X-Men Run vs Run: X-Factor vs New Mutants

This is tough.

The only reason I would give to X-Factor is because Peter David actually got to write the whole entire run.....and follow through with everything he had planned for the characters.

Claremont left the New Mutants after a while and Louise Simonson didn't take long to turn it into sh*t. It also took a while for New Mutants to get really good, does anyone remember the first 10 or so issues with "Ax" and "Team America".??..because I sure wish I didn't.

Overall, I did find the characters in New Mutants more interesting. Sunspot wasn't your stereotypical "team bruiser", characters like Moonstar, Cypher and Karma had more peripheral powers, Cannonball wasn't the super decisive leader, in fact, he was more of a co leader with Moonstar. Of course, they had Warlock, Magik and Magma who all carried their own enormous and interesting back stories and potential trouble with them.

Another advantage New Mutants had is that it intertwined pretty seamlessly with X-Men books. Warlocks "father", the villain known as Magus, originally made earth fall and fought the X-Men in an X-Men issue and things like Magneto and Storms plan to affiliate themselves with the Hellfire Club would unfold in the New Mutants during interludes from the main story, then while Strom lost her powers and is in Africa finding herself or whatever, she would turn up and help the New Mutants. They way it connected with Uncanny X-Men made both books feel like they were some kind of massive literary novel. It was neat.

X-Factor is amazing. No character is wasted, it's full of humor, there is lots of unpredictable surprises, the art is pretty consistent and it gives a list of C-list characters like Darwin, Shatterstar and Longshot a very needed spotlight. The storytelling and dialogue and interaction between characters also makes it feel sort of realistic, which is something only certain writers can do in super hero comics (Claremont being another one). Its just a unique book all around and is definitely one of my favorites.

I give it to X-Factor. Not taking anything away from New Mutants, but X-Factor just has more to it due to one writer that didn't have editorial or anybody messing with his vision.

This is interesting, since i only put the original New Mutants in because i didn't think X-Factor (or any run) could take Claremont's original go....but @cattlebattle seems to make this sound more debate worthy then i suspected.

X-Factor does have some pretty heavy weak points, mostly having to do with longer winded storylines tending to fall flater on delivery. And some interesting directions for plot that rivals some soap operas for better or worse in some cases.

i've never really engaged with ANY of the New Mutants - hmmm perhaps a little with Magik... but i always found them to be the weaker, junior, less interesting X-Men.

PAD's X-Factor, however, took some reasonably powerful peripheral x-people and made them incredibly interesting. Madrox is now a certifiable x-favourite of mine. Rictor as well - even when he was depowered (didn't hurt that he was always drawn so very well ;) ). It also gave us Monet as a major character again. And she was missed. Gen X was far more interesting for me than New Mutants, so Monet's presence in X-Factor was the original draw for me.

PAD wrote the entire run. it was a visionary book as a result. It meandered along at times, but it was always engaging. The characters felt more realistic and ...human... as because of these periods. Madrox's self-doubt discussions with himselves were always fun. I loved the one dupe who queried whether it was really sex if Madrox Prime and a Dupe had sex together, or if it was masturbation.

I vote for X-Factor. I like then very much.

Bump to break the tie?

@koays

is jamie de-aged or something? once he was as old as alex

@hopesummersforthefuture: I feel like he may have been after rereading some of X-factor, or was always just 2 or 3 years younger...idk for sure

Peter David is a great writer and xfactor was good. I say that, though Xfactor was somewhat, what I at times hate for the focus of xbooks to be, and thats just a big soap opera. Most of the drama came from people sleeping around or getting into relationships. Ive never liked Madrox, Stron Guy, or Layla Miller. Ive never liked Longshot or Shatterstar- i mean for me it was already a bad origin and then David went and made it worse. Im just not interested in Darwin. Now I do love Siryn, Monet and Rahne Sinclair. Havok and Polaris are great as well.

The New Mutants were good as well though it did have a very slow start. Its got more characters I like with Moonstar, Cannonball, Sunspot, Karma and Rahne. The later additions were decent as well with exceptions of Doug Ramsey and Warlock or whatever. The New Mutants dealt with Asgard, Hellions, The Brood, Demon Bear and Legion. To me those were memorable storylines ( not to mention a few others that I may be missing since I consider the first run of Xforce to be part of this as well) Its had it flaws and the era felt different because volume 1 didnt seem to have to deal with the stuff from editorial that David may have too with the events every week. Though both writers seemed to have lee way to do whatever they want.

I think I may have to go against the grain here and vote New Mutants but its extremely close. Xfactor did have that Noir sometimes apocalyptic feel that I like. Maybe its a tie. Damn why are these so hard!!! lol

@hawk2916: lol I tried to make the first rounds as even as possible or at least split the fan bases. Honestly Peter David an X-factor are so well liked that i thought it could take the whole thing.

issue #45 of New Mutants can single handily beat every issue of X-Factor put together

X-Factor I really like Siryn :)

I really liked New Mutants, but X-Factor was better written and I liked the art better.

I voted for The New Mutants and this bring me some good old memories. But I also liked the XF.

X-Factor in my book.

New Mutants was the best X-Men spin off of all time. David's X-Factor is second or third. It might even rival New Mutants, if it wasn't for Peter David's inability to write people in character.

New Mutants. X-Factor was alright, but Peter David couldn't make me care about those characters the way that Claremont made me care about those kids.