Brian Wilkinson
Apr 11, 2002, 02:19 am
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/covers/xfactorv2-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/covers/xfactorv2-1t.jpg" align=left alt="X-Factor (2nd series) #1"></a> Reviewer: Brian E. Wilkinson, bewilkinson@yahoo.ca
Quick Rating: Great
Story Title: The Mountain Top
It’s X-Men meets X-Files meets Mississippi Burning, and it’s one of the most politically charged comics in years.
Written by: Jeff Jensen
Art by: Arthur Ranson
Colors by: Paul Mounts
Letters: Paul Tutrone
Assistant Editor: Pete Franco
Editor: Mark Powers
Editor In Chief: Joe Quesada
President: Bill Jemas
Before you buy this comic, or even read this review, one thing needs to be clear from the start: this is NOT your typical X-Book. There are no flashy uniforms, no roll calls, and no X-Jets. And in my opinion, this is a good thing.
We are on the cusp of another X-Men renaissance as Marvel has pulled out all the big guns and unleashed an onslaught of stories meant to ignite your imagination and drain your wallet. The core X-Men books received a much-needed facelift, Wolverine is finally proving why he is the best there is, X-Force gives new meaning to the phrase ‘sex in the X’, Exiles charts all the pitfalls of exploring possibilities, and limited series such as Origin help give readers a glimpse into a character they long thought drained of any new developments. This summer we’re getting four new books with ‘X’ in their title (Agent X, Soldier X, X-Statics, and Weapon X) that will continue to serve the fine tradition of comics that we know and love. So when a limited series under the banner of X-Factor comes along, we should be prepared to accept the same song and dance but with different partners, right?
Wrong.
Though it pains me not to see the old X-Factor cast members (ranging from current X-Men favourites Cyclops, Beast, Angel, and Iceman to other great characters missing in action such as Havok, Strong Guy, and Polaris) I must admit that this series has quickly taken hold of my imagination. X-Factor has undergone the most startling evolution of all: not ONE super-powered being is a part of the main cast (at least at this point).
In a short amount of time, we are introduced to two FBI agents who have been asked to head up the Mutant Civil Rights Task Force named Aaron Kearse, and Catherine Gray. On the surface, both seem ready to do their jobs and help out mutants wherever they can, but as writer Jeff Jensen quickly shows there are aspects of their personalities that may not make them the best people for the job. Kearse, according to a brief telepathic message by Jean Grey to Gray, has darkness to his thoughts. He has been the victim of a mutant attack in the past and has a lot of anger subconsciously stored up against them. Gray herself also has mutant demons in the form of her young daughter who apparently manifested her fire-based powers at a young age and was consumed by the flame. Gray seems to me to be more genuine in her desire to effect change, but Kearse on the other hand seems like a bomb just waiting to go off.
Both of these characters are instantly compelling, and a LOT of credit should be given to Jensen as each is instantly recognizable and leap off the page. We feel pity for the handicap that Kearse has (though I must be honest in that I didn’t realize it was in the form of a misshaped arm until over halfway through the book, but heck, the guy was wearing a jacket), and sorrow for Gray’s loss. I can already tell that the journey Jensen will take them on will be more than memorable and I find myself wanting them to remain in the Marvel Universe for some time to come as supporting members of the ongoing X books.
Artist Arthur Ranson has quickly set the tone for the rest of the series. Merely picking up the issue with the haunting image of a dead man on the cover with the word ‘mutant’ carved into his chest suggests that this is a book that takes itself very seriously. The first page gives us a closer glimpse into the man on the cover, Billy Sumner, and his ‘crucifixion’ on the Hollywood sign. Perhaps by placing him on the symbol for entertainment this is a statement of the way mutants are often glorified both on the comic page and in the ‘reality’ of the world the Marvel Universe characters live in. When it comes down to it, however, it is neither safe, nor PC, to be a mutant.
In the Marvel Universe, mutants are hated and feared in much the same manner that African Americans, gays, lesbians, and all those who are different have been shunned and set apart from humanity. Is it so surprising that there are some who take this hate and turn it into deadly action? The image on the cover is long overdue in the X-Men universe as it is an image you can’t escape, and that your birth may mean your death.
Though Sumner was revealed to NOT have been a mutant throughout the course of the first issue (and in many ways that is the basis for the ongoing investigation), Jensen doesn’t take this development lightly. Sumner’s mother, visibly relieved, feels as though she and her husband don’t have to live with a ‘dirty’ past. Sumner’s questionable associates claim that he was a member of their ‘mutant hating’ group, and the Agents are left in a state of confusion. The events of this book are nicely tied in with the events in New X-Men with discussion of the “Third Species” movement (as Sumner was potentially a member of that groups as well) and the desire of some born without the X-Factor gene to have mutant abilities.
