What do you think?
Rate this book
X-Factor (2005) (Collected Editions)
Madrox: El Hombre Múltiple
Prepare to take a chance on Jamie Madrox, the Multiple Man. An irreverent, integral member of the government-run X-Factor team and head of X-Factor Investigations, the Multiple Man is one of a kind.
Acclaimed writer Peter David reinvents Jamie Madrox in 'Multiple Choices', the cult classic miniseries that kick-started a new age of X-Factor comics. Setting up a private investigation service in the heart of Mutant Town, it's not long before the hero is confronted with a grisly murder... his own!
Madrox will have to use his unlikely skill-set to get to the bottom of exactly who - or what - killed his duplicate, in one of Marvel's very best mutant stories. Collects Giant-Size Fantastic Four #4 and Madrox #1-5.
Acclaimed writer Peter David reinvents Jamie Madrox in 'Multiple Choices', the cult classic miniseries that kick-started a new age of X-Factor comics. Setting up a private investigation service in the heart of Mutant Town, it's not long before the hero is confronted with a grisly murder... his own!
Madrox will have to use his unlikely skill-set to get to the bottom of exactly who - or what - killed his duplicate, in one of Marvel's very best mutant stories. Collects Giant-Size Fantastic Four #4 and Madrox #1-5.
140 pages, Hardcover
First published April 13, 2005
4 people are currently reading
939 people want to read
About the author
Peter David
3,568 books1,363 followersaka David Peters
Peter Allen David, often abbreviated PAD, was an American writer of comic books, novels, television, films, and video games. His notable comic book work includes an award-winning 12-year run on The Incredible Hulk, as well as runs on Aquaman, Young Justice, SpyBoy, Supergirl, Fallen Angel, Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2099, Captain Marvel, and X-Factor.
His Star Trek work included comic books and novels such as the New Frontier book series. His other novels included film adaptations, media tie-ins, and original works, such as the Apropos of Nothing and Knight Life series. His television work includes series such as Babylon 5, Young Justice, Ben 10: Alien Force and Nickelodeon's Space Cases, which he co-created with Bill Mumy.
David often jokingly described his occupation as "Writer of Stuff", and he was noted for his prolific writing, characterized by its mingling of real-world issues with humor and references to popular culture, as well as elements of metafiction and self-reference.
David earned multiple awards for his work, including a 1992 Eisner Award, a 1993 Wizard Fan Award, a 1996 Haxtur Award, a 2007 Julie Award and a 2011 GLAAD Media Award.
Peter Allen David, often abbreviated PAD, was an American writer of comic books, novels, television, films, and video games. His notable comic book work includes an award-winning 12-year run on The Incredible Hulk, as well as runs on Aquaman, Young Justice, SpyBoy, Supergirl, Fallen Angel, Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2099, Captain Marvel, and X-Factor.
His Star Trek work included comic books and novels such as the New Frontier book series. His other novels included film adaptations, media tie-ins, and original works, such as the Apropos of Nothing and Knight Life series. His television work includes series such as Babylon 5, Young Justice, Ben 10: Alien Force and Nickelodeon's Space Cases, which he co-created with Bill Mumy.
David often jokingly described his occupation as "Writer of Stuff", and he was noted for his prolific writing, characterized by its mingling of real-world issues with humor and references to popular culture, as well as elements of metafiction and self-reference.
David earned multiple awards for his work, including a 1992 Eisner Award, a 1993 Wizard Fan Award, a 1996 Haxtur Award, a 2007 Julie Award and a 2011 GLAAD Media Award.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
July 15, 2016
Jamie Madrox, the Multiple Man, has set up a detective agency. When one of his duplicates comes home dying, Madrox has the most important case of his life to solve...
Madrox is one of those secondary characters I've always found interesting. For years, people told me I'd dig this detective take on the man who could make duplicates of himself. They were right.
Multiple Choices is a noir tale of one man investigating his own murder. Sort of, anyway. Jamie, Strong Guy, and Wolfsbane, formerly of X-Factor, set up a detective agency and soon they have to find out who killed one of the Multiple Man's multiples.
This book is a murder mystery complicated by the fact that Madrox's duplicates all have different personalities. Couple that with Madrox sending his duplicates out for years at a time to learn new skills and suddenly the Multiple Man has leading man potential. The tale has enough twists and turns to keep it going. Madrox arguing with himself has a lot of psychological implications.
Peter David, unlike a lot of comic book writers who got their start in the 1980s, is still damn good today, the reason being that he has been able to change with the times. The old dog still has a lot of tricks left in him. 4 out of 5 stars. I guess I'll be reading his X-Factor run next.
Madrox is one of those secondary characters I've always found interesting. For years, people told me I'd dig this detective take on the man who could make duplicates of himself. They were right.
Multiple Choices is a noir tale of one man investigating his own murder. Sort of, anyway. Jamie, Strong Guy, and Wolfsbane, formerly of X-Factor, set up a detective agency and soon they have to find out who killed one of the Multiple Man's multiples.
This book is a murder mystery complicated by the fact that Madrox's duplicates all have different personalities. Couple that with Madrox sending his duplicates out for years at a time to learn new skills and suddenly the Multiple Man has leading man potential. The tale has enough twists and turns to keep it going. Madrox arguing with himself has a lot of psychological implications.
Peter David, unlike a lot of comic book writers who got their start in the 1980s, is still damn good today, the reason being that he has been able to change with the times. The old dog still has a lot of tricks left in him. 4 out of 5 stars. I guess I'll be reading his X-Factor run next.
June 27, 2017
This is a great pastiche (and send-up) of the detective noir genre (sub-genre?) written with all Peter David's usual wit. It also sets the ball rolling for PAD's re-launch of X-Factor, which I'll be re-reading next!
September 5, 2018
This is technically billed as X-Factor vol. 0 but it actually collects Madrox #1-5, a mini-series that preceded Peter David's proper X-Factor run. Did I love Madrox as much as the main series? Nah. It was alright, but while reading it I've come to realise that Jamie Madrox is not that interesting as a sole focus of the story. This book is a film noir spoof about Jamie trying to uncover who is killing his duplicates, and the story is just not that engaging and at 5 issues feels a tad too long. Peter David is also very inconsistent with how Madrox's powers work — at one moment he feels his dupes' pain only when he's trying to reabsorb them, other times he feels their pain whenever it's inflicted, no matter how far away they are. Sometimes when he reabsorbs the dupes, he gets their entire knowledge base, but when it's convenient to the plot he only knows and feels some things but not others. It's wonky like that. The artwork also looks pretty dull and unimpressive compared to the luscious look of the main series. The bottom line is that Madrox is fine as a supporting character in the X-Factor, but when he's flying solo it seems like he can't sustain even his own mini-series.
