X-Factor is back and is easily the most interesting book of the Dawn of X lineup. Working together on their first book since Gwenpool Strikes Back, writer-artist duo Leah Williams and David Baldeon present a rambunctious and hilarious X-Book. Spoilers for House of X and Powers of X ahead.
In House of X, readers learned that the mutants now have a way of reviving their dead thanks to Mister Sinister and Professor X. Every mutant’s consciousness is recorded daily by Professor X. If they die in the field, their bodies are regrown with their last record. This process is led by Mister Sinister with the help of the mutants Egg, who generates sphere, Proteus, who warps reality, Elixir, who creates life, Tempus, who ages the body to match the consciousness and Hope Summers, who can replicate mutant powers. Together they are known as “The Five”. This combined process allows all citizens of Krakoa to be regrown if they perish.
X-Factor begins with Northstar getting the feeling that his twin sister, Aurora, is dead. He immediately heads to the resurrection facility to bring her back, but they refuse due to his lack of hard evidence of her death. To find the “evidence”, Northstar recruits Polaris, Daken, Rachel Summers (Prestige), Prodigy and Eye-Man.
Williams’ writing fits this team perfectly. She brings the same sassiness present in Gwenpool to this book and it had me laughing out loud constantly. The chemistry between characters is fantastic, especially Northstar and Daken. Daken provides that bisexual representation I never knew I needed. Once you throw Polaris and Prestige into that mix, chaos ensues. Prodigy and Eye-Man get the least time to shine, but this issue made me excited to read more about them in the future. It was great seeing more of “The Five” too, especially Egg and Hope.
Baldeon brings Williams’ script to life with his vibrant portrayal of X-Factor‘s band of “not-so-merry” mutants. The group is quite dysfunctional and Baldeon presents this clearly in the first few pages of the comic. The way he and colorist Israel Silva portray Prestige’s powers is simple and effective, aiding the written explanation brilliantly. Amazing Baby might be the cutest mutant pet I have ever seen and I want at least five plushies of him. We don’t get much when it comes to the X-Men’s famous colorful costume designs in this issue, but I imagine Baldeon and Silva are saving that for the next one.
The ideas behind this comic are grand, but are presented in such a comedical and unapologetic way that it left me wanting more. X-Factor is definitely my favorite book in the Dawn of X line-up so far and I am excited to see where they go next.
Rating: 8.5/10
Buy the comic: https://www.comixology.com/X-Factor-2020-1/digital-comic/836979?ref=c2VyaWVzL3ZpZXcvZGVza3RvcC9ncmlkTGlzdC9SZWNlbnRBZGRpdGlvbnM
