Comics: X-Factor #34

X-FACTOR #34
November 1988
"Death!"
Writer: Louise Simonson
Penciler: Walter Simonson
Inker: Bob Wiacek
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Colorist: Petra Scotese
Editor: Bob Harras
Editor In Chief: Tom DeFalco

The newly created Archangel comes face to face with X-Factor's former publicist and current arch-enemy Cameron Hodge in this issue. Hodge has kidnapped Candy Southern due to a weird mix of hating her because she fell in love with a mutant and also being a bit jealous that Archangel started ignoring him when he fell in love with her way back when. Undertones? The issue's main story consists of Archangel slicing his way through hordes of demons (thanks to Hodge partnering up with N'Astirh) until finally reaching Hodge, who pulls the plug on the comatose Candy, and beheading him.

Simonson gets some nice mileage out of Hodge's Christian anti-mutant viewpoint and his partnership with the demon N'Astirh. She really sells Hodge as a big time threat...and then keeps on selling him for a couple more pages. The issue is bogged down in a lot of posteuring and recap (do we have to actually see Angel lose his wings and be reborn as Archangel on panel if it's referenced constantly by Hodge and Archangel?). Still, the issue pushes "Inferno" one step closer to fruition and continues to build momentum to the big event.

I also have to say that the Right robot-people look way too much like Nanny, leading me to always believe that they're the same. I guess all egg-shaped googly-eyed robots look the same to me. But really, the whole Orphan Maker bit is so dark. A villain who murders the human parents of infant mutants so that the babies won't be persecuted by their parents? That's intense.

The art is the usual Walt Simonson style, very angular and expressive. The only part that I didn't get was Hodge's beheading. It really looks more like Archangel's wing has taken a chunk out of his shoulder. I guess the comics code preventing blood kinda gets in the way of depicting an accurate decapitation.

MY SCORE: 8.1/10