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X-Factor (1986-1998) #51-59, Annual #4-5
Essential X-Factor, Vol. 4
The members of X-Factor - - Cyclops, Jean Grey, Iceman, Beast, and Archangel -- are professionals through and through. But when the likes of Sabretooth, a cadre of vampires, and a threat from an alternate dystopian future wage war against our heroes, it's no big surprise that things tend to get a little out of control even for them!
COLLECTING: X-FACTOR (1986) 51-59, ANNUAL 4-5; X-FACTOR: PRISONER OF LOVE; MARVEL FANFARE (1982) 50; MATERIAL FROM FANTASTIC FOUR ANNUAL 23, NEW MUTANTS ANNUAL 6, X-MEN ANNU&AL (1970) 14
COLLECTING: X-FACTOR (1986) 51-59, ANNUAL 4-5; X-FACTOR: PRISONER OF LOVE; MARVEL FANFARE (1982) 50; MATERIAL FROM FANTASTIC FOUR ANNUAL 23, NEW MUTANTS ANNUAL 6, X-MEN ANNU&AL (1970) 14
520 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 1990
1 person is currently reading
62 people want to read
About the author
Louise Simonson
964 books101 followersLouise Simonson (born Mary Louise Alexander and formerly credited as Louise Jones, when married to artist Jeff Jones) is an American comic book writer and editor. She is best known for her work on comic book titles such as Power Pack, X-Factor, New Mutants, Superman, and Steel. She is sometimes referred to by the nickname "Weezie".
Since 1980 she is married to comic book writer and artist Walter Simonson
Since 1980 she is married to comic book writer and artist Walter Simonson
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 17, 2024
Tenemos delante un tomo de Factor-X que, pera ser sinceros y escuetos, es completamente de relleno. Prácticamente después de Inferno, Factor-X se había ido al espacio en la Saga de los Celestiales que ya habíamos comentado, y a su vuelta, quedaban unos pocos números para un nuevo crossover que se acercaba a toda velocidad por el horizonte, Proyecto Exterminio. Así que para rellenar estos números, vamos a tener una historia bastante descafeinada en la que tras un enfrentamiento con Dientes de Sable (supongo que antes de encontrarse con Cable y Calibán en las páginas de Nuevos Mutantes), Arcángel se va a ver envenenado y va a escapar del equipo, sembrando el terror en Nueva York mientras sus compañeros tratan de encontrarlo, para lo que van a terminar contando con la ayuda de Forja y Banshee, procedentes de las páginas de La Patrulla-X, donde se habían encontrado con Jean Grey.
Pero Factor-X no van a ser los únicos interesados en Arcángel, ya que va a despertar la curiosidad de una especie de cábala de ... ¿vampiros? llamada Los Cuervos, que van a querer convertir a Arcángel en uno de ellos. Quizá en otras circunstancias y mejor desarrollados, no hubiera sido una mala trama, pero así encajonada entre dos sagas, y además, con un dibujo... vamos a dejarlo en discutible (no creo que ni Andy Kubert, ni Jon Bogdanove ni el propio Terry Shoemaker consideren estas páginas como sus mejores trabajos...), la verdad es que es de las historias más ignorables de toda esta etapa.
Pero Factor-X no van a ser los únicos interesados en Arcángel, ya que va a despertar la curiosidad de una especie de cábala de ... ¿vampiros? llamada Los Cuervos, que van a querer convertir a Arcángel en uno de ellos. Quizá en otras circunstancias y mejor desarrollados, no hubiera sido una mala trama, pero así encajonada entre dos sagas, y además, con un dibujo... vamos a dejarlo en discutible (no creo que ni Andy Kubert, ni Jon Bogdanove ni el propio Terry Shoemaker consideren estas páginas como sus mejores trabajos...), la verdad es que es de las historias más ignorables de toda esta etapa.
July 12, 2024
***I read these in issue form, rather than the black and white trade paperback***
I hope they release an epic collection version of this run soon. It is a warm breath of fresh air after the stale and unfortunately paced magic and space saga in X-Factor Epic Collection: Judgement War. The literal grounding of the story back in Manhattan, the addition of new human characters: Charlotte Jones and Opal, and more of a focus on the team's internal relationships are a vast improvement. That I don't really care about the villains in this volume isn't necessarily a drawback. The antagonists Simonson has chosen for this book seem to specifically compliment X-Factor's backstories.
