zotov-anya-148611-pf29-face ANYA ZOTOV

Real Name: Anya Zotov

Identity/Class: Alternate Reality (Earth-148611) human;
    citizen of the USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics)

Occupation: Unrevealed (technician; Soviet agent)

Group Membership: Siberian Project (Dr. Timor Besedin, Gregirova, Gennadi Shepalev, Petrov Szymanski, Sergei "Serge" Vladimiroff);
    her exact role and level of influence was unrevealed, but she was in the decision-making group

Affiliations: Red Sun Military Task Force (Coojeechiscue/Nadehzda, Dehman Doosha/"Johnny Do," Shivowtnoeh/Irina Mityushova, Sillatochca/Leonid Vishnevetsky);
    at least formerly, on the level that they were both associated with Siberian Project: Rodstvow;
    possibly Mindwolf (Michael Petrov),

Enemies: Psi-Force (Thomas Boyd, Lindsey Falmon, Tyrone Jessup, Kathy Ling, Wayne Tucker; ), Psi-Hawk, Sillatochca;

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: At least formerly the Siberian Project, Siberia, U.S.S.R.;

First Appearance: Psi-Force#17 (March, 1988)

Powers/Abilities: Anya Zotov has some expertise in  computer technology, monitoring, etc.

    Anya has a sarcastic and dark sense of humor. She had no problem belittling or directly insulting her superiors.

    As a smoker, she was presumably limited in terms of endurance, and she presumably had the characteristic odor of a smoker.

Height: Unrevealed (she was not really shown standing, but she did not look particularly tall or short; approximately 5'4" - 5'8")
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 110-130 lbs.)
Eyes: Possibly blue
Hair: Blonde

History:
zotov-anya-148611-pf17zotov-anya-148611-pf17-face(Psi-Force#17 (fb)) <8 months before the main story> - The Siberian Project's subject Rodstvow awakened from his coma, after which he used his powers over time to progressively slay a number of staff members.

(Psi-Force#17 (fb) - BTS) - The Siberian Project rapidly escalated from a scientific research testing center for paranormals to military training ground.

(Psi-Force#17) <October 19, 1987> - At the Siberian Project, Anya Zotov controlled the playback and watched -- alongside Dr. Timor Besedin, Gennadi Shepalev, and Serge Vladimiroff  -- a video recording of Gregirova interview with Rodstvow that culminated with Rodstvow incinerating Gregirova's flesh, leaving behind a clothed skeleton. After Vladimiroff instructed Zotov to rewind it back to review the death again, Besedin and Shepalev discussed Rodstvow's progressive slaughter of the staff. Zotov silenced them so they could watch the tape.

     After the tape played through again, Zotov commented, "It loses something in the repetition, don't you think?" and Shepalev told her that her morbid sense of humor was not proper. Besedin countered that it was, in fact, proper, as what else could they do but laugh?

     Besedin continued, "Betterment of the state! That barbaric freak of nature is eating everyone here, and you expect me to pretend IT is just another patient? Inhuman, disgusting..."

    Aware that Rodstvow could "hear" anything they said telepathically, Shepalev and Zotov whipped their heads around looked at Besedin with concern. As he collapsed, Zotov called out his name and then called a medic to the communication center immediately. However, as she did, Besedin's audible heartbeat faded, and Shepalev pronounced him dead.

     Shepalev asked Vladimiroff what they should do about Rodstvow, and Vladimiroff replied, "We turn him loose."

(Psi-Force#23) - When Vladimiroff returned to the Siberian Project to oversee the rehabilitation of the Crasniye Solleetsi (see comments), he greeted comrade Zotov, noting his surprise that she had not been transferred to a gulag by now. Zotov greeted Serge in turn, sarcastically noting that he was just what she needed: Another man whose sense of humor was second only to his romantic escapades. Vladimiroff teased her that she lived for his visits, and she admitted that at least the bathrooms were cleaned when they knew he was coming. She continued that it was amazing what the arrival of the KGB could do for maintenance morale.

    After Vladimiroff asked what she could do for his morale, Anya gave him detailed individual reports on the abilities and progress of Coojeechiscue, Sillatochca, Shivowtnoeh, and Dehman Doosha. For the latter, she noted, "Well...you're the one who gave us an autistic paranormal child. Don't blame us if we can't make him what you want."

    Vladimiroff replied, "Point taken, Anya," and then asked about Rodstvow, and Shepalev explained that they were not certain where Rodstvow was. zotov-anya-148611-pf28-seated

(Psi-Force#27 (fb) - BTS) - After destroying the Psi-Hawk, Rodstvow teleported back to the Project grounds, bringing with him the four surviving teenagers whose parabilities had formed the Psi-Hawk mind gestalt: Thomas Boyd, Lindsey Falmon, Kathy Ling, and Wayne Tucker.

(Psi-Force#27 (fb) - BTS) - Anya monitored the video footage of the new arrivals.

(Psi-Force#27) - (Presumably) Anya reported that she did not know what was going on with Tucker (or perhaps "Dehman Doosha") and that he was the psychiatrist, but that she could report that the room had gone up 25 degrees in his room in the last two days.

(Psi-Force#27) - At Gennadi Shepalev's request, Anya reported that Boyd was doing the same thing he did everyday: "Hitting things" (punching a boxing bag, at least in this instance). She added that they should be lucky he wasn't hitting them, although she suspected that that would be his preference. At Gennadi's further query, she explained that she saw him release his emotions when he was alone. She reminded Gennadi that he had seen the video tapes where Boyd howled louder than Shivotnoeh, "and almost as loud as Serge, I might add." When Gennadi asked what she thought they should do, she replied, "If it were me running this asylum -- and I probably should be -- I'd put a bullet through his head while he was sleeping and be done with it." Gennadi noted that to be rather an extreme action, and she countered that Boyd was an extreme individual.

