Line #60 ComicBook/XFactor


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/32fbded6_ef18_4b2a_9a6c_45cb91947350.jpeg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:Same old X-Men, fresh new flavor.]]
3
4	''X-Factor'' debuted as an ''ComicBook/XMen'' spinoff in early 1986. For [[Creator/MarvelComics Marvel]], it was the opportunity to bring the original X-Men together after so many years. For the record, ComicBook/{{Cyclops\|MarvelComics}} left the leadership of the X-Men to ComicBook/{{Storm\|MarvelComics}} and tried to live a quiet life with his wife Madelyne Pryor and their son. The ComicBook/{{Beast\|MarvelComics}}, [[ComicBook/WarrenWorthingtonIII Angel]] and ComicBook/{{Iceman\|MarvelComics}} had recently left ComicBook/TheDefenders. Thus, those characters were free game for other projects.
5
6	In addition to all that, it just so happened that a recently [[HeelFaceTurn reformed]] ComicBook/{{Magneto}} had been put in charge of the X-Men by Charles Xavier before the latter left Earth for some years. And more importantly, it turned out that ComicBook/JeanGrey had not died a few years before. She was found sleeping in an escape pod in Jamaica Bay by ComicBook/TheAvengers, who brought her to [[ComicBook/FantasticFour Reed Richards]]. They all learned, including Jean herself, that the Jean Grey who became Phoenix early in Creator/ChrisClaremont's run and died in ComicBook/TheDarkPhoenixSaga actually ''was'' the Phoenix, who replaced Jean in Stephen Lang's platform.
7
8	Mr. Fantastic brought the news to Angel, who in turn called the other original X-Men, and they all reunited with Jean. They didn't want to deal with Magneto, so they formed a new group. They dedicated themselves to continuing Xavier's dream, with an odd twist: they masqueraded themselves as [[CapeBusters mutant hunters]] living in advanced headquarters, while secretely saving and training new mutants. And thus X-Factor was born, with Bob Layton and Butch Guice as the first creative team. Louise Simonson soon replaced Layton and milked the masquerade for all it was worth before discarding it and making X-Factor publicly mutant heroes, in contrast to the X-Men who were hidden outlaws at the time.
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10	After the original members rejoined the expanded team of X-Men in 1991, Creator/PeterDavid took the series over. The title switched to detailing the exploits of a new, government-sanctioned team of mutants, most notable for turning CListFodder like Jamie Madrox into {{ascended extra}}s. After Peter David left, the title bounced between writers, finally settling on Howard Mackie, who would write the title for the remainder of its run. The series was eventually cancelled in 1998.
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12	In 2006, Marvel launched a new series with Madrox as the lead character of a new X-Factor team with more FilmNoir elements than before, where most of the old team and some new members had become private investigators. This book eventually resumed the numbering of the old series, so it breaks down into: vol. 1 #1-#70 (original X-Men), #71-#149 (government team), vol. 2 #1-#50 (detectives), then #200 onwards (still detectives). The series concluded in late 2013.
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14	In 2014, Marvel launched ''All-New X-Factor'', still with Peter David and renumbered ''again''. They're a corporate superteam with Polaris as their leader and the mysterious Harrison Snow of Serval Industries as their bankroller. Gambit and Quicksilver joined in the first issue. The series lasted 20 issues.
15
16	In 2020, Marvel relaunched ''X-Factor'' as part of the ''ComicBook/DawnOfX'' relaunch. The series goes back to the private investigator premise, with the titular team investigating missing mutant cases to allow for their resurrection by the Five.
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18	Has nothing to do with the [[Series/TheXFactor reality series]].
19
20	----
21	Following volumes with their own pages:
22	* ''ComicBook/XFactor1991''
23	* ''ComicBook/XFactor2006''
24	* ''ComicBook/AllNewXFactor''
25	* ''ComicBook/XFactor2020''
26	----
27	!!The series provides examples of the following tropes:
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29	* AbortedArc: In issue #12, Jean's sister Sara was apparently kidnapped by a group of anti-mutant bigots who blew up her house. Exactly ''who'' had Sara was unclear, with her children later turning up as brainwashed prisoners of Nanny during ''Inferno''. Despite Jean vowing to find out what happened to Sara, the story went unresolved in the pages of X-Factor, with Sara's fate only being revealed six years later in an issue of ''X-Men'' that tied into the ''Phalanx Covenant'' crossover.
30	* ActuallyADoombot: Apocalypse uses some lifelike robots to fight the team on the Moon.
