Part 3 of “Messiah Complex,” and a one-off in which we actually show Bete Noire shaping the world. Whad’ja think?
PAD
31 comments on “OUT THIS WEEK AND LAST WEEK: X-FACTOR #25, FALLEN ANGEL #21”
I couldn’t think. I was blinded by the awesome.
As X-Factor was the only main mutant title I get (I also get Astonishing X-Men) this crossover has caused me to rethink continuing the title. I accidentally got this issue, and told my LCS not to get the next issue with the “Messiah Complex” tie-in. Not sure if I’ll be back after it’s over.
Sorry, but if enough of us weigh in crossovers and how they affect our buying habits, maybe the comics companies will stop them. I know they stop the momemtum of your stories.
Peter, big knee-slapping CONGRATULATIONS on surpassing the 20-issue DC run of Fallen Angel with the 21st issue of IDW’s run! Maybe now I wonder if DC will see that the book is viable, and that they could’ve had something great.
(Haven’t read X-Factor yet.)
I liked the showing of Bete Noire shaping the world. It’s been said but not shown until now. And although X-Factor is generally better in its own corner of the universe, there seems to be a lot of energy in the crossover and it’s working out significantly better than, say, some of the Spider-Man crossovers you had to toil on.
I dug it despite my reservations towards the “Messiah Complex” storyline (“…this mutant dog is so dangerous that it already fought the New X-Men with two other mutant dogs and lost!”).
I was surprised by how well the X-Factor issue stands up on its own, actually. There’s only five pages in it that strictly anchor to the rest of the storyline – the rest I could have read without picking up any of Messiah Complex.
I’m in for the long haul for Fallen Angel. It’s definitely different from most comics: It’s well written! 😉
Just read this issue. Part three of ??? parts. I couldn’t figure out what’s going on, so I dropped the title. Back to rereading old comics, where I don’t need to buy 4 titles I don’t routinely buy.
I for one thought this was the best isse so far of a very exciting crossover. There has not been an X-over in a long time, and while I was turned away by their high frequency in the 90’s, once in a while I don’t mind.
I love Layla even more after this latest isse! I’m on the edge of my seat until next month- great job PAD!
Loved X-Factor. I’m really enjoying Messiah Complex so far, and the X-Factor chapter was great. I’m on the edge of my seat waiting to find out what happens to Layla.
Hmmm. I kind of enjoyed the scenes in X FACTOR that focued on the team’s members. Not that happy with the crossover stuff. I have to say that the crossover stuff is not bad enough to get me to drop the title and I am willing to have such an event if it pushes up sales. Nevertheless, I only buy one mutant title and that is X FACTOR. The rest are not of interest to me unles Peter takes over the title.
FALLEN ANGEL, on the other hand, no complaints.
RE: X-Factor
Well written, no question about that. Since I did not read the first two issues of the crossover, I was only somewhat lost rather than totally lost.
Why not buy the crossovers? Well, one reason is I was out of town the last two Wednesdays and did not put it on my pull list. So they were gone. I don’t mind ocassionally buying an extra issue, but I was not real motivated in this case.
Found the failed scan interesting. Found the thought of disposable agents disturbing. Guess if the fate of the mutant race is in question, it seems justified. But not a very dependable plan in my opinion. And Layla, as always, is what makes the book. If she ever fades into history, not sure I would want to stay around.
Bottom line, I’m not dropping the title because of a few odd crossovers (which at least make more sense than the craziness with Supergirl at DC). But I would much prefer it to have been a miniseries on its own.
Iowa Jim
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m going to assume that whatever happens with Jaime/Jaime’s dupes/Layla/Rictor within the confines of Messiah CompleX was run by/originated from PAD, plus, the stuff addressed in this issue isnt exactly outside the book’s sphere: Cyclops and Jaime don’t like each other, Forge worked with Jaime before, etc. All in all, I’m happy people who read the other books will get exposure to the X-Factor crew.
I think Messiah Complex has gotten better by the chapter. Chapter 1 was kinda well…too fast paced. Too many things going on, not enough background into why they were going on. Bru’s Uncanny really improved on this, and X-Factor was just GREAT. Everything you needed to know was in this book, and it all made sense within the X-Factor world we already know. I kind of groan when I see major crossover, just because I dont want to spend the extra money, but if the story stays at this level, I don’t mind picking up the extra 2 X books I need to now.
