Posted in: Comics, Recent Updates | Tagged: 2009, Comics, entertainment, orson scott card, peter david, Shadow Complex, video games, x-factor

Peter David And X-Factor Travel To 2009

By Jared Cornelius

So a few years ago X-Factor scribe Peter David got into a heated internet debate over whether or not a creator should be separated from their work.  David had written the story for a high profile Xbox Live release, Shadow Complex from Epic Games.  Writing a story for a game is usually something celebrated by PR companies and fanboys, but socially minded gamers took issue with the fact that Shadow Complex was based on the Empire series, created by noted anti-gay advocate Orson Scott Card.

Legions of fans vowed not to buy the game as to not line Card's pockets any further.  Some fans even turned their rage on David for working on such a project.  David never wavered in the face of adversity and told Games blog Kotaku about his feelings on the matter,

We are at opposite ends of the political spectrum on pretty much everything. Why, then, did I agree to work on the game? Because among my most cherished beliefs is that, while I disagree with everything you have to say, I will defend to the death your right to say it.  John Byrne has said no end of vicious things directed at me personally; I still buy his comic books because I like his work. I never, EVER, allow someone's stated opinions to impact on whether I support his work so long as those opinions don't transform the work itself into something that I have no desire to support.

The dust settled, people moved on with their lives and Shadow Complex has all but been largely forgotten since its 2009 release, so I found it rather interesting when I read this past weeks All New X-Factor 7 and witnessed the following exchange between Danger and Pietro.

A creator not letting his stated opinion transform the work, is that right Peter?  In all seriousness, I thought it was quite funny of David to slip in this little nod to 2009.  I'm just waiting for art to imitate life and find out that David was the original Joe Fixit.  All New X-Factor 7 released last week and is available digitally on Comixology.

Jared Cornelius is some guy from New Jersey's coast who can't decide if the X-Factor TV show or wrestling stable was worse.  If you'd like to let him know who your least favorite stable is contact him on Twitter @John_Laryngitis

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