Christopher Rush

The Strangest Super-Heroes of All!

In September of 1963, the hardworking creative team of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby followed up their tremendously successful Fantastic Four with their latest two modern-age heroic teams: the Avengers, a gathering of adult, costumed, science-powered heroes (and the god of thunder), many of whom had been recently introduced in the long-running anthology series Tales of Suspense, Tales to Astonish, and Journey into Mystery; and the X-Men, a gathering of genetically-mutated teenagers banded together with the common goal of creating a world in which humans (homo sapiens) and mutants (homo superior) could live in peace and harmony.  With these releases, the modern (now known as the Silver Age) Marvel Comics Group was born, and the world of comics was changed forever.  Shortly thereafter, the Marvel universe we know today (generally speaking) came into existence: Dr. Strange, Daredevil, Nick Fury, and, of course, your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man (not to mention all the villains).  The ’60s were certainly a remarkably fecund time for creativity, and I certainly wouldn’t want to disparage the talents of any of these world-changing men … but sometimes Stan Lee’s writing gets a bit silly.  The preponderance of exclamation marks, especially, is noticeably embarrassing, as well as the Bullpen’s unwillingness to take their own work seriously (at least as evidenced by the letters columns in so many early issues of these series — though it is certain Lee, Ditko, Kirby, Rosen, and the gang did take their work seriously, their overly-self-effacing tone is irritating at best).  Without giving away too many plot spoilers, below is a collection of reviews for the first nineteen issues of the X-Men canon, written by me mostly this past summer when the sun was shining and the birds were singing and I was delighting in staying inside reading comic books.

1) “X-Men”

Little remains to be said about this issue that hasn’t been said several times in several ways.  One thing that stood out to me when re-reading this was the meticulous precision Xavier requires: three seconds for this, three seconds for that.  I suppose that is a good tactic, but their training sessions in the first few issues seem so brief it’s hard to tell when they actually do their real training (in between issues/major battles, most likely).  Another noteworthy element is their teenage antics and rivalries.  It’s easy to forget after so many decades’ worth of issues and stories they started out as petulant, hormone-driven, brash neophytes.  Bobby Drake, in his snowman form, plays the class clown well; his antagonism with Warren is intriguing, almost as much as his disinterest in Jean’s arrival.  Warren is as overconfident as the rest, despite the fact all they’ve done is train in Xavier’s study (not even the basement, let alone called the Danger Room yet).  Hank is not yet the mathematical/scientific genius he becomes soon — he is just a muscle-bound gruff who takes no orders from “Slim” Summers.  They really are not a team at this point.  We do not yet know how long they have been doing this, but it must have been some time — even though Jean is thrown into combat with Magneto on her first day at the school!  The cockiness of the X-Men combined with Xavier’s willingness to just send them against Magneto makes for an odd beginning point on reflection, but there is none of Xavier and Magneto’s backstory here, not yet.  Xavier knows there are evil mutants in the world, but we don’t know how he knows this yet.

Perhaps the oddest thing is the army’s appreciation for what the X-Men do — no real antagonism for the X-Men here (though maybe they weren’t paying attention and don’t think the X-Men are mutants).  It is quite telling reading this so close to having read Graphic Novel #4 and the premiere of the New Mutants — despite the team’s success against Magneto, Xavier’s reticence to let the New Mutants combat evil mutants makes this original mission of the real first class of X-Men almost foolhardy.  Other little details make this more quaint than anything else: Xavier’s Rolls Royce, the mind-powered airplane, Magneto’s Wicked Witch of the West impersonation with the message in the sky, Cyclops’s slicing through Magneto’s magnetic waves — strange, in retrospect.  At least “The Dream” of humans and mutants living in harmony is there from the beginning.  We shouldn’t expect fifty years of accretions and connections to be there from the premiere.  Another positive is the absence of clear origins allows for more detailed character development later on.  It’s a decently good start, all in all.

2) “No One Can Stop the Vanisher”

Somehow, not only have the X-Men gained some sort of notoriety in New York for fending off Magneto down in Florida, but also the populace knows their code names.  Why the Angel is a favorite among the ladies is unclear, considering his face is covered by a mask like Scott and Hank — perhaps the ’60s girls liked the wings.  The beginnings of limitations on their powers is a good development especially this early in the series — despite their overconfidence (perhaps because of), it wouldn’t be good to have a group of teenage mutants with no limitations beyond inexperience.  Bobby Drake is still the source of humor; his riding in the back of an ice cream truck (and stealing three chocolate chip pops) is a lighthearted highlight missing from issues these days.  Hank’s linguistic style is starting to form, which is another nice development into the more-familiar version of the character, but it’s definitely in the early stages — he’s still more brute muscle with a touch of ego than physicist at this point.  The X-Men still do not function well as a team; their antagonisms toward each other drive them more than following Xavier’s Dream, as well as their desire (the guys, at least) to impress Jean.

The Vanisher is an oddly-designed villain.  Though he at least wants something tangible, his ability to vanish shouldn’t make him that much of a threat, which is probably why he has hired hooligans to take care of things just in case.  He apparently can’t teleport things he can’t carry, so if the government just stopped keeping secret plans on tabletops he wouldn’t be much of a problem.  The FBI liaison Fred Duncan is an odd addition as well, considering Xavier is supposedly the strongest mind on the planet (who insists on keeping his connection to the X-Men a secret).  Why he’d need a special machine to amplify his thoughts (especially since he piloted a plane with all X-Men aboard from New York to Florida in the first issue without one) from New York to D.C. makes little sense.  Certainly the most intriguing aspect of the issue is Professor Xavier’s willingness to mind-wipe the Vanisher with little to no moral hesitation — it took the mutilation of Wolverine for him to do it to Magneto in the impressive Fatal Attractions storyline 30 years later!  Well, it’s still early yet.  Lee is still working out who they are and why they do what they do.  We can take comfort in the fact moral implications for their actions will become a more palpable aspect of these characters and their stories, especially when Chris Claremont takes the reins.

