X-Factor Investigations


X-Factor Investigations is a fictional detective agency appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The organization was created by writer Peter David for the comic book series X-Factor. The agency first appears under the name XXX Investigations in the first issue of the Marvel Comics limited series Madrox #1. In the final issue, Madrox #5, the name is changed to X-Factor Investigations, and later abbreviated XF Investigations.

Publication history

Peter David introduced the agency in the limited series Madrox. The Madrox series ended in March 2005, but with positive fan and retailer reaction to the book, Marvel relaunched the series under their oft-used title X-Factor, David having considered Madrox an X-Factor book anyway. At the 2005 San Diego Comic Con, David announced the agency would continue, following events in Madrox and House of M and intended the agency to be "dark and scruffy," inspired by the paranormal Fox TV series X-Files. At the 2009 Fan Expo Canada, it was announced that the current X-Factor series would be re-numbered to #200 in December 2009, to take up the numbering of the original series. The series ended after issue #262, after 114 issues.

Fictional team history

X-Factor Investigations is a detective agency run by Jamie Madrox, formerly known as the costumed superhero Multiple Man. The agency was originally named XXX Investigations, but team members thought that it sounded too much like Madrox was investigating pornography. The new name is taken from the government-sponsored mutant supergroup that the three founders had previously served on.

"Madrox" and "Decimation"

The initial staff consisted of Madrox's best friend and special enforcer, Guido Carosella and former teammate Rahne Sinclair. Following the House of M, Madrox's newfound wealth from winning a Who Wants to Be a Millionaire-style game show allowed him to recruit several of his former colleagues of the Paris branch of the now defunct X-Corporation. New members include Siryn, a powerless Rictor, M, and Layla Miller, who has inserted herself into the group to keep them from discovering the truth behind the mutant Decimation, a catastrophic worldwide wiping out of mutant powers that took place during a storyline of the same name. The agency subsequently conflict with rival agency Singularity Investigations, after they ordered Siryn beaten and left for dead.
In the aftermath of the "Decimation" storyline, Madrox, after meeting with Singularity CEO Damian Tryp, asks Siryn to find out more about the Decimation from the heroes who might have been involved. She learns from Spider-Man that the X-Men, as well as Quicksilver were, in fact, central to the ending of that event.
Little is known about Damian Tryp apart from that he runs Singularity Investigations, which is in direct competition with Jamie Madrox's X-Factor Investigations and his encounters with Madrox's team. He is also one of the few mutants that kept their superhuman powers after the M-Day event, although it has been revealed that he might not be a mutant, but a genetic throwback to an earlier time,, a predecessor to mutants who develop powers at birth. Tryp's mutation enables him to live for a very long time, as evidenced by him being alive in the 12th-century Wales. He also is able to move through time in a similar fashion to Quicksilver, which enables him to bring together himself at three different times.
Damian Tryp also seems to be involved in Jamie Madrox's past. When Jamie was born, the doctor's slap caused him to multiply into two identical babies, which was rather shocking to both his parents and the doctor. Professor Charles Xavier, a friend of the Madrox family, suggested that they move to Kansas to raise the boy in privacy with the possibility of the boy to be later taught at Professor X's school for the gifted youngsters. However, when Madrox was still young, Tryp also makes an own offer to look after Jamie, claiming that Jamie was also a "changeling" like him. Jamie's parents, however, refuse to give Jamie to Tryp, who proceeds to create a freak tornado that kills Jamie's parents.
The all-out conflict between Tryp's Singularity Investigations and X-Factor Investigations began after the youngest version of Tryp badly beat Siryn and left her for dead. Siryn, as part of her duties for X-Factor Investigations, was investigating the murder of the woman who died in Jack Vaughn's penthouse under suspicious circumstances. Jack Vaughn claimed that the woman was killed by her sister, Gloria Santiago, who was upset about the relationship, and that all he was trying to do was wrestle the gun away from her. The sister thus hired X-Factor Investigations to help her clear her name and bring Jack to justice. Singularity Investigations was representing Jack Vaughn with Tryp, Junior as the defense counsel. Siryn and X-Factor Investigations managed to incriminate Vaughn and to thwart SI's assassination attempt on Rictor. Tryp, Junior is so infuriated by this that he ambushes Siryn and beat her almost to death, leaving her to die in an alley.
Madrox and Strong Guy give Tryp a very public warning as Tryp is jogging in the park. They tell Tryp that they know that it was he who hurt Siryn, and while they will not hurt him in broad daylight, he should watch his back. Tryp, Junior and Tryp, Senior make Madrox an offer to join their firm, and Madrox laughs in response.

