Peter David crosses over his two ongoing Marvel series AND serves the Editor Mandate of crossing over with the Secret Invasion event AND brings back a fan favorite mutant, Darwin.
The action starts in X-Factor #33, where the team has relocated to Detroit after the destruction of Mutant-Town and has rebranded as “XF Investigations.” Presumably they are in Detroit now because new (and most excellent) series artist Larry Stroman lives there and has actual familiarity with its urban landscape.
Anyway, Longshot shows up but … He’s a skrull. We don’t know that yet when we first see him, on the streets of Detroit watching while Darwin gets bullied by some anti-mutant civilians…
Jazinda–She-Hulk’s skrull friend–happens to witness it all and she tails them as they flee the scene.
She and She-Hulk then attempt to kill the Longshot-Skrull who, apparently, is a big deal in the skrull hierarchy.
Meanwhile, Darwin’s dad hires XF to find his son. And so it all comes together. X-Factor think Shulk and Jazinda are going after the mutant Longshot, not knowing he’s a skrull, and any questions or confusion are addressed by a nut shot.
The fight between Shulk and X-Factor is fun.
During the ensuing combat, Darwin and “Longshot” escape–but Darwin’s abilities detect that Longshot is a skrull.
The skrull pitches to Darwin that he is the “missing link” between human and skrull biology, since Darwin, like skrulls, can adapt his body. It’s an interesting idea. Peter David also plays with Darwin’s adaptative skills by showing him with white skin, even though he was born African America, because it’s easier to be white in America.
She-Hulk and X-Factor catch up to Darwin and the skrull and eventually neutralize him with an inhibiting device. She-Hulk and Jazinda then drive off with the skrull in their custody.
English (US) · 