3) “Beware the Blob”

Everybody loves Jeannie.  But few of them will admit it.  Xavier’s reticence to announce his love for Jean is based on his physical shortcomings, not any relational transgressions between student and teacher.  Now-Scott (no longer “Slim”) Summers’s reticence is based on his fear of losing control over his optic blast, finally adding a sympathetic aspect to his character.  Unfortunately this sympathy is short-lived once he attacks the Blob (from behind!) with no real provocation, making the X-Men seem more like the Yancy Street Gang.  Further character development comes in Hank’s refinement into both a student of advanced mathematics and a humorist as nimble vocally as he is physically.  Even with these advancements (and Warren’s first indication of his wealth), the X-Men show all their individual training has made them individual fighters, with little ability to work together as a team.  Once again they get captured individually and need Xavier to save the day, and once again Xavier mind-wipes the bad guys with little to no moral hesitation.  Since he is only erasing their knowledge of the school’s location and their identities (by which I assume Stan Lee means what they look like under their masks), it is slightly less malicious than what he did to the Vanisher.  They may have triumphed together, but only because Xavier saved them.  They still have a lot to learn.

4) “The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants”

Meanwhile, one year later … (have the X-Men really been training for a year since Jean arrived in issue 1?)  With this issue, X-Men begins to hit its initial stride.  Lee and Kirby finally deliver an issue with layers of conflict, genuine motivation, and a satisfactory payoff.  The House of Ideas was big on beginning their new series with origin stories, but the X-Men did not really get one, nor do the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants.  Though Xavier told us a bit of his origin in issue 1 (being born to parents who worked on the A-bomb and in the wheelchair because of a childhood accident — which soon is either retconned, proven a lie, or forgotten by Lee), we don’t yet know of any of the origins of the X-Men themselves (Jean did say she has had this power all her life, not since puberty, which becomes the typical moment for x-power appearances later in the X-Universe).  The Scarlet Witch comes closest to having the next origin revealed, though we aren’t certain it is the first appearance of her hex power, since the enraged villagers know her already, nor do we know why Quicksilver wasn’t there to help but Magneto was.  Quicksilver from the beginning is set as a morose, morally ambiguous character whose main concern is the safety of his sister: since she feels obligated to stay with Magneto, he stays with her (even though he does prevent the destruction of innocent civilians at the end).  Though this issue is before we know of Magneto’s Nazi-affected past, it’s difficult not to find something odd in his use (through Mastermind at first) of very Nazi-like soldiers in his usurpation of Santo Marco.  His genocidal tendencies against homo sapiens becomes very complex once that aspect of his past is uncovered.  The great astral plane confrontation between Xavier and Magneto is a nice (albeit brief) beginning to their conflict (until we find out they knew each other long ago, rewriting what Xavier says here and in the first issue): “You have made your choice — forever we are mortal foes!” declares Magneto; a very chilling, exciting moment.

Once again the X-Men have great difficulty in working as a team, though their vocal antagonisms to each other are fading away a bit (Bobby still seems to love ice cream).  Considering how powerful Xavier is supposed to be, it doesn’t make too much sense he has to throw himself from his chair to protect them from the blast instead of just mentally forcing these youngsters to stop in their tracks.  As mentioned above, the X-Men need someone else to save the day — this time it’s Quicksilver, and Magneto escapes again.  With Xavier’s powers gone, and the X-Men on a losing streak, they really need to get their teamwork together.  After a whole year, they should be better at this “stopping evil mutants” career, even if they are still teenage students with only four known battles’ worth of experience.

5) “Trapped: One X-Man!”

Stride: broken.  This supposed year of training did not really prepare them for this extra-terrestrial adventure, despite what Xavier says at the end.  Once again the X-Men prove they are not yet a fighting team — they care more for each other’s well-being than for accomplishing their mission.  I’m not saying these young heroes should not care for each other, but most of their battles against their doppelgängers (the inaccurately-named “Brotherhood” of Evil Mutants) consist of getting initially ambushed, stopping their pursuit to help each other out, then catching up and somehow figuring out how to end it in some coincidental fashion.  Marvel Girl can lift a half-dozen girls up onto a theater marquee but she can’t lift Beast?  Why not just have her engulfed by the mob instead of too weak to raise him up?  Her parents visit for five minutes after her being away for an entire year?  How did Xavier get so many government contacts before the X-Men even went semi-public?  Why did Magneto send a rocket to pick up Toad after he said he’d rather have Angel anyway?  Why did he let the X-Men escape with it if he controls the rockets himself?  This issue may have been written a bit too hastily.  The populace has gone from “in love with the X-Men” to “willing to assassinate the Toad for making a mockery of Track and Field,” which at least makes Xavier’s Dream a bit more necessary.  The Danger Room is set on automatic — a terribly careless design.  The lack of leadership by Cyclops continues, and Beast is the more decisive one in the assault on Asteroid M.  Scarlet Witch’s surprise at Magneto’s willingness to kill the Angel is bizarre, considering he was just willing to blow up millions of civilians back in Santo Marco (either a day ago according to the X-Men, or weeks ago according to the Brotherhood — time passes by differently in outer space, after all).  Angel finally shows some internal strength in his ability to withstand Magneto’s sensory inundation torture, which is at least one small positive aspect to this issue.

