X-Factor #1 (2024)

Writer: Mark Russell
Artist: Bob Quinn

I’ll throw out my usual disclaimer of “I don’t read comics very much, nowadays, etc.” so I don’t know exactly what’s been going on with the X-Men franchise and their Krakoa thing. From my distant view, I guess it’s “the X-Men and other mutants all lived on their own island country for awhile. One with magical teleportational gateways and other wacky stuff”. Then the usual BIG STORY THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING happened, someone proably died, and they’ve all been dispersed back into “normal” Marvel society.

Like most modern Marvel properties, there seems to be a movement to reset things to an era that the creative staff was into. This is nothing new, as, for example, it seems that every 5-6 years, some writer wants to “get the Avengers back to the Mansion with Jarvis, Hawkeye, Vision, and the Scarlet Witch”. The last time I read “Amazing Spider-Man”, in mid-2023, things seemed to be moving back to the 1983-1987 era, with Hobgoblin, Black Cat, and a “Gang War”. Nostalgia and reminiscing is a very indulgent drug.

Which brings us to 2024’s new X-Factor….which seems to be harkening back to the 1991-1994 X-Factor, while simultaneously trying to tap into the vibe of 2002-2005’s X-Force.. a book which eventually became “X-Statix“. The 1991-1994 X-Factor had a bit of humor (courtesy of Peter David) and was supported by the US government (as a replacement for “Freedom Force”… which we won’t go into here). Combine that with the 2002-2005 version of X-Force, who were known for being public celebrities…as well as having a surprisingly short lifespan. No, I don’t mean “lifespan” of the actual comic book title; members were killed off, regularly, in a running satirical gag.

So what does this 2024 combo offer? It starts off with a (seemingly) new character, Rodger Broderick. He seems to have a bit of Maxwell Lord in him, as well as Troy McClure:

He’s working another seemingly newcomer, General Mills. Get it? General…Mills? huh, huh! I might be goin’ too fast for ya’ again. Bwah… ha…haa. Anyways, they’ve managed to recruit none other than Warren Worthington III, the original X-Man (and original X-Factorer, errr, X-Factor Man, err… member) the Angel. He’s joined by Firefist (Rusty Collins), Feral, Xyber, and Cameo. Yeah, I know absolutely doodly about those last two. Yet apparently that lack of familiarity is intentional. They’re all sponsored by ClikClok, and get a highly-publicized re carpet launch that’s all over the social medias.

The new team sets up shop in “The Factor House” in Hollywood Hills …and suddenly I’m having 1995 “Force Works” flashbacks. Not in a good way.

Angel is less than enthused about this new crew of no-names. I mean, way to stick up for one of your original mutant trainees, Rusty, Angel! Yet Broderick tells him that he has Havok and Frenzy lined up. However, three months ago, Havok was also courted by the Russian mutant mercenary group called “X-Term”, headed up by Darkstar.

Naturally, X-Factor is called into service to attack the Nuclear Power Plant base of X-Term, causing a conflict with Darkstar and her crew. Things don’t go well, the mission is botched, and several members end up “dead or clinging to life”. Feral gets skewered, Angel is injured, Cameo is blown away, while Xyber and Firefist have a giant nuclear reactor spout fall on them.

Back stateside, Angel awakens in the hospital, feeling like a loser. Yet Broderick gives him a teddy bear (!) and tells him that X-Factor is a hit, since their online popularity has soared. Broderick says he’s figured it out: “people hate mutants. But there’s nothing they love more than mutants who also hate mutants. So I just had to make sure we sent you on the right mission”. Thus Broderick has simply reloaded, called up Havok and Frenzy and it set to try again:

Yeah… a little too much satire and SOCIAL COMMENTARY being crammed in, here. Like they’re trying to lampoon social media and today’s society, while also mixing in the usual racial metaphors of “Mutants”, The humor isn’t really working for me, either. If it’s supposed to be “black humor”, then I feel it’s missing the mark a bit. It seems too similar to the famous “X-Force” scene from “Deadpool 2”, minus the humorous gag with the Vanisher. Along those lines, this even evokes memories of the infamous “DOOM FORCE” one-shot FIRST ISSUE from DC in 1993! There are some brewing subplots with Havok’s reluctance to rejoin X-Factor, Polaris is around, a mysterious figure lurks in the crowd, and what/if Havok had any previous dealings with X-Term. With the tuft of colored hair, Rodger Broderick reminds me a little bit of “Bastion”, a re-configured Nimrod who was behind “Operation: Zero Tolerance” in 1996. Also, why would Angel feel comfortable working with another PR suit guy, after Cameron Hodge kinda’ screwed him over in the original “X-Factor”, circa 1987?

It’s too early to tell how this will all pay off, but it reads very much like another monthly comic that’s being written for the “collected edition” or trade paperback. or even 10 issues. “Binge reading” is better way to get an accurate gauge on a comic series, nowadays. However, this all feels like stuff I’ve seen before. Well hey, the art and lettering is nice.

Summary: Random mutants band together, blow stuff up, get killed.
Cover Price: $4.99
Rating: $0.65