Right on Fire
Scarcely can I remember a comic that has been this good. I've only just recently took on reading X-Factor, starting at issue 13 and before reading this, was still pretty skeptical about the series... but how things change. Louise Simonson is a fine writer, and this is a perfect example of why. The story focuses on the rescued mutants Rusty (Flame Demon) and the former Morlock Skids. Without knowing what had happened before issue 13, including both characters back stories, I still understood these characters in full detail. I'm a sucker for those 'how this character became a mutant' stories, so this one did me in, with two of those. I was moved to see how Skids developed her force fields to protect herself from her abusive father, and how Rusty burst into flames when he was with a prostitute (long story). The reason why I chose to give this issue a five, is because not only was there absolutely nothing wrong with this issue, but there was everything right. It's actually refreshing that the characters don't dwell on the death of Angel, in the last issue, and just move on. The funeral (at the start of this issue) is apparently in a few days. I enjoyed how the entire story worked out, with Skids trying to run away and return to the Morlocks, meeting Masque, Rusty making a deal with him to heal the face of the prostitute he burnt up. It was just all too wonderful. I was swept away. The writng just conveyed so many feelings, and I felt them all. It was pretty emotional. I enjoyed this issue so thoroughly, I had my brother read it. He isn't into comic books but I convinced him to take a look at this one, he did, and even though he wasn't as pleased as I was, he still claimed to enjoy it. One downside in reading this series however, he is that I still don't really care for the core X-Factor team (Cyclops, Beast, Iceman, and Jean Grey), not one of the four issues I've dug into has made them anymore likeable, they all seem so flat. This issue doesn't improve that, though it is a fantastic story, it delves only into the rescued mutant characters leaving the core heroes almost entirely out of the picture. That worries me, I'm surprised I feel a greater compassion for the minor characters in this series (Rusty, Skids and Boom-Boom) when I would think, it should be the other way around. But either way, the final page when Skids and Rusty finally take total control of their powers to kiss, I was blown away. The layout on that final page was perfect, simple but perfect. This issue also had some spiritual aspects I found charming, the former prostitute failing to have her burnt face healed deciding to bacome a missionary of sorts to the Morlocks. Interesting. But all in all, this issue is up there, as one of my favorite comics of all time.