Michael
Put me in the camp of those X-Factor readers who don’t appreciate the shoehorning of the crossover into the story, but not enough to drop the book–I’m all for speaking with my comics-buying dollar, but I’m not going to stop supporting a series and a writer that I enjoy. I’ll stick with refraining from buying books that I don’t normally follow just for the sake of a crossover.
I wouldn’t have an issue (no pun intended) with it if the story had been solely an X-Factor story, but the non-X-Factor asides (the X-Men going after Amelia Voight, the discussion between Cyclops and the New X-Men) felt invasive at best. The Cyclops aside would have been better if it had been Cyclops and another senior X-Man discussing his issues with Jamie–the whole bit of the New X-Men wanting to step up and do their part is character development that belongs in the characters’ own title.
I also think that the way that Forge intended the time-travel “missions” to work is a bit gimmicky, even for comic book science. He can’t bring the dupes (and now Layla) back from these future timelines, but the dupes could somehow still “transmit” their memories upon death back to Jamie through time?
Re: Fallen Angel
We’ve had 2 issues focusing on Lin(da)and I absolutely loved them.
We’ve had 2 issues with Shi.
We’ve had 2 issues focusing on Jude.
I liked all these issues. But I felt like some of the momentum of the title has been lost by the lack of Lee.
Look, I adore this comic. I love the depth of characterization of the supporting staff. I thought that the crossover with Shi was interesting if not feeling somewhat forced. And (again) as a L. Danvers fan, I loved the Lin issues.
I just miss Lee being the focal point of this comic.
About the X-crossover… really didn’t make me want to pick up the other titles running that series. The reason why I like X-Factor so much is that the team is pretty dysfunctional in the way it runs and is organized. I don’t read other X titles because I’m not interested in a bunch of people standing up for all that is good and righteous and true: it’s boring. So the bit with the young X-Men really stuck out like a sore thumb to me. Isn’t going to make me stop reading X-Factor but just reminded me why I’m reading it instead of some other comics. I can’t wait to see what happens to Layla. Again, she makes the series.
I really enjoyed this issue of Fallen Angel, since I just picked up the series when the focus was with Shi I really wish I knew Lee at this point, but I don’t. I guess I’ll just have to keep reading.
(On another note, for whatever nerd part of my body that jumps on these things, I recently read and finished Star Trek: The Next Generation/X-men, Planet X. Now that was a poor read. Curiosity again lays claim to the cat.)
X-factor:
Well can’t make a comment on the crossover as a whole so far since i decided to wait till i see results before i say anything good or bad about it (some past crossovers had a nice start but were a let down in the end).
But the actual X-factor part in this issue was relativ good. I am seeing forward to learn why Layla did her strange act in this issue and how she will manage to come back. Like some fans i just hope you won’t bring her back as adult, since we all like her as creepy kid more.
On the other hand it wouldn’t be the first time a character who apeared as kid in a story with time or dimension travel returns later as adult.
Marrow for example first apeared as little innocent girl in the Cable series before returning as agressiv woman in X-men Prime.
However unlike Marrow it would be a big waste with Layla since she would be a lot less creepy.
While we are at depowered mutants. The Purifiers with all theire high tech and mutant hunting experince seem to be a little short site with clever thinking.
Since while they are smart enough to scan Rictor for being a mutant they didn’t checked if he was a depowered one.
After all there are around 16 million former mutants and the Purifiers more than other should know that most of them look like normal humans now (since they killed a lot of former mutants who looked totaly normal).
So either Purifiers have a very crappy info on former X-men members and allies or they are really to fanatic to think beyond theire normal tactics.
Last thing i didn’t thought was right. Why did Wolverine threw himself infront of a car to get into the hospital if he could have simply walked into it? Did he went under the masochist now (long time theory of some people i guess)?
Or was this just to let the alternativ cover make sense?
Still good one after all.
Like many others, I’m a little tweaked at having a crossover forced upon me. I don’t really buy the voting with my wallet argument here – if it were a flagship, established X-title, maybe the message would get across, but with X-factor, I think it’s more likely endangering its future more than anything.
So, yeah, it was pretty good, otherwise. It’ll be fun to see what Ric gets up to undercover, and I can only imagine what we’ll see with Layla and the Dupe in the future. Always fun to see forge back in the mix, as well.
