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Preview art by
Valentine
De Landro |
By Tim Stevens
When your whole world has fallen apart right in front of you who better to turn to than yourself?
After being rocked by revelations about his and
Siryn's child, that option makes plenty of sense to Jamie
Madrox. Thus, in X-FACTOR #40, the
Multiple Man seeks out the one dupe he has chosen not to absorb: priest and family man John Maddox.
"Jamie's in a very bad place at this point," says X-FACTOR writer Peter David. "To say he's undergoing a crisis of faith is to understate it. So who better to seek consolation from than an aspect of yourself that has thoroughly embraced a life of faith? Of trying to make sense of a world that seems, on its face, senseless. And besides, how do you explain to your average clergyman the circumstances that have driven Madrox to his current state of mind?"
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Preview art by
Valentine
De Landro |
Whether John welcomes Jamie with open arms or not, Madrox brings with him the dangerous threat of ending his dupe's existence.
"Obviously [John's] initial concern is that Madrox has changed his mind and is planning to reabsorb him," notes David. "After all, the Lord giveth and taketh away, and in many ways, Madrox is Maddox's lord."
John need not worry, however. At least, not about that. Jamie has not chosen to re-establish contact with his dupe to just seek counsel for himself. The fate of his newborn son in #39 has raised certain questions in his mind that could spell dire dangers for John as well.
"Some sharp fans have wondered about certain ramifications that the revelation about Jamie's son last issue might have for Maddox's son, Daniel," David explains. "And if the fans are wondering about it, then you have to know that Jamie is going to be wondering about it, too. And that means that a potentially very difficult
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Preview art by
Valentine
De Landro |
chat with Maddox is in the offing. "
Unfortunately for them both, this difficult conversation might have to take a backseat to the situation John finds himself in at the start of #39.
"When we first encounter the good reverend, he's deep in the middle of a situation that has absolutely nothing to do with Jamie, an unlikely hostage situation," the writer reveals. "He finds himself staring down the barrel of a gun before page three."
With a hostage situation, a grieving Jamie, and John having to contend with the possible end of his life on two fronts, X-FACTOR #40 shows all the signs of being a taunt tale. However, David warns fans that the issue has more to it than just that.
"What happens with Maddox will be having a major impact on future issues."
Readers can get in on the ground floor of the fallout by picking up X-FACTOR #40, written by Peter David and drawn by Valentine De Landro, on shelves on February 18. And for more X-FACTOR, visit Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited.
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