Having just wrapped up the Breaking Points arc, writer Peter David focuses his title on the littlest of X-Factor members, Pip the Troll. Although the character has been known to frost the edges of David’s scripts with entertaining bits of sarcasm, he has had scant few opportunities to factor in as a major character since the Infinity Gauntlet saga. Here, Pip’s given the spotlight, and an amusing diversion builds into a major turn of events in the history of the character.

Admittedly, X-Factor #246 gets off to a slow start. David goes with a tongue-in-cheek noir style to capture Pip’s unique personality, and, while it works on more than one level, it appears – initially, at least – to signify nothing more than a momentary departure from the title’s rolling bundle of threads. Add to this the misshapen faces and variable proportions of Paul Davidson’s art, and you have a setup that does the job without inspiring slack-jawed admiration.

Things begin to turn around when we see Pip back in his natural environment at X-Factor Investigations. The glimpse of his secret contributions to the organization are interesting and amusing, but the interlude's biggest contribution is in serving as an effective separation between the story’s beginning and its ending. By the time the conclusion rolls around, the story feels nicely rounded, with Pip successfully filling the role of a sympathetic lead.

As the cover to X-Factor #246 suggests, the pieces of Peter David’s puzzle are slowly coming together, and Pip rises to a significant role. The story is good without being great; however, its contributions serve as an emotional touchstone for the series and a deepening of the title’s intrigue, making it well worth a read.

Poet Mase is a regular contributor to IGN who is happy to see Pip getting a little lovin' (if not from the ladies, then from the writer). Follow Poet on Twitter @PoetMase, or post a message on his IGN profile PoetMase.

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