This issue juggles two storylines, and starts with Madrox falling from a window–which is what’s one the cover. So, the cover leads directly into the story. Nice. 

That’s not the main story for this issue. The “A” story starts a few pages in. Cyclops arrives at X-Factor headquarters to tell Siryn that her father, Sean Cassidy aka Banshee, is dead.  When he arrives, Siryn is talking with Layla, who has been taken in by X-Factor.

Cyclops, of course, knows that Layla played a major role in the House of M affair—but the X-Factor folks don’t know that.  This story has Siryn watching her father’s video-will and being in denial (rightly) about his death.  The issue also shows the rest of the team having varied reactions to his death…

I love that.  For those of you born after 1990, Sean Cassidy was a pop singer who played Joe Hardy on a primetime TV adaptation of the books.  Also, books are things that don’t have screens and primetime TV was something that everyone got for free.

The second storyline here has Madrox meeting with Damian Tryp, the owner of X-Factor’s competitor–Singularity Investigations.  During the meeting, Tryp tells Madrox that some members of X-Factor are moles who are seeking to betray that team’s core mission.  Tryp offers to buy X-Factor for $50 million and Madrox refuses because he knows that Tryp is an evil dick.  Then, Tryp throws Madrox out a window.

Gosh I love this series.