The series of magical conclusions at the end makes for a disappointing finish to the impressive first part of this conflict in the previous issue: Magneto forgets about the X-Men while confronting Quicksilver, Marvel Girl hurls a canister through “unbreakable” glass, all the X-Men have to do to survive the thousands of deadly darts is duck behind the doorway, someone somewhere somehow started detonating bits and pieces of Asteroid M, Mastermind goes from being able to mesmerize an entire nation to someone whose illusions are easily ignored, Iceman creates an ice tunnel that protects Cyclops and Angel from the vacuum of space, Magneto allows the X-Men to escape on his magnetically-controlled rocket, and Xavier was pretending to have lost his powers to test the X-Men against the Brotherhood as their final exam!  The X-Men have faced three foes (if you lump Magneto and the Brotherhood together as one): Magneto escaped, Xavier mind-wiped the Vanisher and the Blob, Quicksilver disarmed the bomb and saved Santo Marco, and the Brotherhood escaped — how could he realistically consider them passing their “final exam”?  Don’t get me wrong — I enjoy X-Men and the X-Universe very much (at least until, basically, Onslaught), but this issue is definitely a step backward in the creative process of developing the heroes, villains, and consistency (if I may use such a term) of the X-Universe.

6) “Submariner Joins the Evil Mutants”

Scott Summers finally puts on his man pants.  At least one leg — he still has some work to do.  He finally smiles and cracks some wise with his co-students (who, despite having “graduated” last issue still have student routines and relationships) during dinner.  Hank, having read up on his calculus, has for some reason retrograded to Advanced Math.  No mention is given about Jean or anyone having redesigned their uniforms (at least not that I could see), so why she has changed into a Scarlet Witch/Batgirl pastiche is as mysterious as how the team first got together, why Magneto insists on using (or not) his powerful weapons, and why Magneto is strong enough to carry a fully-loaded, fully-manned tanker 50 miles but can’t contain the X-Men who still aren’t masters of their own powers.

One of the few bright spots (along with a better appearance for Wanda and Pietro than last issue, as well as a nice turn from Namor) in this issue is the development of Scott Summers.  Not only is he showing some diverse emotions and humor, but also he finally starts commanding the X-Men in battle — true, Warren does not listen, but since he gets into trouble for not listening and Cyclops comes pretty close to rescuing him and Hank, Cyclops seems finally to be taking some leadership in the field (after Angel called most of the shots last issue and Hank’s leadership turn in Fantastic Four 28).  Also, Scott says he is finally starting to master the diverse fields and ranges of his power beam, which is good since it’s been over a year.  He has already demonstrated control over fine-tune beams (Hank’s hand here, the lock on the door last issue); it’s about time he starts manipulating angles and field widths as well as increasing his stamina with the more intense blasts.

Bobby is still an anomaly: he clowns around out of costume still (he’s only, what, 15 or so?) and really loves cake and pie, but in the field he has demonstrated so far the most efficient attacks and extemporaneous moves.  His control over his powers is the best developed so far, even though some years down the road he laments his inability to reach his full potential.  Xavier, also, seems to have learned a lesson from the Blob — the X-Men should not force anyone to join them, so he “lets” Pietro and Wanda return to Magneto.  Though some of the sub-plots are forgotten by the end (and Stan Lee loves to talk about Namor in terms of taut steel bands), this issue is definitely a return to the progress made in issue 4.

7) “The Return of the Blob”

Scott Summers’s man pants: fully on.  Though the villains are making little progress, the X-Men are finally developing both as individual characters and as a team.  For two issues in a row now, in far better style than their “final exam” on Asteroid M, the X-Men operate as a team.  True, there are still some flaws in their strategies (like flying a metallic helicopter to meet Magneto) and they do sometimes focus more on their own safety than securing the mission, but they are finally more fluidly attacking their enemies with concerted efforts.  This is just in time, too, since Xavier bows out from not only their education but also their militaristic/peace-keeping endeavors.  We do not know where he is going (or why Cerebro is so large and must be watched constantly), but he has definitely left the right man in charge.  Scott is becoming the man we know from the ’90s — decisive, humble, concerned for others.  He’s not there yet, but his ready acknowledgement Beast is more intelligent and Angel is more charismatic is a good sign for his administrative skills.  His “lonely at the top” persona also begins as he wishes the other graduates well while he stays behind to listen to Cerebro beep incessantly.  He does get a bit too insistent as they dress for their latest ultimate clash with the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, but since it’s their first fight under his leadership without Xavier (against the Blob and the Brotherhood, no less), we can forgive his martinet dunning.

We also get treated to the first off-campus hangout for the gang, Coffee A Go Go — it’s not Harry’s Hideaway, but it is a good start (though awfully dated with the Beatnik satire from Lee).  Beast and Iceman get a bit careless with their mutant talk and actions, but who will believe Beatniks, anyway?  The Blob’s reaction to Magneto’s treachery, while similar to Namor’s last issue, is new enough and one of the best moments in the entire series to date (seven issues in).  He realizes neither “good” nor “evil” side of the mutants has much to offer at this point, and he is correct: both the X-Men and Magneto have yet to fully mature in their motives and tactics.  A few niggling points: no, Art Simek, you didn’t spell all the words correctly (“all right” is two words, not one); the graduation photo at the beginning, while neat, would have made more sense out of costume — especially if they ever want to show it to anyone!  If Magneto is so powerful, why does he still insist on using weaponry, and why has he been saving this warehouse for just such an occasion? and if his strategy included Xavier helping the X-Men, why would it fail if he wasn’t there — why would he need to come up with a better plan without accounting for him?  A good niggling point may be Jean is back to being strong enough to actually lift more than her weight, and Wanda shows more backbone both against Mastermind and in the battle.  The love triangle among Jean, Scott, and Warren gets some more believable development as well (complicated slightly by Warren’s brief infatuation with Wanda).  The issue on the whole, especially for all of these character moments (and others like Mastermind’s humanity and desire for both assistance and Wanda — though a bit lecherous — as well as the continuing disintegration of Wanda and Pietro’s loyalty to Magneto) makes this another good step in the right direction.