November 14, 2021
This was a pretty fun volume!
Madrox is investigating who killed his dupe and that leads him to go against a man named Clay and how this woman named Sheila could be involved meanwhile Rahne and Guido are investigating a client who thinks her husband maybe having a psychic affair and where it will take them is weird and something.
The first story was alright and is a film noir kinda story and has predictable twists and the way it ends is something and I like how it handles Jamie's powers but its inconsistent and all but that was still better than the psychic affair story which was plain weird but focuses on Rahne and leads to X-Factor establishment so thats a must for reading it but besides that it doesn't have much going for it. The story is not something spectacular but does well to establish a few characters and team.
Madrox is investigating who killed his dupe and that leads him to go against a man named Clay and how this woman named Sheila could be involved meanwhile Rahne and Guido are investigating a client who thinks her husband maybe having a psychic affair and where it will take them is weird and something.
The first story was alright and is a film noir kinda story and has predictable twists and the way it ends is something and I like how it handles Jamie's powers but its inconsistent and all but that was still better than the psychic affair story which was plain weird but focuses on Rahne and leads to X-Factor establishment so thats a must for reading it but besides that it doesn't have much going for it. The story is not something spectacular but does well to establish a few characters and team.
August 22, 2017
This probably around a 3.5 but I'll throw it to a 4 simply because this was really FUN reading it. I'm not a HUGE X-Men fan but for years my buddy was like "Try X-Factor" It's nothing like the regular X-men. I said sure, sure, sure. One day. Well today is the motherfucking day! I flipped this open (or swiped since read it on my phone from Marvel Unlimited) and what a surprise.
Jamie is that dude who can make copies of himself. Heard about him right? No? That's okay, me either. However, this series focuses on him and his troubles with his powers and how each clone or copy he makes of himself is a little bit of him and something else. Including able to absorb back the hurt ones of himself and experience all that pain and memories. This leads on to a investigation after one of his clones was stabbed! Hey, I'm all for a mystery!
What I liked: The art was very early 2000's but that's some of my favorite art. Also I really enjoyed the humor in here. Not trying to hard, just simple, but effective. The motivation behind the character felt right and he wasn't trying to be a hero but more of a detective of sorts. Also the supporting cast was great.
What I didn't like: The overall twist was easy to see coming because we've seen it before. Also the middle dragged just a tad bit. It might be confusing too at first cause none of these characters are even C-List heroes.
Once you get into the flow of things Madrox is a very very fun and unique book. It truly is NOTHING Like a x-men title but you get the mutant parts of it. Which is cool. I'm looking forward to reading the next volume very soon!
Jamie is that dude who can make copies of himself. Heard about him right? No? That's okay, me either. However, this series focuses on him and his troubles with his powers and how each clone or copy he makes of himself is a little bit of him and something else. Including able to absorb back the hurt ones of himself and experience all that pain and memories. This leads on to a investigation after one of his clones was stabbed! Hey, I'm all for a mystery!
What I liked: The art was very early 2000's but that's some of my favorite art. Also I really enjoyed the humor in here. Not trying to hard, just simple, but effective. The motivation behind the character felt right and he wasn't trying to be a hero but more of a detective of sorts. Also the supporting cast was great.
What I didn't like: The overall twist was easy to see coming because we've seen it before. Also the middle dragged just a tad bit. It might be confusing too at first cause none of these characters are even C-List heroes.
Once you get into the flow of things Madrox is a very very fun and unique book. It truly is NOTHING Like a x-men title but you get the mutant parts of it. Which is cool. I'm looking forward to reading the next volume very soon!
May 5, 2021
A clever, twisting, intricate, fun, and wonderfully unusual story that serves as the pre-cursor to the ongoing X-Factor series. Only points deducted are for an overuse of the word 'noir' in its attempt to be meta--the story succeeds where it embraces the trappings of noir rather than trying to pass comment on them from within.
Overall, an excellent story - can't wait to get on board the X-Factor series.
Second reading update: Yep, still great.
Overall, an excellent story - can't wait to get on board the X-Factor series.
Second reading update: Yep, still great.
June 28, 2025
Peter David has a gift for making you care about 2nd- and 3rd-tier characters. He does this by exploring their inter-personal relationships, by using their powers imaginatively (*), and by throwing in some humor in there as well. Madrox, Strong Guy, and Wolfsbane are the central characters of this story. And while none of them could very likely be able to carry a book on their own, together - and with Peter David's abilities - they can stand up to the traditional big name titles, like "Avengers", "Iron Man", and so forth... This book did so well, in fact, that it led to a re-launch of the "X-Factor" series (which has, at the time of writing this review, run for more than 100 issues).
(*) For instance: Jamie Madrox has the ability to duplicate himself. The twist that Peter David uses here, and in the subsequent "X-Factor" books, is that every duplicate has his own distinct personality. The results are usually genuinely funny, if not downright hilarious (depending on your own sense of humor).
What to say about Pablo Raimondi's pencils and the inks by Drew Hennessy? I definitely could get used to that combination. They do collaborate with Peter David on subsequent storylines, but intermittently.
Note: This book was re-issued a few years later as X-Factor volume 0.
(*) For instance: Jamie Madrox has the ability to duplicate himself. The twist that Peter David uses here, and in the subsequent "X-Factor" books, is that every duplicate has his own distinct personality. The results are usually genuinely funny, if not downright hilarious (depending on your own sense of humor).
What to say about Pablo Raimondi's pencils and the inks by Drew Hennessy? I definitely could get used to that combination. They do collaborate with Peter David on subsequent storylines, but intermittently.
Note: This book was re-issued a few years later as X-Factor volume 0.
February 5, 2024
У 1993 році Пітер Девід покинув серію "X-factor" через конфлікти з редактором, у 2004 Девід написав лімітку "Madrox" в рамках імпринту "Marvel Knights" в якій повернувся до роботи з деякими персонажами з свого першого рану.
Наш герой Джеймі Медрокс відкриває своє детективне агентство у місті мутантів, однак коли в барі навпроти офісу Медрокса помирає один з його дублікатів наш герой вирушає в Чикаґо щоб розслідувати це вбивство.
Сама лімітка вийшла нуарною історією з усіма притаманними їй елементами, що не є погано, Девід як ніяк вміє писати та працювати з динамікою між персонажами, плюс за подіями було цікаво спостерігати нехай вони й були досить передбачуваними. З цікавого тут також є те, що деякі дублікати Множника мають свою власну свідомість через, що їх погляди не завжди збігаються з тим, що коїть Медрокс, що додає нашому герою головного болю в деяких моментах.