This book has a VERY political feel to it, and not just in the fact that its protagonists are government agents. Virtually every character, every group, has some sort of goal within the larger society. Whether it is A.R.M., the “Third Species”, the U.S. government, or the politically correct climate that Hollywood desperately tries to embrace (and usually winds up making a mockery of the idea in attempting to show how much they support it). The ‘City On The Hill’ for instance is a Hollywood community that embraces mutant art and culture. Lead by Sterling Whitman, a filmmaker, Agents Kearse and Gray get caught up in the politics of power and money, as Whitman uses his influence both to aid their cause and to hamper their activities at a later date. Whitman plays the game very well as he tries to divert attention away from his son, Malcolm who suffers from a ‘skin condition’ which makes the Agents all the more wary of what his true motives are.
Though it comes late in the issue, there is a bit of action. Suspicious of Whitman and his motives, the Agents return to the “City On The Hill” and find evidence too similar to the group Sumner was allegedly affiliated with earlier in the issue. It seems that Whitman’s son, Malcolm, is actually the leader of an underground mutant militia that plans on striking out against normal humans. Malcolm’s ‘skin condition’ is actually a result of his flame-based powers burning his own skin as he lashes out against the two agents. Help arrives in a most unexpected form, but unfortunately for all the parties involved, no one remembers exactly what happened after that. Agent Kearse lets loose some of his anger at Malcolm (who refers to himself as the new Malcolm X to add fuel to the political climate this book already has) by calling him things like a ‘filthy mutie’. After all is said and done, and Kearse has a chance to calm down, he wonders who exactly he really is, and if he believes he can do his job properly.
The most telling moment of the book and in particular the undercurrent of mutant acceptance comes with Agent Kearse returning home to find a picture his son had drawn of him “the good Samaritan” (though I doubt the kid would actually know how to spell that) trying to help a dead mutant. I think the rest of the series will in part deal with the internal struggle this man faces of doing his job and bringing justice to those in need as well as putting his past anger behind him.
The art in this issue is fantastic. Ranson shows a range of emotion on the faces of his characters, the haunting images of their dreams, and the amount of detail in the scenery shows a meticulous touch that is fitting of a book that follows the lives of government agents. The only thing I did NOT like in his art was in the way Cyclops and Jean Grey (making a VERY brief appearance) were drawn, though due to the circumstances in which they appeared, this could be explained as blurred vision by Kearse as he slipped into unconsciousness.
The writing is top notch, and I want more. Jensen has proved himself of weaving one of the most interesting tales I have ever seen in a comic book and this opinion is only based on reading the first issue. The series feels like gasoline waiting for a spark to hit it just so that the flames can consume everything in its path.
Remember, there are no super-heroes. No one is coming to save the day. Even the law might not help you. There is a random chance for survival in this world, so you’ll have to hope that some X-Factor will come into play so that you survive the night.
Art:
http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xnone.jpg
Story:
http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xnone.jpg
Overall:
http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xnone.jpg
Buy this issue online now from X-World Comics (http://www.x-worldcomics.com/x/bstore/newbooksmain.html) and save!
Quick Rating: Great
Story Title: The Mountain Top
It’s X-Men meets X-Files meets Mississippi Burning, and it’s one of the most politically charged comics in years.
Written by: Jeff Jensen
Art by: Arthur Ranson
Colors by: Paul Mounts
Letters: Paul Tutrone
Assistant Editor: Pete Franco
Editor: Mark Powers
Editor In Chief: Joe Quesada
President: Bill Jemas
Before you buy this comic, or even read this review, one thing needs to be clear from the start: this is NOT your typical X-Book. There are no flashy uniforms, no roll calls, and no X-Jets. And in my opinion, this is a good thing.
We are on the cusp of another X-Men renaissance as Marvel has pulled out all the big guns and unleashed an onslaught of stories meant to ignite your imagination and drain your wallet. The core X-Men books received a much-needed facelift, Wolverine is finally proving why he is the best there is, X-Force gives new meaning to the phrase ‘sex in the X’, Exiles charts all the pitfalls of exploring possibilities, and limited series such as Origin help give readers a glimpse into a character they long thought drained of any new developments. This summer we’re getting four new books with ‘X’ in their title (Agent X, Soldier X, X-Statics, and Weapon X) that will continue to serve the fine tradition of comics that we know and love. So when a limited series under the banner of X-Factor comes along, we should be prepared to accept the same song and dance but with different partners, right?
Wrong.
Though it pains me not to see the old X-Factor cast members (ranging from current X-Men favourites Cyclops, Beast, Angel, and Iceman to other great characters missing in action such as Havok, Strong Guy, and Polaris) I must admit that this series has quickly taken hold of my imagination. X-Factor has undergone the most startling evolution of all: not ONE super-powered being is a part of the main cast (at least at this point).
In a short amount of time, we are introduced to two FBI agents who have been asked to head up the Mutant Civil Rights Task Force named Aaron Kearse, and Catherine Gray. On the surface, both seem ready to do their jobs and help out mutants wherever they can, but as writer Jeff Jensen quickly shows there are aspects of their personalities that may not make them the best people for the job. Kearse, according to a brief telepathic message by Jean Grey to Gray, has darkness to his thoughts. He has been the victim of a mutant attack in the past and has a lot of anger subconsciously stored up against them. Gray herself also has mutant demons in the form of her young daughter who apparently manifested her fire-based powers at a young age and was consumed by the flame. Gray seems to me to be more genuine in her desire to effect change, but Kearse on the other hand seems like a bomb just waiting to go off.
