We mutants agreed to serve him out of hatred for normal humans -- and because of their fear and hostility towards us! Yet, have we merely exchanged our roles as outcasts -- for those of slaves? But we shall consider that later -- when the world of Homo sapiens lies in smoldering, radioactive ruins! 
- —The Changeling while thinking about the Mutant Master
Appearing in "The Sinister Shadow of... Doomsday!"
Featured Characters:
Antagonists:
- Factor Three
- ⏴ The Mutant Master ⏵
- ⏴ The Changeling ⏵
- ⏴ The Blob ⏵
- ⏴ The Vanisher ⏵
- Unknown Factor Three android agents
- Mastermind (Vision or hallucination)
- Unus the Untouchable (Vision or hallucination)
Other Characters:
- Unknown East German soldiers
- Unknown US soldiers
- Charlie (First appearance)
Locations:
-
- Unknown US military base
- Factor Three's hideout in the Alps (May be either Bavarian Alps or Swiss Alps)
Items:
- Cyclops' Visor, version 1
- Cerebro
- Suitcase Bomb
- Predicto-scope
Vehicles:
- Factor Three's Magno-Disks
Synopsis for "The Sinister Shadow of... Doomsday!"
Continued from last issue....
The X-Men have arrived too late to try and stop the Mutant Master and his Factor Three organization from preparing to trigger events that the terrorist organization hopes will start World War III, the first part of their world domination plan. Having arrived in Mutant Master's control room, they find the room empty with only a video screen of the Mutant Master mocking them of his impending victory. Acting on one of Beast's hunches, the X-Men flee the base inside one of Factor Three's flying saucers just before the base explodes. As they fly away from the explosion, the X-Men begin planning on how to prevent Mutant Master from triggering another World War.
Meanwhile, at another one of their headquarters hidden in the United States, Changeling begins to question Mutant Master's authority and planning when he brings up the fact that the Mutant Master left behind functional saucer ships at their old base. However, Mutant Master reasserts his authority over Changeling by showing his powerful weapons and reiterates his plot to take over the world. With Blob and Vanisher preparing for the first phase of their plan, the Mutant Master once more reasserts his domination over Changeling.
The X-Men have returned to Professor Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters and have begun planning their attempt at foiling Factor Three's plot. Dividing the group into two and taking the remaining Factor Three saucers on their mission, Marvel Girl, Angel and Beast go to the USSR while Cyclops and Iceman head to stop the plot against the United States.
The three X-Men arrive in Russia in order to prevent a bomb that has been planted at a meeting of high ranking Russian officials. However, their arrival is spotted by Russian military soldiers who open fire upon Angel, Marvel Girl and Beast. Beast orders Angel and Marvel Girl to go on while he handles the soldiers and they enter the government building where the meeting is taking place. However, their path is barred inside by the Vanisher and Blob who are waiting there to stop the X-Men from interfering with their plot.
Back at Factor Three's headquarters, a revived Professor X tries to rationalize with the Changeling, telling the already doubting mutant that a nuclear war would make the planet harmful to both humans and mutants alike. Put further into doubt by these words, the Changeling is still loyal to the Mutant Master and strikes Xavier for daring to speak out against their plot. However, when the Changeling threatens to execute the Professor, the Mutant Master prevents him from doing so.
Elsewhere, Cyclops and Iceman visit the military base that Factor Three intends to gas and try to explain the situation to the commanding Colonel on site. However, the Colonel finds the story hard to believe, with no time to waste the two X-Men decide that there is no other choice but fight their way to the weapon and disarm it. This causes a clash with the military, which Cyclops and Iceman are able to keep at bay with their mutant powers.
Finally, back in Russia, the other X-Men are attacked by Blob and Vanisher who are armed with high tech weapons. While Blob is disarmed by Angel, who also takes out the Factor Three minions that accompanied them, when Vanisher attempts to use his gas gun on Angel, Marvel Girl uses her telekinetic powers to knock Vanisher out and redirect the knock-out gas into Blob's face knocking him out as well. However, the Russian soldiers catch up to Marvel Girl and the Angel and hold them at gun point accusing them of being assassins. Not listening to the X-Men's story, they find themselves locked in a cell with the Beast (who was also captured) and their foes.
Monitoring the situation, the Mutant Master is happy to see that everything is going on schedule.
This story is continued next issue....
Appearing in "A Man Called...X"
Featured Characters:
- Professor X (Charles Xavier)
- Scott Summers (Appears on screen)
Supporting Characters:
Other Characters:
- Unknown paperboy
- Unknown Americans
- Unknown security guards
Locations:
- Washington, D.C.
- an FBI office building
Vehicles:
- Professor X's Rolls-Royce
- X-Copter
Synopsis for "A Man Called...X"
Beginning a series explaining the origins of the X-Men...
Not too long ago, before the formation of the X-Men, anti-mutant hysteria had grown to such a degree that it has been making national news. Reading of the latest news story out of the paper, Charles Xavier realizes that he must come out of seclusion and act on the fact that mankind has discovered mutants living among them, and embarks on a trip to Washington D.C.
Arriving at the Washington D.C. headquarters of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Professor uses his mental powers to enter the building unimpeded. Inside is agent Fred Duncan and his assistant Bill who are reviewing a film reel which shows a young mutant who accidentally fires an optic blast that breaks a crane lifting an air conditioner unit to the top of a building, and then using his blast to destroy the falling unit to save the crowd’s lives. The boy in the film would ultimately be chased off by an angry mob.
The Professor enters the room as they are discussing what to do about the mutant issue. When the two FBI agents attempt to forcibly remove Xavier from the room, the Professor demonstrates his mental powers to keep them from doing so. Convincing them to listen to him, Xavier tells them that there are both good and evil mutants in the world and that persecution of mutants with prejudice will only lead more to become evil and create the menace that baseline humanity fears. With this explanation, Xavier asks Agent Duncan to allow him to seek out mutants, starting with the young man in the film reel so that he can train them in the control of their powers. Agent Duncan agrees and the two forge an alliance.
This story is continued next issue....
Notes
- This issue starts the supplementary origin stories.
- This issue is reprinted in many other comics and books, see references for more info.[1]
- credits for Story 1:
- Smilin' Stan Lee Edits ans Elsewise Enhances a Roy Thomas-Don Heck Shimmering Chef D'Oeuvre!
- Inked by: Gingerly George Bell
- Lettered by: Elfish L.P. Gregory
- credits for Story 2:
- Stan Lee Proudly Presents a Pace-Setting Pinnacle of Perfection by Roy Thomas and Werner Roth!
- Of Course, John Verpoorten, Inker, and Sam Rosen, Letterer, Also did Their Palpitating Part!
- references for Story 2: X-Men #12 and X-Men #2
Trivia
- The narrator states that the Vanisher is a "crimson-clad mutant", though in this story he is wearing a green costume.
- Luckily all the East German soldiers speak in English so Marvel Girl and Angel can understand them.
See Also
Recommended Reading
- This is the penultimate issue of the Factor Three storyline that began in X-Men #28 and concludes next issue.
Links and References
References
- ↑ The first story is reprinted in the following comics/TPB's:
- Essential Classic X-Men #2 - 14th story
- Marvel Masterworks: The X-Men 2nd Edition #4 - 7th story
- X-Men #86
- Amazing Adventures (Vol. 3) #1 - 2nd story
- Essential Classic X-Men #2 - 15th story
- Marvel Masterworks: The X-Men 2nd Edition #4 - 8th story