Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews

X-Factor #27
Marvel Comics
David & Eaton

This review contains major spoilers. This is your only warning.

The eleventh chapter of the Messiah Complex wraps up a couple of plot lines and opens up a whole new can of worms. This issue satisfies on many fronts as we learn why some people want the baby. Imagine that! We also set up the stage for two fights for the final two issues of this arc.

We begin with the future arc. Layla and Jamie finally corner the young Bishop. From Bishop, we learn the baby will eventually kill a million humans. We are to assume that this is why the future society condemns the mutants to a concentration camp. So in a way I guess I can kind of understand why Bishop wants the baby dead. To make matters more interesting Layla detonates a grenade she lifted off a guard killing Jamie. It’s tough to tell through the blast but we are led to believe that Layla lives. Just prior to setting off the explosive, Layla remarks about being ‘Layla Madrox’. So I guess you can blow up someone and still marry them later on.

We zoom back to the past (or present) where we learn that the X-Men have found Gambit through the cerebra on Muir Island. That leaves it up to Wolverine and Bishop and the rest of X-Force to infiltrate the Island.

Back at Forge’s lab, where Scott and Emma (and others) are hanging out, Jamie wakes up! Too bad one of his dupes had to die for him to wake up, but he’s awake and he wears the mark of Bishop on his face. That’s kind of bummer that his dupe gets a scar and he inherits it when the dupe dies.

Next we link up with Cable and Xavier strolling down memory lane discussing the many attempts on Xavier’s life that Cable has tried. Xavier gets into Cable’s head to help heal Cable. It’s an interesting little scene between the two.

Back to Forge’s place where all Jamie can do is bark about going back to the future to rescue Layla. Kind of odd that he doesn’t mention his other dupe, but at least he told Scott and company about Bishop first. Of course, they can’t reach Bishop or the others, so only those at Forge’s lab know about Bishop turning. This leaves X-Force flying with a traitor where their leaders know he is a traitor and can’t tell them.

Next we wrap up the heart to heart between Xavier and Cable with the resolution that Cable doesn’t want to explain himself but that they both should just work together at getting the baby. Xavier agrees and they are off to Muir Island.

Back on Muir Island Gambit enters with the baby. Sinister is very happy and gleefully accepts the kid and tells the others to get ready for the X-Men invasion. The twist is that Sinister is apparently dead and that Mystique is actually pretending to be Sinister. It would seem that only Mystique and Gambit knows this. Say what? I don’t have a clue, but I liked the twist all the same.

Predator X shows up at the mansion where only the New X-Men and the wounded (maybe Beast too) are holed up. The throwdown will be in the next issue.

At last, X-Force arrive at the Island and while walking around the deserted base, Wolverine figure out its an illusion and pops his claws into Lady Mastermind, who was masked by the illusion. The brawl may be in the next issue or in the finale, but it is all set up.

Well, doesn’t this issue sound like fun? It was a very fast and interesting read. It completed the future arc (at least the main one). It revealed why Bishop wants the kid dead. It sets up the three-sided battle for the ending. It even sets up the Predator X showdown. We wont get all the storylines resolved, but it sure looks like we’ll get some of them done. All that and we get more outstanding artwork. Plus, we get a murder mystery plot about Sinister being dead. What’s not to like about the issue? Nothing.

5 out of 5 geek goggles.


X-Factor #27

X-Factor #27 (Variant Cover Edition)