Fallen Angel – great stuff. Jude seems to be settling into his lighthouse well…
I love X-Factor, though my greatest fear had proven true with this tie-in chapter. I have no interest in the current x-titles with the exception of your book. The x-books faultered off course years ago and have not seemed to have been able to find their bearings in a way that has brought me back to caring for any of the stuff. If only Whedon or yourself had been given the reigns of the mutant universe….
That said, I may or may not pick up the next issue, or two is it, but will be back for sure when the crossover nonsense is over.
Well, I was a bit worried about the crossover element from reading some of the comments here, but then I read the book, and saw that the story thus far was related with that little disclaimer at the top of Page 1, which made it pretty simple to understand, especially since what was explained wasn’t that complex or convoluted; it was a simple kidnapping. Since this issue focused mainly on the book’s cast members (as opposed to say, “The Extinction Agenda”), it wasn’t that jarring, and as long as I don’t have to read a different book to find out what happened to Jamie and Layla, I’m okay with it.
That said, how did you feel about doing this crossover, Peter? Did you have to do it, or did you choose to?
I wasn’t thrilled about the idea of a crossover, but figured I would plug along, picking up what I could from the recaps and enjoying PAD’s writing, even if I was a bit lost.
Fortunately, I found a co-worker who buys all the other X-titles, except X-Factor (I know, I’m explaining to him that he’s missing out). X-Factor sold out before he got it, so in exchange for me giving him my issue to read (but of course directing him to where else he can buy his own copy), he gave me the first two chapters.
Part of me was excited, because my initial foray into collecting X-titles came during X-Cutioner’s Song, and I ended up buying all four titles for a while. There are elements of Messiah CompleX that remind me of this.
The downside was, of course, the Purifiers setting babies and other young children on fire. Not that I haven’t witnessed similar or more heinous crimes in other comics, but geez… do we need to show little burning corpses? Do we need to have lines like “That child’s still smoldering?” Let’s look at Kevin Smith’s Daredevil work. Something bad happened to those babies and I knew it was horrible, without it being graphically depicted.
But I’m getting off on a tangent (I started to say”But I digress” and though it might seem a bit cheesy). That problem was in previous issues. X-Factor #25 rocked. Even if I give up on the rest of the X-over and have to fill in the blanks with Internet rumors, I’ll keep reading.
Time/dimensional paradoxes. Mayhaps Layla did what she did because she “knows stuff” and knew she MUST do it for things to turn out as they ought to. By the same token, she may well already know how she’s going to get out ot it. 😉
Loved the art on “X-Factor” v.3, #25 (since when has Layla had freckles?). I do read most of the other X-books, so the crossover didn’t bother me, even if chapter two was sold out by the time I got to my local comics shop. (I saw a scan of the pages of Cyclops and Professor X’s argument and I don’t care about getting chapter 2. “World War Hulk: X-Men” 1-3 did a much better job at getting Prof. X’s character right than Mr. Brubaker has ever done. How did you like X-Factor’s role in that mini, by the way?)
That’s why I want to particularly thank you for the scene demonstrating just how far Scott falls short of his mentor in dealing with the current students. I can’t see them coming to love Scott the way most of Xavier’s pupils love/have loved him. Those kids really need a father figure and Scott can’t even manage to be a decent young uncle figure.
Enjoyed the nod to Forge’s role in the search for Cable in “Cable and Deadpool” #15-17. (I can’t help wondering if Layla and the dupe’s trip will tie into Wolfsbane’s vision of herself murdering Jamie and Layla…) Thank you for having Jamie not appreciate finding out that he unwittingly sent two of his dupes to their deaths.
Rictor’s choice of an alias made me wonder (after all, YOU wrote the story), so I did a search on the name “Joaquin Murrieta”. Interesting! http://cocohistory.org/essays-murrieta.html
Loved Layla’s “Hello Kitty” umbrella and Jamie’s refusal to walk under it. Also loved her line about paying attention. Hee!
I agree about the Purifiers’ lack of good sense in not suspecting that “Jake” might be a depowered mutant.
Did Logan figure that he’d have less trouble seeing Amelia if he entered as a patient than if he tried to approach her as a person in no need of medical treatment/nursing?