Both of these characters are instantly compelling, and a LOT of credit should be given to Jensen as each is instantly recognizable and leap off the page. We feel pity for the handicap that Kearse has (though I must be honest in that I didn’t realize it was in the form of a misshaped arm until over halfway through the book, but heck, the guy was wearing a jacket), and sorrow for Gray’s loss. I can already tell that the journey Jensen will take them on will be more than memorable and I find myself wanting them to remain in the Marvel Universe for some time to come as supporting members of the ongoing X books.
Artist Arthur Ranson has quickly set the tone for the rest of the series. Merely picking up the issue with the haunting image of a dead man on the cover with the word ‘mutant’ carved into his chest suggests that this is a book that takes itself very seriously. The first page gives us a closer glimpse into the man on the cover, Billy Sumner, and his ‘crucifixion’ on the Hollywood sign. Perhaps by placing him on the symbol for entertainment this is a statement of the way mutants are often glorified both on the comic page and in the ‘reality’ of the world the Marvel Universe characters live in. When it comes down to it, however, it is neither safe, nor PC, to be a mutant.
In the Marvel Universe, mutants are hated and feared in much the same manner that African Americans, gays, lesbians, and all those who are different have been shunned and set apart from humanity. Is it so surprising that there are some who take this hate and turn it into deadly action? The image on the cover is long overdue in the X-Men universe as it is an image you can’t escape, and that your birth may mean your death.
Though Sumner was revealed to NOT have been a mutant throughout the course of the first issue (and in many ways that is the basis for the ongoing investigation), Jensen doesn’t take this development lightly. Sumner’s mother, visibly relieved, feels as though she and her husband don’t have to live with a ‘dirty’ past. Sumner’s questionable associates claim that he was a member of their ‘mutant hating’ group, and the Agents are left in a state of confusion. The events of this book are nicely tied in with the events in New X-Men with discussion of the “Third Species” movement (as Sumner was potentially a member of that groups as well) and the desire of some born without the X-Factor gene to have mutant abilities.
This book has a VERY political feel to it, and not just in the fact that its protagonists are government agents. Virtually every character, every group, has some sort of goal within the larger society. Whether it is A.R.M., the “Third Species”, the U.S. government, or the politically correct climate that Hollywood desperately tries to embrace (and usually winds up making a mockery of the idea in attempting to show how much they support it). The ‘City On The Hill’ for instance is a Hollywood community that embraces mutant art and culture. Lead by Sterling Whitman, a filmmaker, Agents Kearse and Gray get caught up in the politics of power and money, as Whitman uses his influence both to aid their cause and to hamper their activities at a later date. Whitman plays the game very well as he tries to divert attention away from his son, Malcolm who suffers from a ‘skin condition’ which makes the Agents all the more wary of what his true motives are.
Though it comes late in the issue, there is a bit of action. Suspicious of Whitman and his motives, the Agents return to the “City On The Hill” and find evidence too similar to the group Sumner was allegedly affiliated with earlier in the issue. It seems that Whitman’s son, Malcolm, is actually the leader of an underground mutant militia that plans on striking out against normal humans. Malcolm’s ‘skin condition’ is actually a result of his flame-based powers burning his own skin as he lashes out against the two agents. Help arrives in a most unexpected form, but unfortunately for all the parties involved, no one remembers exactly what happened after that. Agent Kearse lets loose some of his anger at Malcolm (who refers to himself as the new Malcolm X to add fuel to the political climate this book already has) by calling him things like a ‘filthy mutie’. After all is said and done, and Kearse has a chance to calm down, he wonders who exactly he really is, and if he believes he can do his job properly.
The most telling moment of the book and in particular the undercurrent of mutant acceptance comes with Agent Kearse returning home to find a picture his son had drawn of him “the good Samaritan” (though I doubt the kid would actually know how to spell that) trying to help a dead mutant. I think the rest of the series will in part deal with the internal struggle this man faces of doing his job and bringing justice to those in need as well as putting his past anger behind him.
The art in this issue is fantastic. Ranson shows a range of emotion on the faces of his characters, the haunting images of their dreams, and the amount of detail in the scenery shows a meticulous touch that is fitting of a book that follows the lives of government agents. The only thing I did NOT like in his art was in the way Cyclops and Jean Grey (making a VERY brief appearance) were drawn, though due to the circumstances in which they appeared, this could be explained as blurred vision by Kearse as he slipped into unconsciousness.
The writing is top notch, and I want more. Jensen has proved himself of weaving one of the most interesting tales I have ever seen in a comic book and this opinion is only based on reading the first issue. The series feels like gasoline waiting for a spark to hit it just so that the flames can consume everything in its path.
Remember, there are no super-heroes. No one is coming to save the day. Even the law might not help you. There is a random chance for survival in this world, so you’ll have to hope that some X-Factor will come into play so that you survive the night.
Art:
http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xnone.jpg
Story:
http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xnone.jpg
Overall:
http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xnone.jpg
Buy this issue online now from X-World Comics (http://www.x-worldcomics.com/x/bstore/newbooksmain.html) and save!