The From the Ashes era of X-Men has been exciting, to say the least, and it’s about to get more exciting with X-Factor #1 launching today. Throw in the potential for social commentary in an era of X-Men coming off Krakoa, and you have one of the most enticing series set to make a mark at Marvel Comics.
X-Factor #1 is highly entertaining as it takes stabs at American culture while also tugging at elements from both the new and old eras. Mark Russell’s brand of social commentary is on point, as the team is more about garnering social media approval than anything else. It’s a rebrand for mutants, and it’s being managed by a guy who could care less about saving lives.
That point of view is juxtaposed well with Angel, who is taking this team very seriously. At the start, he’s joined by Xyber, Feral, Firefist, and Cameo. They aren’t A-listers, but they’ll do. The team is whisked around red carpets and given a swanky home. The threat they face isn’t necessarily one enemy but the need to be liked.
We want Beast. We want Beast!
Credit: Marvel
There is action to be had, though, as Bob Quinn delivers big time on great fight scenes. Firefist trying to burn a robot, for instance, or Angel hilariously saving Xyber in a full-page splash are showstopper moments. The team is sent on a mission not necessarily to save anyone but for good ulterior motives. Jesus Aburtov brings a lot of pop to the colors, especially with flame effects and dimension.
Longtime fans of X-Men will also enjoy the nuance of what this series is doing and how it fits in with the larger X-Men picture. The Krakoa era has not been forgotten, nor have the other books and implications of what mutants mean to the world.
In some sense, X-Factor is like a hyper-managed boy band that is barely real at face value. Thrown into that mix is Havok, who is asked to join the team, but Polaris disagrees. A villainous group known as X-Term is also introduced, adding additional wrinkles for this series to shake out. All that being said, there’s a lot for this series to explore, making it one of the more robust first issues in the From the Ashes era.
My one gripe for characters is Angel, who comes off as a main character in an ensemble but never gets a lot of attention. Maybe this issue is doing too much, from setting up Havok to the team’s producer. By the end there doesn’t seem to be a central focus character.
Quinn continues to be a master at character acting, which is incredibly important in an action comedy like this. The red carpet scene is a scene stealer thanks to the character acting going on, from Feral not knowing how to react to an audience to Angel’s doubts. He also gets to design a new mutant, which is fun. The design has a nice blend of weirdness and comedy.
X-Factor #1 comes out of the gate swinging, not only setting up a complex approach to superheroes but also setting up bad guys and a robust cast. The concept is brilliant, the characters fun, and the snappy dialogue hums along with good action and art.
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