PREVIEW: "X-Factor" #21 - The Isolationist Returns to X-Factor

[andy khouri]

Marvel Comics has provided CBR News with an advance look at "X-Factor" #21, featuring the return of the Isolationist and the answers a decade's long mystery.

http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=10959

[Brian M.]

This'll be my first X-Factor issue since the CW tie-in.

[jarrod]

Wow, Ramondi just keeps getting better and better. Bagley's pencils look great too, I wonder who his inker is?

[Beast]

But even the most ardent X-Fan may not know that The Isolationist made his debut back in the pages of X-Factor (vol. 1) #89, when David hinted at the agenda of this shadowy figure. Now a decade’s long mystery will be revealed…and will leave the members of X-Factor reeling!
How dare he bring up a plot point from over a decade ago!

Why do I have a feeling we won't be hearing that simply because it's PAD doing it? Heh.

The preview looks pretty good. And I'm glad that Beast is going to the High-Evolutionary almost immediatly in order to try to fix things. Since that's someone that people have been saying they should contact. Also, Bagley's Beast looks pretty good. Other than the large swollen upper lips. Hank better be careful though, everyone knows the H-E has a thing for Animal Men. Would be interesting to see H-E tempt him with cat women. :D

[Christopher O]

Why do I have a feeling we won't be hearing that simply because it's PAD doing it? Heh. Because he'll probably do it well?

Anyway, the Raimondi pages look great. His Jaime is hot!

The Bagley page looks OK.

[streator]

looks alright.

if the spoilers are true in the spoiler thread... i don't know if one of the things that happened is a good step for a particular character (quicksilver). i'll say more about it when the review thread is posted.

[Beast]

Because he'll probably do it well?
Sorry, so far 19 issues say otherwise.

I'd have dropped it long ago, if it wasn't for the impending crossovers.

[Hi-Fi]

Looks great. Raimondi is a fantastic artist. And the thought of Jamie having a drink with himself makes me more eager to read this.

[Volk1]

Looks great. Raimondi is a fantastic artist. And the thought of Jamie having a drink with himself makes me more eager to read this.

Not only that, but it looks they're having a hissy-fit while drinking! lol I love Madrox's dupes when they get pissy!

I'm really starting to liek Raimondi's art. X-Factor has lost some of that noirish feel it had with Sook and Calero but with a different story event, Raimondi's art IMO is clicking on all cylanders with PAD's story.

[The Skoot]

Am I right in thinking that The Isolationist is the shadowy figure that was following Theresa and Monet around in Paris?

[Hi-Fi]

Am I right in thinking that The Isolationist is the shadowy figure that was following Theresa and Monet around in Paris?
That would be my guess as well.

[Grunty]

How dare he bring up a plot point from over a decade ago!

Why do I have a feeling we won't be hearing that simply because it's PAD doing it? Heh.

Maybe because he won't except us all to know him and instandly will intruce him as if he is new with some past connections.


The preview looks pretty good. And I'm glad that Beast is going to the High-Evolutionary almost immediatly in order to try to fix things. Since that's someone that people have been saying they should contact.

Yeah after all that guy nearly turned all mutants on earth into baselines by slowly reverting them to what they would have been without mutation. Which was kind of a soft depowering.
Of course it was kind of critical for Wolverine and the Genoshian artifical mutants but still a better way then how Wanda did it.

[Beast]

Am I right in thinking that The Isolationist is the shadowy figure that was following Theresa and Monet around in Paris?
Aye. He certainly gets around, doesn't he.

Hopefully the reveal of just why he was there and helped X-Factor is good.

[Faded]

Uh, yeah I never knew this guy already existed, lol. Still looks cool!

X-Factor 20 didn't come out yet, right? Because there's one more issue for the X-Cell arc, right?

HUH? HuH? don't tell me I missed an issue. :(

[Faded]

Because he'll probably do it well?

Anyway, the Raimondi pages look great. His Jaime is hot!

The Bagley page looks OK.

Yeah, not to start anything, but personally its a confidence issue. We all have faith more or less in different writers abilities.

Plus, personally I don't know of him/don't remember him--and he probably hasn't appeared and been developed since PAD lest had him--so its like a blank slate for him to work with.

[Hi-Fi]

By the way, it would seem the Isolationist first appeared at the last page of PAD's last X-Factor issue (his first run). No wonder the story wasn't followed after that. Here's what he had to say at that time:

http://img527.imageshack.us/img527/8104/xfactorv108915rougherqn7.jpg

[caney]

Here's what he had to say at that time:


Seems like a nice enough fellow.

[Beast]

Uh, yeah I never knew this guy already existed, lol. Still looks cool!

X-Factor 20 didn't come out yet, right? Because there's one more issue for the X-Cell arc, right?

HUH? HuH? don't tell me I missed an issue. :(
No, issue #20 got pushed back a week. Comes out this coming Wednesday now.

[Cthulhudrew]

Interesting that PAD has decided to finally visit this storyline. I always wondered where he was going with things, but then Lobdell came on board and seemingly made the "mysterious figure" into the robotic Cameron Hodge.

[Boogie]

I am also very much enjoying Raimondi's art. I think it fits the book well, now since the noir aspect of it has been dwinddling. Sook fit for the start of it, Raimondi is right for where it's at.

Though X-Factor isn't as great now as when it first started ( i loved the gritty dark noir ) , it's still a solid book. Always with the humour and great stories with interesting characters. One of the best Marvel puts out on a monthly basis.

I also dig Bagley's art in the back-up. Cant wait for this to come out.

[Fede]

I don't know if this has already been posted, but as the preview looks great, i thought i should post it in case anyone's missed it.

http://www.comicscontinuum.com/stories/0706/21/marvelfirsts.htm

The writing is superb, and you're gonna love layla :D. Also loved callisto and sarah interacting and pietro acting as a bully

[Flash's Lightning]

I have not read an X-title in a long time.

