X-Factor #237

By: Peter David (story), Neil Edwards (pencils), Karl Kesel (inks), Rachelle Rosenberg (colors)

The Story: So, Rahne isn’t exactly feeling her best, having vomited up the child of a wolf-god and disowned it (the merry things that happen in X-Factor). To try and get her to feel better, Polaris and Banshee take her to see John Maddox, the priestly dupe of Jamie. You know…it’s one of those light and fun issues!

The Good: In all seriousness, yes, Peter David can bring very lighthearted and fun issues of X-Factor to us when the moment calls for it. He can give us high octane awesomeness with grand fights, when the moment calls for it. Sometimes, the moment is not about seeing the team beat the crap out of something, or go to Vegas to save a troll (now THAT was fun!). Sometimes you need to get serious, and that’s what #237 does–it gets serious.

This issue is one of those character issues that needed to happen. Out of all the members of Cyclops’s X-Force (now Wolverine’s), Rahne took the biggest emotional beating. She was brainwashed into ripping the wings off of Angel…which ultimately led to him becoming Archangel again and then Apocalypse after that (thank god she doesn’t know about that). And then she went berserker in a way not even Wolverine has ever reached and ate her own father. She found comfort with Hrimhari…who then had to sacrifice himself to Hela in order for Rahne and his child to live (during Necrosha). And then the stuff with her baby…really, if anyone thinks that Rahne isn’t justified in her super-emo susepension, then that person doesn’t understand what happens to a person when they are given more than they can bare.

This is what Peter David does so well here. He let Rhane suffer on her own, trying desperately to find her own redemption for as long as he could allow the character to do so on her own, until others had to interfere. But the way they interfere is great. No intervention for Rahne. Just three girls on a road trip to see the most wonderful spiritual guide in the Marvel Universe…Reverend John Maddox (Sidebar: Peter, seriously, how about a new series: X-Clergy! We can bring back Nightcrawler, have Rahne in there, Maddox as their leader, operating out of a church in Vermont. Praying for a world that hates and fears them?! It could work!). The last time we saw Maddox was in another great character issue for Syrin, and leads to her taking her father’s name and becoming Banshee. It seems that when we see this guy, it’s a good indication that it’s time to open a pack of Kleenex. It has all the emotional beats to make you want to reach into the page and hug Rahne. When Peter David aims for your heart, the man does not pull his punches.

The Bad: While Edward’s art wasn’t bad, it didn’t fit the tone of this issue. Had the entire issue been a road trip, then it would have been fine, but when it gets to Rahne and Maddox, the tone of the writing and the art didn’t quite match. There is a very intense scene involving a cat-o’-nines that just doesn’t come off as desperate as David is writing it. It was enough to pull me out of the moment and read it over again to see what David was trying to do. It would have been nice if David Yardin, the cover artist, did the issue too. I would like to see Edwards on the book again, but for a story that suits his style better.

Overall: A great character story–especially rewarding after reading Uncanny X-Men #13. And I’m starting to feel like I did around issue #38ish a few years ago, right before he got to #39 and all hell broke loose for 11 issues straight. Pieces are starting to allign, and since we are–already–getting closer to #250, I can’t wait to see what Mr. David has in store for us.

Grade: A-