tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post9210564132137530097..comments2024-03-28T10:18:00.370-05:00Comments on Gentlemen of Leisure: X-amining X-Factor #4Austin Gortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-83101282320513582652013-09-09T17:13:09.238-05:002013-09-09T17:13:09.238-05:00@Jason: Any of y'all read X-Factor's appea...@Jason: <i>Any of y'all read X-Factor's appearance in "Incredible Hulk"?</i><br /><br />I have, though I remember very little of it. I'll need to give it the once over soon to see if its worth getting its own post or just a mention. Austin Gortonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-18563917999319026702013-09-07T16:45:49.408-05:002013-09-07T16:45:49.408-05:00Any of y'all read X-Factor's appearance in...Any of y'all read X-Factor's appearance in "Incredible Hulk"? That was actually my first encounter with the whole idea that the team had two names, X-Factor AND X-Terminators. I found it weird.Jasonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13298753675007196538noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-60055171210120861392013-09-04T17:24:44.400-05:002013-09-04T17:24:44.400-05:00@Blam: I hate the name on general principle; appli...@Blam: <i>I hate the name on general principle; applied to the original X-Men as a team it's an outright crime.</i><br /><br />At least it isn't a name they use seriously - it's something they come up with to help set apart their costumed identities when they're posing as anti-X-Factor mutant heroes, and is more a device for the media than anything, and I don't think it even gets used all that much, in-universe. <br /><br />And yeah, as Mela said, there was an <i>X-Terminators</i> miniseries, in which X-Factor's young charges appropriated the name for a one-off adventure. It was an "Inferno" crossover, and more or less led to most of the characters getting merged into <i>New Mutants</i>. <br /><br />@Matt: <i>I hate the name on general principle; applied to the original X-Men as a team it's an outright crime.</i><br /><br />I've not seen anything definite, but I think it just stems from a desire to use an underused character and make him a big deal, something I can appreciate in principle but like you, am dubious that Layton could have pulled it off in this case. Austin Gortonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-14646767540567422592013-09-04T12:23:55.877-05:002013-09-04T12:23:55.877-05:00Has Layton ever said why he decided to use the Owl...Has Layton ever said why he decided to use the Owl, of all characters, as X-Factor's first big antagonist? It's such a random, obscure choice that I actually kind of like it, though I'm not sure I would've trusted Layton to pull it off.<br /><br />Anyway, we obviously got something better with the Simonsons' creation of Apocalypse.Matthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14580725636327122073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-50109322410228865562013-09-04T11:22:41.177-05:002013-09-04T11:22:41.177-05:00I have vague memories of hearing of a team called ...<i>I have vague memories of hearing of a team called the X-Terminators during that period — Wasn't there a miniseries even? — but assumed they were villains.</i><br /><br />I have that mini-series - it was about the kids that X-Factor rescues having an adventure. It largely served to push them towards either joining the New Mutants or living forever on the X-fringes. You're not missing much, though.<br /><br />Put me in the school of thought that felt the "X-Terminators" would have made a more intimidating name for the mutant hunter cover story. But that would probably have backfired even worse, since it would lead to, well, more New Mutants #45 situations.Melahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05539894845356203447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-42447562576216186902013-09-04T07:10:39.031-05:002013-09-04T07:10:39.031-05:00@Teebore: // Apparently his skulking about their h...<br>@Teebore: <i>// Apparently his skulking about their headquarters was enough for them to invalidate their agreement to let him go. //</i><br /><br />I was actually referring to the fact that he seemed oblivious to the original X-Men (superheroes) being X-Factor (mutant hunters) when talking to Frenzy. "Those stinkin' freaks jumped me while I was casin' the X-Factor building!" he tells her on Pg. 3. "They've been after me since I worked with Maddicks. ... I don't even know why they was there!" She replies that "They must be after the boy -- just as we are!"<br /><br />@Teebore: <i>// Even though the eventual X-Terminators/X-Factor distinction is ultimately backwards (in that the mutant hunters should be called X-Terminators), coming up with a term for the team when they're acting as costumed superheroes instead of posing as mutant hunters was long overdue. //</i><br /><br />Ugh. I have vague memories of hearing of a team called the X-Terminators during that period — Wasn't there a miniseries even? — but assumed they were villains. I hate the name on general principle; applied to the original X-Men as a team it's an outright crime. Ugh, ugh, ugh.<br /><br>Blamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07342343767763035991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-46267953923175208972013-09-03T10:54:01.382-05:002013-09-03T10:54:01.382-05:00Yay! Blam's back!