8) “Unus the Untouchable!”

After facing Magneto five times in their first seven issues, the X-Men finally get a break against Unus the Untouchable.  We have been waiting for sensible strategies from both the X-Men and the Brotherhood, and strangely enough Magneto is the one to provide it: sending Mastermind as a scout to persuade Unus to join them, instead of attacking full force like with Namor and the Blob.  Fortunately, there is no scene of Magneto’s inexplicable mental powers here; having seen him explore the spaceways and undersea depths in his astral plane form like he’s Doctor Strange, it’s a bit refreshing to see some limitations and even sensibility in Magneto.  Unfortunately, the X-Men do not seem to be on the same plane yet; they are still teenagers, despite now doing their “post-graduate” work.  Why is Jean always training on hands-free huswifery?  When would it possibly be necessary in their mission for Jean to be able to overhand stitch without any hands?  Though Unus’s power is never explained or explored to any meaningful degree, Jean’s telekinetic power certainly could have been of some use — she doesn’t even get to join in the attack!  Considering how careful the X-Men have been for each other’s safety so far, Scott certainly doesn’t need to shout out a secret attack code for “catch me and lower me gently to the ground.”

Hank is the most intriguing aspect of the issue, in his hasty resignation from the team and his apathy toward the fate of humanity.  Though we are shown the first real signs of homo sapiens antagonism to homo superior since the Toad’s track and field display in issue 5, surely Hank hasn’t faced so much he can really be fed up, especially since he was carried away in triumph out of the coffee bar last issue.  Beast’s mathematical skill is finally demonstrated, but why he can’t spend thirty seconds to explain to the team why he is back and enhancing Unus’s powers is bizarre, reminiscent of Reed Richards’s passivity in their recent FF crossover.  The ending, again, is wrapped-up a bit too neatly, especially since the reason Hank quit in the first place still exists, and Cyclops’s apology is thoroughly disingenuous.  The issue is saved to a degree from its illogical aspects by the continuing tension of Angel/Cyclops/Marvel Girl, Bobby developing his ice form instead of his snowman form, the mystery of Xavier searching for Lucifer, Cyclops’s growing leadership skills, and the advent of a new opponent.

9) “Enter, the Avengers!”

Two steps forward, one step back.  This issue was my first experience of the X-Men, from the 1983 collection Mighty Marvel Team-Up Thrillers.  Back then I couldn’t understand why the X-Men were supposedly teenagers, since they looked a lot older than the teenagers I knew around the neighborhood and school.  Additionally, there is very little of the teenage hijinks/dialogue that detracts from some of the other early issues (not that I had read them back then), so the X-Men do not seem like teenagers, especially now that Hank’s dialogue is cementing into his intellectually verbose style.  The issue is a refreshing change for the first half of the story: the X-Men are on vacation of a sort, and they actually show concern for each other (mostly Scott) at a time other than when they should be focusing on conquering the villain of the week.  Another nice touch is they are off on the vacation because Xavier told Scott to bring the X-Men there, despite his earlier declaration he was no longer with the team.  Xavier gets to do something on his own, which is nice, although Lucifer does not prove to be much of an antagonist.

As nice as it is to see the X-Men meet the Avengers finally, and that there is some acknowledgement they exist in the same universe and have both heard of each other, there is no logical need for the teams to fight — all Xavier has to do (purportedly the world’s most powerful mind) is tell both teams at the beginning what the situation is and not wait until the end and just tell Thor.  Though Stan Lee does use the conflict as the crux that allows Xavier to conquer Lucifer, the lack of logical plotting is still a bit disappointing.  The match of Avenger and X-Man is a quaint part of the story and the closest the issue comes to character development, but the Wasp defeating Marvel Girl with the old “hair in the eyes” trick is a bit embarrassing.  The only other character bits are Marvel Girl’s internal recognition that Scott can’t requite her love since he is their leader, which is a good progression from previous issues that had her more petulant at his lack of reciprocation.  The team-work of Cyclops and Xavier in diffusing the bomb is the most impressive aspect of the issue, in that it finally acknowledges the limitations of Xavier’s telepathic abilities (not his non-existent telekinetic abilities he has sometimes displayed) as they work in conjunction with Cyclops’s controlled fine-field blast.  He still needs to work on his endurance, especially as the “interim” leader of this group, but he’s getting his act together.

The ending, though, is a mixture of the emotionally moving and the mind-blowingly inane: Xavier gets to show some personal emotion about the loss of his legs years ago, which is great to see, and the X-Men finally actually defeat a foe without resorting to morally-questionable mind tampering (not counting Xavier’s knock-out work earlier), and what do they do once they have prevented Lucifer from destroying the world? … Let him go with a “see, we beat you, so there”!  No, it is not enough he has been defeated; it is not enough there is no place too remote to escape their retribution (it took 10 years for Xavier to find him this time!).  The X-Men have to stop letting their enemies go, otherwise there is no real point in their existence.  The X-Universe needs an Arkham Asylum.

10) “The Coming of … Ka-Zar!”

