Havok leads government mutants in Peter David’s first run on X-Factor

Peter David took over as writer, with Larry Stroman as artist, of “X-Factor” with issue No. 71 back in 1991.

Showing that renumbering may not have been considered as much of a boost back in the day, even though the concept of the book and cast completely changed, the numbering continued.   The book had been the home of the original five X-Men, but with that group re-integrating into the X-Men, “X-Factor” was left without a cast.

David took some castoffs from various X-titles and created the new X-Factor, a government-sponsored team of mutants (replacing the semi-villainous Freedom Force) that was led by Cyclops’ brother, Havok, aka Alex Summers. (Havok got his first big-time movie promotion as part of “X-Men First Class” this summer, though in the comics, he joined the X-Men after Cyclops.)

Havok is joined by his girlfriend, Polaris, former New Mutant Wolfsbane, and some cast-offs from other X-storylines: former bodyguard Strong Guy and former Moira McTaggert ally Jamie Madrox, the  Multiple Man.  Former villain-turned-Avenger Quicksilver, brother of the Scarlet Witch and son of Magneto, also joined the team.  Valerie Cooper is their government handler.

Over 19 issues, the team faces off against X-Men villains including Mister Sinister, and crosses over with the Hulk.  Stroman is followed on art by Jae Lee during the X-Cutioner’s Song crossover, and then future Marvel Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada takes the artistic reins.