Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews

X-Factor #26
Marvel Comics
David & Eaton

Chapter Seven of the Messiah Complex rolls the plot along at a faster pace than we have seen to date. On all fronts we get some advancement. We get some action and we even get some Predator X. Sure, the Sinister crew are absent, but you cant have everything, now can you?

We begin with the much needed sequel to the Xavier and Cyclops argument. This time, the order Cyclops gave to have Wolverine and company track down and kill Cable sets the two off. Xavier questions how Cyclops could have his own son, Cable, killed. This gets us to the heart of the bad feelings between the two, which is, Cyclops wants Xavier out of the picture so he can run the show his way. It’s a real turning point in their interaction. I wonder where Xavier really fits now.

Then, we get Cable and baby running through the Canadian snow under attack from Lady Deathstrike and the Purifiers. Now, we know Cable somehow took on the Purifiers and the Marauders in Alaska and won, so I am not really sure why the Purifiers think they can take him this time. This scene brings up some questions, but at least Cable isn’t just wandering around alone. He is being tracked and located.

Then, some dude named Peepers gets mauled by Predator X. Peepers was a mutant. Now he is a dead mutant. I cant get enough of this Predator X. The visual he gives on only half a page is excellent artwork.

We quickly flash to the future where Jamie and Layla figure out how to infiltrate the mutant concentration camp. They have one problem though. The government is monitoring people who even mention the word “mutant”. Jamie and Layla appear to be in some deep crap. I wonder what happened to the other Jamie in the other future timeline? Hhhmmmmm…..

Wolverine and team check in from Alaska where they are tying to pick up Cable’s scent and some clues. The problem I have with this sequence is why would Wolverine need to pick up a fresh scent of Cable? He’s been around him enough doesn’t he know what he smells like already? Anyway, the brunt of this sequence is to highlight how little Wolverine trusts Warpath. Warpath and Cable were buddies and that could be an issue down the road. Warpath tells Wolfsbane how he does still feel for Cable, but the fate of the baby supersedes that bond. And I should mention how cool it was for Wolfsbane to switch from human to wolf panel to panel while staying in the same position.

We get back to Cable fighting the Deathstrike witch thing. The baby looks scared to death in Cable’s cozy little infant carrier, but Cable throws around Deathstrike like a baby throws down a pacifier.

Over the last few pages Wolverine express how much he questions Warpath and his “daddy issues” and Cable is caught beaten with no more weapons while Jamie and Layla are in deeper trouble than three paragraphs ago. The drama is boiling over. Why would Wolverine want Warpath if he questions his loyalty and intentions? Maybe he thinks Warpath will get Cable off the ledge he seems to be on.

To be brief, this issue rocked. The story moved along all over the place. We have some cliffhangers on multiple fronts and we have lots of fighting left to do. I could complain that we got no X-23 and Wolverine interaction because X-23 is barely in this issue, but did you see the cover for the next issue?

If you want action, plot movement, drama, character development with a sprinkle of mystery then what are you reading this for? Read the Messiah Complex. If you were never an X-Fan, were an X-Fan or are an X-Fan, read the Messiah Complex.

5 out of 5 geek goggles.