The Hellfire Gala is in full swing inside Marvel Comics' X-Men titles, and next week the investigators of X-Factor will make their grand, but in some ways, bittersweet entrance.
"The last dance! At the Hellfire Gala, secrets will be revealed! Vengeance will be had," reads Marvel's description of X-Factor #10. "And someone's number is up. You'll never guess whose."
Why bittersweet? Well, X-Factor #10 is the end of the X-Factor ongoing series.
But just like the mutant resurrection protocols they investigate in-story, X-Factor will bounce back quickly with a standalone limited series dealing with the fallout of the Hellfire Gala, titled The Trial of Magneto. From the sounds of Marvel's description of this issue, the 'crime' that the Trial of Magneto will necessitate could very well occur in X-Factor #10.
"When has Magneto ever allowed bureaucracy to get between himself and what's just?" Williams asks rhetorically in the announcement of The Trial of Magneto. "In the island paradise of Krakoa, safe haven and home for mutants - Magneto's hard-fought, greatest desire of seeing his people at peace and thriving has finally been achieved. But Magneto's loyalty extends only as far as it is first earned, so after the Hellfire Gala, when he learns that even a paradise could still be filled with lies...the Trial of Magneto will begin."
Marvel hit the nail squarely on the head in the press release for Trial of Magneto, stating "The Trial of Magneto will deal with the aftermath of a violent death that occurs on mutantkind's big night."
The only X-Factor member not continuing on with Trial of Magneto is Polaris, who is 'graduating' to become part of the flagship X-Men team beginning with X-Men #1. That might be for the best, given Polaris is the daughter of Magneto.
X-Factor #10 goes on sale on June 30. Ivan Shavrin has drawn the main cover, with variants by Russell Dauterman, series artist David Baldeon, and Phil Jimenez. Check those out here:
The series will be collected in two volumes - the already-released X-Factor by Leah Williams Vol. 1, with X-Factor by Leah Williams Vol. 2 to follow on August 31.
Keep track of this and all the new X-Men comics, graphic novels, and collections on the horizon.
