REVIEW: ‘X-Factor’ Issue #1

X-Factor #1 is published by Marvel Comics, written by Mark Russell, art by Bob Quinn, colors by Jesus Arburtov, and letters by Joe Caramagna. This is part of the From The Ashes relaunch of the X-books. Angel and a very odd group of mutants have been brought together in a government team with a mission that appears to be more about popularity than saving lives.

This issue takes a cynical, comical look at building a superhero team. The concept of approaching heroes like celebrities isn’t new, but there are aspects within X-Factor #1 that make it unique. For one thing, the team members are more like influencers than reality stars. They live in expensive houses paid for by their masters and get paraded around on red carpets before being thrust into dangerous situations. For most of the book, it is a cynical comedy comic, making the characters uncomfortable and humiliated for the cameras.

But as the book progresses, darkness enters, transforming the story into a most twisted sense of humor. The fight scene escalates the tone, throwing the team into the deep end, which they are entirely unprepared for. The final part is shocking and jarring, making the comic much more disturbing than what the opening pages proposed.

The lineup of X-Factor #1 is bizarre, and it’s supposed to be like that. There are no real stars in the first issue, with Angel leading the team and Havok questioning his involvement. Everyone else is unknown or has intense cuts. Russell gives them all personalities, with many of them being excited about the prospect of fame, only for that to be dampened by the audience’s reaction.

Angel is experienced but barely in control of the team; he is essentially a pawn. Their boss is an unpleasant politician solely focused on wealth. When the group gets a taste of action for the first time, it becomes clear how dangerous things could get for them. The dialogue in these moments is funny and distressing as X-Factor faces experienced and ruthless villains.

The art is fantastic at depicting the perfect emotions. It can be overdramatic, but that matches the tone of the entire comic. Early in the issue, the team’s brand new, luscious lifestyle is instantly shown to be phony and skin-deep, but it looks the part. The costumes are purposeful and corny, with some X-Men uniforms transformed into attempts at exciting fashion. But as the situation turns more real, the team members’ lives are on the line.

The fear sets in with many of the young heroes. The fight scene gets extreme and ruthless. The characters look terrified, with their eyes and mouths wide open. The powers are tremendous but largely ineffective. And towards the end of the battle, the art turns gruesome, with some nasty injuries included.

The colors are vibrant, utilizing a lot of yellow and blue, as the X-Factor team has to be screen-friendly and exciting to look at. In those costumes, they are presented as established mutant heroes despite many having never even seen an X-team. Their powers can also look formidable, with pyrokinetic and electrokinetics in this group’s first iteration. The lettering is clear and easy to read.

X-Factor #1 is much more horrifying than a first glance may suggest. The cynical satire early in the comic is merely a premise for some darker, more serious storylines. The first pages had an artifice that made it difficult to settle into, but the twist at the end made the series instantly gripping. The premise’s nature suggests that the cast will be ever-changing as the writer is ruthless with the characters in the first chapter. That adds a terrifying quality to the series, as some terrible things could happen to fan favorites.

X-Factor #1 is available now wherever comics are sold.