Wasn't the team just d...Yay! Blam's back! <br /><br /><i>Wasn't the team just debating last issue that if they let Tower go he'd be free to blab about how they were X-Factor?</i><br /><br />Yes. Apparently his skulking about their headquarters was enough for them to invalidate their agreement to let him go. <br /><br /><i>getting its public and clandestine versions of X-Factor mixed up, methinks.</i><br /><br />Definitely. Even though the eventual X-Terminators/X-Factor distinction is ultimately backwards (in that the mutant hunters should be called X-Terminators), coming up with a term for the team when they're acting as costumed superheroes instead of posing as mutant hunters was long overdue. <br /><br /><i>I had zero idea that Frenzy had any kind of longevity, never mind that she joined the X-Men.</i><br /><br />It's all very recent - in a testament to just how recent (and how far behind I am in my reading of current stuff), I'm only now reading the "fall in love with Cyclops" part of her story, which comes about because of a jaunt into an "Age of Apocalypse"-esque alternate reality where they're a couple. Everything else I've gleaned from vague mentions online and on podcasts. <br /><br /><i>Suddenly, Professor Xavier is struck aboard the Starjammer by a conviction that Jean Grey is alive, ordering Corsair to turn the ship around because he realizes how much he's always loved her.</i><br /><br />I have no idea what, if any, plans Layton had for the series down the road had he not left the title (beyond knowing the Owl was going to be in Apocalypse's place and that presumably he was going to do something with Senator Thompson), but I wouldn't be at all surprised if bringing Professor X back in some capacity wasn't something he or Shooter wanted to do, just to add to the Silver Age-iness of the title. <br /><br />@angmc43: <i>Actually, Rusty and Johnny did meet during Walt Simonson's FF run, helping the Torch come to terms with that earlier tragedy.</i><br /><br />I knew they'd met during Simonson's run, but having not read the issue, I didn't know it dealt with the whole "#1 fan" incident. That's kinda cool. <br /><br /><i><br />As for Xavier, I always wondered when he discovered Jean was alive. Reading the New Mutants' minds in NM#51? Accidentally contacting them during X-Factor's Judgement War? Reading Storm's mind in UXM#278?</i><br /><br />I'm pretty sure it was when he briefly contacted them telepathically during the "Judgement War" arc. The New Mutants wouldn't have known about Jean when Xavier reunited with them (the X-Men themselves didn't learn until "Inferno"), and I'm fairly certain he remarked on Jean's presence when he contacted them at the end of "Judgement War", meaning he knew about her return by the time he reunited with the X-Men in issue #277, the next logical opportunity for him to learn that info. Austin Gortonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-49313786157030451412013-09-01T15:15:46.200-05:002013-09-01T15:15:46.200-05:00I suppose Johnny would be edgy about seeing anothe...I suppose Johnny would be edgy about seeing another kid go burn (like when that No. 1 Fan fatally incinerated himself during Byrne's FF run). Actually, Rusty and Johnny did meet during Walt Simonson's FF run, helping the Torch come to terms with that earlier tragedy.<br /><br />As for Xavier, I always wondered when he discovered Jean was alive. Reading the New Mutants' minds in NM#51? Accidentally contacting them during X-Factor's Judgement War? Reading Storm's mind in UXM#278?angmc43@hotmail.comhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15379700547226493861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-86374683832250475232013-09-01T11:57:49.500-05:002013-09-01T11:57:49.500-05:00Wasn't the team just debating last issue that ...<br>Wasn't the team just debating last issue that if they let Tower go he'd be free to blab about how they were X-Factor?<br /><br />Hank laments that Rusty isn't adjusting well, right after laying down the law that "we're <i>not</i> humans ... none of us will <i>ever</i> be human". Good talk. <br /><br />The FF was integral to helping Jean in the run-up to <i>X-Factor</i>. You'd think maybe they'd call on Johnny Storm to help Rusty hone his powers.<br /><br />A caption says that Warren is "as The Angel, founding member of X-Factor Inc." — getting its public and clandestine versions of X-Factor mixed up, methinks.<br /><br />I had zero idea that Frenzy had any kind of longevity, never mind that she joined the X-Men.<br /><br /><i>// This is not a setup for a future plot, but rather just bad writing. //</i><br /><br />Ha! <br /><br /><i>// We're down to Maneuver Three! //</i><br /><br />I'm reminded of when Phil Hartman used to go on Letterman during his <i>SNL</i>, <i>Newsradio</i>, and <i>Simpsons</i> days billed as "the Man of a Thousand Voices". There wasn't actually a list anywhere. Hartman would ask Dave to pick a few numbers in succession, each time making like he was surprised and oh how interesting this one was, and then of course do whatever bits he'd prepared.<br /><br /><i>// Meanwhile, the old Scott/Jean/Warren love triangle rears its ugly head //</i><br /><br />Suddenly, Professor Xavier is struck aboard the Starjammer by a conviction that Jean Grey is alive, ordering Corsair to turn the ship around because he realizes how much he's always loved her.<br /><br>Blamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07342343767763035991noreply@blogger.com