    Anya next reported that Falmon remained completely still in her bed. One of the nurses repeatedly disrobed her, although he did nothing beyond that. Gennadi ordered that nurse to be shipped out immediately.

    Anya subsequently showed Shepalev footage of Ling awakening to find her head shaved and then start screaming, which Anya described to her "old friend" as psychological torture.

(Psi-Force#27) - Anya attended a Siberian Project meeting attended by Gennadi Shepalev, Petrov Szymanski, Serge Vladimiroff, and Red Sun's Nadehzda (Coojeechiscue) and Leonid Vishnevetsky (Sillatochca). Anya remained largely silent, although she commented a couple times, such as when Szymanski stated that he recommended that they murder Dehman Doosha, not because of his autistic nature but because of his dangerous pyrokinetic ability that repeatedly threatened the facility; she quietly stated, "Well, as long as we're clear on that point!" After Sillatochca brought up his family situation and Serge started his reply, "If you are going to whine incessantly about your family again," Anya commented, "Real bright move, Serge."

(Psi-Force#27 - BTS) - Learning that a lobotomy was planned for Dehman Doosha, Boyd interrupted the procedure, freed the boy, and reported to the Project leaders that he would be taking care of the boy (whom he named "Johnny").

(Psi-Force#27) - Anya informed the furious Vladimiroff that they could not override Boyd's control of the communications center. After Boyd threatened to erase every file in their system, Vladimiroff and and Gennadi agreed to allow him to take custody and take over care of "Johnny."

(Psi-Force#28) <October 3, 1988> - Anya, Gennadi Shepalev, and Serge Vladimiroff watched from the observation booth as Kathy Ling battled the active members of Red Sun (Coojeechiscue, Shivotnoeh, and Sillatochca). Gennadi praised Ling's improved control over her parabilities, but Anya noted that she was still an airhead. After Ling crumbled when controlled by the monstrous Shivowtnoeh, Gennadi ordered the sentence to be ended, and Anya noted all of the combatants to be wimps.

(Psi-Force#28) <October 4, 1988> - The next morning, Vladimiroff attempted to assert dominance and control over the rebellious Ling, which backfired as Ling defeated Shivowtnoeh and broke Vladimiroff's jaw and fingers.

(Psi-Force#29) <October 5, 1988> - Anya, Gennadi Shepalev, Petrov Szymanski, and Nadehzda (Coojeechiscue) met to review the status of things, and Anya stated that she a bad feeling about "that Tucker pup," noting that his senses had been working overtime for weeks and they did not know why. After Szymanski expressed his opinion that it did not matter as the Americans (Psi-Force) could escape any time they wanted and that no one could stop them, Anya replied, "Oh, so let's just wait to get our butts handed to us by a bunch of snot-nosed American brats, right? I think not comrade Szymanski -- I think we have an ace in the hole anytime we're crazy enough to deal the hand..."

    Shepalev responded, "God have mercy...we still have Rodstvow..."

Comments: Created by Fabian Nicieza, Ron Lim, and Romeo Tanghal.

    See the New Universe primer.
    There was no sliding timescale in the New Universe, so KGB references are not topical, nor was Soviet-Afghan warring.

    I initially felt that it was at least hinted that Anya Zotov and Serge Vladimiroff had had a previous romantic affair. However, Anya was pretty sarcastic, so she could have just been insulting his romantic escapades without actual carnal knowledge of him. Regardless, she did not like him...

    There is not evidence that Anya spoke English. All of her comments were translated from Russian in the stories.

    I don't think Anya was seen following the invasion by the Medusa Web and the subsequent battle where the remaining members of Red Sun joined with the Psi-Force and Medusa Web members against Rodstvow.

    "Crasniye" means "red", but the "solleetsi" word doesn't exist. It seems to be a misspelling of "solntsa" - "suns".--Mike Castle

Me again...in Psi-Force I#27 and subsequent issues, the group name is confirmed to be Red Sun, although the above Russian (mis)spelling is repeated.

    I would really love it if the likes of Kurt Busiek, Mark Waid, Fabian Nicieza, or Saladin Ahmed would do a story that stayed true to continuity and followed the New Universe forward in real time over the last 37+ years.
    Anya looked like she might be mid-20s to early 30s in the original stories. Sadly, I think it would be fitting/likely that Anya had died of lung cancer in a story taking place in the real time future.

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Anya Zotov should be distinguished from:


images: (without ads)
Psi-Force#17, pg. 2, panel 1 (seated in front of computer bank);
          panel 3 (face);
    #28, pg. 4, panel 2 (seated profile, but full body);
    #29, pg. 9, panel 4 (face)

Appearances:
Psi-Force#17 (March, 1988) - Fabian Nicieza (writer), Ron Lim (penciler), Romeo Tanghal (inker), Bob Budiansky & Howard Mackie (editors)
Psi-Force#23 (September, 1988) - Fabian Nicieza (writer), Graham Nolan (penciler), Mike Witherby (inker), David Wohl (assistant editor), Howard Mackie (editor)
Psi-Force#27-28 (January-February, 1989) - Fabian Nicieza (writer), Alan Kupperberg (penciler), Chris Ivy (inker), David Wohl (assistant editor), Howard Mackie (editor)
Psi-Force#29 (March, 1989) - Fabian Nicieza (writer), Rodney Ramos (penciler), Chris Ivy (inker), David Wohl (assistant editor), Howard Mackie (editor)

First started: 01/05/2024
First posted: 03/14/2024
Last updated: 03/26/2024

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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