Even though the crossover is derailing your storyline and I’m worried about what the upcoming “X-Force” book will do to Julio and Rahne’s renewed romance, I enjoyed the issue.
Can we Talk about ST: Before Dishonor here?
I’ve bought and enjoyed every issue of X-FACTOR to date, but I didn’t buy this one. I’ll be back once the x-over has finished.
By the way, people may want to check out Comic Book Resources today–PAD is answering questions in their weekly X-book feature.
I had this idea that Bete Noir shaped the world in a vague, mystical way. That somehow what happens in Bete Noir creates a pattern that is then followed in the outside world. It turns out that Bete Noir shapes the world in a much more concrete way, through the inhabitants interacting directly with people in order to (hopefully) produce the result desired by the magistrate. Wow.
It’s sort of weird that PAD is writing X-Factor and a comic called “Fallen Angel” at the same time. X-Factor stars Madrox and Syrin, and weren’t those two major characters in a series called “Fallen Angels” back in the ’80s?
Someone probably pointed this out ages ago. I just think it’s a crazy coincidence.
I was extremely dissapointed that it was a crossover. I gave up on “X” books long, long ago (I think it was Inferno that made me wash my hands of them), and only read X-Factor because you write it, it is good, and it generally stays away from the other X-titles. If these crossovers keep up, I will be sad, because I’ll drop the title, and it had been good.
X-Factor:
I have a question for Peter: Years ago, you were cited to have left X-Factor the first time because of all the X-Men cross-overs. After years of virtually no cross-overs, we are back in the middle of cross-over-ville.
Have you changed your tune in 15-ish years? Does it work for you this time?
(from my point of view, as an X-Fan, I like the Messiah Complex idea. I like the take and the role that Jamie and Layla are playing. And while I can almost tell it is Peter David writing X-Factor because of the detailed and “snide” references that show up, I can also tell that the plot direction is really coming from a group of writers with tight editorial direction versus your books the rest of the time. i.e. The “MC” X-Factor stories are not quite “Peter David X-Factor” stories right now.)
Fallen Angel:
Picked up the first few issues of the DC version way back… loved the fact that you got to move it to IDW… don’t read it though, sorry.
She Hulk:
I do like “She Hulk” and think I am going to like the direction you are going with on that title (with a little less editorial constraints).
• 
I couldn’t think. I was blinded by the awesome.
As X-Factor was the only main mutant title I get (I also get Astonishing X-Men) this crossover has caused me to rethink continuing the title. I accidentally got this issue, and told my LCS not to get the next issue with the “Messiah Complex” tie-in. Not sure if I’ll be back after it’s over.
Sorry, but if enough of us weigh in crossovers and how they affect our buying habits, maybe the comics companies will stop them. I know they stop the momemtum of your stories.
Peter, big knee-slapping CONGRATULATIONS on surpassing the 20-issue DC run of Fallen Angel with the 21st issue of IDW’s run! Maybe now I wonder if DC will see that the book is viable, and that they could’ve had something great.
(Haven’t read X-Factor yet.)
I liked the showing of Bete Noire shaping the world. It’s been said but not shown until now. And although X-Factor is generally better in its own corner of the universe, there seems to be a lot of energy in the crossover and it’s working out significantly better than, say, some of the Spider-Man crossovers you had to toil on.
I dug it despite my reservations towards the “Messiah Complex” storyline (“…this mutant dog is so dangerous that it already fought the New X-Men with two other mutant dogs and lost!”).
I was surprised by how well the X-Factor issue stands up on its own, actually. There’s only five pages in it that strictly anchor to the rest of the storyline – the rest I could have read without picking up any of Messiah Complex.
I’m in for the long haul for Fallen Angel. It’s definitely different from most comics: It’s well written! 😉
Just read this issue. Part three of ??? parts. I couldn’t figure out what’s going on, so I dropped the title. Back to rereading old comics, where I don’t need to buy 4 titles I don’t routinely buy.
I for one thought this was the best isse so far of a very exciting crossover. There has not been an X-over in a long time, and while I was turned away by their high frequency in the 90’s, once in a while I don’t mind.
I love Layla even more after this latest isse! I’m on the edge of my seat until next month- great job PAD!
Loved X-Factor. I’m really enjoying Messiah Complex so far, and the X-Factor chapter was great. I’m on the edge of my seat waiting to find out what happens to Layla.