З суперечливих моментів виділю підсюжет з дублікатом Джеймі, Вульфсбейн та Силачем в якому вони проводять своє розслідування в якому намагаються дізнатися чи зраджує телепатично чоловік своїй дружині, який відчувається аж занадто другорядним та потрібним щоб Ґвідо та Реін було чим зайнятися у цій лімітці. Ну і малюнок Пабло Раймонді сподобається не кожному.
Загалом мені лімітка сподобалася, нехай вона й не є чимось оригінальним, але читалося все досить цікаво, так що загалом можу порадити.
Наш герой Джеймі Медрокс відкриває своє детективне агентство у місті мутантів, однак коли в барі навпроти офісу Медрокса помирає один з його дублікатів наш герой вирушає в Чикаґо щоб розслідувати це вбивство.
Сама лімітка вийшла нуарною історією з усіма притаманними їй елементами, що не є погано, Девід як ніяк вміє писати та працювати з динамікою між персонажами, плюс за подіями було цікаво спостерігати нехай вони й були досить передбачуваними. З цікавого тут також є те, що деякі дублікати Множника мають свою власну свідомість через, що їх погляди не завжди збігаються з тим, що коїть Медрокс, що додає нашому герою головного болю в деяких моментах.
З суперечливих моментів виділю підсюжет з дублікатом Джеймі, Вульфсбейн та Силачем в якому вони проводять своє розслідування в якому намагаються дізнатися чи зраджує телепатично чоловік своїй дружині, який відчувається аж занадто другорядним та потрібним щоб Ґвідо та Реін було чим зайнятися у цій лімітці. Ну і малюнок Пабло Раймонді сподобається не кожному.
Загалом мені лімітка сподобалася, нехай вона й не є чимось оригінальним, але читалося все досить цікаво, так що загалом можу порадити.
May 15, 2013
I originally read this incarnation of the series from the Marvel Civil War and it struck me as clever with a good premise then, so I picked it up again and here I am, surprised and pleased that it is Peter David. It's strange how serendipity works. Or maybe it's just the mark of a good writer.
August 10, 2020
I ADORED Peter David's 2007 X-Factor series (all 21 volumes of it!!), so this was a super fun read. It's kinda like the prequel to X-Factor, Vol. 1: The Longest Night & I loved this nostalgia read of Madrox starting up his detective agency in Mutant Town (Manhattan).
Peter David writes a fantastic Madrox; he's funny, self-deprecating (but not too depressing), quick, and flawed. He's a do-gooder, but not too good.
The plot here was simple, but well executed. The writing is perfect...I laughed out loud multiple times!
And the art is good and gritty (like the rest of the series).
4.5 & rounding up because it deserves more than a 4 star rating from me.
Peter David writes a fantastic Madrox; he's funny, self-deprecating (but not too depressing), quick, and flawed. He's a do-gooder, but not too good.
The plot here was simple, but well executed. The writing is perfect...I laughed out loud multiple times!
And the art is good and gritty (like the rest of the series).
4.5 & rounding up because it deserves more than a 4 star rating from me.
February 1, 2023
Hm, mi-a plăcut foarte mult cum începe povestea asta. Și arta, și story-ul centrat în jurul lui Madrox: omul multiplu care la fiecare lovitură primită se dedublează, trimițându-și dublurile în toate zările ptr a învăța sau spiona sau a trăi diverse vieți pe care le reabsoarbe la final. E un story construit ca un roman noir, cu crime, spionaj, cu câteva personaje simpatice, vezi Strong Guy și Wolfsbane și o agenție de detectivi particulari care nu își face chiar așa bine treaba.
Problema e că spre finalul poveștii cam toate personajele întâlnite par să fie supereroi, indiferent de situație și de poveste, principală sau secundară. E un soi de abundență care deranjează pentru că în momentele cheie, pac, apare puterea de supererou și se schimbă intriga. Altfel, cum am spus, arta e faină, povestea începe excelent și merită citită. Cu toate minusurile de rigoare, chit că poate doar pe mine mă deranjează „evoluția” unor personaje.
Problema e că spre finalul poveștii cam toate personajele întâlnite par să fie supereroi, indiferent de situație și de poveste, principală sau secundară. E un soi de abundență care deranjează pentru că în momentele cheie, pac, apare puterea de supererou și se schimbă intriga. Altfel, cum am spus, arta e faină, povestea începe excelent și merită citită. Cu toate minusurile de rigoare, chit că poate doar pe mine mă deranjează „evoluția” unor personaje.
December 22, 2020
This book rated highly as the start of a highly rated run on a year-end round up bf best comic book runs ever.
Huh.
I think Peter David writes fine characters and not boring stories, but I don’t get the hype around him. He’s...fine I guess. Didn’t jazz me. Definitely didn’t make me ravenous to read his X-Factor. Oh well, plenty of other Marvel to chew on.
Huh.
I think Peter David writes fine characters and not boring stories, but I don’t get the hype around him. He’s...fine I guess. Didn’t jazz me. Definitely didn’t make me ravenous to read his X-Factor. Oh well, plenty of other Marvel to chew on.
October 7, 2014
I really enjoyed this collection, told from the perspective of multiple-man Jamie Madrox. Chronologically, this comes after Civil War, House of M and X-Force. Tone-wise, while still dealing with inner conflict, this series is not as dark as X-Force in regards to content, colouring and use of humour.
Jamie's power allows him to duplicate himself when he impacts something with force (i.e., being punched in the face), in what can be interpreted as a self-defense mechanism against threats. These duplicates of himself, or "dupes" as they are called, have personalities that are coloured by his thoughts and emotions at the time of impact/duplication. He creates and sends these duplicates of himself on fact-finding missions, with the directive to return to him to be reabsorbed so that he can gain their experiences and knowledge.
This collection finds Jamie as he is exploring and confronting some personal existential issues, namely how the option of experiencing limitless lives has made him feel like there is no urgency or value to any one particular path. This leads him to explore as many as his abilities allow, and as a direct result, he begins to lose focus on what truly matters to him. It is revealed that he feels that he has become an expert at how to hide his misery behind a joke and a smile.
This attitude sows a slew of related personal questions, but perhaps most interestingly, actually takes physical form through his dupes, as they gain more and more distinct individual personalities while at the same time Jamie loses sight of who he is.
One panel that stuck with me featured Jamie arguing with his most recent, and nihilistic, dupe who was questioning why anything mattered (which had been Jamie's prevailing sentiment at the moment of the dupe's creation, thus imbibing the dupe with this mindset). Jamie's revelation comes after he confronts his feelings of pointless despair vis a vis his dupe. He finds himself arguing for perspective and that they should consider mitigating factors when evaluating the point of life and his resulting hopelessness. Then when violence threatens his life, he acts to save himself. 'That,' referring to a man he had just killed in self defense, 'is when nothing matters. When you’re dead. And not a second before.' I found that this was a really cool way of having the character confront himself and some of his darkest feelings with the result of debating his own thoughts into a more balanced place.
