X-Factor, Vol. 1: The Longest Night

The story feels more intense and gritty than typical superhero comics. I'm curious what influenced this choice—was it the character arcs or the era it was written in?

The interactions seem layered with underlying tension and unresolved conflicts. Did this reflect the author's vision for character development or set up future storylines?

The story balances action with character moments quite well, but I wonder if the pacing was intentionally slow in some parts to build suspense or character depth.