Issue 10 sees some progress in the main structure of the series, though some common elements present from the beginning are still around (some good, some bad).  Instead of the next “go find the latest mutant” story, we know from the beginning Ka-Zar is not a mutant — but the X-Men are so bored of just training/post-graduate practice they beg to seek him out anyway (even though Washington apparently knows nothing needs to be done, despite the news coverage).  This is an issue that could have used some more follow-up to the previous issue.  Professor X has just returned from his mysterious absence, which turned out to be a personal vigilante expedition against mostly-feckless Lucifer (whom he just let go!), only to return to the mansion without any explanation or justification.  It is good Cyclops is taking the lead, now that we have some clarity to the hierarchy of leadership, but Professor X seems to have lost a fair amount of authority lately.  Similarly, Angel’s lack of diligence goes unnoticed.  It makes sense he would be the one with the most contact with the outside world, since he is part of a financially substantial organization/family, but shouldn’t he be tending to his responsibilities and not just watching the news?  Another unfortunate hangover from their “graduate studies” is the attack-first mentality, and Cyclops still is one of the main culprits.  They know they are there to investigate, but instead of explaining things to Ka-Zar they just acquiesce to brawling.  Suddenly, Ka-Zar is willing to forgive them and help rescue Angel and Jean, which makes little sense.  At least Jean finally is starting to detect something more in Scott’s attitude toward her (shouldn’t she be able to read his thoughts?).  This issue has less X-member antagonisms in it, which is a welcome relief — they should be working better as a team by now, which they finally are, whether they like each other or not.  Hank is becoming more like the technical genius/linguistic humorist we know him to be as well.  Overall, the issue is a nice break from what has become a somewhat tired formula, though it still is hampered by these little flaws and the fact though they are “introducing” Zabu, he really isn’t featured all that much.  The issue is a sign of their maturity heading in the right direction, but they still aren’t fully there yet.

11) “The Triumph of Magneto!”

Though this issue relies on the too-familiar structure of most X-Men issues to date, it breaks the mold (finally) by the end for an actually satisfying deus ex machina ending.  The cover sets the tone for something different: finally Lee and Kirby do not clutter the cover with the juvenile slogans and graphic art that have distracted most of the Marvel covers up to this issue.  By this point, the reader base had to have been big enough they didn’t need to draw childish attention to themselves (though the comments in the letters section and occasional writing intimate Lee still isn’t taking this Universe too seriously yet).  The too-familiar structure begins with Xavier rallying the post-grads together with a “Cerebro has detected a new mutant, so we have to get to him before Magneto does.”  Like the previous issue with Ka-Zar, Xavier indicates it is someone beyond a “regular” mutant, once Cerebro’s new imaging power system gets defeated (somewhat disappointing for the first time of a new feature).

A highlight of this transitional issue is the acknowledgement the X-Men are growing out of their previous pre-grad antics — even though Bobby gets a bit carried away, and Xavier reprimands him — and Bobby is increasing in his powers perhaps better than anyone else on the team.  Another highlight is the lack of explanation of who the Stranger is and the source/origin of his powers.  The Marvel Universe has a fair amount of supernatural beings, but at this point in its inception, most of them are Norse gods and beings.  It’s about time serious supernatural beings with inexplicable powers start to appear (outside of the FF).  Magneto’s defeat, as mentioned above, is satisfying in that it is high time the self-styled “strongest mutant” on the planet gets his comeuppance with nothing but a thought from the Stranger.  His arrogance had debilitated his character — hopefully, when he finally returns from the Stranger’s collection, he will not be so one-sided.  Another fine resolution (in a sense) here is Wanda and Pietro’s abandonment of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants.  They finally realize they no longer owe Magneto anything and leave; their decision is almost meaningless, though, since Mastermind is encased in carbonite and Toad and Magneto are off with the Stranger: there is no more Brotherhood.  The tension between Jean and Scott is still alive, now to the point of Jean’s jealousy appearing pretty quickly.  The cliffhanger is a bit over the top, but one must remember the era.  The cheesy moments are still here (especially in Cerebro having cardstock nameplates for its warning device — you’d have hoped a bit more forward thinking would rule out, but even Lester Del Rey had difficulties with that), but it is another good issue heading in the right direction.

12) “The Origin of Professor X”

From a rational perspective, the main premise of this issue is a bit cheesy: Xavier is fearful the worst menace ever to attack the X-Men is pounding its inexorable way to the mansion, so he takes this opportunity to tell them the story of his childhood.  Either Juggernaut is terribly slow, or Charles’s storytelling pace is quite rapid.  Perhaps the most groan-worthy aspect of the issue is the sudden realization “oh, wait, we have a gigantic metal inner wall of protection — I just remembered that!” and it is during this scene of heightened urgency to raise this last line of defense Warren, Bobby, and Hank resume their recently-abandoned hijinks and in-fighting.  The third, and smallest, niggle in this issue is actually resolved well — the other X-Men learning of Cerebro.  Why Charles and Scott wanted it a secret from the others for so long makes no sense, especially since they just talked about its visualizing capability in the previous issue in front of everyone.  It’s good finally to let the others know part of the mechanism responsible for sending them on so many seek-and-invite missions, especially now that they are graduates.

With the three main blemishes of the issue out of the way, we can highlight some of the good merits of this issue.  As a whole, the issue works (putting the timing element aside) quite well, both as an increasing suspense build-up and as a set-up for the next issue.  Though we have already had two-part-like issues with the X-Men, this is really the first preview (admittedly in a very microcosmic form) of the longer cross-over/extended storylines to come.  We have had several stand-alone issues already, almost to the point of A-Team-like predictability and formula.  Though some may argue (rightly) today we have too many mega-crossovers and events and not enough simple, self-contained stories, this does not take away from the necessity at this point in the X-Universe to develop longer stories and rounded characters.  Making Cain Marko Charles’s step-brother instead of half-brother or true brother distances the intrigue somewhat — it would have been much more interesting (especially before the Cassandra Nova nonsense) to make them true brothers, since Magneto’s early connection to Charles hadn’t been invented yet.  The drama with their parents is rescued from sheer melodrama by Kurt’s dying regrets and sincerity.  Charles’s early life is more reminiscent of Magneto in a way, with the feeling of superiority over mere mortals.  It seems rather unlikely Charles and Cain would be serving together in the same platoon in Korea, coupled with the unlikelihood that Cyttorak’s temple just so happens to be slightly off their patrol lines fully open for anyone to enter.  Charles’s excuse for abandoning Cain, that he no longer exists because he has been possessed by the gem, is rather weak.  Perhaps some of his guilt for abandoning him helps motivate Charles to become a protector of mankind and advocate for equality.