Hmmm. I kind of enjoyed the scenes in X FACTOR that focued on the team’s members. Not that happy with the crossover stuff. I have to say that the crossover stuff is not bad enough to get me to drop the title and I am willing to have such an event if it pushes up sales. Nevertheless, I only buy one mutant title and that is X FACTOR. The rest are not of interest to me unles Peter takes over the title.
FALLEN ANGEL, on the other hand, no complaints.
RE: X-Factor
Well written, no question about that. Since I did not read the first two issues of the crossover, I was only somewhat lost rather than totally lost.
Why not buy the crossovers? Well, one reason is I was out of town the last two Wednesdays and did not put it on my pull list. So they were gone. I don’t mind ocassionally buying an extra issue, but I was not real motivated in this case.
Found the failed scan interesting. Found the thought of disposable agents disturbing. Guess if the fate of the mutant race is in question, it seems justified. But not a very dependable plan in my opinion. And Layla, as always, is what makes the book. If she ever fades into history, not sure I would want to stay around.
Bottom line, I’m not dropping the title because of a few odd crossovers (which at least make more sense than the craziness with Supergirl at DC). But I would much prefer it to have been a miniseries on its own.
Iowa Jim
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m going to assume that whatever happens with Jaime/Jaime’s dupes/Layla/Rictor within the confines of Messiah CompleX was run by/originated from PAD, plus, the stuff addressed in this issue isnt exactly outside the book’s sphere: Cyclops and Jaime don’t like each other, Forge worked with Jaime before, etc. All in all, I’m happy people who read the other books will get exposure to the X-Factor crew.
I think Messiah Complex has gotten better by the chapter. Chapter 1 was kinda well…too fast paced. Too many things going on, not enough background into why they were going on. Bru’s Uncanny really improved on this, and X-Factor was just GREAT. Everything you needed to know was in this book, and it all made sense within the X-Factor world we already know. I kind of groan when I see major crossover, just because I dont want to spend the extra money, but if the story stays at this level, I don’t mind picking up the extra 2 X books I need to now.
Michael
Put me in the camp of those X-Factor readers who don’t appreciate the shoehorning of the crossover into the story, but not enough to drop the book–I’m all for speaking with my comics-buying dollar, but I’m not going to stop supporting a series and a writer that I enjoy. I’ll stick with refraining from buying books that I don’t normally follow just for the sake of a crossover.
I wouldn’t have an issue (no pun intended) with it if the story had been solely an X-Factor story, but the non-X-Factor asides (the X-Men going after Amelia Voight, the discussion between Cyclops and the New X-Men) felt invasive at best. The Cyclops aside would have been better if it had been Cyclops and another senior X-Man discussing his issues with Jamie–the whole bit of the New X-Men wanting to step up and do their part is character development that belongs in the characters’ own title.
I also think that the way that Forge intended the time-travel “missions” to work is a bit gimmicky, even for comic book science. He can’t bring the dupes (and now Layla) back from these future timelines, but the dupes could somehow still “transmit” their memories upon death back to Jamie through time?
Re: Fallen Angel
We’ve had 2 issues focusing on Lin(da)and I absolutely loved them.
We’ve had 2 issues with Shi.
We’ve had 2 issues focusing on Jude.
I liked all these issues. But I felt like some of the momentum of the title has been lost by the lack of Lee.
Look, I adore this comic. I love the depth of characterization of the supporting staff. I thought that the crossover with Shi was interesting if not feeling somewhat forced. And (again) as a L. Danvers fan, I loved the Lin issues.
I just miss Lee being the focal point of this comic.
About the X-crossover… really didn’t make me want to pick up the other titles running that series. The reason why I like X-Factor so much is that the team is pretty dysfunctional in the way it runs and is organized. I don’t read other X titles because I’m not interested in a bunch of people standing up for all that is good and righteous and true: it’s boring. So the bit with the young X-Men really stuck out like a sore thumb to me. Isn’t going to make me stop reading X-Factor but just reminded me why I’m reading it instead of some other comics. I can’t wait to see what happens to Layla. Again, she makes the series.
I really enjoyed this issue of Fallen Angel, since I just picked up the series when the focus was with Shi I really wish I knew Lee at this point, but I don’t. I guess I’ll just have to keep reading.
