Why I'm Reading X-FACTOR (And You Should Be, Too)

Before we even get into it, those reviews of Public Enemies, Brüno, and Harry Potter 6 are coming up soon.

Chances are, you're at least a passing fan of the X-Men franchise. You watched the cartoon as a kid, saw the movies, played the games, or whatever. But, more than likely, you haven't read the comic (for starters, the majority of them aren't very good). It's even less likely that you've been reading X-Factor, an often relaunched satellite series that stars eight or nine mutants you've never even heard of. So why should the adventures of Madrox, Layla Miller, Monet, Guido, Darwin, Rictor, Shatterstar, Siryn, and Longshot be of any interest to you? Two words: Peter. David.

Peter David writes these characters, and this story, in an unbelievably perfect, jaw-dropping way. The story is at once excitingly fanciful and refreshingly down to earth. It's 46 issues in, which is a little more than three years worth of stories, and it hasn't gotten old yet. I highly recommend tracking down every single issue.

Need more convincing? Here's why I'm reading: David has made comics history by writing the first on-panel gay kiss in a Marvel Comic (possibly in any mainstream comic, though I'm not sure on that one) between Rictor and Shatterstar, who've been the "are-they-or-aren't-they?" pairing of Marvel Comics for a good 10 years now, if not more. And he's treating with zero fanfare at all, developing a completely organic relationship like any of Marvel's myriad straight couplings.

So, pick it up. You won't regret it.