I had thought about tackling the X-men books for my latest volume analysis. However, even sticking with the main team books, looks like a pretty big task. What even constitutes a main X-men book? Does Uncanny Avengers count? Anyway, I was reminded recently how much I like books that are off in their own little corner. So I decided to do an analysis on one of those: X-Factor. It started off as a main book with the original X-men reuniting after the return of Jean Grey. Once it got to the government team (starting with Peter David, in my opinion, the best X-Factor writer), it started mostly doing its own thing.
- X-Factor, vol. 1, #1-149, Annual 1 - 9 (February 1986 - September 1998). #1 - 70 is the original X-men (Angel (later Archangel), Beast, Cyclops, Iceman, Marvel Girl), #71 onwards is the government team (starts with Havok, Multiple Man, Polaris, Quicksilver, Strong Guy, Valerie Cooper and Wolfsbane). The book took a four month break in 1995 (between issues #111 and #112) for the Age Of Apocalypse crossover book "Factor X". Issue #-1 was published between issues #135 and #136
- Mutant X #1-32, Annual 1999 - 2001 (October 1998 - June 2001). Continues Havok's story from X-Factor as he gets thrown into an alternate reality where he joins the Six: Fallen (a version of Angel), Brute (a version of Beast), Marvel Woman (Madelyne Pryor), Bloodstorm (a version of Storm), and Ice-Man.
- X-Factor, vol. 2, #1-4 (June 2002 - October 2002). Mini-series.
- X-Factor, vol. 3 #1-50, 200 - 262 (January 2006 - November 2013). Coming after the events of House Of M. X-Factor Investigates agency led by Jamie Maddox. Peter David puts a noir spin on the series. Starts with Multiple Man, Strong Guy, M, Wolfsbane, Rictor, Siryn and Layla Miller.
- All-New X-Factor, #1-20 (March 2014 - March 2015). All-New Marvel NOW! Peter David again. Art by Carmine Di Giandomenico. A corporate-sponsored team. Polaris, Quicksilver, Gambit, Danger, Cypher and Warlock.
- X-Factor, vol. 4, #1-10 (July 2020 - June 2021). Part of Dawn of X. Leah Williams writes it. They investigate all mutant deaths. The initial cast comprised Daken, Eye-Boy, Northstar, Polaris, Prestige, and Prodigy.
- X-men Legends, #5-6 (July 2021 - August 2021). Peter David and Todd Nuack revisit X-Factor for a story that takes place between X-Factor, vol. 1 #75 and #76.
As a general rule, Peter David's stuff is what to look at. Both his original run and the newer stuff. The newer noir stuff did great things with some new cast members. In addition to older members Guido, Wolfsbane and Multiple Man (as team leader), the series did great things with Siryn, M and Rictor. Along with the intriguing new character Layla Miller.
The exception to the Peter David rule is Howard Mackie's Mutant X which is a fun alternative timeline romp. Havok gets blasted into a reality where he leads a team called The Six. The team is made up of Marvel Woman (Madeline Prior), a vampire Storm called Bloodstorm, a nastier Angel called the Fallen, an Ice-man still affected by Loki's curse and a more deformed Beast called Brute.