13) “Where Walks the Juggernaut!”

Delivery: failure.  Here is another example of the problem with the early Marvel Age: incredible villains, too powerful to be beaten realistically.  After a pretty intense build-up/introduction in the previous issue, with Xavier proclaiming how unstoppable he was all the time, we probably should have been prepared for a letdown with how the X-Men were going to defeat a supposedly unconquerable foe.  The brief cameo by Daredevil is a nice touch; the lengthier appearance of Johnny Storm is also a nice aspect of the issue — especially since he isn’t terribly crucial to the solution, despite Xavier’s declarations.  Perhaps the most confusing element is the identity of Cain Marko/Juggernaut.  Is there such a person, still, as Cain Marko or not?  Xavier didn’t think so back in the Korean War, which was part of his justification in abandoning him under all that rubble.  Juggernaut himself says for most of this issue there is no Cain Marko.  But, at the end, without his telepathy-proof helmet, Cain’s juvenile petulance emerges again, with his motivation for killing Xavier coming out as a whine.  Though this works on one level, it betrays the entire “there is no Cain Marko” buildup — why would Juggernaut even feel motivated to seek out Xavier in the first place if there was no Cain Marko psyche fueling him?  It’s just confusing.

Xavier is morally ambiguous again, mind-wiping friend and foe alike then following it up with an attempt at broom humor.  Before Wolverine and Cable were the major loose cannons, Xavier was the real loose cannon of the X-Men.  He may look like Picard, but he’s definitely Kirk at heart.  If we look at Jean’s ability to pick up Juggernaut fairly easily (if only briefly) compared to her inability to even move Blob not as a mistake, it then is a good sign of her continued growing facility with her abilities.  The team is working together well (though Xavier intimates most of it was by his power, amplified by his latest machine), even better than ever.  The Juggernaut’s strength perhaps is best seen not in his easy defeat but in the fact the X-Men are actually wounded for the first time in a significant way.  The set-up does not really pay off too well as a whole, but there are enough bits and pieces that salvage this issue and the direction in which the series is going.

14) “Among Us Stalk … the Sentinels!”

This issue has a lot of things going for it in terms of developing and expanding the X-Universe, making it the multifaceted dangerous place (especially for mutants) we know it to be today (at least before M-Day).  Though it does still utilize the tired “this … no, this … no, this is the most dangerous foe we’ve ever encountered!” structure (even Professor Xavier, as smart as he is, should be tired of saying that each time they encounter someone new), at least the foe this time is not the latest Cerebro-discovered mutant.  We are here introduced to Bolivar Trask and his Sentinels, though they don’t remain “his” for very long.  With his proclamation (and the utter gullibility of the world’s newspapermen, apparently), the pockets of anti-mutant sentiment burgeon into outright bigotry and hysteria.  Xavier displays his great political power in a quick response, in that he can basically order the major television network to give him an on-air debate with Trask immediately.  (This is a bit of a plot hole: if the Sentinels attack the next evening, why is Jean still on the train? why is Angel only just getting home?)  Considering the ease with which Xavier has been mind-wiping his foes for most of the series’ run, it’s somewhat bemusing he doesn’t just read Trask’s mind right away to understand what he is about and then discover the Sentinels before they attack — especially since he has no compunction against keeping an entire studio full of civilians brain-locked just so they can’t see his association with the X-Men.  The still-diminished power of the X-Men is another frustrating aspect of this still-early issue: we are continually told they have been training and fighting intolerance for years — so why are their powers still so weak?  Why does Cyclops need to recharge after every big blast?  Why does Jean still need to take a break after raising things with her mind?  I understand they are still teenagers, but if we are to believe they are capable of defeating so many otherwise unstoppable foes and saving mankind from itself, they have to start getting really good at what they do.

With that said, the Sentinel story is a welcome change (even though it does take away from the more-interesting anti-mutant storyline with Trask).  The all-too brief character moments are another welcome addition, and the issue would certainly have benefited from more of them instead of making all their vacation scenes end so abruptly.  The close-up panels on Scott are some of the better panels in several issues, in part because we get the feeling we are really connecting with him, just like we do in a roundabout way when Xavier watches Scott leave for his secret vacation.  Like many of these early issues, this has its flaws, but like many of these early issues, it has its bright spots that keep our interest going in the world’s most unusual teenagers.  “Now” (to them), the original readers only had to wait one month for the next installment (despite the protests by the Bullpen Gang only a few issues before they didn’t have the staff to make X-Men a monthly magazine).  We’ll see if it is a disappointing conclusion like the end to the Juggernaut story was — but again, the main thing to remember is that even though the logic and details are somewhat sketchy, the X-Universe is finally becoming a rich, diverse place.

15) “Prisoners of the Mysterious Master Mold!”

