The news that Peter David has passed away has hit hard. through my formative years as an awkward teenager and staunch Marvel Comics fan, Peter David become the first writer I’d seek out in an era in which artists were king. We’ve already covered his run on the Hulk in our two-part HULK READING ORDER: THE PETER DAVID ERA. So let’s take a look at another series that showcased the unsurpassed character work of a writer.
For me, the stand out X-title from the mid-2000s was X-Factor. And it stayed that way for the next 10 years. A true X-Men series, X-Factor focused on drama and being a part of an assemblage of outsiders far more successfully than the other X-titles were doing at that time. The series stars Jamie Madrox – the Multiple Man – as he tries to maintain control of his powers, his private investigation business and his personal life. He’s supported by the familiar faces from writer Peter David’s original ’90s run on X-Factor (Wolfsbane, Strong Guy and eventually Havok and Polaris) as well as other lower-tier X-characters like M, Siryn, Rictor, Shatterstar and Longshot.
With more freedom to play with characters who haven’t made it to the big leagues, Peter was able to evolve the members of X-Factor and develop their lives in the way we rarely get to see in mainstream comics. This isn’t a superhero book. It’s a series about a group of private investigators with powers who struggle to exist in the Marvel Universe, making us laugh out loud along the way.
I’ve kept each story synopsis quite vague for this one, hoping you’ll use it as a reading guide and give X-Factor a go yourself. It’s a fantastic series, riddled with twists, so try not to spoil it for yourself. It pays off big time!
Must Reads: Stories marked with a ✔in the Full Reading Order are must-read stories from this era; must-read issues are marked in bold in the Quick List; ‘must-reads’ from this time period include key stories and often-forgotten tales that are worth a read; remember, what’s “good” is subjective!
Chronology: All appearances of X-Factor Investigations from this period are included in chronological order, laying out their timeline rather than just the order the issues were released.
Anthology Issues: When an issue contains multiple stories, the relevant story is denoted with square brackets. For example, [2/5] refers to the second story of the five stories in that issue, so you don’t need to read the other four.
Spoilers: The issue/story overviews may include spoilers, so be warned!
Did we miss something? Let us know!
Our previous X-Factor reading order series will include:
- X-FACTOR, 1986-1991: The original X-Men
- X-FACTOR, 1991-1994: All-New, All-Different
- X-FACTOR, 1995-1998: Underground
Want to keep it simple? Here’s the core reading order without story descriptions, page-by-page breakdowns – just the stories:
- Madrox (2004) #1-5
- House of M: The Day After #1
- X-Factor (2006) #1-12
- X-Men: Deadly Genesis #6
- New X-Men #32
- X-Factor (2006) #13
- Friendly-Neighbourhood Spider-Man (2006) #16
- Wolverine (2003) #53-54
- X-Factor (2006) #14-20
- X-Men: Endangered Species #1
- X-Factor (2006) #21 [1/2]
- X-Factor (2006) #22 [1/2]
- X-Factor (2006) #23 [1/2]
- X-Factor (2006) #24 [1/2]
- Silent War #3
- World War Hulk: X-Men #2-3
- Uncanny X-Men #492
- X-Factor (2006) #25
- New X-Men #44
- X-Men #205
- X-Factor (2006) #26
- New X-Men #45
- X-Men #206
- Uncanny X-Men #494
- X-Factor (2006) #27
- New X-Men #46
- X-Men #207
- X-Factor (2006) #28-32
- X-Factor: The Quick and the Dead #1
- X-Factor: Layla Miller #1
- X-Factor (2006) #33
- She-Hulk #31
- X-Factor (2006) #34-50
- X-Factor: Nation X #1
- X-Factor #200-214
- Chaos War #1-2
- X-Factor #215-224
- Uncanny X-Men #542
- Avengers: The Children’s Crusade #6-9
- X-Factor #224.1
