RAIMONDI AND THE X-FACTOR

[MattBrady]

Yesterday, we spoke with X-Factor writer Peter David about the recent developments showcased in the book as well as some hints at next month’s issue #13, which puts the team back on Doc Samson’s couch for therapy.

Along with an inside look at what makes the team members tick, X-Factor #13 also features the addition of regular series artist Pablo Raimondi. We spoke with the artist.

Newsarama: First off Pablo, what got you on to the series? Was there a particular straw that broke the camel's back, so to speak…aomething that made the book/gig just irresistible?

Pablo Raimondi: Irresistible? Yeah, it's X-Factor with Peter David, what else would I need to be sold on it?! I had a blast working with Peter on the original Madrox mini-series that set X-Factor up, so I knew right away that the book would be right up my alley.

Other than that, the timing worked out perfectly--- I was wrapping up Books Of Doom with Ed Brubaker as X-Factor became available, and both Peter and Andy Schmidt thought I would be a good fit for the book. I thought about it for a quarter of a second and then jumped on it before either of them could change his mind.

NRAMA: Of all the X-titles, probably of all of Marvel titles, period, X-Factor seems to be split pretty much 50/50 in terms of big action and exposition - scenes of people talking, with as much being said through their expressions as their dialogue. Are you comfortable with that, or is it something that you're growing to deal with?

PR: As much as I enjoy doing action sequences, I have to admit that most of the time I prefer working on the expositional scenes even more, simply because I naturally tend to focus a lot on facial expressions and character acting. That's not to say they are easy, but i just find it incredibly satisfying when I'm done with a scene and the characters appear to be moving and reacting in a way I can believe and relate to. I also think that Peter and I have similar story- telling sensibilities, so I have yet to come across a scene in the scripts that I can't wait to draw, as difficult as they may be.

NRAMA: So far, are any characters coming to you more naturally than others? Any characters proving to be bigger challenges than the rest?

PR: Well, at this point Madrox is by far the character I'm more familiar with, so he's the easier one. Layla is also a lot of fun to draw, and so are Monet and Rictor. I guess the one that I find the most challenging is probably Guido, simply because he's an awkward character to draw in the pseudo-realistic style I work on. I mean, the guy is supposed to be disproportionately big, but at the same time he needs to be able to fit through a door or sit behind the wheel of a car, so finding the balance that makes the character work from a visual standpoint can sometimes be tricky.

NRAMA: Speaking specifically about issue #13 - as has been revealed, it's therapy time. Were there any particular challenges to this issue?

PR: Yeah, to not screw it up. I have to admit that it was a little intimidating at first knowing that my first issue would pay homage to X-Factor #87, which I have always been a huge fan of. Actually, when I moved to New York from Argentina 12 years ago, I brought about 10 comic-books with me from home and one of them was X-Factor #87, which I still have to this day. So yeah, I got a little nervous at first, but then I realized my deadline was creeping up and I quickly got over it.

What I did was pay a couple of small homages of my own by referencing some stuff that I remembered from the original issue - like the vertical panel grid that would close-up on a character, or the way the therapist's hand would hang in the foreground of a panel framing whoever he was talking to. Stuff like that. On one hand it was challenging to keep the pages visually engaging because, after all, the characters are sitting in one same room for most of the issue, but on the other hand I found all the characters so interesting that it wasn't hard to keep the ball rolling.

NRAMA: Going forward - issue #14 deals with Jamie collecting his dupes. As Peter has brought out, his duplicates all have different personalities. How do you express that, artistically?

PR: Well, it's all pretty much in the acting of the character, so I'm always very aware of what it is that I need him to convey in order to have the personality come through. That's exactly what makes Madrox so much fun, though. Getting to see (and, in my case, draw) all these different sides to him is what keeps the character so consistently fascinating.



NRAMA: Wrapping things up, is there anything in particular coming up that really has you jazzed? Anything that has you apprehensive about how you'll approach it?

PR: Apprehensive? Yeah, my deadlines. Other than that, I'm just way too excited about this, I can't wait to have the book in my hands. And beyond issue #13 things just keep on getting better. Issue #14 is probably one of the funniest comic-books I've ever read, #15 has Hydra and S.H.I.E.L.D. in it, which are both incredibly fun to draw, and #16... well, you'll have to wait and see, I don't want to give too much away. I'm just having a blast, and hopefully so will everybody who picks up the book, too.

[Future Boy]

looks good. i might actually hop back on this book for this new art, whose I loved on the original Madrox.