Again the Marvel Comics Group proves it has difficulties with multiple-part storylines.  There are some good moments in this issue, as with most of them, but the lack of planning/thinking-through who/what the Sentinels are becomes even more apparent than it was in their inaugural issue.  The Sentinels are supposed to be connected and aware of what is going on (in a Borg-like hive-mind), but some of them do not know the X-Men are mutants or that they are even under attack, despite the fact the automatic defenses are blaring and blasting away.  Why some Sentinels don’t attack the X-Men on sight is unclear and confusing.  So, too, is Xavier’s need to remind them they have been training for two years for this very thing: shouldn’t they have this down by now?  Bolivar Trask’s rather quick change of heart concerning the X-Men and mutants is another short-sighted element of this still-early story.  Trasks’s ability to create the sentient demagogue Master Mold is similarly inexplicable.

The Beast’s backstory is disappointingly reminiscent of Professor X’s history: are all mutants the same, or was the creative team so overwhelmed with monthly issues they couldn’t actually be creative?  I’m uncertain whether Xavier’s astral form danger is interesting and dramatic or just corny — magnetic discharges affect the astral plane?  The best part of the issue is the continuing development of the X-Men fighting and operating as a team (though the flying ice disc is remarkably inane).  This is also the first issue (of the X-Men series, at least) in which the Bullpen gets its own separate page, freeing up the letters pages to concentrate on letters and their insincere replies.  We also learn the “Marvel Pop-Art Productions” signs on recent issues were a serious attempt to change the name of the company — we can be very grateful they realized so soon how idiotic that notion was.  After some impressive years of burgeoning success with the FF, Avengers, Spider-Man, Daredevil, X-Men, and others, why is the Marvel Comics Group still not taking itself seriously?

16) “The Supreme Sacrifice!”

Back on track (again).  This issue is much better than the middle section of the story and one of the better issues in quite some time, despite the continual deus ex machina-like resolutions.  It’s nice Stan Lee is a fan of classical theater, but its overuse has become trite, along with the “this is our most dangerous foe yet” dialogue still hampering the story at times (especially Xavier’s opening recap-lines, though, fortunately, it is not as prevalent as in the earlier issues).  As nice as it was to have a resolution to the collapsing Sentinel two issues ago, making it a giant crystal that just so happens to be dangling from a nearby building is a bit far-fetched, even for a series based on mutant teenagers.

It’s interesting to note the opening pages of the issues no longer refer to the X-Men as the “most unusual teenagers of all time,” as if the by-now years’ worth of training has seen them move into adulthood (or, at least, their twenties).  This maturity is seen in the diminishing hijinks (especially at the most inopportune times — though Hank still cracks wise at odd times), Scott’s great line encouraging Bobby he’s a man and no longer just a silly kid, and their increasing functionality as a team.  Their teamwork is shown well in their preempted escape from the gravity bubble, made even better by the absence of nonsensical attack pattern names (“Angel, attack plan D-33!” or some such nonsense they used to have that was thankfully dropped — except here Stan Lee takes the time to insert a wisecrack about the lack of rationality/science of the Sentinels’ machines, totally disrupting the seriousness/reality of the situation!).

It is also interesting to note Bobby does not automatically de-ice when he loses consciousness — it’s not a major point, just a small addition to his powers that is nice to know.  Now it is Angel’s turn to feel useless, with no super powers other than his wings — but again the team assures him of his usefulness as he helps them escape, working in tandem with Marvel Girl, who is likewise finally using her powers in skillful, advanced ways.  Her ability to telekinetically work locks is a good development, even if the sudden appearance of a lock mechanism is suspicious.  Trask’s sacrifice is no big surprise and too long in developing, but it is a nice touch.  Again Xavier has no problem mind-wiping allies still in an effort to keep his association from the X-Men a secret — but since Washington already knows about it, his motivation is continually confusing in this area.  The nice resolution is hampered by both Stan Lee’s overt moralizing and the final “whose shadow is approaching the mansion?” panel — just let the story tell itself, Aesop.  There is no need for suspenseful endings by now, either.  This storyline (and its moral) will be a popular form for the X-Men over the years, perhaps most notably with Chris Claremont’s God Loves, Man Kills in the early ’80s.  The Sentinels themselves, a great idea though flawed by lack of thorough planning, will become much better, sleeker opponents in the years ahead, as well.

17) “… And None Shall Survive”

“The way it ought to be!”  Incorporating haunted house suspense into fine character moments, Lee and Co. deliver a pretty impressive issue with only a few flaws.  Hank betrays some brief sexism when he jokes Jean needs her constant chatter just like a woman, but Jean possibly indicates she knows he is joking; it would be a relief to know the smartest X-Man is not gender-biased.  The only other glaring flaw in this issue is Jean “forgets” she can levitate herself with her TK ability.  After all their practice, and the great success she had last issue, why would she just forget she can do that?  Other than those brief moments, the issue as a whole is rather lucid (except for why Magneto is placing the X-Men in a giant steel gondola).  Xavier covers his connection to the X-Men well, the way Magneto traps the X-Men is believable (albeit corny at times) and mildly suspenseful especially as he doesn’t use his magnetic powers to reveal his identity, and the tension of the Worthingtons’ visit supplies some good moments as well.  Xavier admits the families of the students are the weakest links in their identities/security (even though they have all “graduated”), and the Worthingtons’ unwillingness to postpone their visit is good proof of that.  Even though Cyclops told Iceman he was a man like the rest of them in the previous issue, unconscious Bobby still struggles with his need to prove himself, an issue that will not be resolved for several decades.  The first half of the issue focuses on character moments, which adds a great deal of depth (if not verisimilitude) to the X-Universe, as the team has to recover from their Sentinel battle and spend some time being themselves (though still their costumed hero selves).  These sorts of issues really help the series grow.

18) “If Iceman Should Fail!”

