X-Factor #8
X-Factor battles the Morrigan in X-Factor #8, by writer Leah Williams, artist David Baldeon, colorist Israel Silva, and letterer Joe Caramagna. Thompson uses this issue to show readers what happened in last issue's cliffhanger and shows what makes X-Factor such a formidable team as they battle the Celtic goddess of death.
Morrigan stalks the Boneyard, spooking Eyeboy and Amazing Baby. Prodigy, investigating the photo Tommy showed him that he doesn't remember taking, is spooked by something. Soon, all hell breaks loose as the Morrigan attacks, killing Prestige, Aurora, Northstar, and Polaris. Daken sacrifices himself so that Eyeboy and Prodigy can escape. At the Hatchery, the next team, the resurrected team, is caught up on what happened the night before and goes to the now Morrigan haunted Boneyard. Northstar comes up with a plan, and the team follows through, breaking the Morrigan's hold over Siryn.
Williams does a great job at the beginning of the issue by making the Morrigan seem like a threat. There's a spooky horror movie vibe to the whole thing- Amazing Baby's agitation, Eyeboy's fear, Daken having a nightmare where he's dragged farther down into the water, reminiscent of his death at the hands of Wolverine. It's all very effective in selling the situation, and when the Morrigan finally appears in all its dark glory, it's a great moment that is completely earned because of how well it was set up.
The book's beginning is pretty dark, but Williams balances that out with the scene in the Hatchery. The whole team keeps asking what happens, and Prodigy talks about how it was all in the report, with everyone ignoring him until he finally gets fed up with their questions. It's a funny scene that shows just what kind of person Prodigy is and how much it annoys him that his teammates don't just read the probably detailed report he wrote for them. The final battle against the Morrigan seems a little rushed, but it's no because it shows just how good X-Factor is as a team- they make a plan and follow through.
Baldeon's art is just so good. There are great little touches throughout this issue- how he portrays Eyeboy's power working, how his character acting really captures the fear and spooky vibe of the situation, the way the Morrigan looks, and how her powers manifest. There's a nice split page spread of Prestige and Polaris both using their powers against the Morrigan; another standout moment is how Polaris looks when she finally confronts the Morrigan. In fact, there are kinds of great moments of Baldeon really capturing the characters with his art. He keeps getting better every issue.
X-Factor #8 sets the perfect tone early on and keeps it up throughout the issue, changing ever slightly in each scene as the story demands it. Williams shows a mastery of tone and character throughout this story. Baldeon's art is the perfect accompaniment to her scripts, really capturing what makes them special. Together, they've made X-Factor into one of the best X-Men books, and this issue is a prime example of why that is.