EDIT: FIRST POST!!!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

[MatthewSmith]

I am so hyped for this issue. And I knew there was a new artist coming on, but I hadn't realized that it was the same guy who did the Madrox mini-series. Great stuff.

[l.21]

Mmm, looks like good stuff. Loooong way from the first X-factor.

[jedifish]

Welcome back Pablo. I loved the MadroX mini-series, and I was so excited to see your name attached to this series. Can't wait.

[metrognome]

That art looks fantastic.

X-Factor is already my favorite comic out there, and I have a feeling that it's about to get even better.

[otto66]

Damn shame that Ryan Sook couldn't do the monthly commitment for this book.
Still, hope that as a "regular series artist" Raimondi sticks around for at least
10 issues. We'll see.

[mikeyg]

Looks pretty cool, I like peter david. I may have to give this title a try. I used to love X-factor back in the day, but now it kind of looks slow. Wheres all the Action?

[Jed Saxon]

I wasn't that happy when they announced Raimondi as the regular artist. Yeah, MadroX looked good, but I didn't really care for it. It didn't *click*.
That said these Layla Miller pages aren't looking good. Nope, they aren't. THEY ARE LOOKING ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS. Woah. gorgeous, awesome.
Now I'm really looking forward to it.

[PhoenixFacto]

I loved Madrox. I was upset when x-factor was announced without Pablo. I'm glad he's back and I hope the he and the book stick around for a good long time.

[bossofbam]

Just when I think I can't enjoy this book anymore, these previews come out and they prove me wrong.

[KyleCowstar]

Originally Posted by mikeyg

Looks pretty cool, I like peter david. I may have to give this title a try. I used to love X-factor back in the day, but now it kind of looks slow. Wheres all the Action?

It tends to mix in action with this thing called "plot." I don't understand it either. PLus this issue is a homage to one of the best comics of the modern age which featured no action so I doubt issue 13 will be very "action packed."

I'm thrilled for this artist BTW. I loved the Madrox mini.

[creatorman]

Looks really good. Loving this series.

[Dusty]

I wanted to pick this up from the start, and only the art held me back. That won't be the case anymore. Can't wait for his first issue!

[Ye Olde Iowa]

Wow. That is some really awesome art. Yesterday I was on the fence with this book, but with PAD writing and Raimondi's art looking this good, I'm going to have to pick this up.

There was a Madrox mini? Can someone fill me in on this one?

[Hurnslice]

I was seriously considering stopping this title after the first 12.

Now, I'm seriously considering keeping on. Thanks Marvel. Thanks for taking food out of my children's mouths. (I actually don't have kids).

[AbeFroman]

This is constantly one of the top 5 books on the market, month in and month out. PAD is at the top of his game. Raimondi coming onboard is making a great product even better. Can't wait!

[Ed Brubaker]

Peter David is a lucky man. Pablo will make him look like a genius.

[ghost_writer]

Raimondi working with PAD again can only lead to great product so it's good to see him on this title which has been one of the most consistently entertaining books on the racks.

[alohaboy]

Sweet! I just realized the poster on the first page is The Creature from the Black Lagoon, I have that same poster framed on my wall.
Just an observation.

[RedRonin]

Raimondi is a damn good artist. And this book plays into all his strengths. Hopefully he got enough lead time between this and Books Of Doom. It's looking good.

[tiso_spencer]

Originally Posted by Hurnslice

I was seriously considering stopping this title after the first 12.

Yeah me too and after finally getting my pull list to a reasonable amount that will only get smaller with each passing month, X-Factor was going to be a stay or not for #13, and now I'm staying. Thanks Marvel.

[FireLight]

Sooo looking forward to this myself. I have the whole Next Gen X-Factor v1 series (you know - before it was the team of 'original' X-Men... then they did to it what Marvel did to Thunderbolts and just completely changed the whole concept - except it worked) and back then I was a MONSTER PAD fan because of Hulk and Star Trek - and I'd really started liking this Quesada guy - mostly because his Ray and Azreal stuff kicked arse - and he had a Mignola thing going.

#87 was by far one of the most funny and yet serious tales I've ever read. Up there with 'The Professor Hulk' (#377) and Action #775 as part of my top-three stories EVER (and all are one-n-done for the most part).

[Hellhound]

I'm just glad they're replacing Arlem. If I had to look at another of his photocopied panels, I was going to scream.

[Arion]

Pablo Raimondi is perfect for X-Factor.