While not an all-time classic, this is right up there with some of the more underrated versions of Chris Claremont's early 80s run on X-Men. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys the more Downtime issues of the X-books where we get to explore their relationships and character growth.
I hope they release an epic collection version of this run soon. It is a warm breath of fresh air after the stale and unfortunately paced magic and space saga in X-Factor Epic Collection: Judgement War. The literal grounding of the story back in Manhattan, the addition of new human characters: Charlotte Jones and Opal, and more of a focus on the team's internal relationships are a vast improvement. That I don't really care about the villains in this volume isn't necessarily a drawback. The antagonists Simonson has chosen for this book seem to specifically compliment X-Factor's backstories.
While not an all-time classic, this is right up there with some of the more underrated versions of Chris Claremont's early 80s run on X-Men. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys the more Downtime issues of the X-books where we get to explore their relationships and character growth.
September 5, 2020
Peter David’s backup story from annual #5 is great, Prisoner of Love is interesting and the stuff with Opal and Mole has its moments. But most of this is pretty dire and dull stuff.
June 12, 2015
I wrote a review for "Essential X-Factor Vol. 3", also written primarily by Louise Simonson. The review was largely positive because of the emotional bond between the audience and these tortured, love lorn mutant people. But it really got too deep into technical, describing concepts and aliens and things and filling action with dialogue bubbles.
Vol. 4 is much better in this regard. I think it's because they really focused on the originality in the action, a sense of fun that doesn't need several issues to build. And the story writing is much clever.
Even though it's sort of long, I really liked a futuristic story involving the Fantastic Four baby, Franklin Richards, achieving god like powers and changing timelines and perhaps dooming the human race.
It works because of the specific use of the medium as a visual story. Heroes get their bodies transformed, there are large special effects, and the action moves quickly.
But the book still balances the failings of Vol. 3, with the bulky dialogue, but in a way that manages to at least be interesting.
For example:
The book starts with "X-Factor #51", which I think spends too much time setting up later issues. Those later issues are great, as the sort of accidental meeting and battle between Archangel and Sabretooth, but in that issue we have to watch the stalking of prey and stuff. It's a good thing with a bad setup.
And most of the issue is a philosophical conversation between Apocalypse and Caliban, his lackey. For a guy that powerful, Apocalypse is really boring with the talking.
And then there's the graphic novel type issue, called "X-Factor: Prisoner of Love", it's kind of terrible. It's sort of interesting, like "what is going to happen to Beast?", but it's a lot of slow moving glamor shots of Beast making out with a mysterious woman. The plot flow is minimal, little drive to pay attention to the plot (there's almost none). It was weird that Jim Starlin wrote it, because I like him, it would've been a lot better if he drew it instead of a muddled Jackson Guice.
The final issue of the book is "Marvel Fanfare #50", which publishes a sort of flashback filler story about an old girlfriend of Archangel, plus Beast and Iceman running into Arcade, who builds murderous mazes on commission as a sort of creepy hitman.
The build up to action and the murder maze is pretty cool, it's a decent story. But again, once they start talking, it stinks! There's this elaborate thing where Archangel's ex-girlfriend is batshit crazy, she's deluded, her life stinks. It's classic twist-based flawed writing, taking up so much time to build up these false fronts.
And it reads as kind of vaguely sexist (she can't keep her head straight...ugh).
I really like the exploration in the art work and crossovers with New Mutants and Fantastic Four, certain dialogue patterns stink. But it's solid.
Vol. 4 is much better in this regard. I think it's because they really focused on the originality in the action, a sense of fun that doesn't need several issues to build. And the story writing is much clever.
Even though it's sort of long, I really liked a futuristic story involving the Fantastic Four baby, Franklin Richards, achieving god like powers and changing timelines and perhaps dooming the human race.
It works because of the specific use of the medium as a visual story. Heroes get their bodies transformed, there are large special effects, and the action moves quickly.
But the book still balances the failings of Vol. 3, with the bulky dialogue, but in a way that manages to at least be interesting.
For example:
The book starts with "X-Factor #51", which I think spends too much time setting up later issues. Those later issues are great, as the sort of accidental meeting and battle between Archangel and Sabretooth, but in that issue we have to watch the stalking of prey and stuff. It's a good thing with a bad setup.