- X-Factor #225-236
- Astonishing X-Men #51
- Avengers vs X-Men #7
- AvX: Vs #6 [4/9]
- Avengers vs X-Men #10-11
- X-Men Legacy #273
- Wolverine and the X-Men #19
- X-Factor #237-240
- X-Factor #241-249
- X-Factor #250-262
| Must Reads | Title, Issue & Synopsis | Event/ Crossover |
| ✔ | Madrox #1-5 (2004-2005) Jamie Madrox (the mutant Multiple Man) has started a private investigation business in Mutant Town with Guido Carosella (formerly Strong Guy), utilising his duplicate selves (or ‘dupes’) to help him learn new skills; Madrox’s dupes begin to manifest separate personalities, will and desires; while investigating a case, Madrox calls upon his old X-Factor colleague Wolfsbane (Rahne Sinclair) to join his crew; due to Madrox, Guido and Wolfsbane’s shared past with X-Factor, Madrox renames the business X-Factor Investigations. 1st appearance: XXX Investigations/X-Factor Investigations | |
| House of M: The Day After #1 (2006) X-Factor Investigations cameo; Jamie Madrox turns down Cyclops‘ request for help when the majority of mutants lose their powers; Madrox decides to focus on helping the people of Mutant Town. | HOUSE OF M DECIMATION | |
| ✔ | X-Factor #1-4 (2006) M (Money St Croix), Rictor (Julio Richter) and Siryn (Theresa Cassidy) join X-Factor Investigations; X-Factor start looking into the cause of the missing mutant powers, adding new members and facing fresh competition in the form of Singularity Investigations; Layla Miller invites herself into the team and taunts Madrox with her visions of the future. 1st appearance: Singularity Investigations, Damian Tryp | DECIMATION |
| ✔ | X-Factor #5-7 (2006) Singularity Investigations continue to obstruct X-Factor; Cyclops visits the X-Factor Investigations office to personally deliver some bad news about Siryn’s father, Banshee. | |
| ✔ | X-Factor #8-9 (2006) Daily Bugle: Civil War Special (2006) X-Factor argue over whether or not to take a stand against the Superhuman Registration Act; a Madrox dupe is revealed to be an agent of SHIELD; Quicksilver (Pietro Maximoff) shows up in Mutant Town, offering to give ex-mutants their powers; X-Factor fall out with the X-Men. | CIVIL WAR |
| ✔ | X-Factor #10-12 (2006) The truth about Singularity Investigations is revealed when X-Factor decide to take them down for good; Madrox confronts his own treacherous dupe. | |
| X-Men: Deadly Genesis #6 (pp.25-28) (2006) Siryn attends her father’s funeral. | DECIMATION | |
| New X-Men #32 (2007) Jamie Madrox and Wolfsbane cameo; Madrox and Wolfsbane monitor Wither, the former member of the New Mutants. |
| Must Reads | Title, Issue & Synopsis | Event/ Crossover |
| ✔ | X-Factor #13 (2007) Layla Miller first witnesses a shocking vision of her future in which she and Jamie Madrox are murdered by a friend on their wedding night; Doc Samson psycho-analyses each member of X-Factor Investigations. 1st appearance: Vanora (cameo) | |
| Friendly-Neighbourhood Spider-Man #16 (2007) SHIELD agent Jamie Madrox investigates Spider-Man‘s most recent feud with the Vulture. | SPIDER-MAN UNMASKED | |
| Wolverine #53-54 (2007) Wolfsbane is among the lupine mutants heeding Romulus‘ call. | EVOLUTION | |
| ✔ | X-Factor #14-20 (2007) A love-triangle develops when Madrox is revealed to have slept with more than one member of the team; Madrox begins recalling all of his dupes, including the SHIELD agent, a Hydra agent and a pastor; X-Factor are hired by Valerie Cooper to investigate a new team of familiar mutants when they align themselves with Quicksilver against the US Government; Rictor is offered a chance to regain his powers by betraying the team. 1st appearance: Reverend John Maddox, Nicole, X-Cell | |
