Pick of the Week
What did the
iFanboy
community think?
Pulls
PENCILS: Eric Nguyen & Dan Panosian
INKS: Terry Austin & Dan Panosian
COLORED BY: Jim Charalampidis & Lee Loughridge
LETTERED BY: Dave Sharpe
COVER BY: Dan Panosian
Size: 32 pages
Price: 3.99
I have to admit that even I’m shocked by how much I’m enjoying the Forever line of comics from Marvel. Sure, we laugh about X-Men Forever and how ridiculous it is and the insanity of Chris Claremont but I don’t want that to overshadow what’s going on in the pages of X-Factor Forever. In the this 5 issue miniseries, Louise Simonson has returned to the classic lineup of the original X-Men and picked up where she left off and she’s done it so well that at one point in X-Factor Forever #4, I found myself wishing this story was in continuity.
For those unaware, the Forever line of comics started with X-Men Forever last year, where Marvel allowed Chris Claremont to return to the story of the X-Men where he left off when he stopped writing the book in 1991. Picking up the characters and storylines that he was weaving for years, die-hard X-Men fans like myself ate it up with a spoon, only to realize it is the writings of a madman, mot often making zero sense whatsoever. But that’s okay, because it’s fun. When they turned to other ongoing X-Men title, X-Factor, the natural idea was to have Louise Simonson pick up where she left off, at a similar time as Claremont, in the early 1990s. Simonson accepted he gig, limited to a 5 issue miniseries and it turns out the difference between Simonson and Claremont is sanity.
Where Claremont’s X-Men Forever has been off the wall and nonsensical, Louise Simonson’s story in this series has been nothing but elegant, well crafted and believable. Returning the X-Factor team to the time of Archangel, Iceman with his power control belt, blue and furry Beast, and Cyclops and Jean Grey raising young Nathan Christopher (Cyclops son that he had with Madelyne Pryor, a clone of Jean Grey) where they live in New York City in Apocalypse’s former ship, which happens to be sentient and of Celestial descent. I always had a feeling that Simonson was weaving a larger story with X-Factor, namely with their foe of her run, Apocalypse and naturally this where she picks up the story as Apocalypse strikes back, kidnapping the young baby and kicking off a larger conflict that has even pulled in those huge silent beings, the Celestials. In issue #4, the story takes an even more interesting twist as Apocalypse maneuvers X-Factor toward a conflict with the other X-Men villain of this time, Mr. Sinister, and we’re presented with the theory that perhaps Nathan Christopher isn’t actually Cyclops’ baby after all (a revelation that blew my mind).
As I mentioned above, I found myself reading this story and becoming so engrossed that if you stopped and told me that, actually, this story was in the X-Men/X-Factor continuity, I would totally believe you. And once I realized I believed in it, I found myself cursing the “one-off” nature of this project and wishing that perhaps this was the story that was told. All my memories of this time period of these characters have come flooding back and Simonson has presented a story that completely fit in with where the characters were at that time and I’m simply loving it.
One area where X-Men Forever has suffered a bit has been in the art department. A rotating cast of artists over the past year (with Tom Grummett being the main artist) has lead to an inconsistent feel and the feel it does have is a shallow aping of early 1990s style. With X-Factor Forever, the decision to bring in Dan Panosian in pencils was genius. To be clear, Panosian is killing it. His art is wholly unique and has a personality of its own. There’s no attempt to make this “look” like it’s the early 1990s, and yet the look of the art has a “retro” feel that suggests to you that this is not taking place today at all. Whatever Panosian is doing, it’s quite clever and effective. His storytelling is solid and the action is laid out in a way that keeps things moving forward and keeps me engaged on every page to see just every little detail of the characters and backgrounds. Oh, and I could read a comic book of Panosian drawn Celestials reading the phone book and it would be amazing. The addition of Eric Nguyen to the art duties on this issue should be noted in that the look of the book continued and couldn’t tell where Panosian ended and Nguyen began, which is how you want to see it done when there are 2 artists working within the confines of one book (without flashbacks or that sort of thing). All in all, the art compliments the story with it’s own level of elegance and ease that continues to impress.
