X-Factor #3
X-Factor makes some unexpected discoveries in the Mojoverse in X-Factor #3, by writer Leah Williams, artist David Baldeon, colorist Israel Silva, and letterer Joe Caramagna. This issue takes a more in-depth look into the Mojoverse's disturbing new culture as X-Factor tries to determine which mutant was killed there and why.
After taking down the renegade group trying to get famous by beating them, X-Factor finds themselves on Spiral's cast. She reveals which mutant was killed, Prodigy's old teammate Wind Dancer, and sends them to a battle arena to get more answers. Back at the Boneyard, Aurora and Daken have a conversation where he unsuccessfully hits on her and asks her why she was with the man who killed her. They fight their way to the top where they find Shatterstar, the top-rated caster in the Mojoverse. He reveals to them that it was him who sent them news of Wind Dancer's death, all the while extolling the virtues of his new life. He leaves them alone with Wind Dancer's corpse, and X-Factor takes it and goes.
Leah Williams does some exciting things with this issue. There's a definite aura of her using the Mojoverse and its new obsession with online culture. The corporatized online media that doesn't feel corporatized as a commentary on today's real world. Where people measure their happiness by likes and believe that they control platforms that really control everything they do on those platforms. She also uses it to say something about online fandoms- Wind Dancer literally kills herself at the whim of her "fans," content creators going to the extreme to get folks to click the like button. Williams isn't preachy about it- she doesn't judge either way- but by putting it out there, she critiques the entire culture that social media has created.
She also does some nice building for later stories. At the Boneyard, Daken asks Aurora why she was with the man who killed her, and she leaves. It doesn't seem like much- it can be looked at as she not wanting him to hit on her, which was what most of their conversation was about. However, it's also a rather tantalizing clue to what could be coming next. Aurora has always had some mental issues, so this could play into that… or it could be something else entirely. She also hints that X-Factor is going to come back for Shatterstar, which should make for some interesting reading down the road.
David Baldeon's art has an energy and exuberance that really jumps off the page. It's best used during the section with Shatterstar as he's extolling the virtues of the new Mojoverse- he's playing a role to fool all of the people watching him. Baldeon illustrates it perfectly- with just the words in the bubbles and the pictures of him, even readers would believe he was serious. He does a great job throughout this issue with his character acting, and this is just one of the examples.
X-Factor #3 packs some nice, subtle social commentary while advancing the plot. Williams never revealed who the actual killer of Wind Dancer was, but readers get the impression that the actual identity doesn't matter- it was the pursuit of online fame that killed her. She also sets up some intriguing stuff for future issues as well. Baldeon's art does a great job of capturing all of the feeling that Williams packs into her script. X-Factor #3 is a far stronger comic than anticipated, smartly written, and wonderfully illustrated.
Grade: A
