X-Factor #6

X-Factor (2020) (Single Issues)

by Leah Williams, Ivan Shavrin (Cover Art), David Baldeón (Artist)

DEATH SCREAM! Siryn is dead. Again. And again. And again.

Genres: Comics, Marvel, X Men, Comic Book

25 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 6, 2021

About the author

Leah Williams is an American writer originally from Oxford, Mississippi. She has written comics for Marvel, BOOM! Studios, Vault Comics, and is working on more. Her debut novel was a YA Fantasy book titled The Alchemy of Being Fourteen and she is currently writing its sequel, The Divinity of Hitting Fifteen. Leah has nonfiction articles and essays published in The Atlantic, Oprah Magazine, and Salon.

Reviews

[Tiag⊗ the Mutant · Rating 2 out of 5]

X-Factor is basically the mutants CSI, and I can't stand procedurals, will probably drop out.

[Tanabrus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Syrin è morta di nuovo, e adesso X-Factor ha deciso di indagare a fondo per capire il perchè di queste morti continue e soprattutto il perché la ragazza stia mentendo.

Carina la prova che viene fornita delle capacità forensiche della squadra, dall'analisi della scena del crimine allo studio del cadavere, passando dall'enorme capacità del gruppo di individuare le bugie.
Però in questa situazione, non so, una rapida indagine telepatica non sarebbe stata più facile e rapida?

Hanno Rachel, e comunque hanno a disposizione infiniti telepati. Capisco il voler tenere un taglio "investigativo", ma far seguire Syrin da Daken quando potresti entrargli nella testa per l'indagine lo vedo abbastanza stupido.

[heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

X-Factor going strong. This issue delivers. I enjoyed all the interactions between the young mutants – it all seems natural and believable, and each member seems to have grown into their roles. Even JP is less of an asshole now. He seems to act more like a leader (and occasionally a dad, as Kyle has observed).

- Not sure if taking Amazing Baby to the human world is a good idea, though…

- And our investigate team definitely need to work on their fieldwork manners. I understand Polaris and Daken giving the mutantphobic police officer what he deserved… but the other two, the female detective and forensic specialist were just there doing their job. They weren't unfriendly or uncivil or anything.

- I wasn't entirely sold on this Aurora-Daken thing initially. But I guess you can call me a shipper now ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

- We really need to do something about Rachel's unsightly red costume.

[The Wintermute System · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn't like this issue as much as the last: there's something bigger going on, but Williams just doesn't make me care as much about that as the smaller stories Wells made me care about on Hellions.

Once again, it's a shame: her work on that Gwenpool mini-series was something I liked a lot more.

The art is still too goofy to make me take the serious parts of this story seriously, too.

[Scratch · Rating 3 out of 5]

This issue did a slightly better job of giving us insight into each character's personality, and definitely did a better job of showing how the team interacts with each other. I was particularly pleased with the brief scene where Lorna confesses to Rachel that she may have made an ill-advised drunk phone call to Havok. For those in the know, Lorna and Havok were together on-and-off (mostly on) for decades. Also, Havok is Rachel's uncle. While it might seem a little odd for a woman to confess to her ex-boyfriend's niece that she is thinking about getting back together with him, remember--

Rachel, Lorna, and Havok traveled together for months in outer space, a few years ago. In fact, when those three started their little interstellar mission, it was, in fact, Lorna criticizing Rachel for her poor dating decisions. Rachel kissed Korvus, a Shi'ar warrior, and Lorna chastised Rachel that she had only known him for two days.

So, having the two women reiterate for readers that they are, in fact, friends, is very welcome. (If Lorna and Alex ever actually get married, they'll even be family.)

But as far as the plot itself goes, this issue only teed up a mystery about why Siryn died repeatedly under suspicious circumstances. I was criticizing this issue's "police procedural"-esque tone with one of my Goodreads friends. Because for all that all those police procedural shows on TV might actually encourage some kids to do well in school so they can study forensics, what good does it do here? The mutants have telepathy, enhanced senses, extra eyeballs, etc. Those are their mutations. It's not like if comic book readers study hard in school, they too can learn to grow eyeballs over their bodies that can examine the microscopic.

[Shawn Ingle · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favorite X titles continues to deliver. Great balance of humor and drama. I also thought this issue did a good job of including meaningful moments with most members of the team.

[Ian Sharman · Rating 5 out of 5]

With every passing issue I just love this comic more.

This one would have been worth the price of admission just for that opening scene of the team having breakfast and outrageously flirting with each other, but there was so much more to enjoy...from the send up of police procedurals to the incredible deep-dive throwback to Siryn's deal with the Morrigan from Peter David's X-Factor run...and everything in between.

There's even some foreshadowing (hopefully) of the return of Tommy (aka Speed) to the pages of Marvel Comics, after far too long an absence (aka "Billy Kaplan has a brother, remember?"). Eventually the Krakoans are going to have to deal with all the implications of branding the Scarlet Witch as "The Great Pretender" and what that means in regards to her two mutants sons, one of whom is currently married to the Emperor of space. It's likely that'll play out in the pages of S.W.O.R.D. but it'd be interesting to see what effect it has on some of the mutants who are friends with the twins.

The writing is clever and witty, the art is gorgeous...if you like Baldeon's style, and I have since his work on Domino. All in all, this is one of my favourite X-titles right now, and given the quality of the line, that's really saying something!

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been pretty critical of this series to date after it nosedived following #1. I found a return to form here with some character development, an interesting plot and some moments of drama.

The Siryn thing is shaping up to be a fascinating storyline, I'm not sure if the last panel was supposed to be warning of something, perhaps to readers with more past knowledge of the X world, but it was a good panel and sets things up well

[RG · Rating 2 out of 5]

This has just lost me. Think I'll drop this one

[Roman Colombo · Rating 5 out of 5]

So....Leah Williams is doing a wonderful job on this book.

[jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

THEE MORRIGAN

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Suite #6-scio mc nihil scire second movement

[Anthony · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I’m over this book it has moments of being good but the whole issue them being silly then 2 pages of actual story. Why does everyone Snort all the time?

[luciddreamer99 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining. These characters are really starting to gel. More Krakoa era goodness. I enjoy the energetic art, too. Recommended for fans of Hickman's X-Men for sure.

[Jason · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

[Mana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok well this is definitely interesting. I love how it’s an actual case to solve and not just an adventure. Love the crew and how they work together. Also Prodigy is Amazing.

[Jesse · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the scene with the cops especially. I don't like what Siryn is up to. It's scary and weird. There's obviously references to the X-Factor Investigations days that I'm not fully aware of.