31	* AdvertisedExtra: The back of issue #8 promises issue #9 will have Magneto. And it does. For two panels, and he says only one word: "Scott?"
32	* AlwaysABiggerFish: Frenzy is quickly established to be both super-strong and nigh-invulnerable, and Nowlan's power boost ratchets up her powers even further. But Apocalypse is still able to slap her down like she was nothing.
33	* ArbitrarySkepticism: An accountant in issue #1 engaging in cooler talk says he thinks Mutants in general aren't real. Hopefully Iceman running right past him disabuses the man of this notion.
34	* ArcWelding: In issue #68, Archangel muses if the impossibly large gun the Phoenix used to kill herself at the end of ''The Dark Phoenix Saga'' was one of Apocalypse's doohickeys.
35	* TheArtifact: Apocalypse's first appearance has him lairing in a classy manor, a leftover of the original plan for ''Daredevil'' villain the Owl to be the BigBad.
36	* AttackOfTheFiftyFootWhatever: Using some stolen tech, Apocalypse makes himself a towering giant.
37	* BadassBystander: NYPD Sergeant Jones, Archangel's girlfriend at the time, gets dragged into X-Factor's showdown with Apocalypse, and a battle on the freaking Moon, by accident.
38	* BatFamilyCrossover: ''ComicBook/Inferno1988'' and ''X-Tinction Agenda'' involved X-Factor, the X-Men and the ComicBook/NewMutants. ''The Muir Island Saga'' led directly to the major lineup changes.
39	* BattleInTheCenterOfTheMind: Issue #68 has Jean and Scott against the techno-organic virus Nate has been infected with. Nate's baby mind is personifying the virus as Apocalypse, but he gives Cyclops enough borrowed power to toast it.
40	%%* BigBad: Apocalypse
41	* {{Brainwashed}}: Even though Angel had willingly agreed to serve ComicBook/{{Apocalypse}} as Death, one of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse in exchange for new wings (bear in mind he was [[DrivenToSuicide borderline suicidal at the time]], and everyone thought he ''was'' dead), Apocalypse still programmed him to be loyal though, however. He stayed under his control from ''ComicBook/XFactor'' #21 to #25(October, 1987 - February, 1988). It wasn't thorough enough, though, and after apparently killing Iceman, he snaps out of it and attacks Apocalypse. Fortunately, the Iceman he destroyed was only an ice statue of the original and Angel rejoined X-Factor.
42	* BrainwashedAndCrazy:
43	** Havok during part of the ''Inferno'' storyline.
44	** In issue #68, the team runs into Medusa of the Inhumans, who's been brainwashed by Apocalypse. She's joined by her sister, Crystal, who'd been nabbed by some of his goons in the issue before.
45	* BreakingTheFourthWall: She-Hulk makes a cameo in issue #66, and since this was her schtick at the time she grumbles about how terrible the issue's title is.
46	-->'''She-Hulk:''' Gee, with a title like that, you'd think this was one of ''my own'' adventures! What comes next, "Return of the Terrible Toad Men"?
47	* CallBack: The original team's final fight with Apocalypse has them wind up in the very same area of the Moon where the X-Men fought the Shi'ar Imperial Guard during ''The Dark Phoenix Saga''.
48	* CannotSpitItOut: It takes Scott a long time to explain the whole deal with Madelyne to Jean, and before that any time anyone tries explaining they ''always'' get interrupted.
49	* CapeBusters: When they first started using the name X-Factor, the team pretended to be normal humans who captured mutants as an excuse to recruit young mutants to train.
50	* CardCarryingVillain: The Alliance of Evil, Apocalypse's starting QuirkyMinibossSquad.
51	* CatchPhrase: The initial government lineup tended to say "cripes" a lot.
52	* CharacterizationMarchesOn:
53	** Cameron Hodge starts out as just the guy who runs things for the team, no more and no less. He eventually turns out to not only be EvilAllAlong, but one of ''the'' most petty and psychopathic villains the X-franchise has.
54	** Apocalypse's first encounter has him acting more like a DiabolicalMastermind, even claiming he's a master of disguise with many different identities he could assume, concepts that would fall by the wayside.
55	%%* TheChessmaster: Cameron Hodge
56	* CloneAngst: Jean learns to deal with two beings copying her body. Madelyne, meanwhile, [[GoMadFromTheRevelation couldn't cope with the revelation]] of ''being'' a clone.
57	* ColorfulThemeNaming: The vampiric Ravens all had names related to blue or red: Crimson, Azure, Coral, Cerise, Beryl, Ruby, and Cobalt.