| ✔ | X-Men: Endangered Species #1 (2007) Jamie Marox is among those attending the funeral of a young mutant, maring another step towards mutant extinction; Madrox offers to help by single-handedly repopulating the mutant species. | ENDANGERED SPECIES |
| ✔ | X-Factor (2006) #21 [1/2] (2007) X-Factor (2006) #22 [1/2] (2007) X-Factor (2006) #23 [1/2] (2007) X-Factor (2006) #24 [1/2] (2007) The Isolationist tries to manipulate X-Factor into siding with his against the US Government, but Layla Miller uncovers a more sinister plan. 1st appearance: Isolationist/Josef Huber (full) | |
| ✔ | Silent War #3 (2007) The Inhumans, Jamie Madrox and Layla Miller catch up with the treacherous Quicksilver. | |
| ✔ | World War Hulk: X-Men #2-3 (2007) X-Factor Investigations join the battle to defend Professor X from the Hulk when he attacks the Xavier Institute. | WORLD WAR HULK |
| ✔ | Uncanny X-Men #492 (2008) X-Factor #25 (2008) New X-Men #44 (2008) X-Men #205 (2008) X-Factor #26 (2008) New X-Men #45 (2008) X-Men #206 (2008) Uncanny X-Men #494 (2008) X-Factor #27 (2008) New X-Men #46 (2008) X-Men #207 (2008) X-Factor Investigations are drawn in to the desperate search for the missing infant mutant messiah; Forge sends two of Jamie Madrox’s dupes ito alternate futures that still register a mutant presence; Layla Miller hops aboard with the dupe who travels to Earth-1191 (the timeline Bishop hails from) and is stranded there; Wolfsbane becomes a member of Cyclops’ secret black-ops X-Force squad. 1st appearance: Hope Summers, X-Force | MESSIAH COMPLEX |
| ✔ | X-Factor #28-31 (2008) X-Factor #32 (pp.1-20) (2008) Wolfsbane leaves X-Factor; Arcade seeks the destruction of Mutant Town; Valerie Cooper manipulates Jamie Madrox; Siryn is revealed to be pregnant. | DIVIDED WE STAND |
| Must Reads | Title, Issue & Synopsis | Event/ Crossover |
| ✔ | X-Factor: The Quick and the Dead #1 (2008) X-Factor’s nemesis, Quicksilver, makes some life-changing decisions. | |
| ✔ | X-Factor: Layla Miller #1 (2008) Layla Miller survives by any means necessary in the future of Earth-1191, allying herself with the members of the Summers Rebellion. 1st appearance: Cyclops/Scott Summers (Earth-1191), Ruby Summers (Earth-1191) | |
| ✔ | X-Factor #32 (pp.21-23) (2008) X-Factor relocate to Detroit, but Valerie Cooper is hot on Madrox’s tail. New identity: X-Factor Investigations as XF Investigations 1st appearance: XF Investigations Headquarters | |
| ✔ | X-Factor #33 (2008) She-Hulk #31 (2008) X-Factor #34 (2008) X-Factor and She-Hulk both end up pursuing Darwin (Armando Muñoz) and get caught up in the Skrull invasion of Earth. 1st appearance: Hector Muñoz, Nogor the Talisman | |
| ✔ | X-Factor #35-49 (2008-2009) X-Factor #50 (pp.1-29) (2009) Longshot and Darwin join X-Factor; the Karma Project attempt to use Darwin for their own sinister purposes; Shatterstar joins X-Factor; tragedy strikes the team; Jamie Madrox is reunited with Layla Miller in the most unexpected way; Shatterstar is sent to assassinate X-Factor; Madrox finds himself allied with Doctor Doom; Layla Miller’s origin is revealed; X-Factor disband. 1st appearance: Dr Anthony Falcone | |
| ✔ | X-Factor: Nation X #1 (2010) Cyclops offers XF Investigations a place on the X-Men’s mutant island Utopia. | NATION X |
| ✔ | X-Factor #50 (pp.29-33) (2009) Layla Miller meets a very familiar face from her past. | |
| ✔ | X-Factor #200-202 (2010) XF Investigations reform as X-Factor Investigations again and relocate to Manhattan; Franklin & Valeria Richards hire X-Factor to look into the disappearance of their mother, the Invisible Woman of the Fantastic Four. New identity: Siryn/Theresa Rourke Cassidy as Banshee, XF Investigations become X-Factor Investigations again 1st appearance: X-Factor Investigations Headquarters | |
| ✔ | X-Factor #203 (2010) M and Strong Guy investigate the disappearance of M’s father and clash with Baron Mordo. |
