X-Factor Investigations (Earth-616)
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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.
The initial staff consisted of Madrox's best friend and special enforcer, Guido Carosella Strong Guy and former teammate Rahne Sinclair Wolfsbane. Following the House of M, Madrox's newfound wealth from winning a Who Wants to be a Millionaire-style gameshow 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. Recently, the team has come into conflict with rival agency Singularity Investigations after they ordered Siryn beaten and left for dead.
After meeting with Singularity CEO Damian Tryp, Madrox has asked Siryn to find out more about the Decimation from the heroes who might have been involved (by using her modulated voice to make them more suggestible). She learns from Spider-Man that the X-Men (who had denied any involvement), as well as Quicksilver were, in fact, central to the ending of the House of M and the subsequent Decimation.
Little is known about Damian Tryp apart from that he runs Singularity Investigations, which is in direct competition with 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, although it has been revealed that he might not be a mutant, but a genetic throwback to an earlier time, i.e., a "changeling", a predecessor to mutants who develops 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 (after shooting her in the neck with a dart that prevented her from using her powers) and left her for dead.[6] 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 (a movie star) claimed that the woman was killed by her sister, Gloria Santiago, who was upset about the relationship (claiming that Jack was “no good” for her sister), 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 (i.e., the youngest version) as the defense counsel. Siryn and X-Factor Investigations managed to incriminate Vaughn and to thwart SI’s assassination attempt on Rictor. Tryp, Junior was so infuriated by this that he ambushed 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 him 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.
Recently, Quicksilver has returned to Mutant Town following the events of Son of M, having gained the ability to restore other mutants' powers from the Terrigen Mists. 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 and the X-Men have decided not to interfere with Quicksilver as long as he stays in Mutant Town.
It has also been exposed that Tryp and his company have been working on a new version of the legacy virus. A former Singularity employee came to X-Factor Investigations and related that Tryp was attempting to restart the Legacy Virus, the plague that killed several mutants, including, briefly, Madrox himself.[5] Strong Guy was sent to drive the man to safety but once they were alone, Strong Guy killed him and called Tryp to report. It was later revealed that Tryp had placed a hypnotic suggestion in Strong Guy’s head to turn him into a sleeper agent. According to the oldest version of Tryp (ancient), 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 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 (i.e., the middle-aged version), only the ancient Tryp (the one who has been alive the longest and has seen the grim future) is still alive.
After the destruction of Singularity Investigations, the present form of Damian Tryp (the elder/ancient) 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 receives a session with Doc Samson.
Civil War
X-Factor Investigations has taken a public stance in defiance of the Superhuman Registration Act, and Madrox has already helped Aegis elude S.H.I.E.L.D. authorities. 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.
After the 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 bounded 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 member believed the government to be responsible for their lost powers. All but Marrow and Callisto were re-powered by Quicksilver and Rictor -- a process that resulted in the death of 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 (except for one, which he kept) at the cost of his powers.
The Isolationist
X-factor tangled with Jospeh Huber, a power telepath (among other things)), who convinced Jamie Madorx, Cyclops, and Beast to organize a "Million Mutant March" political rally to get mutants declared an endangered species by the United States government. However, Layla Miller told Madrox that one of Huber's agents had tried to kill her, and it was revealed that Huber's plan was a plot to get all the mutants in one place so they could be destroyed. Huber claimed that all the mutant voices in his head were driving him crazy. He also claimed that he had manipulated and arranged all of X-factor Investigations problems and adventures. Then he teleported the team to a frozen wasteland.
Paraphernalia
Equipment: None known.
Transportation: None known.
Weapons: None known.
Notes
- No special notes.
Trivia
- No trivia.
See Also
- Appearances of X-Factor Investigations (Earth-616)
- Team Gallery: X-Factor Investigations (Earth-616)
- Fan-Art Gallery: X-Factor Investigations (Earth-616)
Links and References