58	* CrossThrough: Issue #9 has the team passing through the events over in ''Uncanny X-Men'', namely the Mutant Massacre.
59	* DaChief: After X-Factor and Freedom Force tussle over Rusty, Val Cooper reads the Force the riot act for not succeeding. It backfires on her, as Mystique decides to hold back the knowledge of just who X-Factor really are after her shabby treatment. Hey, Val ''told'' her to shut up...
60	* DependingOnTheWriter: For the first few issues when Bob Layton is writing, Jean's put out by Scott's increasing reticence, but no more. When Louis Simonson takes over, she suddenly becomes a lot more wangsty about it.
61	* {{Depower}}: For a while, Jean loses her telepathic powers. An attack by Psynapse starts to restore them.
62	* DownerEnding: How the Chaykin run ends. One of the trio of Mutants from the future tries to build a time-machine to go home. It doesn't work, and apparently kills both him and Havok, and the team disbands. Havok would turn up alive, having been displaced to another universe.
63	* DrugsAreBad: The whole plot with Mike Nowlan, who was already an addict after his time in 'Nam, and worse still since they're the only things suppressing his Mutant powers. X-Factor keep tearing him a strip over his habit.
64	* DumbMuscle: For a time, Beast is reduced to this. Any time he used his super-strength he would get stronger, but his mental capacity would decline.
65	* EvilCostumeSwitch:
66	** Havok when he becomes the Goblin Prince to Madelyne Pryor (although the switch in question is really just his old suit reduced [[ShirtlessScene to tatters]] to match Madelyne's [[MsFanservice outfit]]).
67	** Angel, as Death of the Four Horsemen (he kept his costume after returning to X-Factor and becoming Archangel).
68	** Caliban, as a willing servant of Apocalypse.
69	* EvilIsBigger: Frenzy starts off at somewhere over seven foot tall, and Apocalypse is even bigger than her.
70	* ExpositionOfImmortality: During his first fight with the X-Men casually mentions he's centuries old. It eventually turns out he's quite a bit older than that.
71	* FaceHeelTurn: Angel was brainwashed by Apocalypse into becoming the Horseman of Death; Caliban willingly joined Apocalypse to get a power-up for his revenge against the Marauders; Madelyne Pryor's sanity slipped after realizing she was Sinister's experiment all along; Havok was turned into the Goblin Prince by Madelyne. Angel/Archangel and Havok [[HeelFaceTurn came back,]] though. As did Caliban, but not until well after his incarnation in X-Factor.
72	** Havok ''again'', during ''[[BatFamilyCrossover X-Tinction Agenda]]'', this time convinced he was a Genoshan hunter. He got better, [[HeelFaceRevolvingDoor again.]]
73	* FashionDissonance: With Beast reverted back to his original human form, Vera Cantor takes him shopping to update him to the dazzling veneer of the 80s; an oversized, garishly colored suit-jacket and an oversized tie. Hank and Iceman both think he looks stupid.
74	* {{Flashback}}: How Jean came back was summarized by Angel, although the AsYouKnow aspect for the first part was getting on Scott's nerves.
75	* FreakinessShame: Rusty Collins doesn't take finding out he's a Mutant terribly well, never mind being more-or-less drafted by X-Factor.
76	* GeniusBruiser: Beast, as always, except during his near-human phase. Also Strong Guy, who was a nerdy, grade A-student at junior high.
77	* HeroicBSOD: After seeing Jean is alive again, but having utterly nuked his marriage by going to check, Cyclops spends a few days wandering around New York in a blur.
78	* IHaveYourWife: Apocalypse has his minions kidnap Mike Nowlan's ex-wife to force him to cooperate, only for her to be killed in the crossfire.
79	* InsaneTrollLogic: Cameron Hodge stating that Literature/TheBible is proof of humanity's superiority over mutants, despite having made a DealWithTheDevil to ensure his victory. The demon lord even [[LampshadeHanging lampshades]] it.
80	* InvasionOfTheBabySnatchers: Nanny and Orphan-Maker specialize in this. Nanny steals children to raise them as armored soldiers, and [[MeaningfulName Orphan-Maker]] kills their parents.
81	* KickingAssInAllHerFinery: Jean plays with this when she wears an evening dress and fur coat, and then acts like a snowball fight with Scott is [[MundaneMadeAwesome an epic battle]].
82	* LampshadeHanging: The first issue with Louis Simonson on writing has the characters point out how utterly ''stupid'' the "Mutant exterminator" idea is.