| Must Reads | Title, Issue & Synopsis | Event/ Crossover |
| ✔ | X-Factor #204-206 (2010) The resurrected Bolivar Trask is sent by Bastion to kill X-Factor while they’re still struggling with Baron Mordo. | SECOND COMING: REVELATIONS |
| ✔ | X-Factor #207-214 (2010-2011) X-Factor’s fight with Baron Mordo comes to a close; a heavily pregnant Wolfsbane returns and takes issue with Shatterstar; in Las Vegas, X-Factor come under fire from Hela and find a welcome ally in Thor; Pip the Troll joins X-Factor Investigations; Darwin leaves the team to seek his own identity. 1st appearance: Ballistique/Noelle Blanc | |
| Chaos War #1-2 (2010) Strong Guy cameo; Strong Guy is glimpsed among the heroes who rise to fight the Chaos King. | CHAOS WAR | |
| ✔ | X-Factor #215 (2011) Jamie Madrox and Layla Miller clash with a vampire/vandella. | CURSE OF THE MUTANTS |
| ✔ | X-Factor #216-224 (2011) X-Factor are hired by J Jonah Jameson, team up with Spider-Man and the Black Cat; their fight with the government-sponsored black ops team SCARs leads to the death of one member of X-Factor; Wolfsbane is pursued by demons and gods all trying to prevent the birth of her child while she’s protected by the Werewolf by Night (Jack Russell); the fate of Agamemnon of the Pantheon is revealed. 1st appearance: SCARs (Strategic Capture and Retrieval), Tier SInclair | |
| Uncanny X-Men #542 (2011) Banshee cameo; Banshee joins the fight against the Juggernaut. | ||
| ✔ | Avengers: The Children’s Crusade #6-9 (2011-2012) The Avengers take the Scarlet Witch to X-Factor Headquarters and give Rictor the chance to become the first mutant to have his powers back. | THE CHILDREN’S CRUSADE |
| ✔ | X-Factor #224.1 (2011) X-Factor #225-229 (2011-2012) X-Factor investigate strange goings on in Kansas; X-Factor confront the demon Bloodbath; Jamie Madrox and Layla Miller finally face the reality of their grisly demise. 1st appearance: Bloodbath, Vanora (full), Warders (cameo), X-Factor Investigations (Earth-7153) | |
| ✔ | X-Factor #230 (2012) Wolverine assigns Havok (Alex Summers) and Polaris (Lorna Dane) to X-Factor whether the team approve or not. 1st appearance: Iron Men (Earth-22423) | REGENESIS |
| Must Reads | Title, Issue & Synopsis | Event/ Crossover |
| ✔ | X-Factor #231-236 (2012) X-Factor jump through realities in search of their missing teammate, clashing with alternate universe Deathloks; Havok and Polaris take over X-Factor as the team face the Isolationist once again; Shatterstar faces Scattershot, a fellow genetically-engineered being from the Mojoverse. 1st appearance: X-Ceptionals | |
| Astonishing X-Men #51 (2012) Havok attends Northstar and Kyle Jinadu‘s wedding. | ||
| ✔ | Avengers vs X-Men #7 (2012) AvX: Vs #6 [4/9] (2012) Avengers vs X-Men #10-11 (2012) Havok and Polaris ally themselves with the X-Men when they clash with the Avengers over the returning Phoenix Force; Havok clashes with Captain America. | AVX: AVENGERS VS X-MEN |
| X-Men Legacy #273 (2012) Havok cameo; Rogue fights her way through another reality to join the X-Men in their final showdown with Cyclops. | AVX: AVENGERS VS X-MEN | |
| Wolverine and the X-Men #19 (2012) Longshot cameo; Longshot applies to teach the kids at the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning. | ||
| ✔ | X-Factor #237-240 (2012) Banshee, Polaris and Wolfsbane go on a road trip; Shatterstar, Rictor and Wolfsbane leave X-Factor; Banshee clashes with the Morrigan; Layla Miller struggles with her knowing what the future holds. | |
| ✔ | X-Factor #246-249 (2013) Pip the Troll reveals how he keeps X-Factor from falling apart before the team have no choice but to learn to live without him; Jamie Madrox and Layla Miller go on honeymoon; X-Factor battle the Warders. 1st appearance: Warders (full) | |
