Category Archives: X-Men
Review: X-Factor #258
Now this is more like it! The last issue of X-Factor was a weird, context-less adventure in Marrakesh that didn’t seem to really have anything to do with X-Factor as a comic or as a superhero team. This issue, starring Wolfsbane, is a proper farewell. It tells a great Wolfsbane story, deals with her personal fallout in the wake of the Hell on Earth War, and sets her up with a new, post-series life. This is exactly what I want to see from the final issues of X-Factor.
X-Factor #258
Rahne gets the help of Father John Maddox to say goodbye, and once again, an appearance by Multiple Man’s religious dupe makes for a good issue.
Comic Rating: 4/5 – Good.
It’s sad to see X-Factor go, but it’s fun to watch writer Peter David say his goodbyes. I didn’t like the last issue whatsoever. It wasn’t a goodbye. It wasn’t a character story. It had nothing to do with anything. But this is very different. Father Maddox is one of the best creations to come out of X-Factor, and he’s a great narrator. Nothing has been as good as Maddox’s first ever appearance, but there’s nothing wrong with that. Maddox works well as a foil for Wolfsbane, given their religious connection, and he gives her a suitable outlet to wrap up her story. This issue definitely feels like a goodbye to Wolfsbane. I knew PAD could pull it off.
This issue also definitely feels like a farewell to X-Factor. As Rahne’s story wrapped up, as she shared a final scene with Guido, it really felt like an end of everything. Rahne and Guido used to be best friends, but in this issue I could really see how far they’ve come – and how far they are from friends anymore. Guido killed her son, after all. Rahne gets a very nice send-off. There’s a flash of Wolfsbane action, a heartfelt reunion with an old love, and some counseling with Father Maddox.
In the end, Rahne gets a chance to see the light. I hope we all get that chance when X-Factor comes to an end this fall.
Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 6/15/13
This is a big week for Superman. Not only did his super big, important movie come out, but it’s also the launch of the heavily hyped and potentially good Superman Unchained. As you may have seen already, I didn’t care for Man of Steel, but I’m a little warmer towards Superman Unchained, even though it didn’t contain any chains whatsoever. I also enjoyed the first issue of the new Batman: Zero Year storyline. If only DC had put out a new issue of Wonder Woman this week, they would have had strong comics for all three of their major characters.
Though when it comes down to brass tacks, only one of them can come away with the coveted Comic Book of the Week. And even though Superman Unchained had some pretty fancy art, only one comic book this week provided the origin story for Batman’s giant penny. Batman #21 wins!
I apologize for the low number of reviews this week. Between Man of Steel and just a hectic work week at my day job (a double homicide, a single homicide and a missing baby) I ran out of time. Still, all good comics all around.
Comic Reviews: Batman #21, Nightwing #21, Superman Unchained #1 and Wolverine and the X-Men #31.
Heartbreaking…
My favorite comic book series, which stars my favorite comic book superhero, is coming to an end in September. Well the September solicitations came out today, and it’s goodbye to X-Factor.
Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 6/8/13
It’s a week of fresh starts in comic book land, some good, and some bad. First up is a new #1 issue for Astro City, the brilliant and hugely creative superhero series from writer Kurt Busiek. If you’re not familiar with Astro City, I’ll explain more about it in the actual review, and I consider it one of the crowning achievements of superhero storytelling in the past decade. Astro City isn’t based on any of the well-known heroes like Superman or Spider-Man, instead creating a superhero world all its own, but then taking it to the next level. I’m very excited to see what Busiek does with this new volume, and I might just have to go back and reread the original series.
The other fresh start is the first issue of Green Lantern in the post-Geoff Johns world. The entire Green Lantern franchise has been given new creative teams, and I do not envy these guys. Geoff Johns’ run was legendary, and now they’ve got to somehow keep everyone’s interest in Green Lantern and come up with new and exciting stories. Unfortunately, they’re not off to a great start so far. Astro City easily beats Green Lantern for Comic Book of the Week.
And American Chibi might be the new character find of 2013!
Comic Reviews: Age of Ultron #9, All-New X-Men #12, Astro City #1, Detective Comics #21, Green Lantern #21, Superior Spider-Man #11.
Review: X-Factor #257
It’s times like these I wish I did better in literature class. Maybe then I could understand why Peter David wasted one of the last six issues of X-Factor on characters we’ve never met before and the elementary lesson of being careful what you wish for. Did I miss one of the themes or subplots of Hell on Earth War? Does this lesson have something to do with why Jamie Madrox is still stuck in demon form?
X-Factor #257
Why the heck is Madrox still a demon!? Spoilers, he’s still a demon by the end of the issue! PAD only has five issues left of the entire series and his main character is still a mindless, purposeless demon monster! Argh!
Comic Rating: 3/5 – Alright.
I can only hope that this issue is some kind of prologue to the entire End of X-Factor storyline, that maybe its themes will reverberate throughout the entire arc. Maybe it will make sense once the whole series is wrapped. Or maybe it won’t. I just don’t know. PAD has promised that each issue is going to focus on different characters to wrap up their stories. So is this Layla’s issue? Is this the wrap-up we get for Layla Miller? If it is, it’s a terrible wrap-up for her character. Seriously, I just don’t know the purpose of this issue. I’m hoping that it will all become clear in the end, otherwise this is a dud of a story that doesn’t really have anything to do with X-Factor at all.
I’m not dreading the end of the series. X-Factor has had a long, healthy run, and maybe it’s time to say goodbye. The rest of the Marvel Universe has passed it by, and I’m glad that PAD has the opportunity to wrap up the series on his terms. So I guess I was just expecting something more…meaningful? More important? More in line with saying goodbye? I kept waiting for something to happen that would change Madrox back to his normal self, but it never came. All of a sudden the issue was over and nothing had changed. I’m just at a loss as to the purpose of the issue. I really hope it becomes clear soon enough.
Also, not to be too rude, but the art is clearly in “comic soon to be cancelled” mode.
Henchman-4-Hire 