The theme of people being stronger in numbers is also a constant thread throughout, which is then further expanded on in a following collection, 'Heart of Ice.'
The surrounding main story moves at a smart pace, and has a noir flavour to it. A supporting story featuring Rahne adds some content for Jamie's main arc while keeping us in touch with the happenings of Mutant Town while Jamie is away.
The art is solid, with a couple of really gorgeous panels and alternate covers. Figures are well-proportioned and there's a great use of colour.
If you enjoyed the characters from X-Force, I recommend picking up this collection to continue following them as their personalities evolve.
Jamie's power allows him to duplicate himself when he impacts something with force (i.e., being punched in the face), in what can be interpreted as a self-defense mechanism against threats. These duplicates of himself, or "dupes" as they are called, have personalities that are coloured by his thoughts and emotions at the time of impact/duplication. He creates and sends these duplicates of himself on fact-finding missions, with the directive to return to him to be reabsorbed so that he can gain their experiences and knowledge.
This collection finds Jamie as he is exploring and confronting some personal existential issues, namely how the option of experiencing limitless lives has made him feel like there is no urgency or value to any one particular path. This leads him to explore as many as his abilities allow, and as a direct result, he begins to lose focus on what truly matters to him. It is revealed that he feels that he has become an expert at how to hide his misery behind a joke and a smile.
This attitude sows a slew of related personal questions, but perhaps most interestingly, actually takes physical form through his dupes, as they gain more and more distinct individual personalities while at the same time Jamie loses sight of who he is.
One panel that stuck with me featured Jamie arguing with his most recent, and nihilistic, dupe who was questioning why anything mattered (which had been Jamie's prevailing sentiment at the moment of the dupe's creation, thus imbibing the dupe with this mindset). Jamie's revelation comes after he confronts his feelings of pointless despair vis a vis his dupe. He finds himself arguing for perspective and that they should consider mitigating factors when evaluating the point of life and his resulting hopelessness. Then when violence threatens his life, he acts to save himself. 'That,' referring to a man he had just killed in self defense, 'is when nothing matters. When you’re dead. And not a second before.' I found that this was a really cool way of having the character confront himself and some of his darkest feelings with the result of debating his own thoughts into a more balanced place.
The theme of people being stronger in numbers is also a constant thread throughout, which is then further expanded on in a following collection, 'Heart of Ice.'
The surrounding main story moves at a smart pace, and has a noir flavour to it. A supporting story featuring Rahne adds some content for Jamie's main arc while keeping us in touch with the happenings of Mutant Town while Jamie is away.
The art is solid, with a couple of really gorgeous panels and alternate covers. Figures are well-proportioned and there's a great use of colour.
If you enjoyed the characters from X-Force, I recommend picking up this collection to continue following them as their personalities evolve.
July 14, 2018
David comienza aquí una nueva etapa de factor x y especialmente de Jamie madrox, dándole un gran interés a un personaje que anteriormente se solía limitar al papel de alivio cómico. A partir de aquí madrox se convierte en un personaje más complicado debido al uso que hace de sus poderes, Jamie acostumbra a enviar a sus duplicados en misiones de aprendizaje para poder absorver nuevos conocimientos cuando los reasimila, del mismo modo se ve como le afectan los sentimientos y los daños físicos cuando reabsorve a duplicados que han tenido una vida complicada... Todo esto da mucho juego y Peter David sabe como exprimirlo al máximo. Un buen comienzo para este volumen de factor x y un agradable reencuentro con otros personajes de largo recorrido en la franquicia mutante como loba venenosa y fortachon
May 25, 2021
This book is wonderful!
While I was hesitant to read Madrox: Multiple Choice at first due to its writer being Peter David, I am happy to report this book is excellent. My trepidation was mainly due to having been burned by Peter before. Thankfully it is not the case here.
I'm of the opinion that if a book isn't going to have some emotional arc, it should have something else going for it. In my case, I favour humour as that element, which this book has plenty of! Lots of jokes and funny moments that kept me interested between the action scenes.
It's simply a fun, tightly written, adventure. All the storylines introduced here are wrapped up nicely, with plenty of twists, surprises and some hints at what will be coming in the future. Highly recommended!
While I was hesitant to read Madrox: Multiple Choice at first due to its writer being Peter David, I am happy to report this book is excellent. My trepidation was mainly due to having been burned by Peter before. Thankfully it is not the case here.
I'm of the opinion that if a book isn't going to have some emotional arc, it should have something else going for it. In my case, I favour humour as that element, which this book has plenty of! Lots of jokes and funny moments that kept me interested between the action scenes.
It's simply a fun, tightly written, adventure. All the storylines introduced here are wrapped up nicely, with plenty of twists, surprises and some hints at what will be coming in the future. Highly recommended!
June 25, 2017
3,75 Une petite série sympa, très noir en effet, l'intrigue est bien menée et le dessin plutôt bon, bref un agréable moment de lecture.
November 3, 2022
Jamie Madrox, aka Multiple Man, has opened a private investigation business, mostly because he really likes film noir. But when one of his duplicates shows up at his office dead, Jamie needs to figure out who killed him and why.
This was a lot of fun. It's very similar to District X but less serious. I'm looking forward to finally getting to Peter David's X-Factor run, which follows this. I suspect I'll like it a lot.
This was a lot of fun. It's very similar to District X but less serious. I'm looking forward to finally getting to Peter David's X-Factor run, which follows this. I suspect I'll like it a lot.
September 5, 2015
Ever since reading a few X-Factor tie-ins to Civil War, I've been intrigued by the character of Jamie Madrox. My first encounter with Multiple Man was through his less than stellar appearance in X-Men: The Last Stand, so you can imagine my surprise when I discovered there's actually a lot more to him than "he can create a bunch of duplicates for himself".
Madrox' actual power is fascinating in its possibilities, but what makes Jamie into such a relatable and human character are its limitations. On the one hand he can create dupes to send out into the world, learn things, and then reabsorb them to gain their knowledge. On the other his dupes don't always necessarily agree with his ideas, as they represent different aspects of his own persona. One endless source of humor in this mini-series is Jamie creating a dupe to help him out of a difficult spot, and the dupe plainly refusing because he's just not that kind of Madrox.
Another limitation is the reabsorbing of a wounded or dying dupe triggering a similar experience in the original Madrox that kicks this story off. The resulting tale is classic film noir: gangsters, femme fatales, and melancholy endings included. Despite the familiarity of the genre, the plot twists are unexpected, and the mystery keeps you on your toes until it's violent conclusion. Meanwhile in the background the larger world of X-Factor Investigations is set up, with strong introductions for Madrox partners-in-solving-crime.