| ✔ | X-Factor #250-256 (2013) Pip the Troll leaves X-Factor; Wolfsbane and Darwin rejoin the team; Tier Sinclair becomes a member of X-Factor; the Hell Lords battle each other for the domination of planet Earth; a member of X-Factor becomes a demon and opposes the team; Jezebel‘s true identity is revealed; a number of team members die in the final battle of the Hell on Earth War. | |
| ✔ | X-Factor #257-262 (2013) Shatterstar’s origin is revealed; all the major storylines come to a close as Jamie Madrox sells X-Factor Investigations to Serval Industries and closes up shop. 1st appearance: Serval Industries |
More X-Factor reading orders to follow:
- X-Factor, 2014-2015: Not Brand X
See how these stories fit into the wider Marvel Universe with these reading orders:
- Marvel Universe, 2004 – Disassembled & Reloaded
| Collected Edition Title | Collects… |
| X-Factor by Peter David Omnibus vol.2 | Madrox #1-5 She-Hulk #31 X-Factor #1-39 X-Factor: Layla Miller #1 X-Factor: The Quick and the Dead #1 |
| X-Factor by Peter David Omnibus vol.3 | X-Factor #40-50, 200-224, 224.1, 225-232 X-Factor: Nation X #1 |
| X-Factor by Peter David Omnibus vol.4 | All-New X-Factor #1-20 X-Factor #233-262 X-Men Legends #5-6 |
| X-Factor vol.1: The Longest Night | X-Factor #1-6 |
| X-Factor vol.2: Life And Death Matters | X-Factor #7-12 |
| Factor vol.3: The Many Lives of Madrox | X-Factor #13-17 |
| X-Factor vol.4: Heart Of Ice | X-Factor #18-24 |
| X-Men: Messiah Complex X-Men Milestones: Messiah Complex | New X-Men #44-46 Uncanny X-Men #492-494 X-Factor #25-27 X-Men #205-207 |
| X-Factor vol.5: The Only Game in Town | X-Factor #28-32 X-Factor: The Quick and the Dead #1 |
| X-Factor vol.6: Secret Invasion | She-Hulk #31 X-Factor #33-38 |
| She-Hulk vol.8: Secret Invasion | She-Hulk #31-34 X-Factor #34 |
| X-Factor vol.7: Time And A Half | X-Factor #39-45 |
| X-Factor vol.8: Overtime | X-Factor #46-50 X-Factor: Layla Miller #1 |
| X-Factor vol.9: The Invisible Woman Has Vanished | X-Factor #200-203 |
| X-Factor vol.10: Second Coming | X-Factor #204-206 X-Factor: Nation X #1 |
| X-Men: Second Coming – Revelations | X-Factor #204-206 X-Men: Bline Science #1 X-Men: Hellbound #1-3 |
| X-Factor vol.11: Happenings In Vegas | X-Factor #207-212 |
| X-Factor vol.12: Scar Tissue | X-Factor #213-219 |
| X-Factor vol.13: Hard Labor | X-Factor #220-224 |
| Avengers: The Children’s Crusade | Avengers: The Children’s Crusade #1-9 Avengers: The Children’s Crusade – Young Avengers #1 |
| X-Factor vol.14: Super Unnatural | X-Factor #224.1, 225-228 |
| X-Factor vol.15: They Keep Killing Madrox | X-Factor #229-232 |
| X-Factor vol.16: Together Again for the First Time | X-Factor #233-236 |
| X-Factor vol.17: The Road to Redemption | X-Factor #237-240 |
| X-Factor vol.18: Breaking Points | X-Factor #241-245 |
| X-Factor vol.19: Short Stories | X-Factor #246-249 |
| X-Factor vol.20: Hell On Earth War | X-Factor #250-256 |
| X-Factor vol.21: The End of X-Factor | X-Factor #257-262 |
| X-Factor by Peter David – The Complete Collection vol.1 | Madrox #1-5 X-Factor #1-12 |
| X-Factor by Peter David – The Complete Collection vol.2 | X-Factor #13-24, 28-32 X-Factor: Layla Miller #1 X-Factor: The Quick and the Dead #1 |
| Collected Edition Title | Includes… |
| Avengers vs X-Men | Avengers vs X-Men #7-11 |
| Avengers vs X-Men OHC Avengers vs X-Men Omnibus | Avengers vs X-Men #7-11 AvX: Vs #6 |
| Marvel Point One | X-Factor #224.1 |
| She-Hulk by Peter David Omnibus | She-Hulk #31-34 X-Factor #34 |
| Silent War War of Kings Prelude: Road to War of Kings Omnibus | Silent War #3 |
| World War Hulk Omnibus World War Hulk X-Men | World War Hulk: X-Men #2-3 |
Reading Order © Omniverse Comics Guide, 2025
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