I was looking at the artwork in the preview, and it's very pretty. But the shadows are off or something, they just look out of place or something. I can't say that I know much about art, but is that a problem the penciller or the inker creates?

I want to know who to blame.

[Kalen O.]

I have not read an X-title in a long time.

I was looking at the artwork in the preview, and it's very pretty. But the shadows are off or something, they just look out of place or something. I can't say that I know much about art, but is that a problem the penciller or the inker creates?

I want to know who to blame.

The Skrulls.

No, but in all seriousness, you could go either way with the 'blame' on that one. Yes, pencillers usually draw in the shadows themselves, so in terms of perspective and whatnot, that's all them, but inkers are closer to the final product, doing for shadows and other extremes of light and dark what a colorist does for everything else. So technically, while the penciller probably drew the shadows that way, a good inker will note problems with them and usually has a good degree of latitude for correcting the problem him or herself.

Course, that's hypothetical, not a knock against this inker, as I only glanced at the pages briefly and nothing jumped out at me as being off.

[Flash's Lightning]

The Skrulls.

No, but in all seriousness, you could go either way with the 'blame' on that one. Yes, pencillers usually draw in the shadows themselves, so in terms of perspective and whatnot, that's all them, but inkers are closer to the final product, doing for shadows and other extremes of light and dark what a colorist does for everything else. So technically, while the penciller probably drew the shadows that way, a good inker will note problems with them and usually has a good degree of latitude for correcting the problem him or herself.

Course, that's hypothetical, not a knock against this inker, as I only glanced at the pages briefly and nothing jumped out at me as being off.

That's a very skrully thing for you to say. :D

Thanks for the info though. Maybe it was just my computer screen resolution, which the skrulls probably messed with.

I'd say I'd wait to see in the actual book, but I haven't seen anything that makes me want to pick them up yet.

[Christopher O]

Sorry, so far 19 issues say otherwise.
I beg to differ.

[MakeshiftHero]

I beg to differ.

I second that. X-Factor is a great book giving a chance for some good characters to shine instead of them being in limbo for who knows how long. Cause I don't think Strong Guy, M or most of them would have shown up if it weren't for this book, and they might have been depowered as well.

I think Beast is just jealous that Madrox has now become the greatest mutant of all time since the Madrox: Multiple Choice mini, and that makes Beast 2nd best. :)

[Beast]

No. I just don't like any of the cast. And I haven't really been enjoying the stories.

I mean, they're not annoying on a "Mass Murder" scale like New X-Men. But just not my thing.

[MakeshiftHero]

Yeah I was just joking with ya, but I can see what you mean. The stories aren't as action packed as the other x books cause they're more of a street lvl team with a bit less bang in the powers area. But I think the stories are great. I just wish they would move off of the M day subject and start doing something else, so here's to the next arc. But at least they're not dying or getting horribly traumatized every other issue like ya said.

[the_energon]

Wasn't the Isolationist originally going to be called Armageddon? I seem to recall reading that in an issue of Marvel Age. But when he left X-Factor PAD used that name for an alien that the Hulk fought while with the Pantheon? The Troyjans?
He was going to be an Apocalypse level villain or something like that.

[Cthulhudrew]

That's right- I'd forgotten about that. He was indeed supposed to be Armageddon.

[Faded]

I wonder if the engimatic Kim will appear in this arc, since it seems to be tying into "MadroX" with Clay re-emerging! His story with the Campbells was fun, lol.

[talat77]

The stories aren't as action packed as the other x books cause they're more of a street lvl team with a bit less bang in the powers area. But I think the stories are great. I just wish they would move off of the M day subject and start doing something else, so here's to the next arc.

Them being the street level team is what I enjoy most in this book!!! While the X-Men were running around in space, and fighting new threaths (Children of the Vault, Pandemic etc) and not being able to protect the students that were under their care, X-Factor was trying to figure out what had caused so much shit for their species...
And I am glad at least two of the characters in this title are going to be major players in Messiah complex, YAY for Jamie and Rahne!!!!!

[Pro]

While the X-Men were running around in space, and fighting new threaths (Children of the Vault, Pandemic etc) and not being able to protect the students that were under their care, X-Factor was trying to figure out what had caused so much shit for their species...

Agreed, one thing that makes x-factor such a sympathetic book is because they, more than any x-team, stand up for mutant rights. They protect mutants and ex-mutants in Mutant Town, they try repowering mutants, they protect humans from vengefull (ex)mutants and they stood up against registration.

[blinkinrogue]

wow at least much, much better art that what i just saw in #20......

[Alex A Sanchez]

Sorry, so far 19 issues say otherwise.

Obviously this book isn't your cup of tea. For the rest of us, though, we absolutely love the book.

Am I right in thinking that The Isolationist is the shadowy figure that was following Theresa and Monet around in Paris?

There's still the possibility that it could be Sinister.

By the way, it would seem the Isolationist first appeared at the last page of PAD's last X-Factor issue (his first run). No wonder the story wasn't followed after that. Here's what he had to say at that time:

[image removed: see it above]

I've always wondered about this page. I thought maybe it was supposed to be Cortez, or someone else tied to the Genoshans. I was just a kid then, I didn't put too much thought into it.
I'm off to go dig out that final story arc and reread it for clues.

[Alex A Sanchez]

You know what the best part about this book being involved with a crossover? We get issue #21 a mere 2 weeks after issue #20!!!
O my sweet junk I think I wet myself!!
Sure some people didn't care for Pham, but I LOVE having two artists rotate story arcs if it means we will get our next issue sooner. This is probably the only title I read that the next issue can never seem to get here soon enough.