At the time of writing the people at Fox are working on a new X-Men television series, and while I'm still unversed in much of the mutant world, I can't help but think X-Factor Investigations is the way to go. At least Jamie Madrox deserves a better on-screen incarnation than he got last time around. Let's just pretend that was a dupe whom Jamie sent to Los Angeles to become an actor, and then flunk his career. That works.
Madrox' actual power is fascinating in its possibilities, but what makes Jamie into such a relatable and human character are its limitations. On the one hand he can create dupes to send out into the world, learn things, and then reabsorb them to gain their knowledge. On the other his dupes don't always necessarily agree with his ideas, as they represent different aspects of his own persona. One endless source of humor in this mini-series is Jamie creating a dupe to help him out of a difficult spot, and the dupe plainly refusing because he's just not that kind of Madrox.
Another limitation is the reabsorbing of a wounded or dying dupe triggering a similar experience in the original Madrox that kicks this story off. The resulting tale is classic film noir: gangsters, femme fatales, and melancholy endings included. Despite the familiarity of the genre, the plot twists are unexpected, and the mystery keeps you on your toes until it's violent conclusion. Meanwhile in the background the larger world of X-Factor Investigations is set up, with strong introductions for Madrox partners-in-solving-crime.
At the time of writing the people at Fox are working on a new X-Men television series, and while I'm still unversed in much of the mutant world, I can't help but think X-Factor Investigations is the way to go. At least Jamie Madrox deserves a better on-screen incarnation than he got last time around. Let's just pretend that was a dupe whom Jamie sent to Los Angeles to become an actor, and then flunk his career. That works.
March 5, 2010
Esta miniserie es una excelente muestrario de las virtudes de Peter David como guionista de superhéroes, o más especificamente como "caracterizador de personajes de tercera fila a los cuales les busca la vuelta para que parezcan tan relevantes e interesantes -o incluso más- como los de primera". Así es como este tomo narra una historia detectivesca repleta de clichés, pero que resulta entretenidísima y afilada gracias a los diálogos entre personajes, o incluso entre el protagonista con él mismo. Y no se trata de soliloquios, sino del "Hombre Múltiple" charlando con sus dobles, que por esta etapa comienzan a desarrollar personalidades independientes. O mejor dicho, comienzan a encarnarse distintos aspectos de Madrox en los duplos que genera espontáneamente. No voy a mentir, cuando leí X-Factor por primera vez (los números que corresponden el tomo que le sigue a este)
me dio mucha rabia que David desarrollara una idea que yo había tenido un tiempo antes (¡y encima el descarado lo disimula haciendo el comic antes, si hasta guioniza desde que yo era bebé!), y sobre todo que lo haga mucho mejor de lo que podría llegar a hacerlo yo jamás.
En cuanto al aspecto visual, Pablo Raimondi me gusta bastante como dibujante y casi lo mismo como narrador. Lástima que a lápiz queda mucho mejor que con el entintado y coloreado finales. Pero tampoco es que le reste muchos enteros este apartado. En resumen, un muy buen prólogo para una excelente serie. Quizás después rerreseñe algún aspecto que me esté olvidando ahora y blablablá.
me dio mucha rabia que David desarrollara una idea que yo había tenido un tiempo antes (¡y encima el descarado lo disimula haciendo el comic antes, si hasta guioniza desde que yo era bebé!), y sobre todo que lo haga mucho mejor de lo que podría llegar a hacerlo yo jamás.
En cuanto al aspecto visual, Pablo Raimondi me gusta bastante como dibujante y casi lo mismo como narrador. Lástima que a lápiz queda mucho mejor que con el entintado y coloreado finales. Pero tampoco es que le reste muchos enteros este apartado. En resumen, un muy buen prólogo para una excelente serie. Quizás después rerreseñe algún aspecto que me esté olvidando ahora y blablablá.
December 13, 2012
I went into this comic knowing very little about what I was getting myself into. I knew it was the prequel of sorts to the X-Factor series and that the X-Factor series is one that has been talked about a lot on tumblr. So I gave it a chance.
The main thing that kept me reading this comic was all the fantastically amusing wit and banter. I enjoyed the little bits of humor and the sarcasm of the main character, Jamie Madrox. Especially when he was interacting with his dupes, I loved how they brought out his inter conflicts through the dupes created.
The plot itself isn't anything to be raving over, however. It's a simple detective type story filled with mob bosses and a good mystery to keep things rolling. I loved the over all pacing of the story, it revealed everything in good time and closed up rather nicely.
One of the biggest highlights for me was the art, which tends to either drag the book down or carry it to fantastic heights. The art in Madrox was never distracting to the story, but rather acted as a way to enhance it as good comic book art should do. On it's own I found the art to be beautifully done.
Madrox was definitely one of those types of stories you should pick up if you're looking for a quick contained read. It has enough adventure and mystery to hold you tight until the end, with a conclusion that wrapped up nicely while making you want to find out more about the characters involved. Needless to say, I will definitely be picking up the rest of the X-Factor series.
The main thing that kept me reading this comic was all the fantastically amusing wit and banter. I enjoyed the little bits of humor and the sarcasm of the main character, Jamie Madrox. Especially when he was interacting with his dupes, I loved how they brought out his inter conflicts through the dupes created.
The plot itself isn't anything to be raving over, however. It's a simple detective type story filled with mob bosses and a good mystery to keep things rolling. I loved the over all pacing of the story, it revealed everything in good time and closed up rather nicely.
One of the biggest highlights for me was the art, which tends to either drag the book down or carry it to fantastic heights. The art in Madrox was never distracting to the story, but rather acted as a way to enhance it as good comic book art should do. On it's own I found the art to be beautifully done.
Madrox was definitely one of those types of stories you should pick up if you're looking for a quick contained read. It has enough adventure and mystery to hold you tight until the end, with a conclusion that wrapped up nicely while making you want to find out more about the characters involved. Needless to say, I will definitely be picking up the rest of the X-Factor series.
August 16, 2015
Not a character I'm familiar with but certainly one I'd love to read more about.
As with the majority of these spotlight books the first story is the first appearance of the character and the main story is a more up to date offering. Given that I'm not a huge fan of the writing / art style of the time or The Fantastic 4 I was amazed how I didn't hate the opening. By today's standards it wasn't anything mind blowing but it told a decent enough tale and did a good job of introducing Madrox.
The main story was excellent. Seeing Madrox's power used in such a way that he could send a duplicate off to be a Tibetan Monk then obsorb his experiences later was well done and I particularly loved watching his powers grow as his duplicates actually develop a personality based on how he was feeling when they were created.
It wouldn't be much of a series without other characters (even if the main can create multiple more of himself) and the support in these five issues endeared themself to me a lot to point I wanted to know more about them as well as Madrox.
