X-Manhunt rages on in X-Factor #8, out this week, and the team is up against the X-Men. Since X-Factor is government-operated, it’s up to them to get Xavier back into the prison he escaped, but can this motley crew really stack up against the X-Men? Given how loser-ish they’ve been so far, it’s more likely there will be comedic elements here. That said, Havok must come face to face with his brother, who has been coming for a long time.
This is part five of the seven-part X-Manhunt crossover, so be sure to read X-Men #13 first, as that’s part four. This issue opens the day before the clash between the teams, with Havok in a very sorry state. He’s been kicked off the team, lives in a nearly empty apartment, and has no one. He even lost his girlfriend, Polaris. Thankfully, Frenzy shows up to give him a reason to continue living.
The story cuts to X-Factor facing off against the X-Men on a beach in San Francisco Bay. The page is nearly identical to where X-Men #13 left off, and both teams are ready for a fight. Per usual for writer Mark Russell and artist Bob Quinn, there are at least two times you will laugh out loud at this issue. One involves a joke involving Beast calling out the lack of threatening powers from the team. I’ll let you discover the others, but it’s a reminder that a bit of levity in big superhero action comics is a good thing.
Jerk move, Scott.
Credit: Marvel
This issue also doesn’t skimp on the Cyclops vs. Havok clash. Havok is in a dark place, and a lot of what he’s fighting for is his self-respect. Meanwhile, Cyclops was out of the fight in the last chapter and is pretty ticked off. I can’t say the two brothers worked much out here, but it’s a fun fight regardless.
If you’re looking for other developments, a major turn in the X-Manhunt story takes place later in this issue. It’s an enticing reveal which, hopefully, will resolve itself by the end of the event. Outside of that, Angel gets a major “upgrade,” which will turn some heads. Longtime X-Men fans will likely have complicated feelings around it, but it looks good, anyway.
With humor, action, and a solid emotional core, X-Factor #8 is an engaging chapter in the “X-Manhunt” event, though it leans more on setup than payoff. The sibling rivalry and key plot twists make it worthwhile, even if some elements leave lingering questions.
You must be logged in to post a comment.