(On another note, for whatever nerd part of my body that jumps on these things, I recently read and finished Star Trek: The Next Generation/X-men, Planet X. Now that was a poor read. Curiosity again lays claim to the cat.)
X-factor:
Well can’t make a comment on the crossover as a whole so far since i decided to wait till i see results before i say anything good or bad about it (some past crossovers had a nice start but were a let down in the end).
But the actual X-factor part in this issue was relativ good. I am seeing forward to learn why Layla did her strange act in this issue and how she will manage to come back. Like some fans i just hope you won’t bring her back as adult, since we all like her as creepy kid more.
On the other hand it wouldn’t be the first time a character who apeared as kid in a story with time or dimension travel returns later as adult.
Marrow for example first apeared as little innocent girl in the Cable series before returning as agressiv woman in X-men Prime.
However unlike Marrow it would be a big waste with Layla since she would be a lot less creepy.
While we are at depowered mutants. The Purifiers with all theire high tech and mutant hunting experince seem to be a little short site with clever thinking.
Since while they are smart enough to scan Rictor for being a mutant they didn’t checked if he was a depowered one.
After all there are around 16 million former mutants and the Purifiers more than other should know that most of them look like normal humans now (since they killed a lot of former mutants who looked totaly normal).
So either Purifiers have a very crappy info on former X-men members and allies or they are really to fanatic to think beyond theire normal tactics.
Last thing i didn’t thought was right. Why did Wolverine threw himself infront of a car to get into the hospital if he could have simply walked into it? Did he went under the masochist now (long time theory of some people i guess)?
Or was this just to let the alternativ cover make sense?
Still good one after all.
Like many others, I’m a little tweaked at having a crossover forced upon me. I don’t really buy the voting with my wallet argument here – if it were a flagship, established X-title, maybe the message would get across, but with X-factor, I think it’s more likely endangering its future more than anything.
So, yeah, it was pretty good, otherwise. It’ll be fun to see what Ric gets up to undercover, and I can only imagine what we’ll see with Layla and the Dupe in the future. Always fun to see forge back in the mix, as well.
Fallen Angel – great stuff. Jude seems to be settling into his lighthouse well…
I love X-Factor, though my greatest fear had proven true with this tie-in chapter. I have no interest in the current x-titles with the exception of your book. The x-books faultered off course years ago and have not seemed to have been able to find their bearings in a way that has brought me back to caring for any of the stuff. If only Whedon or yourself had been given the reigns of the mutant universe….
That said, I may or may not pick up the next issue, or two is it, but will be back for sure when the crossover nonsense is over.
Well, I was a bit worried about the crossover element from reading some of the comments here, but then I read the book, and saw that the story thus far was related with that little disclaimer at the top of Page 1, which made it pretty simple to understand, especially since what was explained wasn’t that complex or convoluted; it was a simple kidnapping. Since this issue focused mainly on the book’s cast members (as opposed to say, “The Extinction Agenda”), it wasn’t that jarring, and as long as I don’t have to read a different book to find out what happened to Jamie and Layla, I’m okay with it.
That said, how did you feel about doing this crossover, Peter? Did you have to do it, or did you choose to?
I wasn’t thrilled about the idea of a crossover, but figured I would plug along, picking up what I could from the recaps and enjoying PAD’s writing, even if I was a bit lost.
Fortunately, I found a co-worker who buys all the other X-titles, except X-Factor (I know, I’m explaining to him that he’s missing out). X-Factor sold out before he got it, so in exchange for me giving him my issue to read (but of course directing him to where else he can buy his own copy), he gave me the first two chapters.
Part of me was excited, because my initial foray into collecting X-titles came during X-Cutioner’s Song, and I ended up buying all four titles for a while. There are elements of Messiah CompleX that remind me of this.
The downside was, of course, the Purifiers setting babies and other young children on fire. Not that I haven’t witnessed similar or more heinous crimes in other comics, but geez… do we need to show little burning corpses? Do we need to have lines like “That child’s still smoldering?” Let’s look at Kevin Smith’s Daredevil work. Something bad happened to those babies and I knew it was horrible, without it being graphically depicted.
But I’m getting off on a tangent (I started to say”But I digress” and though it might seem a bit cheesy). That problem was in previous issues. X-Factor #25 rocked. Even if I give up on the rest of the X-over and have to fill in the blanks with Internet rumors, I’ll keep reading.