And most of the issue is a philosophical conversation between Apocalypse and Caliban, his lackey. For a guy that powerful, Apocalypse is really boring with the talking.
And then there's the graphic novel type issue, called "X-Factor: Prisoner of Love", it's kind of terrible. It's sort of interesting, like "what is going to happen to Beast?", but it's a lot of slow moving glamor shots of Beast making out with a mysterious woman. The plot flow is minimal, little drive to pay attention to the plot (there's almost none). It was weird that Jim Starlin wrote it, because I like him, it would've been a lot better if he drew it instead of a muddled Jackson Guice.
The final issue of the book is "Marvel Fanfare #50", which publishes a sort of flashback filler story about an old girlfriend of Archangel, plus Beast and Iceman running into Arcade, who builds murderous mazes on commission as a sort of creepy hitman.
The build up to action and the murder maze is pretty cool, it's a decent story. But again, once they start talking, it stinks! There's this elaborate thing where Archangel's ex-girlfriend is batshit crazy, she's deluded, her life stinks. It's classic twist-based flawed writing, taking up so much time to build up these false fronts.
And it reads as kind of vaguely sexist (she can't keep her head straight...ugh).
I really like the exploration in the art work and crossovers with New Mutants and Fantastic Four, certain dialogue patterns stink. But it's solid.
March 9, 2016
This is the first volume that's totally teenager-free, and the dynamic of the book feels a lot like a street-level Fantastic 4 (Scott and Jean are lugging a kid around, two guys who can't pass as human and Bobby being the sorta immature one. Actually now that I've mentioned it it's kind of hard to believe Simonson never wrote a F4 run. It seems like exactly the kind of thing she would excel at)
The stories are a mixed bag: the stuff at the beginning with Iceman and Opal and the Moleguy being hunted by Sabretooth was good. Simonson's depressing mutant characters that can't function at all in normal society are always personal faves. I wasn't into the later plot with Angel and the Psychic Vampires so much. This volume also includes the Days of Future Present which isn't great, Marvel Fanfare 50 which was boring, and the X-Factor Prisoner of Love special that was actually really good and felt a lot like a Sandman comic, so mixed results but overall definitely worth reading.
The stories are a mixed bag: the stuff at the beginning with Iceman and Opal and the Moleguy being hunted by Sabretooth was good. Simonson's depressing mutant characters that can't function at all in normal society are always personal faves. I wasn't into the later plot with Angel and the Psychic Vampires so much. This volume also includes the Days of Future Present which isn't great, Marvel Fanfare 50 which was boring, and the X-Factor Prisoner of Love special that was actually really good and felt a lot like a Sandman comic, so mixed results but overall definitely worth reading.
July 21, 2017
Highlighted by a bloody battle between Sabretooth and Archangel
Merged review:
Angels robbed a bank.X-factors been ambushed by deadly terrorists.Psychic vampires are on the loose.......and The Beast isnt happy about any of it!
Merged review:
Introducing the mysterious menace known as Crimson.
Merged review:
In this issue Cyclops pops the question to Jean Grey.
Merged review:
From deep of the night come the Ravens and Angel will fly no more!
Merged review:
The Return of Mesmero
Merged review:
X-factor returns to Earth to face the savagery of Sabretooth.
Merged review:
NEVERMORE!
Merged review:
Four lives come together and one begins to crumble.
Merged review:
Angels robbed a bank.X-factors been ambushed by deadly terrorists.Psychic vampires are on the loose.......and The Beast isnt happy about any of it!
Merged review:
Introducing the mysterious menace known as Crimson.
Merged review:
In this issue Cyclops pops the question to Jean Grey.
Merged review:
From deep of the night come the Ravens and Angel will fly no more!
Merged review:
The Return of Mesmero
Merged review:
X-factor returns to Earth to face the savagery of Sabretooth.
Merged review:
NEVERMORE!
Merged review:
Four lives come together and one begins to crumble.
August 27, 2016
Great collection. X-Factor is shaping up to be one of my favorite X-Men series. Though, the several part "Judgement War" contained within was not to my taste.
January 3, 2018
This is not written by Louise Simonson, it's by Peter David, and it shows.
August 10, 2019
Read this one when I was a lot younger, but the panel where Jean smashes a vampire's head with a giant ankh stuck with me all these years.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews