The Black Sheep of the X-Books you should be reading.
Since Peter David restarted X-Factor with Volume 3 this has consistently been one of Marvel's best books to come out month in and month out. I'll admit the Secret Invasion stuff was on the weak side but I blame that on editorial mandate, Peter David and his rag tag crew over at X-Factor Investigations are best when left to their own devices.
Really, reading Peter David's recap pages are worth the price of admission by themselves as he blends the actual elements of the story, his personal and usually humorous take on them, along with details of his own personal life make them an absolute must read. And now that he's added an ultra rare in this day and age letter page so he can answer you directly about his story and the elements that went into it give the front and back of the book a personal feel that you don't get in allot of books.
Onto the actual book...
As Peter rushes headlong towards X-Factor #50 we finally start to see the threads coming together in what has been one of the most complex stories to come out of Marvel ever.
We see the team in present day coming together as a whole for the first time in a looonnnggg time since they splintered up following the the events of the "Sean" arc, while the Layla and Madrox in the future begin to head towards a possible solution/return to their own time.
One of the things I've loved so much about the current arc is seeing the much mentioned Summers Rebellion, Bishop's future, actually taking place and what a bleak situation mutants in the future find themselves in, the post apocolypic environment shows the readers exactly what Maddrox and Layla are up against and why it's so important they find a way to prevent it from happening, plus you see why Bishop is acting the way he is over in Cable, kind of hard to blame the guy if he is right about Hope.
The guest stars "Old Man Doom" and "Old Man Summers" play out equally well, years haven't put a damper on either man's ego and as they confront each other you are met with one of the more entertaining sequences I've read in quite some time.
As usual Peter David does an outstanding job with the character work, he gets these characters, he gives them human reasons for doing what they do, none of their actions are contrived or feel forced, you might very well react the same way if you were put in such precarious predicaments and had the abilities of said character, although that will never happen, you are better able to relate to what the characters are going through than in just about any other book coming out.
After last issues reveal of Cortex's identity this issues reveal of who the big bad behind everything and just how far it reaches back in this series really shows just how long Peter David has had this in his head and going back and rereading this arc you see just how masterfully he's woven all of the numours plot elements from day one into this tale.
The art in this book is my only complaint, while it's good to great in most cases and really fits the feel of this book a few panels of De Landro's art feels rushed and you wind put with a character, namely Monet, looking completely differnet than she did a few panels before, same in the last issue, but for the most part he is able to display emotion, and there's allot of it in this book, incredibly well, from the shock to rage to amusement, even if all you can see is the eyes of a character.
And as per usual Peter David gives you an ending that makes you immediately want the next issue out just so you can see where he's taking this, although it's not as earth shattering as the last issue it' still a pretty damned good hook.
I took half a star off for the inconsitency in the art, some people might not even like De Landro's style and it's simplicity, but in my opinion he really captures 99% of the atmosphere that Peter David is trying to put together so I forgive the odd panel here and there.
If you like a plot that doesn't insult your intelligence, great character driven stories (there is action but this is about the characters and what they're going through) you absolutely should try this book if you aren't yet, it's one of the best kept secrets in the Marvel line up.
Now give me issue 49 Peter, I demand it now!!!