I’ve never hid the fact that I’m a sentimental fool, nor have I hid that I’m fan of alternate stories like in the pages of What If… (which the Forever line is just a glorified version of), so it’s no surprised that this book would hit me from those angles. Even if this story wasn’t as good as it was, I’d still be reading X-Factor Forever, but it’s an absolute delight to revisit these characters, at this time and have it be done in such a masterful way that it completely fools and distracts me from the concept of the series. Now that’s good comic booking. Too bad with X-Factor Forever #4, we’re just one issue away from the end of the miniseries, meanwhile Claremont shows no signs of ever stopping the madness of X-Men Forever. Oh well, better to have a little bit of a great thing rather then a whole lot of crazy, biweekly.
Ron Richards
Can we get Louise back to full time on an X-book? Please?
ron@ifanboy.com
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See that?
It turns out, you really CAN go home again.
I am now going to have to pick up this, and the other issues, at the store now. My interest is piqued.
You just convinced me to pick up the trade of this when it comes out. Well done.
Fitting that a Marvel book would be the POTW on this day
Now I want a Incredible Hulk forever and let Peter David return to where he left off in his original run.
Oh Ron.
This is why I don’t check whose pick it is every week.
My pick is Walking Dead #73 because it is awesome and the only book of the week that I pulled (DAMN YOU DIAMOND!!!!).
I want to see Mark Waid and Ron Garney’s Captain America Forever.
the concept of the ‘Forever’ line sounds really cool and I liked the review, but since I wasn’t there for X-factor then, I don’t think I’ll be there now.
Are there other ‘Forever’ books out there (or up-coming) that are good?
SWORD FOREVER BY GILLEN!
RUNAWAYS FOREVER BY BKV!
ANT-MAN FOREVER BY KIRKMAN!
I am definitely picking this up when it is collected in a trade
Damn this actually sounds pretty good. Curse you Ron! I still don’t know if I’ll buy it or not. I’ll check it out at the LCS.
"Iceman with his power control belt, blue and furry Beast and Cyclops and Jean Grey raising young Nathan Christopher (Cyclops son that he had with Madelyne Pryor, a clone of Jean Grey) where they live in New York City in Apocalypse’s former ship, which happens to be sentient and of Celestial descent."
The fact that this describes the SANE book reinforces why I will always love the X-Men.. .
And yes, this should be canon. X-Factor really kind of drifted between when Simonson left and when PAD relaunched it with a different cast.
Should’nt you guys change the pick of the week to " Marvel Pick of the Week"
I forgot it was Ron’s week. Yeah, now it make sense.
@Gotham Knight: Your seriously gonna go there. I am not a DC or a Marvel fan, I am a comics fan and this site has provided me with numerous oppertunities to read all kinds of new things on both sides of the aisle. So to make the snide/sarcastic remark really takes down the coversation about a fantastic book by Louise Simonson. It wasn’t my pick of the week, but to each his own and that is what the POTW is about what each "Fanboy" thinks is their pick of the week. Also, I really don’t there was that much complaining with DC went on a 5 week terror through the end of March into April. Relax man, its comics.
So when does Astonishing X-Men Forever with Whedon and Cassaday start?
Anytime I see an X on the pick of the week I know it’s Ron’s pick.
Ooh, haven’t had a snarky comment about editorial bias in a while!
So far this year, the POW has been a DC/Vertigo book eleven times. The POW has been a Marvel book twelve times. Not exactly a wide gulf. It’s indies that have really taken it on the chin this year: the only non-"big two" book has been Buffy, and that ain’t exactly small press.
@pdallor — Do you remember when that book was coming out? It *was* Astonishing X-Men Forever.
I want an Ultimate Astonishing Forever comic, starring, of course, Ultimate Astonishing Spider-Man Forever and Ultimate Astonishing Wolverine Forever. That would be cool.
Ah, ignore the haters Ron. I’m glad you had a rockin’ time with this book as I know it was a series you were looking forward to, and hey, if it was the best this week for you, then it was the best, regardless if it was an X-title.
Well, I had an awesome week with my comics, and you know, I just can’t pick one. So, I’m not going to. It’s a good thing I don’t work for this site. 🙂
Eh, it’s not hating. Just some gentle ribbing. That’s what she said.
I only read 1 superhero book this week. But it wasn’t my pick. That said, I’ve been picking Avengers books for what seems like months now. After being unhappy with them for what seems like years.
Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeezie! Oh man do I love Louise Simonson. And do I agree with Ron that this, not X-Men Forever, should be the ongoing. I know Louise is open to doing more, and she wants to do it with Dan, but she said Dan isn’t capable of handling a monthly book without a rest in between arcs. Maybe we’ll get a 2nd volume sometime later this year. One can hope.