"Civil War"

During the "Civil War" Quicksilver has returned to Mutant Town following the events of Son of M, having gained the ability to restore other mutants' powers using Terrigen Mist. X-Factor used this to confront the X-Men with their knowledge of the Decimation. As a result, X-Factor has taken a public stance in defiance of the Superhuman Registration Act. However, Rictor and M were registered by a duplicate of Madrox who is an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., and Madrox, Strong Guy, and Wolfsbane are already registered because of their membership in the previous, government-sponsored X-Factor. The X-Men have decided not to interfere with Quicksilver as long as he stays in Mutant Town.

"X'd Out"

When a former Singularity employee came to X-Factor Investigations and related that Tryp is attempting to recreate the Legacy Virus, the plague that killed several mutants, including, briefly, Madrox himself, Strong Guy is sent to drive the man to safety. However, once they are alone, Strong Guy kills him and calls Tryp to report this. It is later revealed that Tryp has placed a hypnotic suggestion in Strong Guy's mind to turn him into a sleeper agent. According to the oldest version of Tryp, all of Singularity Investigations' efforts to create the Legacy Virus have been to prevent a possible future in which X-Factor manages to undo the Decimation, but as a result, humanity is wiped out by the re-powered mutants in a bloody conflict. As such, X-Factor Investigations' new goal is to undo the Decimation, but also to prevent the conflict Tryp predicted.
Due to one of Madrox's dupes blowing up the SI building, apparently killing Tryp, Junior and Tryp, Senior, only the ancient Tryp is still alive.
After the destruction of Singularity Investigations, the present form of Damian Tryp reveals to Layla that her very existence had foiled his plans — she is a force of chaos like he is. Tryp also reveals that when he comes into conflict with Layla, terrible events occur as a result. Following her encounter with Tryp, Layla appears genuinely shocked for the first time: the glass of milk she is pouring overflows, spilling onto the floor.
After finding out about the foretold event, each member of the X-Factor Investigations attends a session with Doc Samson.

"World War Hulk"

During the "World War Hulk" storyline, X-Factor comes to the aid of Professor Xavier when the Hulk seeks retribution on him due to his role within the Illuminati.

Post-"Civil War"

After Madrox's experience with his S.H.I.E.L.D. dupe, a dupe he has forgotten about, Madrox went on a quest to gather his lost dupes and revealed an ability to absorb himself into dupes. This quest met an end when he found a dupe who had built his own family. Meanwhile, Siryn and Monet bonded in France and rescued a child from a riot. X-Factor was then attacked by the X-Cell and almost defeated. The X-Cell's members believed the government to be responsible for their lost powers. All but Marrow and Callisto were repowered by Quicksilver and Rictor—a process that resulted in the death of Elijah Cross, their leader, and Abyss, Fatale and Reaper fleeing into the brimstone dimension to fate unknown. When Layla Miller revealed what truly happened to Callisto and Marrow, Rictor used his powers to expel the Terrigen crystals from Quicksilver's body at the cost of his powers. The Terrigen Crystal growing from Rictor later came in handy when the group fought Isolationist.

"Messiah Complex"

During the "Messiah Complex" storyline, Madrox, Rictor, and an accompanying Layla Miller are alerted to the Xavier Mansion by Emma Frost during the mutant baby conflict. Madrox and Layla are sent to Forge's headquarters to send two dupes into different alternate realities. Layla, however, goes with one of the dupes at the last minute, claiming she has a part to play in their mission. Unfortunately, Forge informs Madrox that there is no way to retrieve Layla and his dupes, who received instructions to kill themselves once they received the information they needed to get reabsorbed into Madrox Prime. Layla and the Madrox-dupe land in Bishop's future, and are captured and held in mutant internment camps. Rictor is instructed to go undercover as a Purifier by pretending to shoot Rahne as she attacked the group's members. He has since gained information on their artillery until his cover was blown by Anole and the other New X-Men. Rahne later joins the mutant group X-Force to hunt down Cable. Siryn was called by the mutant named Peepers asking to help him out. When Siryn arrived on the scene, Peepers was eaten to the bone by Predator-X who was already on his way looking for the next mutant to kill. Strong Guy, Siryn, and M joined forces with the X-Men against the various groups trying to take control of the mutant baby.