The previous issue saw the older X-Men demonstrate a healing power far superior to Wolverine’s recuperative abilities (no doubt this is dropped soon).  Bobby Drake, unfortunately, does not seem to have such good health … until Dr. Thomas injects him with the miraculous, experimental sulfa.  Bobby does a fairly decent job standing up against Magneto, even though not too many people seem to take this issue seriously (including the creative team and characters within it).  Magneto, fresh from his bitterness against the failure of the Brotherhood, decides the best way to take over the world would be to do it himself … by creating a synthetic army from the genes of the Worthingtons using the machines Xavier already has lying around.  The entire steel gondola plan betrays Magneto’s claims to ruthlessness — why not just kill them?  How is he going to take over the world if he can’t even eliminate his biggest enemies when he has the chance?  The Stranger coming at the last moment (looking like the North Wind) to chase away Magneto is another example of the creative team’s inability to come up with a thorough, solid story.  They caved in to fan mail asking to bring Magneto back, brought him back with no real purpose or motivation, and whisked him away again, letting down the interesting potential of some of the moments in this issue: the Worthingtons visiting the school and Bobby having to face Magneto alone.  Bobby does a decent job, as mentioned above, especially in his debilitated condition, hopefully earning him more respect from others (even though Cyclops assured him before he was a man and their equal).  The real outsider left is Jean, wearing her apron in the final panel like the hired help, not the most dangerous telekinetic mind on the planet, who got no thanks at all for her part in rescuing them from the steel gondola.  It’s an up and down issue that falters a bit too much (e.g., Xavier’s mental instruction to Bobby: “You must leave [the hospital] unnoticed!  Form an ice slide at the window!”  An ice slide won’t get him noticed?).

The final point worth mentioning is Xavier’s possession of a “counter ego,” a mental-identity that can perform telekinetic feats when his brain is otherwise incapacitated.  Perhaps this is really the source of Onslaught?  I truly wish this interesting element had received more attention in the intervening years and issues.  Xavier deserves better treatment (as do they all).

19) “Lo!  Now Shall Appear the Mimic!”

As innovative a creator and enthusiastic a personality Stan Lee is, it is quite clear by issue 19 of X-Men he had pretty much run out of ideas.  The Mimic is innovative, sure, but his origin story is fundamentally no different from Xavier’s origin and Beast’s origin: atomic or chemical explosion/accident followed by dominance at everything in school coupled with loss of social acceptance.  Not only does Calvin Rankin copy the powers around him, but his story is a re-hash of most stories we’ve seen already.  The issue does have a good premise with Rankin as the Mimic, as I said before, but Lee fails to follow through in a meaningful way.  He is clearly a mutant (even he knows it), but Cerebro doesn’t register him as one.  The X-Men give up on their defeat of Rankin too quickly, perhaps because of their hubris at the beginning of the issue with their too-easy training.  They had a vacation cut short again and seem to be sick of being X-Men for some inexplicable reason.  Things are too easy, even when confronted by their own powers — the only thing too difficult is having successful romantic lives or being allowed to finish a vacation.  Xavier finishes up the re-hashed episode with once again mind-wiping the foe, this time while he is already down and unconscious from the trickery of Rankin’s father and power-absorbing machine that still works after being buried in rubble for an undisclosed period of time.  If that wasn’t enough, the teaser for the next issue promises the return of three old villains: Unus, the Blob, and Lucifer — that’s supposed to be exciting?  It was time for a writing change, indeed.

House of Ideas: A Dream Defended

Before the X-Universe became thoroughly convoluted by ubiquitous “franchise-wide events” and retconning (though it didn’t actually take them long to start rethinking the origins of these characters), the X-Universe was a fairly simple, straightforward place: Jean Grey was just a girl with telekinetic abilities; Hank McCoy was a human-looking mathematical genius; Bobby Drake was a youthful prankster who loved ice cream; Warren Worthington III was a blonde, natural-feathered millionaire; Scott Summers was a standoffish, Jean-loving leader-in-training; and Charles Xavier was a man with a dream who had never met Magneto before.  The times were simple, but, then again, so, too, were the stories and conflicts.  The development, especially through the Claremont era, made it a much more interesting and enjoyable universe — it is just a shame the writers of today, especially, feel the need to destroy the foundations and characters of yesteryear in order to make the stories of today so shattering and revolutionary (I’m talking to you, Morrison and Bendis).  The characters and stories of the original Stan Lee era are perhaps overly simple, and oftentimes incomplete, but, to be fair, they did lay the foundation for some thrilling and heartbreaking characters, conflicts, and stories to come in a universe that, while not always safe and happy, is always driven by an optimistic dream: freedom and life itself are worth fighting (and dying) for.

Editor’s Note:

Now is the best time to begin reading these classic stories, if you only know of the X-Men and other Marvel superheroes from the recent motion pictures.  We are living in an age of affordable re-prints and trade paperbacks (and collector’s hardcover publications) the like of which has never been seen before.  Fine, reputable local merchants and on-line distributers offer an incredible selection of collections at more-than-reasonable prices, of either the individual titles/series themselves or collections of major cross-over storylines and events.  Additionally, the GIT Corporation released a few years ago several Marvel titles on dvd-rom, collecting digital pdf copies of over 40 years’ worth of complete issues (complete with original covers, advertisements, and letters pages unavailable in the other re-print trades) of the Fantastic Four, X-Men, Avengers, Silver Surfer, Amazing Spider-Man, Ghost Rider, Invincible Iron Man, Captain America, and more.  Though these are out of print currently, they always re-appear on the market sooner or later.  Finally, wonderful Web sites such as newkadia.com and mycomicshop.com have mind-blowing collections of individual issues at unbeatable prices to complete any missing gaps in any collection.  It truly is the best time to catch up on the great past of Marvel (and DC) comics and read some incredible stories.  Excelsior!