X-Factor 243 review

At last, the true origin of Polaris is revealed. Polaris, the mistress of Magnetism, has had so many different takes on her past and true heritage that it’s quite a mess. Is she Magneto’s daughter or not? What actually happened to her mother and “father”? What is the source to her insanity? All of those questions are answered in this issue. Is it good? Definitely!

It’s hard to say anything specific without spoiling this issue so I’ll keep it brief. Through the unique abilities of various X-Factor members, Lorna Dane is finally able to discover the truth about her past. The truth is potentially devastating; however with a character this convoluted and contradictory you have to break them down before you build them back up. This issue handles it perfectly. It’s not a lighthearted issue by any means, although little touches of clever humour help lighten the mood.

The art is fairly good. While there aren’t too many fine details, there’s still enough environmental detail that each panel feels complete. The real focus on the art is on facial expressions, and they are handled well. Not sure what else to say about the art.

If you like X-Factor or Polaris, this is an important issue to pick up. An issue that attempts to sort out a confusing mess of a character’s history could go completely wrong, yet Peter David handled this completely right. There’s really nothing else to say without spoiling the revelations within.