I like this book but if Simonson follows Claremont in Issue 5 a lot of people will probably die for no reason other than to say that she has the power to do it…. or she could just write a good story like she has been doing.
Can’t wait to read this in trade. I really hope they ask her back to do a X-Factor series regarding "The Twelve", as apparently she has an idea in mind based on an interview I read a few months back. But I think for that one they HAVE to have Walt Simonson on art, as that would make unbelievable. It is wishful thinking though since Walt is on a DC Exclusive right now, not sure for how long though.
Did anyone listen to Louise Simonson on the Uncanny X-Cast a few months back? I’m pretty sure she said there might be more X-Factor if this sells well, SO BUY IT, PEOPLE! 🙂
I’m enjoying this book quite a bit, but New Mutants 11 had the emotional resonance I was looking for in my POW. New Avengers 1 was also just flat-out awesome.
Good choice, for me it was Amazing Spider-man 634, but since this is a limited series it needs to be highlighted.
It was just a joke, did not mean anything negative about it.
Would I find this enjoyable if I love the X-Men but never read Simonson’s original X-Factor run?
@lmiller I think if you’re into that group of characters, particularly if you’re a Scott/Jean fan or a fan of Mr. Sinister or Apocalypse as villains, it’s worth picking up. I wouldn’t say it stands on its own super-well though. Not that it isn’t a quality comic, just that it’s more of interest if you’re already invested in the characters.
Don’t you really need prior knowledge of the old series to enjoy any of the "Forever" titles?
I just don’t remember anything from L. Simonson’s run being that great. (Have to admit, I loathed her later work on Superman and have avoided her writing since then.)
I know the title is hitting Ron’s nostalgic nodes and I can totally understand that — It’s just a little disheartening to hear X-Factor Forever get praised, while the current X-Factor book, (the best X-men title currently out there IMO) always seems to be overlooked.
@ Arrggghhh — yeah, I remember not loving the old arc either. Ron sells it well though… now I’m sort of curious.
@Arrrgh — Apples & oranges. Nothing in common but the title.
I do like the current X-Factor title, though, or I did up until the Second Coming tie-ins, but that too should pass.
I really like this concept quite a bit. I have no history with this book, but I kind of want to check it out.
I’d love to see Ellis and Templesmith on Fell Forever.
@paul — It’s definitely an interesting approach. The original X-Factor, I mean, it was what it was. Pure unapologetic soap opera. And this issue has Jean and Scott doing a lot of hugging, and Jean yelling, "We have to SAVE the BABY! He’s TINY and WET and SCARED!" Like, you know the Buffy episode where Giles is creating a diversion by telling the cops they have to save the "tiny tiny babies!" Like that, only serious. And there’s a previous issue (of the current mini) that is literally all about the X-Factor team attending a kids’ birthday party with their (all long-written-out-ofcontinuity) civilian love interests. And then Warren’s evil ex-boyfriend, who is a cyborg, attacks them. It is what it is. I love it for the melodrama.
I had been reading this series, but decided not to continue after the previous issue. I just don’t have a great love for any of these characters. It was cool at first, but I just don’t care that much about what’s happening here to continue. I’m glad that others are loving it thought.
I’m not a huge fan of the X-Men but i have read a lot of X-Men, particularly Morrison on X-Men. Ron picking this and the art got me to pick up isssues 1-4. You can totally pick this up without having read X-Factor. Im sure some points are lost to me but for the most part its a reall good story, with AMAZING art. If you know who the X-Men are you can probably figure out what is going on.
@damon
Incredible Hulk Forever… I would buy that until whichever of Peter David or I died first.
I’m writing my own Forever title called Cromulent Forever. What would have happened if I DIDN’T eat that burrito last night? Would the toilet still be mess today? Rob Liefeld artist.
I’m in Europe right now and won’t be able to read this for a while but I loved thefirst two isues and am so happy to see ron giving it the pow treatment!
I keep hearing people talk about the PD run on Hulk. If its even half as good as what he’s been doing on X-Factor, it would totally be worth it.
@vadamowen Almost everything you know about the Hulk comes from PAD’s 12+ year run on the book. There are low points but when it was hitting on all cylinders it was great! Check out Future Imperfect for a taste George Perez art great book.
@paul Fell #11 is coming out one day!