At the end of the book as always there is a brief history of the character. Reading that there is a good jumping on point and that the series gets an actual conclusion (not that common in comics) I'm actually planning on picking up the series.
As with the majority of these spotlight books the first story is the first appearance of the character and the main story is a more up to date offering. Given that I'm not a huge fan of the writing / art style of the time or The Fantastic 4 I was amazed how I didn't hate the opening. By today's standards it wasn't anything mind blowing but it told a decent enough tale and did a good job of introducing Madrox.
The main story was excellent. Seeing Madrox's power used in such a way that he could send a duplicate off to be a Tibetan Monk then obsorb his experiences later was well done and I particularly loved watching his powers grow as his duplicates actually develop a personality based on how he was feeling when they were created.
It wouldn't be much of a series without other characters (even if the main can create multiple more of himself) and the support in these five issues endeared themself to me a lot to point I wanted to know more about them as well as Madrox.
At the end of the book as always there is a brief history of the character. Reading that there is a good jumping on point and that the series gets an actual conclusion (not that common in comics) I'm actually planning on picking up the series.
May 10, 2019
The story is too chaotic for my liking. Thanfully, it's funny and ends by tying up all loose ends and explaining the whirlwind of events that make up this quirky thing.
Jamie Madrox is the Multiple Man. He can't decide which way to go in life so he explores every avenue using his dupes. When he reabsorbs them he gains their knowldge. One dupe is on the verge of death wen he finally makes it to Madrox who then heads out to find who is hunting him.
An assassin is taking out all Madrox's dupes. Interestingly, his dupes sometime work against him too. One of his dupes married the fiancee of a made man which made Madrox a target for everybody. Everything else is just one funny moment after another. You have to read it to enjoy it.
Jamie Madrox is the Multiple Man. He can't decide which way to go in life so he explores every avenue using his dupes. When he reabsorbs them he gains their knowldge. One dupe is on the verge of death wen he finally makes it to Madrox who then heads out to find who is hunting him.
An assassin is taking out all Madrox's dupes. Interestingly, his dupes sometime work against him too. One of his dupes married the fiancee of a made man which made Madrox a target for everybody. Everything else is just one funny moment after another. You have to read it to enjoy it.
April 21, 2016
It was fun enough to see Multiple Man. Madrox has so much potential. His story can go many different directions at once and that's why this comic is so interesting. Peter David really did a great job at exploring that potential ...but
Something was off. Maybe the antagonist, maybe the conclusion... I'm not really sure. I enjoyed this one. I really did. But it opened so much interesting plots and subplots and it didn't delivered in the end. Not as much as it promised.
However, this is good enough. I'm thinking about many different ideas now. It sparked creativity of the mind. That's a compliment. There aren't many stories that are capable of that.
Something was off. Maybe the antagonist, maybe the conclusion... I'm not really sure. I enjoyed this one. I really did. But it opened so much interesting plots and subplots and it didn't delivered in the end. Not as much as it promised.
However, this is good enough. I'm thinking about many different ideas now. It sparked creativity of the mind. That's a compliment. There aren't many stories that are capable of that.
July 19, 2015
I would happily read more about this character. Not your typical introduction to a new mutant, plus he has an interesting way of using his powers.
The first issue where he is introduce with the Fantastic Four is a bit meh, but I'm not a huge fan of that series.
The first issue where he is introduce with the Fantastic Four is a bit meh, but I'm not a huge fan of that series.
November 7, 2019
Trust no one... not even yourself.
Madrox: Multiple Choice is the prequel series/setup to Peter David's lengthy X-Factor Investigations series, and is less about why Madrox decided to start a detective agency than about his first case, I guess. (The reason he started one appears to be that he thinks noir is cool).
I skipped this book the first time I started reading X-Factor Investigations, and I'm not sure I missed out on much. On the one hand, this is a perfectly fun (albeit kind of stereotypical) noir investigation with a femme fatale, a grim monologuing PI, and a colorful cast of supporting characters. It was tightly written, with good narration, a believable twist, and a lot of fun Madrox-on-Madrox moments (given that Madrox's whole thing is he duplicates himself into individual aspects whenever he gets hit, being a noir detective gives him a lot of chances for parts of himself to come out, and for him to question who he is).
However, although David's X-Factor Investigations eventually wins a GLAAD media award in 2011, those issues are kinda awkwardly handled here. I know David is strongly supportive of LGBT rights and people but this one leans too heavy on the noir approach to gay characters... so you have an unlikeable character going "ugh are you gay" because one of his aspects hits on said guy (and Madrox being like 'hey, everyone is a little'), Madrox wondering if he's gay because he got more excited by "this is so noir" elements of being kissed by a strange naked woman than the actual kiss (he seems to forget his previous approach that he's probably bi, despite knowing he's usually attracted to women) , and ... a totally irrelevant-to-the-story side story about a guy who cheats on his wife with another man and ends up dying for it (accidentally killed by one of our heroes). I know this improves a lot with later Shatterstar and Rictor stuff in XFI proper, but I was hissing a soft 'yikes' through a lot of this. Any one of these things might have been easier to swallow or handwave (I'm all for bi Madrox, man), but all three in five issues was rough.
Madrox: Multiple Choice is the prequel series/setup to Peter David's lengthy X-Factor Investigations series, and is less about why Madrox decided to start a detective agency than about his first case, I guess. (The reason he started one appears to be that he thinks noir is cool).
I skipped this book the first time I started reading X-Factor Investigations, and I'm not sure I missed out on much. On the one hand, this is a perfectly fun (albeit kind of stereotypical) noir investigation with a femme fatale, a grim monologuing PI, and a colorful cast of supporting characters. It was tightly written, with good narration, a believable twist, and a lot of fun Madrox-on-Madrox moments (given that Madrox's whole thing is he duplicates himself into individual aspects whenever he gets hit, being a noir detective gives him a lot of chances for parts of himself to come out, and for him to question who he is).
However, although David's X-Factor Investigations eventually wins a GLAAD media award in 2011, those issues are kinda awkwardly handled here. I know David is strongly supportive of LGBT rights and people but this one leans too heavy on the noir approach to gay characters... so you have an unlikeable character going "ugh are you gay" because one of his aspects hits on said guy (and Madrox being like 'hey, everyone is a little'), Madrox wondering if he's gay because he got more excited by "this is so noir" elements of being kissed by a strange naked woman than the actual kiss (he seems to forget his previous approach that he's probably bi, despite knowing he's usually attracted to women) , and ... a totally irrelevant-to-the-story side story about a guy who cheats on his wife with another man and ends up dying for it (accidentally killed by one of our heroes). I know this improves a lot with later Shatterstar and Rictor stuff in XFI proper, but I was hissing a soft 'yikes' through a lot of this. Any one of these things might have been easier to swallow or handwave (I'm all for bi Madrox, man), but all three in five issues was rough.
