Scan barcode
ladydewinter's review against another edition
4.0
This was recommended to me, and I have to say I didn't expect this book to grab me as immediately as it did. I'm usually not an X-Men enthusiast, but I think I fell in love with Madrox after three pages? So. I'm going to keep reading this.
quilly14's review against another edition
4.0
I'm a sucker for stories about the other guys. The merely average players. The consistently good (but not spectacular.
X-Factor are "the other guys." A group of characters who have been kicking around the X-Men universe for years, rarely making waves. They come together to form a private detective agency dealing with mutant-related cases.
This volume of the story is dark, in tone and its visuals. Peter David writes a setting full of murder and distrust. The art team (Ryan Sook on pencils, Wade Von Grawbadger inking and Jose Villarubia coloring) complements the writing by creating a noir sensibility throughout.
This volume is only the beginning of the X-Factor story, but it's good enough that I'm about to order Volume 2.
nobirdtennis's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
noveladdiction's review
3.0
I like this series. More than I thought I would. I happened upon it by chance, so what a nice surprise.
loop's review
5.0
Re-read this again so may as well do a review.
A perfect series, in my opinion. Peter David just gets this team, especially Jamie Madrox, who became one of my favorite Marvel characters in the mini solo series that precedes this run. David just has a knack for incorporating a mutant's power into their personality. It makes all the sense in the world that the Multiple Man would have a hard time making decisions or taking stances when his multiples could do it for him, or that Rictor would feel like he lost one of his senses when he lost his mutation. Peter David just gets these things, and writes about them perfectly. I also liked the inclusion of Layla Miller, and the rest of the X-Factor roster is great. Lots of cool powers and personalities to play with. The dialogue is great, ranging from serious and layered, to funny and witty. Each issue was very packed, while still feeling breezy to read. Lots of things happening, both in the Marvel Universe and within X-Factor, but it never felt incoherent or disjointed. Everything flowed naturally and it seems like it will feed into future X-Factor arcs to come, as well as Messiah Complex.
The art was also incredible, whether it was Ryan Sook or Dennis Calero on pencils. I was partial to Sook, but both are great in their own right. The colors by Jose Villarrubia were also incredible, as usual. He tends to be one of my favorite colorists for anything even remotely noir, and this series bleeds noir.
This is a perfect 10/10 for me. I think everything was handled just right and I hope to continue with the rest of this run.
A perfect series, in my opinion. Peter David just gets this team, especially Jamie Madrox, who became one of my favorite Marvel characters in the mini solo series that precedes this run. David just has a knack for incorporating a mutant's power into their personality. It makes all the sense in the world that the Multiple Man would have a hard time making decisions or taking stances when his multiples could do it for him, or that Rictor would feel like he lost one of his senses when he lost his mutation. Peter David just gets these things, and writes about them perfectly. I also liked the inclusion of Layla Miller, and the rest of the X-Factor roster is great. Lots of cool powers and personalities to play with. The dialogue is great, ranging from serious and layered, to funny and witty. Each issue was very packed, while still feeling breezy to read. Lots of things happening, both in the Marvel Universe and within X-Factor, but it never felt incoherent or disjointed. Everything flowed naturally and it seems like it will feed into future X-Factor arcs to come, as well as Messiah Complex.
The art was also incredible, whether it was Ryan Sook or Dennis Calero on pencils. I was partial to Sook, but both are great in their own right. The colors by Jose Villarrubia were also incredible, as usual. He tends to be one of my favorite colorists for anything even remotely noir, and this series bleeds noir.
This is a perfect 10/10 for me. I think everything was handled just right and I hope to continue with the rest of this run.
booknooknoggin's review
2.0
Some of the lamest x-characters start a detective agency in Mutant town. Soon they find themselves head to head with a competitor agency. This was just okay and I really had t struggle to finish reading it. This book even made Multiple Man seem lame...le sigh.
dosymedia's review
2.0
Art good, story — ugh. That’s my basic review of like 80% of the superhero comics I read and The Longest Night sticks with the majority by being of its time insofar as culturally insensitive material and a mediocre noirish plot. The Longest Night introduces us to a mutant detective agency led by the wise-cracking Multiple Man who faces a personal identity crisis while also swiftly putting out a dozen metaphorical fires after the Decimation, a Marvel event in which most mutants lose their powers, making them particularly vulnerable to their aggressors who — no way — still hate them, even though they’re now plain ol’ humans.
Identity and othering are the thematic pillars of any X-Men story and this one is much the same, weaving mutant struggles through the agency’s various cases. The art telling this story was amazing and communicated the tone that the team was striving for. The mutants chosen to fill out the X-Factor’s team were also very interesting, but they ultimately fit a cookie-cutter line-up of a brute, caretaker, suave leader, a beautiful socialite and her less fussy, but still very beautiful counterpart. So, overall I felt I could get this same story more artfully told elsewhere.
Identity and othering are the thematic pillars of any X-Men story and this one is much the same, weaving mutant struggles through the agency’s various cases. The art telling this story was amazing and communicated the tone that the team was striving for. The mutants chosen to fill out the X-Factor’s team were also very interesting, but they ultimately fit a cookie-cutter line-up of a brute, caretaker, suave leader, a beautiful socialite and her less fussy, but still very beautiful counterpart. So, overall I felt I could get this same story more artfully told elsewhere.
friction's review
3.0
3.5 stars, really. love ric and the gals but i don't think the book has its footing really at this point in the run
katytron's review
4.0
gettin' real tired of your shit, Monet.
Everybody is mad about M-Day. Mutants who lost their powers are angry they lost their powers, humans are angry they were mutants in the first place, and everybody just in general acts like the huge doucheweenies they are. Marvel just loves to write a populace who are bigoted and hateful, when holy frickin' crap man, if mutants really existed, the majority of people I know would be all OH MY GOD MUTANTS THIS IS SO AWESOME.
So yeah, Layla is all "I know things" and then she kills a dude with electricity and Ric walks in on Monet in the nude and makes the most hilarious face, and then Strong Guy threatens the Singularity guy, and there's a fucked up torture scene in an abandoned theatre.
Everybody is mad about M-Day. Mutants who lost their powers are angry they lost their powers, humans are angry they were mutants in the first place, and everybody just in general acts like the huge doucheweenies they are. Marvel just loves to write a populace who are bigoted and hateful, when holy frickin' crap man, if mutants really existed, the majority of people I know would be all OH MY GOD MUTANTS THIS IS SO AWESOME.
So yeah, Layla is all "I know things" and then she kills a dude with electricity and Ric walks in on Monet in the nude and makes the most hilarious face, and then Strong Guy threatens the Singularity guy, and there's a fucked up torture scene in an abandoned theatre.
More...