X-Factor #5
	Story Title: Writer: Peter David Artist: Dennis Calero Colorist: Jose Villarrubia Letterer: VC's Cory Petit Cover Art: Ryan Sook & Jose Villarrubia Production: Tom Valante Editor: Andy Schmidt Publisher: Dan Buckley Published by: Marvel Comics
	Reviewed by: Bruce Logan

This was the second (and concluding) part of the story started in the last issue…specifically the one where Siryn got ambushed and the living daylights beaten out of here, courtesy of the sinister (well, not all that much) Mr. Tryp.

As ever the artwork is the first thing that strikes me about this series…and in a good way. Although dark and sometimes needing more than a few attentive looks, it works out quite well in this series in general, and this issue in particular. I could say I’d like it to be a bit more clearer, I could say I’d like a little bit more light, but then it wouldn’t be the same, and no longer work in the same way as it does now. Even the blood n’ gore scenes are effective in their subtlety.

Peter David’s writing is complemented and is in turn complemented by Dennis Calero’s artwork. Although not as ‘encompassing’ as the other x-series out there (and that is a good thing), he is able to weave a story that is engrossing as it is suspenseful. The main protagonist (Siryn) wakes up to find herself a prisoner, not of the man who attacked her, but an entirely different psycho, and therein comes the shortcoming. I am as much as the next person for such characters, but given the current socio-political situation of the Marvel (Earth-616) Universe, the setup is getting a little long in the tooth. It literally like flogging a dead horse. Get over with it already. The (villain) here would have worked better in the Generation M miniseries than here….and worked quite well and million times better than the (last minute) addition in that one.

The one thing that brings me back to this series (as I stated before), is its (semi-) autonomous nature from the other x-series and the rest of the other (non-mutant) titles out there. It allows the writer to clearly avoid falling for the lucrative premise of bringing in the big-names and losing story content and speed in favor of an expansive cast and (existing fan base) reach.

Conclusion: On its way to become my favorite (mainline) x-title out there.
 

RATING: 8/10 (almost 8.5)