January 21, 2018
Book Info: This collection contains
Madrox
issues #1-5.
ABSOLUTE RATING: {3/5 stars}
STANDARDIZED RATING: <3/5 stars>
In mutant-inhabited ghetto Mutant Town, former X-Factor affiliate Jamie Madrox sets up a private investigator agency and reunites with Rahne Sinclair – old friend and fellow mutant. By experiencing a small physical blow, Jamie's mutant ability is to create additional copies of himself on impact (hence the moniker "Multiple Man"). When one of his wayward "dupes" stumbles back to him – bleeding profusely through a knife wound – Jamie absorbs his body and acquires his memories. Though jumbled and unclear, Jamie manages to make out images of Chicago and the face of a beautiful woman in his mind's eye, and that's more than enough for him to set out and try to solve the mystery of his own attempted murder.
In this six-issue prequel volume, there are two concurrent plots at play; the first one is outlined above, and the second one involves one of Jamie's dupes and two other X-Factor buddies left behind to investigate a peculiar case of suspected adultery. This is a method David would continue to employ throughout his subsequent X-Factor work, and I'm pretty sure it worked just a little better there than it did here. The main reason I say that is that the secondary plot was so much overshadowed by the main one (i.e. the one involving the murder), that I felt that, more than anything else, it just got in the way; there was little to no overlap between the two, and it seemed only useful for getting readers acquainted with life Mutant Town, and to introduce the kinds of cases Jamie's agency would have to face in the future. This subplot really wasn't intriguing enough to make an enjoyable story on its own, and I think David could have done much better.
After having read both this and his Hulk stuff (including his 80s run and Hulk: The End ), I'm starting to suspect that Peter David might have a real knack for the fresh reimagining of old characters. In terms of his power set, Jamie Madrox has got to be in the top five most interesting comic book characters I've ever encountered. The first issue is probably all you really need to understand why I'd say this, but the future possibilities and implications of this power (and how Jamie chooses to use it) are only hinted at here, and more fully explored later down the line.
Nihilistic rumination and ambivalent narration aside, it doesn't take very long to see that the "host" Jamie already has a good idea of who he is, what he wants, and why he wants it. But because his dupes represent different undiluted aspects of his psyche, their conjuring prompts the only personal conflicts Jamie ever experiences, and they're physical (rather than psychological) in nature. It's a very unorthodox approach – and one I'm not yet entirely sold on – but it might have worked better if David gave the host Jamie a chance to outwardly demonstrate, in voice or action, his doubts and insecurities. If he could not accomplish this task *independent* of his dupes, then it may have been best to go a different route for narration. As it stands, there just seemed to be an unnecessary rift between the character's thoughts and actions.
[There are so many parts of the book that sound just like this, but I could never fully buy into his suffering.]
Just going off the couple David books I've read, I think the writer is at his best when he's being serious. Here though, he spends as much time being serious as he spends being whimsical. Fortunately, he's got just enough sophistication and wit to keep things entertaining without crossing the line into corniness, and pulls back quick enough not to compromise the plot's urgency too much. Also, this is a book that playfully refers to itself as a work of film noir at numerous times in the story, and since I happen to like that type of comic book, it's able to reap some of the benefits that genre provides. Plus, there were several clever plot twists here to keep me guessing.
I'm not sure how to feel about Pablo Raimondi's art. Usually, it serves the book well enough, but it seems a bit variable. Some of the facial expressions here I just hate, and his use of shadow can be oppressive at times. I know Raimondi goes on to illustrate later volumes of X-Factor, but I find it strange that I don't remember him being a problem before. Is it possible he gets better as he goes? Or did I find the writing so much better then that I didn't care (or notice)? Here are some of his poorer sketches:
Damn. I must to be on a roll by now; this has got to be around the 5th book I've re-read in the space of two weeks where I've had to completely reevaluate my initial (and much more favorable) impression. Once one of my very favorite limited series, Multiple Choice has unexpectedly become something little more than a mild amusement. I guess I'd still be willing to try volume one of X-Factor, but I may not even bother to check out any of David's subsequent work on the title. I'm always prepared to be pleasantly surprised, but I'm not at all optimistic.
Review for X-Factor, Vol. 1: The Longest Night -->
ABSOLUTE RATING: {3/5 stars}
STANDARDIZED RATING: <3/5 stars>
In mutant-inhabited ghetto Mutant Town, former X-Factor affiliate Jamie Madrox sets up a private investigator agency and reunites with Rahne Sinclair – old friend and fellow mutant. By experiencing a small physical blow, Jamie's mutant ability is to create additional copies of himself on impact (hence the moniker "Multiple Man"). When one of his wayward "dupes" stumbles back to him – bleeding profusely through a knife wound – Jamie absorbs his body and acquires his memories. Though jumbled and unclear, Jamie manages to make out images of Chicago and the face of a beautiful woman in his mind's eye, and that's more than enough for him to set out and try to solve the mystery of his own attempted murder.
In this six-issue prequel volume, there are two concurrent plots at play; the first one is outlined above, and the second one involves one of Jamie's dupes and two other X-Factor buddies left behind to investigate a peculiar case of suspected adultery. This is a method David would continue to employ throughout his subsequent X-Factor work, and I'm pretty sure it worked just a little better there than it did here. The main reason I say that is that the secondary plot was so much overshadowed by the main one (i.e. the one involving the murder), that I felt that, more than anything else, it just got in the way; there was little to no overlap between the two, and it seemed only useful for getting readers acquainted with life Mutant Town, and to introduce the kinds of cases Jamie's agency would have to face in the future. This subplot really wasn't intriguing enough to make an enjoyable story on its own, and I think David could have done much better.
After having read both this and his Hulk stuff (including his 80s run and Hulk: The End ), I'm starting to suspect that Peter David might have a real knack for the fresh reimagining of old characters. In terms of his power set, Jamie Madrox has got to be in the top five most interesting comic book characters I've ever encountered. The first issue is probably all you really need to understand why I'd say this, but the future possibilities and implications of this power (and how Jamie chooses to use it) are only hinted at here, and more fully explored later down the line.
Nihilistic rumination and ambivalent narration aside, it doesn't take very long to see that the "host" Jamie already has a good idea of who he is, what he wants, and why he wants it. But because his dupes represent different undiluted aspects of his psyche, their conjuring prompts the only personal conflicts Jamie ever experiences, and they're physical (rather than psychological) in nature. It's a very unorthodox approach – and one I'm not yet entirely sold on – but it might have worked better if David gave the host Jamie a chance to outwardly demonstrate, in voice or action, his doubts and insecurities. If he could not accomplish this task *independent* of his dupes, then it may have been best to go a different route for narration. As it stands, there just seemed to be an unnecessary rift between the character's thoughts and actions.
