The last of this blog’s 25th Anniversary covers. We’re treated to another issue by Rick Leonardi this month, now inked by Bob Layton with Nel Yomtov on colors. We open on Flash Thompson’s lawyer being questioned by the press about his escape from jail.
Lt. Keating! Uh-oh. It appears Peter has passed out due to the head injury from ASM 281 despite the previous post clearly taking place before this one. So much for the smooth continuity I was talking about. Meanwhile, at The Bugle, JJJ and Robbie are discussing Flash’s situation, and we learn what Robbie’s proof that Flash isn’t The Hobgoblin is: He’s not wearing the suit with the big stupid button on the chest when captured, but Peter’s photos show the actual Hobgoblin was, and there was no time for him to change. That is… flimsy. Who knows, the button could just come off. JJJ’s not buying it, either, and says he wishes Keating was out hunting Spider-Man, instead, when a TV commercial for X-Factor comes on and grabs his attention. So, in this period, the original X-Men, including a newly resurrected Jean Grey, are now X-Factor. They pretend to be mutant hunters, hiring out their services to apprehend mutants, who they then help instead. And here they are now!
Like so many great Marvel artists, Leonardi is about to get yoinked into the X-Office for awhile, but while he’ll work on New Mutants and X-Men, this is maybe the only time he drew X-Factor. Their training session is interrupted by Cameron Hodge, their partner-in-crime in business who will later become the cyborg leader of a fictional country with mutant Apartade, because X-Men comics are bonkers.
We’ll have to wait to get Scott’s answer, because the next page is…
JJJ says either X-Factor rids him of Spider-Man, or he can expose them as frauds, so he has nothing to fear. He calls X-Factor vultures who’re fueling anti-mutant paranoia, and makes it clear he intends to go after them regardless. JJJ is complicated. Robbie storms out, thinking The Bugle can’t be seen to be supporting mutant hunters. He asks Betty if she’s been able to contact Flash’s attorney, because he wants her to see his photos, but she hasn’t. Then they have a random, brief chat about how her marriage is in shambles just to remind you that’s a thing. Back at Chelsea St., Peter hears the news about Flash on the TV. MJ says he’s in no condition to do anything. He then pretends to be so weak he needs help getting to the bathroom, except…
Man, I wish Rick had been able to do more Spider-Man. Elsewhere, Robbie catches up to the lawyer, who refuses to talk to him. Real nice, lady! And then we check in with X-Factor, on the hunt for the Amazing Spider-Man. Beast spots him and calls in the others.
A brief cutaway shows us Robbie once again catching up to Flash’s lawyer, and this time forcing her to see he’s trying to help. She’s impressed, as well she should be. Meanwhile, even though he’s barely conscious, Spider-Man continues stunting on the original X-Men, just like he always has in the past (In MTU 4 and Uncanny X-Men 35, as we’ve seen), overcoming Jean’s “telekinetic cocoon” and dodging attacks from Iceman, Beast & Cyclops. But no one’s luck lasts forever, and Angel finally catches him with a sucker punch, accidentally knocking him into Jean and Jean off a ledge.
Shortly, Robbie makes it back to The Bugle in time to find X-Factor returning JJJ’s money, saying they’ve concluded Spider-Man isn’t a mutant, and is therefore out of their mandate. JJJ threatens to expose them all as frauds, but they just leave. JJJ demands Robbie begin nailing them to the wall in the paper, but Robbie says he’ll do no such thing without facts. He gives JJJ his key to the executive bathroom and tells him to decide whether he wants to give it back. Later, Spider-Man wakes up in X-Factor’s van. Iceman assures him they don’t need to fight and tells him he’s been out for hours.
No curiosity about why Iceman drives a van? Or where the others went? I guess Spider-Man IS dealing with a major headache.
Wrapped up tidy. In the letter column, a correspondent correctly guesses the identity of the man who will eventually be revealed as The Rose. The only problem with that is, Tom DeFalco originally didn’t think The Rose had to be anybody special under his mask, he was just a new guy, but fans guessing who he was created pressure to put a familiar face under there… and the face tat will eventually be revealed is exactly who Tom wanted to reveal as Hobgoblin. It’s all about to come crashing down… well, next block in this time, anyway.