Don’t you miss the days when annuals were just extra-length
adventures? This annual doesn’t have any huge reveal, any huge crossover, or
really anything to differentiate it from a normal storyline in X-Factor. Maybe
having Bob Layton on both writing and penciling duties was enough to justify
this going in an annual? Regardless, this is just another case-of-the-week
procedural adventure for early X-Factor.
As a kid, I remember loving the stealth costume Angel is
wearing on the cover. It isn’t that radical or awesome, and the story reason he
wears it seems a tad unnecessary. You see, Russia contracts X-Factor to come
give a talk on detecting and capturing mutants; X-Factor wants to go
investigate how Russia is treating its mutant population. Everyone but Angel
goes along by plane. Angel is the scout and has to FLY TO RUSSIA. Now, I know
he didn’t fly the whole way, but dang, his wings are gonna be tired! (It is
still worth it for this nicely toyetic new costume though.)
Since this is a story involving Russia in the ‘80s, the
Russian mutant prison camp is guarded by Crimson Dynamo. I was sort of shocked
to see Dynamo’s enormous scale compared to the mutants. And let me tell you,
the original five X-Men vs. Dynamo is not a fair fight. Dynamo mops the floor
with them. Seriously, was the disparity between mutant characters and Avengers
characters always this strong? It is pretty neat seeing Iceman have to resort
to subterfuge to win the day.
No one draws tech or armor better than Layton. Dynamo looks
tremendous. Heck, even the mutant labs look striking and perfectly “comic-booky”
to my eyes. (Since this was an early comic for me, that doesn’t surprise
anyone.) I also love the way Layton draws Beast’s flattop as a near match for
James Rhodes’ in Iron Man.
This Cold War throwback is GOOD!
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