X-Factor Annual #4

X-FACTOR ANNUAL #4 (1989)
by Ralph Macchio & John Byrne

This Doctor Doom vs Magneto story was published in 1989, but it’s actually set after Avengers vs X-Men… which itself is not that much later than Fantastic Four vs X-Men.
As far as Doctor Doom it can only be placed either in 1987 or after 1991… which would make no sense whatsoever for Magneto.

Anyway, the story begins with Magneto being summoned to Latveria. Considering what happened the first time he was there, it’s quite bold for him.

Doom wants to learn more about Magneto’s recent redemption arc, so he’s using a Latverian mutant girl as bait.

Doom is a little annoyed at Magneto acting like a good guy when he’s been tried for crimes against humanity TWICE.
I suppose Doom MIGHT have been put on trial after Fantastic Four #200 as well.

Doom has a gift for Magneto: his original helmet, which Magneto had modified with special circuits that granted him mind control powers.
Because if there’s anything a guy like Magneto needs is MORE power.

Magneto explains that he recently tried to use the helmet to “wipe hatred and bigotry” from humanity, but later decided it was a bad move.
So blame Magneto for racism, I guess.

Magneto blew up the helmet, but fixing it was child’s play for Doom.
You have to love Doctor Doom schooling Magneto on technology.

Magneto then uses the helmet to watch Doom’s origin. As much as I’m loving the Byrne artwork, it’s basically a condensed rehash of Fantastic Four #278.

After the flashback, Doom breaks free of the mind control and brings up the fact that he’s still angry at Magneto for not helping him during Secret Wars. And as we all know, Doom can hold a grudge for DECADES… ask Reed.
So it’s Magneto’s turn for a flashback.

I’m not as versed in the intricacies of Magneto’s origins as I am in Doom’s, but I think I can spot some retcons.
For example, Magneto’s wife Magda (mother of Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver… for a while) is said to have been a fellow prisoner at Auschwitz.
I don’t remember this being addressed in earlier stories.

The X-Men movies did get one thing right about Magneto: whenever he gets a family he’s contractually obligated to lose it violently.

If I remember correctly, this might be an attempt to merge two separate accounts of Magneto’s origin.
It doesn’t seem to be consistent about the use of his powers in earlier years, but I don’t think I can blame this specific comic for it.

It’s a chilling moment, although the fact that Magneto’s powers fail without explanation is a bit clunky.

Magneto’s origin is narrated by Doom himself, so it’s very interesting to see him suggest that Magneto subconsciously wanted a reason to hate humanity.
One would think that being in Auschwitz was already reason enough.

Magneto breaks out of mind control, like Doom did, and after breaking the helmet highlights the pointlessness of the whole exercise.

Except this whole thing was a test to see if Magneto was still evil enough to murder a child to protect his own secrets.

Yep. He totally is.

Except, once Magneto has left, we clearly see that the girl was just a robot.

And yes: CLEARLY. But apparently not to the readers, because there was such an uproar about Magneto brutally murdering a child that a few issues later the letters page was forced to officially confirm that this was a robot.

But I mean… COME ON!!! How can you possibly think THIS wasn’t a robot!?

Not to mention that Magneto’s entire speech WOULD NOT MAKE SENSE unless he knew this was a robot!!!

Sometimes I understand the Silver Age spelling out every single explanation.

---

Doom significance: 0/10
Harmless.

Silver Age-ness: 9/10
Magneto being able to build a mind-control device is pretty damn Silver Age for Marvel!

Does it stand the test of time? 6/10
I’m not a fan of the redeemed Magneto, but this was fine. I would’ve preferred a more direct comparison between the two origins… both villains lose their family and both think they have the solution to fix the world, so it’s not like it wasn’t possible. Overall it’s a pretty pointless story… I suspect its main purpose is some housecleaning on Magneto’s origin.
Normally the artwork would elevate it a little… Byrne is just on fire… but considering the Doom portion of the story is not adding anything new and considering the short length (it’s just 10 pages), this really doesn’t stand that much as its own story.

It was a Doombot all along
We know Doombots can think like the real Doom, but since Magneto was able to sense the girl was a robot it would be silly if he didn’t understand this was a Doombot.

Crazy tech
Not only Doom has at least four mind-control devices at this point, he can also rebuild other people’s at will!