83	* LawyerFriendlyCameo: More of a reference really, but one issue revealed that the team's government liaison, Val Cooper, really envied her brother, a FBI agent who gets really cool cases:
84	-->'''Cooper:''' ...like one time, they found this girl. [[Series/TwinPeaks She was dead,]] [[MemeticMutation wrapped in plastic...]]
85	* LiteralDisarming: The "Judgement War" storyline culminates in Jean absorbing the energy of the alien factions of the planet where the arc took place, and transferring it to Scott to stop the Celestials' judgement. A cosmic symbol imprinted on Arishem's hand could start the judgement process if his verdict was negative, so Cyclops destroyed the hand with a powered-up optic blast.
86	* LittleBlackDress: Jean wears one in the first issue, and another in the three issue arc where she loses her winter coat and then replaces it with a fur coat.
87	* LosingYourHead: Memo to Cameron Hodge: don't kill the girlfriend of the guy with brand-new razor-sharp wings after you've already betrayed his team and ruined his life. Though Hodge [[DealWithTheDevil did plan ahead]].
88	* LukeYouAreMyFather: It was in this book that Rachel Summers finally told her parents who she was. This was followed by typical Nineties {{Wangst}}ing from all parties involved.
89	* TheMenInBlack: The team's cover story at first was pretending to be an organization like this.
90	* NarratingTheObvious: Issues 66-68 are scripted by Chris Claremont, so there's a bit of this going on.
91	* NiceJobBreakingItHero: It is pointed out several times that the "X-Terminators" idea was colossally stupid, and is if anything only fanning the tense situation between Mutants and humans.
92	* PrettyInMink:
93	** Jean buys a white fur coat in issue #53, and some background ladies would occasionally wear fur.
94	** In issue #55, Hank saves the life of a {{Streetwalker}} who is wearing a full length white fur coat.
95	** Lorna wore a fur-trimmed coat or two.
96	* PuttingTheBandBackTogether: This is how the series starts. Jean gets the original X-Men team together to find a way to help mutants again.
97	* {{Retcon}}:
98	** How Jean was brought back. But it was done in a way that didn't contradict any of the past stories [[note]]although the later rehash "Endsong" would contradict events from the "Dark Phoenix Saga"[[/note]], by revealing Phoenix was going around disguised as Jean and Jean herself was alive, [[SealedBadassInACan if sleeping]].
99	** In issue #65, a mysterious red-headed time traveler calling herself "Askani" shows up seeking to save a young Nathan, even addressing him as "little brother". In other words, all but outright ''saying'' it's Rachel Summers... then in issue #68, suddenly nope! Not Rachel at all, but some rando from the future.
100	* {{Retool}}: Goes through a few, such as the abandoning of the X-Terminators idea, then the switch-over to Peter David, then the end of the government team.
101	* ScrewThisImOutOfHere: In issue #9, as the team and Freedom Force are fighting in the Alley, Destiny gets glimpses of the future and tells Mystique they need to get out of there ''now'', or most of them will die.
102	* SharedMassHallucination: How X-Factor publicly handwaved the demon attacks in ''Inferno''. Their explanation (mass hallucination caused by A.I.M satellites) works since the existence of scientific terrorists is accepted by the average joe. The existence of demons is apparently [[SelectiveObliviousness a totally different matter]].
103	* SnowballFight: Issue 53 has it [[MundaneUtility Superpowers style]], with Jean even calling herself [[WinterRoyalLady "The Queen of the Icy North!"]]
104	* StrappedToAnOperatingTable: Beast, in issue 2, courtesy of Artie Maddicks' dad, who's looking for a cure for Mutants and is using Hank as a guinea pig.
105	* TonightSomeoneDies: Madrox, although [[UnexplainedRecovery he obviously got better]].
106	* TonightSomeoneKisses: Scott proposes to Jean in issue #53. She turns him down. For a few issues it becomes a source of angst and awkwardness for both of them until Scott goes "let's forget I asked and let's figure it out later, okay?". Some publication years and CharacterDevelopment later, [[spoiler:Jean is the one to successfully propose to Scott]].
107	* WhatKindOfLamePowerIsHeartAnyway: The "power" of Vague from the Hell's Belles was that she was ''transparent''. Not even invisible. Just transparent.
108	* WhatTheHellHero: Jean scolds Scott for not telling her sooner about Madelyne.
109	* WouldHurtAChild: One of Apocalypse's main goals is either capturing or killing Nate, Cyclops's son. Either way, he's good. The last story before the retool has him succeed in abducting Nate and nearly killing him, forcing Cyclops to give up his son just so he can survive.

Context ComicBook / XFactor