NB of the Week

X-Factor #218
The "new" X-Factor series has been going for five years now and there has only been one story that I didn't love. Problem is, it's a title that is always running at a seven or an eight so it always stays just under the radar.
Current storyline sees Mayor J Jonah Jameson (yes, now mayor) hiring X-Factor to help solve the murder of a friend of his, whom he thinks was set by super-powers of some sort (and Black Cat is joining for some reason too...). As they follow and watch, a group of three ladies attack him. As the last issue ended, one of the ladies, who can shoot weird bullets out of her fingers, shoots Strong Guy. Strong Guy's powers allow him to absorb kinetic energy and transfer it into physical strength and stamina. However, this bullet is able to penetrate (snicker) his chest, leaving him bloody in M's arms.
This issue has M seeing red. As Black Cat goes after one of the other ladies, M goes after the finger-lady. At one point she telekenitcally throws a bullet back, hitting Fingers square in the forehead. However, that wound somehow heals over and she takes aim again. At this point, Banshee (formerly Siryn and the dead Banshee's daughter) blasts her away, while Cat chases of the other one as well. To add to the misery, Strong Guy's old-school heart problem kicks in and M flies him off to a hospital. As the rest of the team gets wind of this, they all run to his side and hope he makes it. As M is freaking out and blaming herself, the doctor comes out to give them the unfortunate, sad news. Until her pager goes off. As they all go into SG's room, they find him alive and well. His heart and wound somehow healing themselves, leaving everyone confused. Except Layla Miller (who knows stuff...). Our last shot is of her peering through the door crack, giving an ominous stare to SG. Cover for the next issue has M in full blown, nucking futs mood, fighting the two ladies and I cannot wait for that.
Peter David is absolutely one of the most underrated writers in comics today. He can be off his game when it feels like he's writing just for a check, but when he gets a title he's given reign of? Wow. When they started this book, it was right after the House of M stuff and it felt like a gimmick just so they could use these old, forgotten characters. What it's turned into is one of the only two x-books worth getting (the other being the newly revised Uncanny X-Force) and arguably the best of all x-books. It's sad how few people around here don't even know this book still goes. Do yourself a favor and pick some of this one up. This is top notch writing as it should be.