Time/dimensional paradoxes. Mayhaps Layla did what she did because she “knows stuff” and knew she MUST do it for things to turn out as they ought to. By the same token, she may well already know how she’s going to get out ot it. 😉
Loved the art on “X-Factor” v.3, #25 (since when has Layla had freckles?). I do read most of the other X-books, so the crossover didn’t bother me, even if chapter two was sold out by the time I got to my local comics shop. (I saw a scan of the pages of Cyclops and Professor X’s argument and I don’t care about getting chapter 2. “World War Hulk: X-Men” 1-3 did a much better job at getting Prof. X’s character right than Mr. Brubaker has ever done. How did you like X-Factor’s role in that mini, by the way?)
That’s why I want to particularly thank you for the scene demonstrating just how far Scott falls short of his mentor in dealing with the current students. I can’t see them coming to love Scott the way most of Xavier’s pupils love/have loved him. Those kids really need a father figure and Scott can’t even manage to be a decent young uncle figure.
Enjoyed the nod to Forge’s role in the search for Cable in “Cable and Deadpool” #15-17. (I can’t help wondering if Layla and the dupe’s trip will tie into Wolfsbane’s vision of herself murdering Jamie and Layla…) Thank you for having Jamie not appreciate finding out that he unwittingly sent two of his dupes to their deaths.
Rictor’s choice of an alias made me wonder (after all, YOU wrote the story), so I did a search on the name “Joaquin Murrieta”. Interesting!
http://cocohistory.org/essays-murrieta.html
Loved Layla’s “Hello Kitty” umbrella and Jamie’s refusal to walk under it. Also loved her line about paying attention. Hee!
I agree about the Purifiers’ lack of good sense in not suspecting that “Jake” might be a depowered mutant.
Did Logan figure that he’d have less trouble seeing Amelia if he entered as a patient than if he tried to approach her as a person in no need of medical treatment/nursing?
Even though the crossover is derailing your storyline and I’m worried about what the upcoming “X-Force” book will do to Julio and Rahne’s renewed romance, I enjoyed the issue.
Can we Talk about ST: Before Dishonor here?
I’ve bought and enjoyed every issue of X-FACTOR to date, but I didn’t buy this one. I’ll be back once the x-over has finished.
By the way, people may want to check out Comic Book Resources today–PAD is answering questions in their weekly X-book feature.
I had this idea that Bete Noir shaped the world in a vague, mystical way. That somehow what happens in Bete Noir creates a pattern that is then followed in the outside world. It turns out that Bete Noir shapes the world in a much more concrete way, through the inhabitants interacting directly with people in order to (hopefully) produce the result desired by the magistrate. Wow.
It’s sort of weird that PAD is writing X-Factor and a comic called “Fallen Angel” at the same time. X-Factor stars Madrox and Syrin, and weren’t those two major characters in a series called “Fallen Angels” back in the ’80s?
Someone probably pointed this out ages ago. I just think it’s a crazy coincidence.
I was extremely dissapointed that it was a crossover. I gave up on “X” books long, long ago (I think it was Inferno that made me wash my hands of them), and only read X-Factor because you write it, it is good, and it generally stays away from the other X-titles. If these crossovers keep up, I will be sad, because I’ll drop the title, and it had been good.
X-Factor:
I have a question for Peter: Years ago, you were cited to have left X-Factor the first time because of all the X-Men cross-overs. After years of virtually no cross-overs, we are back in the middle of cross-over-ville.
Have you changed your tune in 15-ish years? Does it work for you this time?
(from my point of view, as an X-Fan, I like the Messiah Complex idea. I like the take and the role that Jamie and Layla are playing. And while I can almost tell it is Peter David writing X-Factor because of the detailed and “snide” references that show up, I can also tell that the plot direction is really coming from a group of writers with tight editorial direction versus your books the rest of the time. i.e. The “MC” X-Factor stories are not quite “Peter David X-Factor” stories right now.)
Fallen Angel:
Picked up the first few issues of the DC version way back… loved the fact that you got to move it to IDW… don’t read it though, sorry.
She Hulk:
I do like “She Hulk” and think I am going to like the direction you are going with on that title (with a little less editorial constraints).