big sword and creepy red stitching. For a murderous monster, he looks good. Bloodbath proceeds to kick a lot of ass as X-Factor try to hold their own. It’s a good scene, with the various powerful members each taking a go. Of course, X-Factor follow the silly henchmen rule of attacking one at a time. Bloodbath has to fight off Layla, Shatterstar, Siryn and the recently re-powered Rictor. All the while, Bloodbath keeps spouting silly lines.

He might be a little crazy

During the fight, Wolfsbane gets Bloodbath’s scent and is able to track his trail back through the studio to where he came from. Multiple Man sends a duplicate with Wolfsbane to follow the trail and hopefully rescue young Terry. The boy was left alone in one of the studio buildings, and in his wandering around, he found a gun.

Fortunately, Wolfsbane and Madrox find Terry…with disastrous results!

Oh my god, you killed Madrox! You bastard!

HE KILLED MULTIPLE MAN!! WHAT THE HELL, KID?!?

Oh no, wait, that was just a duplicate.

Back at the fight with Bloodbath, the real Madrox feels a shudder come over him as the duplicate dies. He tries to shrug it off and show his teammates that he’s alright, but on the inside Madrox is afraid of death. He’s worried that, when we die, there’s nothing. No heaven. No afterlife. No reward. Just nothing.

And that it’s kind of sick that the only proof that there might be something are demons like Bloodbath.

The fight continues, until Bloodbath pulls out a coup de grace. He has some kind of lightshow attack, intent on draining the souls out of the members of X-Factor.

Poor indistinguishable blobs

But guess who doesn’t have a soul?

Strong Guy!

Long story. A few issues ago, Strong Guy was shot and was dying. But then, suddenly, he was alive and well in his hospital bed. We don’t necessarily know for sure what happened…but teammate Layla Miller has the super power to bring the dead back to life, but at the cost of their soul. Strong Guy has been acting pretty weird ever since, as if he didn’t have empathy or a conscience.

So if Strong Guy doesn’t have a soul, than Bloodbath’s attempts to suck out his soul don’t work. Guido just charges right through the lightshow and attacks! And does he ever!

Strong Guy Smash Face!

Strong Guy kicks Bloodbath’s ass. Wolfsbane returns with the young boy, Terry. And everything seems alright in the end.

But then, the inevitable happens. Just when they think everything is over…

Be still my breaking heart

Bloodbath takes control of the earlier duplicate that got shot. He then picks up the fallen sword and stabs Madrox through the torso. Fade to black. But that’s not the end.

Madrox immediately wakes up…just not in the same body and not in the same place.

What the what!?

What the hell is that? Madrox and Layla as husband and wife? On their honeymoon? What can it possibly mean?

Allow me to explain.

Way way back at the very beginning of the series, Wolfsbane, real name Rahne Sinclair, had a vision of the future in which she murdered Madrox and Layla on their wedding night. She was always afraid that it would come true, that she’d somehow lose control. Well with Madrox’s murder, it looks like PAD is finally going to address that vision! Madrox somehow wakes up in that vision, wearing a tux.

Is he dead?

Is this heaven?

What the hell is going on?

Guess we’ll find out in the next few issues.

This was a very good issue. The tense pacing was good, the action was top notch and there were a lot of really great little scenes. Peter David is stellar when it comes to dialogue and witty banter, and this team is very good at witty banter. Somehow PAD managed to give a lot of the characters a moment to shine, even if it was just a panel or two. Madrox definitely led the show, with his narration serving as both foreshadowing to his eventual death and just good narration. And as I said above, Bloodbath, so far, is a cool villain. Or at least an interesting one.

The art was a little disappointing this issue. While I’m beyond glad that artist extraordinaire Leonard Kirk is on X-Factor, this issue definitely seemed more rushed and sloppy than his previous issues of the title. Far from his best work. But important scenes definitely got a good touch from his pencil.

In the end, I’m definitely sad that Multiple Man was killed. He’s my favorite comic book character, and Peter David has done some amazing work with the character since his revival several years ago. I’m confident that he has more planned for Madrox than just being dead. That teaser/epilogue is proof enough that something rather special is going on.

I can’t wait to find out what.

——————————————

Acceptance is the final stage of grief. Here are the others:

Denial.

Anger.

Bargaining.

Depression.