Krakoa’s X-Factor team has been tasked with finding lost or dead (but mostly dead) mutants so that they can be revived on Krakoa! Kicking off from the chaotic and oddly raunchy first issue, X-Factor continues to shine with its colorful cast of characters. Spoilers for X-Factor #1 ahead!
Northstar believed his sister, Aurora, to be dead, but without proof of death, The Five could not revive her. To solve the mystery of her demise and track down her body, Northstar and Polaris put together a team of unlikely mutants. Upon their success, the Quiet Council of Krakoa dubbed them as the newest incarnation of X-Factor, tasking them with solving similar cases of mutant death or disappearance. X-Factor #2 sees the team travel to the Mojoverse to figure out which mutant reached an unsavory end on Mojoworld. After the uniqueness of the first issue, I was worried that the second issue wouldn’t continue the story in an interesting way. Thankfully, my worrying was all for not.
Leah Williams has crafted one of the more crazy mutant teams in the Dawn of X line. I thought I had a firm grasp on the characters until they get to the Mojoverse. The contests and games Mojo has crafted in the past for the various incarnations of the X-Men are re-imagined with a modern twist. This allows for some hilarious moments in which Daken and Amazing Baby stole the show. Aurora felt like a natural addition to the cast, and her dynamic with the other characters, especially Amazing Baby, kept her presence enjoyable without taking time away from the other characters. The character dynamics continue to shine, which will likely build toward significant payoffs in later issues.
The art by David Baldeon and Israel Silva is vibrant, but the Krakoan panels felt a bit plain. However, once the team arrives in the Mojoverse, the art reflects the absolute absurdity of the world surrounding the X-Factor perfectly. The cyberpunk design of Mojoworld creates the feel of a high-tech civilization with some strange cultural foundations. This is most abundantly seen in Mojo’s new design, with him appearing like a larger than life creepy yellow cyborg monster. Mojo could have easily appeared in my nightmares if I was able to take him seriously.
It is exciting to see a new take on the Mojoverse, especially with this creative team at the helm. The X-Factor truly feel like a team, with each member having a fleshed out personality with their own moments to shine. I am excited to find out which mutant died playing games on Mojoworld and how Mojo was involved in their death.
Rating: 8.5/10
Buy the comic: https://www.comixology.com/X-Factor-2020-2/digital-comic/844912?ref=c2VhcmNoL2luZGV4L2Rlc2t0b3Avc2xpZGVyTGlzdC90b3BSZXN1bHRzU2xpZGVy
