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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The lord of the jungle will return to the big screen courtesy of Warner Bros.

Harry Potter veteran David Yates committed to directing Tarzan on Monday, according to Vulture.

"Yates is meeting with up-and-coming actors like Man of Steel's Henry Cavill, Pacific Rim headliner Charlie Hunnam, and True Blood's Alexander Skarsgård," Vulture reports. "We also hear that the studio is keen to get a meeting with Tom Hardy, who has put in his time on Warner Bros. blockbusters like The Dark Knight Rises and Inception, but less clear is whether Hardy shares the studio’s enthusiasm for that part."

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Starz have released the first trailer for Da Vinci's Demons, the upcoming series from The Dark Knight's David S. Goyer. The series is expected to debut in the spring, as Spartacus comes to an end. Check out the trailer below.

You can also watch our recent interviews with Goyer and Da Vinci's Demons cast members from New York Comic Con:

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