[There are so many parts of the book that sound just like this, but I could never fully buy into his suffering.]
Just going off the couple David books I've read, I think the writer is at his best when he's being serious. Here though, he spends as much time being serious as he spends being whimsical. Fortunately, he's got just enough sophistication and wit to keep things entertaining without crossing the line into corniness, and pulls back quick enough not to compromise the plot's urgency too much. Also, this is a book that playfully refers to itself as a work of film noir at numerous times in the story, and since I happen to like that type of comic book, it's able to reap some of the benefits that genre provides. Plus, there were several clever plot twists here to keep me guessing.
I'm not sure how to feel about Pablo Raimondi's art. Usually, it serves the book well enough, but it seems a bit variable. Some of the facial expressions here I just hate, and his use of shadow can be oppressive at times. I know Raimondi goes on to illustrate later volumes of X-Factor, but I find it strange that I don't remember him being a problem before. Is it possible he gets better as he goes? Or did I find the writing so much better then that I didn't care (or notice)? Here are some of his poorer sketches:
Damn. I must to be on a roll by now; this has got to be around the 5th book I've re-read in the space of two weeks where I've had to completely reevaluate my initial (and much more favorable) impression. Once one of my very favorite limited series, Multiple Choice has unexpectedly become something little more than a mild amusement. I guess I'd still be willing to try volume one of X-Factor, but I may not even bother to check out any of David's subsequent work on the title. I'm always prepared to be pleasantly surprised, but I'm not at all optimistic.
Review for X-Factor, Vol. 1: The Longest Night -->
March 20, 2018
Considering that PAD's original X-Factor is one of the very, very few projects that he's ever done that I truly didn't like, I was fairly surprised to enjoy Madrox as much as I did. My biggest complaint in this was PAD's constant hammering of the theme that by experiencing everything, via his dupes, that Jamie didn't appreciate anything. It seemed to me that his acquired knowledge came in handy several times. Better to have PAD show us why Jamie felt disconnected than have Jamie constantly tell us that he felt disconnected.
That said, PAD did a nice job setting up the players in the murder mystery, moving them around the board, and pulling it all together in a nice, satisfying way. He managed to keep me guessing (an evil Jamie dupe seemed too obvious, but that's what I kept thinking regardless). The B-plot, with Rahne and Guido, was just sort of there. I was just waiting for it to be over, because it didn't really add much to Jamie's story. And it was resolved too easily.
Raimondi's art reminded me of Crisscross' in some ways, particularly the facial expressions - very exaggerated and enjoyable. However, Raimondi is a more consistent storyteller. I enjoyed his work on this book.
That said, PAD did a nice job setting up the players in the murder mystery, moving them around the board, and pulling it all together in a nice, satisfying way. He managed to keep me guessing (an evil Jamie dupe seemed too obvious, but that's what I kept thinking regardless). The B-plot, with Rahne and Guido, was just sort of there. I was just waiting for it to be over, because it didn't really add much to Jamie's story. And it was resolved too easily.
Raimondi's art reminded me of Crisscross' in some ways, particularly the facial expressions - very exaggerated and enjoyable. However, Raimondi is a more consistent storyteller. I enjoyed his work on this book.
October 25, 2018
I had picked up this graphic novel by accident. Other than Superman, I normally do not read comics or graphic novels about people with special powers. In seeing this book, I thought it was a detective yarn. Well, it was, but with a protagonist "Dick," who has an ability to create duplicates of himself. To be honest, if I had known that I would not have purchased this book. What a mistake that would have been!
I have been a fan of Peter David since his early Star Trek novels as he is an inventive writer with a terrific sense of humor and a wonderful ability to communicate complex concepts in easily understandable ways. As a result, in no time I was swept up in this world of mutants, mysteries, and surprises lurking around every page turn. The story is compelling with some nifty twists and the hero's ability worked seamlessly into the storyline. I enjoyed it so much, if there had been a volume 2 I would have ordered it immediately upon finishing.
If you are like me, but are willing to try something new and tremendously entertaining, give Madrox a shot.
I have been a fan of Peter David since his early Star Trek novels as he is an inventive writer with a terrific sense of humor and a wonderful ability to communicate complex concepts in easily understandable ways. As a result, in no time I was swept up in this world of mutants, mysteries, and surprises lurking around every page turn. The story is compelling with some nifty twists and the hero's ability worked seamlessly into the storyline. I enjoyed it so much, if there had been a volume 2 I would have ordered it immediately upon finishing.
If you are like me, but are willing to try something new and tremendously entertaining, give Madrox a shot.
November 19, 2021
You know, maybe it's not entirely perfect, but it's hard to conceive of how it might be better. I love David's take on Madrox, injecting him and his power set with humor and personality. He also fits perfectly as a Bogart stand-in for this Film Noir send up: never the toughest or strongest guy in the room, but his cleverness and his coolness in the face of danger are his real superpowers.
The snappy dialogue and deep, personal angst from David's runs on Captain Marvel are definitely still here and in spades. The story is light on its feet, never dragging through boring subplots that just take up space or rushing to hurry and wrap everything up before the page count runs out. It never gets bogged down by the dense lore that surrounds it (we don't have to spend a half issue mini-arc talking about Jamie's experiences in X-Factor or anything like that). The result zips by.
If you like the X-Men, you should check this out. It might not be a bad jumping on point for new X readers, either.
The snappy dialogue and deep, personal angst from David's runs on Captain Marvel are definitely still here and in spades. The story is light on its feet, never dragging through boring subplots that just take up space or rushing to hurry and wrap everything up before the page count runs out. It never gets bogged down by the dense lore that surrounds it (we don't have to spend a half issue mini-arc talking about Jamie's experiences in X-Factor or anything like that). The result zips by.
If you like the X-Men, you should check this out. It might not be a bad jumping on point for new X readers, either.
October 4, 2018
One of the best character studies to ever come out of the Marvel Universe, Peter David's reimagining of Jamie Madrox The Multiple Man as a detective is simply amazing writing. David examines Madrox's power to create duplicates in a much more complex fashion than any previous X-Men scribe. His use of the character elevated Madrox from forgettable side character to one of the most important mutants in the Marvel Universe.
He also draws in some of the other characters from his 90s run on X-Factor.
This is a Must Read for X-Men fans, and anyone who like a superhero story that messes with the genre (the book is mostly noir tropes). If you've never picked up an X-book or a Marvel comic book before, this is a great jumping on point.
He also draws in some of the other characters from his 90s run on X-Factor.
This is a Must Read for X-Men fans, and anyone who like a superhero story that messes with the genre (the book is mostly noir tropes). If you've never picked up an X-book or a Marvel comic book before, this is a great jumping on point.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews