X-Men Read Through

[JackalsIII]

I'll have to watc those at some point

I use to be able to listen to a bunch of podcasts a week but now the only time I get to do it is when I'm washing bottles or making Sunday dinner so that narrows me down to one podcast that I can actively follow.

[a0040pc]

That's cool BTW tomorrow we see the first appearance of the Brotherhood

[Seedzington]

I've been doing the same thing for quite some time. My signature shows what I'm up to right now. Apocalypse The Twelve saga coming up!!!

I keep a log of it all on other forums as well.
I don't have as much time to read it so I know this will take me forever to catch up to the present, but its so fun. You'll probably lap me haha, good luck.

[a0040pc]

I dout I'll actually get that far. I'm mainly using the Essential graphic novels and since the line isn't going any further I can't go further than volume 11. I have been getting the core X-Men titles for 8 years and after I finish this blog I am planning on doing an Ultimate Marvel read through blog

[a0040pc]

Issue Information
Title- X-Men (volume 1) #4
Release Date- March 1964
Writer- Stan Lee
Artist- Jack Kirby

Major Notes
The first appearance of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. The characters introduced in this issue are Pietro Maximoff/Quicksilver, Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch, Mortimer Toynbee/Toad and Jason Wyngarde/Mastermind

Brief Summary
The X-Men are once again training in the Danger Room and Beast is going through a survival exercise. After he finishes his exercise Iceman also goes through his own exercises before it is Jean’s turn. Her exercise involves her telekinetically lifting a cake out of a box. The cake is for the celebration of the one year anniversary of the formation of the team. The X-Men and Professor Xavier enjoy the cake but meanwhile the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants are also eating. After a brief fight with each other their leader Magneto is seen stealing a freighter that he plans on using to attack a small South American nation. During his own exercise Angel notices the freighter but does not know that Magneto has stolen it, at the same time Magneto does not notice that Angel has flown overhead. Using only the freighter Magneto and the Brotherhood are able to overwhelm the tiny nation of San Marco and Mastermind uses his power of illusion to make the citizens think that an entire army has invaded their country. Afterwards Magneto declares himself the ruler of San Marco. Days later Professor Xavier discovers what has happened and contacts Magneto and they meet on the mental plane. Professor Xavier preaches peace while Magneto continues his view of mutant supremacy. When the conversation is finished the X-Men leave with Professor Xavier to go to San Marco under the illusion that they are merely students on a goodwill mission. After being allowed entry the X-Men move upon Magneto’s palace from different sides. Each of the X-Men take on a different member of the Brotherhood with more favourable results. Sensing that his plan has failed Magneto plants a booby trap and an atomic bomb that will destroy the entire nation. Eager to confront Magneto Beast runs towards the booby trapped door but Professor Xavier dives in the way and saves him from serious harm. Professor Xavier is injured and the Brotherhood make their escape. Quicksilver uses his superhuman speed to disarm the atomic bomb before it explodes but he still leaves with the Brotherhood. With the threat over the X-Men tend to their wounded mentor who reveals to them that he has lost his telepathic powers.

My Thoughts
Well this was an interesting issue. I had forgotten that Magneto had overthrown an entire nation and I think if Marvel had stuck to it he would have been like Doctor Doom. I know that he did rule Genosha for a time but he would have been the first real Marvel villain the be a monarch and it would have been fun if it had stuck. From the start of the issue it is obvious that Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch are very reluctant to be with the Brotherhood but both have made very questionable moves over the decades. Quicksilver has done things that he isn’t particularly proud of and Scarlet Witch ravaged the mutant population by muttering three simple words. Toad is a lot more grovelling and somewhat simpler than the more recent depiction (i.e. Wolverine and the X-Men comic series). Also his skin looks normal where various depictions over the years have given him green skin with warts. I always saw Mastermind as a weasel of a man and this issue only cemented that belief. I believe he is the only member who has died and so far stayed dead for a number of years. Although for now he is only a minor threat he will almost bring the galaxy to its destruction by manipulating Jean during the Dark Phoenix saga. The cake that appeared in this comic was to celebrate the X-Men’s formation but it isn’t stated whether it was when the X-Men had first started or when all five of them were together. If it is the latter that means a year has passed in the space of four issues that I seriously doubt. This is also the first time that we see Magneto have a kind of mental power like Professor Xavier. They used this power often during the 60’s but has been largely ignored after that and I can see why. It is better that Magneto just have the magnetic abilities rather than telepathy. It would make him too similar to Professor Xavier. I was also a little confused with the army, I know that it was an illusion by Mastermind but I’m sure that many of them were real. When Beast attacked a couple of guards he was able to physically strike them which would have been impossible if they were an illusion. Not sure whether they were citizens of San Marco who had joined Magneto, brought over from another country or if Mastermind had somehow made his illusions solid. One last thing about the Scarlet Witch was it is funny that they called her that despite her costume being green. Although I’m reading the Essentials that are printed in black and white I’ve seen from the cover that she’s green. It would have been more fitting for the time that they call her the Green Witch until she changed her colour. On a final note Professor Xavier claims to have lost his mutant abilities but we all know that’s not the case. I believe that it was a test for his students but it has been a few years since I read the issue so it could be a temporary change. I’ll find out tomorrow.

Next Issue
X-Men (Volume 1) #5

[a0040pc]

Issue Information
Title- X-Men (Volume 1) #5
Release Date- May 1964
Writer- Stan Lee
Artist- Jack Kirby

Major Notes
The first appearance of Asteroid M.

Brief Summary
The X-Men return to the mansion along with an injured Professor Xavier and they are unsure whether they can continue without their mentor’s guidance. Before any decisions can be made Jean’s parents make a surprise visit and the X-Men change quickly before their identities are discovered. They succeed in the nick of time as Jean’s parents enter the mansion. While being given a tour of the mansion Cyclops is accidentally locked in the Danger Room and its automated systems engage Beast’s training exercise. Cyclops is able to survive the session and escapes. When Jean’s parents leave the mansion they do not spot Mastermind who is searching for the location of the X-Men. After failing in his attempt Mastermind returns to Magneto’s base of operation called Asteroid M. Since the search had been a failure Magneto initiates his new plan to find the X-Men. Sometime later the X-Men are watching a track meet on the television and see an athlete who is able to jump at a superhuman level. Deducing that he is a mutant and seeing the crowd turn against him the X-Men travel to the track meet to rescue him. After escaping the X-Men and the athlete escape from the crowd and onto a train. While on the train Beast discovers that the athlete is Toad in disguise and he flees from the X-Men. When the X-Men chase after Toad they are ambushed by the Brotherhood and Angel is taken captive. Eventually the Brotherhood flee with Angel but leave Toad behind. Angel is taken up to Asteroid M where Magneto begins to brainwash him for information about the X-Men. Meanwhile down on Earth the X-Men allow Toad to lead them to Magneto and he summons a ship to pick both himself and the X-Men up. When they reach Asteroid M Mastermind is the first member of the Brotherhood that the X-Men run into. Magneto uses an amplifier so that he can control all the metal on Asteroid M to try and subdue the X-Men. They are able to get past Magneto’s traps and reach him. Unfortunately the fight has caused parts of the asteroid to break away and Magneto uses the opportunity to throw Cyclops into the void of space. The X-Men are just able to rescue him before they make their escape. The asteroid is destroyed immediately afterwards but the Brotherhood have also escaped. When they return to the mansion they discover that Professor Xavier never lost his telepathy and it had all been a test. He reveals that they have passed and thus graduated from the school.

My Thoughts
So this is the first appearance of Magneto’s infamous Asteroid M base. Although it was destroyed we will see it again and again and again. It looks pretty similar to the modern day Asteroid M but obviously there have been a few changes since. This issue is also the first appearance of Jean’s parents and although they only have a few appearances over the years more will probably be revealed about them later on. I believe that both are dead now due to the Shi’ar’s attempts to prevent the rise of another Phoenix. As was common back in the day Toad still seems to be deathly loyal to Magneto and continues to call him Leader and Master rather than Magneto. It was clever how he was able to trick the X-Men but even he would have been smart enough not to lead them directly to Asteroid M. The Brotherhood continue to show their detest for each other and once again Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch actually help the X-Men. They have teamed with the X-Men on a few occasions but for now they are still considered as enemies. Both will eventually join the Avengers although Scarlet Witch is the only one who truly stayed with the team. I also found it funny how Magneto needed an amplifier to control all the metal in the asteroid. If it was written now he would have done it with no need for an amplifier and I’m not sure whether this is an oversight or that Magneto’s abilities have increased over the years. Finally I knew that Xavier’s loss of his telepathy was just a ploy and that it was all a test. I can see why he did it and it was a good way for him to see if the X-Men were truly ready. Like almost all the X-Men comics of the sixties there is a lot of text fit into one issue. For a comic of today it would take me about five to ten minutes to read the entire comic, the ones from the sixties take me about twenty to thirty minutes to read. At least back then there was more value for your money, and especially the fact that the old comics have gone up in value since then.

Next Issue
X-Men (Volume 1) #6

[a0040pc]

Issue Information
Title- X-Men (volume 1) #6
Release Date- July 1964
Writer- Stan Lee
Artist- Jack Kirby

Major Notes
First time that a non X-Men character featured in an X-Men comic.

Brief Summary
The X-Men are enjoying some food in the kitchen while Professor Xavier is reading a newspaper article about the Sub-Mariner. He senses that if he were an ally to the X-Men he would be a great use, but if he sided with Magneto he would be a deadly enemy. Meanwhile some distance away Magneto is thinking the same thing so he decides to try and communicate with Sub-Mariner. Magneto is able to create a mental image of himself and travels down to the Sub-Mariners castle below the sea. At the same time Professor Xavier has done the same but he senses Magneto and returns to his body so that he does not need to confront him. Inside Namor’s palace Magneto finds that Namor is too angry to approach so he contacts one of the Sub-Mariner’s followers to deliver him a message. Following his instruction the follower deliver’s Magneto’s message and the Sub-Mariner leaves the castle so that he can meet Magneto at his mysterious island. Back at the mansion the Professor instructs the X-Men that they must leave the mansion and find Magneto’s island. Professor Xavier already knows it’s location and they leave for the island. On the island itself Magneto has built a giant magnet that amplifies his powers immensely. While the X-Men are searching for Magneto’s island the Sub-Marnier arrives at the island and confronts Magneto. He is impressed by what he sees and the beauty of the Scarlet Witch. Just when he begins to talk to her Angel flies down but is subdued by the Sub-Mariner. The Sub-Mariner uses his strength to send Angel flying back to the ship and only the quick thinking of the X-Men save their teammate. After that Magneto uses his amplifier to tear the X-Men’s ship apart but Iceman is able to create an ice bridge that leads them to Magneto. When they reach the island they are attacked by Quicksilver but Jean is able to use her telekinesis to subdue him. Seeing that Quicksilver has failed Magneto plans to destroy the X-Men with his amplifier but the Scarlet Witch protests due for fear of her brother’s safety. After Magneto spurs her Sub-Mariner destroys the controls and Magneto retaliates by surrounding him with scrap metal. The X-Men break into the stronghold and begin to battle with Sub-Mariner while Magneto, Toad and Mastermind all make their exit. Scarlet Witch remains so that she can find Quicksilver. The X-Men battle Sub-Mariner until Professor Xavier stops the fight with his telepathy. By his side is a mentally controlled Quicksilver. Eventually Professor Xavier removes the mental blocks from Quicksilver and he returns to normal and the Sub-Mariner leaves. Magneto tries to use his amplifier to exact revenge on the Sub-Mariner but the Sub-Mariner is able to destroy the amplifier’s foundations and destroys the machine itself. Magneto and the Brotherhood flee while the X-Men look on.

My Thoughts
Once again this issue took me a while to read due to all the text. As stated this is the first time that a non-X-Men character has appeared in an X-Men comic in the form of Prince Namor aka the Sub-Mariner. For those who don’t know him he had been in the comics for twenty five years at that point where now it is seventy five (as of 2014). This issue also highlights Magneto’s own telepathic abilities that he only really used in the sixties. As the years went by many writers have abandoned this power instead focusing on his magnetic abilities. I can understand this because telepathy and magnetism aren’t really linked that much, unlike he’s like Emma Frost and has two different powers due to a primary and secondary mutation. This issue also has Jean wearing a mask that only covered her face and not the rest of her head much like the male members of the X-Men. I believe that she wore it on again and off again over the years that she wore her original costume. This also makes the fifth comic to feature Magneto and the fourth to feature the Brotherhood. The fact that there have only been seven comics at this point and each supposed to be a standalone story makes feel that the villains are being overused. In the Amazing Spider-Man comic at the time there were like more than ten different individual villains introduced over the space of fourteen issues. If you count the Brotherhood as being one then there have only been four over the space of seven issues and two of them have featured in more than half the comics so far. More forgettable villains will be introduced soon but there are those that will stand the test of time and their villainy is still felt today. For those who read the more recent X-Men comics you will know that Namor will eventually join the X-Men and play a big role in the 2012 Avengers Vs X-Men event and he is one of the few people who have served on both teams (I believe he was an Avenger for a brief period in the 80’s). Also Magneto acts coldly to Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch even though they are his own children. They don’t know that he is their father and I’m not sure whether he knows at this point but I think he does unless anyone can prove otherwise. And it also marks the first time that the Scarlet Witch is actually scarlet rather than green. Finally unlike many other Marvel titles at the time this comic is only running once every two months unlike once a month like the other titles. The book won’t be released monthly until the late 70’s and the introduction of the New X-Men.

Next Issue
X-Men (Volume 1) #7

[a0040pc]

Issue Information
Title- X-Men (Volume 1) #7
Release Date- September 1964
Writer- Stan Lee
Artist- Jack Kirby

Major Notes
First appearance of Cerebro

Brief Summary
The issue opens up with the X-Men along with Professor Xavier posing for a graduation photo. After the photo has been taken Professor Xavier reveals that he must leave for a short time and that he will be appointing a new leader of the X-Men. Meanwhile in another mansion Mastermind is trying to woo the Scarlet Witch but she is not returning his advances. Angered by this Mastermind confronts her until Magneto gets involved. Magneto handles Mastermind and thus ending the advances. Back at the mansion Professor Xavier reveals to Cyclops that he has chosen him to lead the X-Men and shows him a device called Cerebro which will be used to detect mutants. A short time later the other X-Men discover that Cyclops is their new leader and the decision is given a positive reaction. Later on Magneto is at a carnival and discovers the Blob performing. After the performance is completed Magneto confronts the Blob and discovers that he has a mental block. When the Blob’s manager interferes Magneto encases him within a metal cage and the manager shouts for back-up. Seconds later a group of carnies attack Magneto but they are easily defeated by the Brotherhood. Magneto offers the Blob a place in the Brotherhood and he turns him down and attacks him. Magneto is able to send Blob flying into a trailer and the knock on his head removes the block and he remembers about the X-Men. Back at the mansion Cerebro has detected the Blob and Cyclops immediately tries to contact the other X-Men. Beast and Iceman are enjoying some poetry at a coffee shop and everyone is drawn to Beast when he takes off his shoes and reveals his abnormally large feet. While Iceman is talking to a woman Angel enters the shop and reveals that they are needed back at the mansion. The three men all leave the shop and make their way to the mansion. When the X-Men are suited up they leave in a helicopter to Blob’s location but Magneto is able to destroy it but the X-Men are able to save themselves from the fall. When they reach the ground they engage in battle with the Blob with almost no effect. Magneto launches several torpedoes at the X-Men but Iceman is able to stop them without allowing them to explode. The X-Men are able to stun the Blob but they are attacked by the Brotherhood but both teams are evenly matched. Seeing that the Brotherhood cannot defeat the X-Men Magneto launches three torpedoes at them but Blob accidentally gets in the way and they explode but his body shields the blast. Both he and the X-Men survive but Magneto and the Brotherhood escape. After seeing that Magneto was willing to kill him without a second thought the Blob decides to quit the Brotherhood but he also refuses to join the X-Men. He leaves to rejoin the carnival and the X-Men look on but they have transport issues since their helicopter was destroyed.

My Thoughts
So the Blob makes his return in this issue and the X-Men actually graduate. From the opening image I wondered what it would be like if the New X-Men actually received diplomas. Could you imagine Wolverine with that cap and a diploma? It would be funny though. This issue also marks the first appearance of Cerebro although it is very different to the one we know now. Nowadays it is used to boost Professor Xavier’s powers back then it was used just to detect mutants and could be used by practically anyone. It is also noted that Professor Xavier can sense a mutant mind from many, many miles and I think this has largely been forgotten today unless it is a particularly strong mind that he is detecting. If it is someone like the Blob he would still need Cerebro if he was a great distance away. I also found it creepy how Mastermind was potentially sexually harassing the Scarlet Witch and I think that it probably pushed the whole Comics Code. If it had been written today it probably would have gone further and deeper. This issue also demonstrates Magneto’s telepathy skills as he tried to probe Blob’s mind. I wonder if it has been explained why Magneto used his telepathy so much now but practically never again after the 60’s. Most likely it was just ignored but there might be an explanation that I’ve missed somewhere down the line. Also this seems to be the first and only appearance of the X-Copter which was destroyed by Magneto and probably made way for the future X-Jet and everyone has to admit that an X-Jet is cooler than an X-Copter. By the end of the issue although Blob says that he’s done with the Brotherhood I already know that not only will he rejoin them but he will also become one of their primary members. Guess he didn’t like the carnival life after all. It is also further stated that Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch are reluctant members of the Brotherhood but just because you’re reluctant doesn’t mean that you have to attack people. There’s always a choice and although both will redeem themselves at some point both will perform acts that will shock and devastate the lives of millions. One last thing with the X-Copter the X-Men know that they most likely would face Magneto at some point and yet they still built the copter out of metal. Magneto is more than capable of destroying it so they should have used plastics but I guess it was a lesson that they needed to learn.

Next Issue
X-Men (Volume 1) #8

[a0040pc]

Issue Information
Title- X-Men (Volume 1) #8
Release Date- November 1964
Writer- Stan Lee
Artist- Jack Kirby

Major Notes
First appearance of Unus The Untouchable and the first time that Iceman is completed frozen over by ice rather than snow.

Brief Summary
Despite graduating in the last issue the X-Men are still training but this time Cyclops has replaced Professor Xavier as the team’s mentor. He pushes the others to close to their breaking points but he views it as for their own benefit. During the free period Iceman and Beast travel to their favourite coffee shop in their civilian clothes but on the way they see that a young boy has gotten himself trapped at the top of a building. Without caring whether his secret identity is revealed Beast runs up the building so that he can save the boy from falling. Fearing that they are mutants an angry mob attempts to attack both Iceman and Beast but they are able to escape although they are a little worse for wear. When they return to the mansion Beast is furious over what had happened and decides there and then to quit the X-Men. Cyclops contacts Professor Xavier for guidance and he is in Europe trying to find a man called Lucifer. Professor Xavier tells Cyclops that there was nothing that he could have done and assures him that he will return soon. A week later Beast has become a professional wrestler and he is scheduled for a match against the man known as Unus the Untouchable. Throughout the match an unnatural force prevents Beast from touching Unus. Beast finds himself outside the ring after a failed attack and spots Mastermind in the crowd. Due to his confusion Beast is counted out and loses the match. It is that point that Beast realises that Unus is a mutant. Just after the match Mastermind approaches Unus in his dressing room, Unus wishes to join Magneto’s Brotherhood but Mastermind reveals that Magneto wants a test of loyalty before he can join. His task is to defeat a member of the X-Men. A short time later Unus is walking down the street and sees a bank robbery in progress. He easily stops the thieves but he intends to keep the money himself. By coincidence the remaining four X-Men are flying overhead and see what is happening. They engage in battle with Unus but discover that their attacks are being deflected by some invisible force field. All their attacks fail but Angel is able to drop him off at the top of a building where he cannot do any harm. When they return to the mansion they discover that Beast has returned and is building a new ray device. He reveals that he is planning on increasing Unus’s abilities and the X-Men attack him with the belief that he has joined Magneto. The Beast escapes unhurt and the X-Men pursue him but minutes later he is able to find Unus and fires the ray gun at him causing his abilities to increase. Pretending to work for Magneto Beast holds the X-Men back while Unus escapes and although Beast tells his friends that he has a plan the others don’t believe him at first. Later Unus discovers that he is too powerful and can’t touch anything at all. Realising that he can no longer eat he desperately tries to grab various different foods but discovers that he cannot. The X-Men are able to track him down and he begs them to reverse the effects. Beast agrees but tells Unus that he can no longer contact Mastermind or use his abilities for criminal activities. After Unus agrees Beast reverses the effects that the ray gun had on Unus and Unus walks away happy that he can touch again. The X-Men forgive Beast and apologise for their actions, in turn Beast agrees to rejoin the X-Men.

My Thoughts
So this issue is another debut of a character that most people have forgotten. Much like many of the X-Men’s early villains this one couldn’t stand up to the test of time. Over the sixties Unus appeared as a villain in a few of the X-Men comics but over the next four decades he has only made a handful of appearances and only those who have read the early comics will even know who he is. Basically all that was special about him was that he couldn’t be touched by any attack that meant to harm him. I admit that it’s perfect for being a wrestler and maybe useful for a villain as well but someone would have discovered a way around it. If Professor Xavier had been there he would have been able to shut down the mind of Unus because despite the shield he would be weak against telepathic attacks. This was also the first issue for a while that didn’t feature Magneto and I can see that being a good thing. The worst thing you can with a good villain is overuse him, the heroes will be too dependent on him. At least by spreading out his appearances when he does face the X-Men it means more than just foiling another minor plan. It was also interesting to see that Iceman gained his more classic frozen over look rather than being a walking snowman. The snowman look was pretty good for the time but now he’s gained the appearance that he will be most remembered for. The issue further states that Cyclops is in love with Jean and I think it might be the first time that Jean has felt the same about him although they don’t reveal it to each other. The only member of the Brotherhood to appear in this issue was Mastermind and I can see him being a recruiter for Magneto. Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch would be too unwilling to do it and Toad seems to be both too stupid and ugly to be of any use (At this time in the comics, in later appearances he has shown to have some intelligence). This also marks the first time that an X-Man actually quit the team although he does rejoin at the end of the issue it is a trend that pops up regularly in future X-Men comics, especially those closer to the present day. It also shows that Beast has a knack for technology where previously it has shown him being more of an intellectual rather than an engineer. I admit that the original X-Men comics to have a bit of a cheesy feel to them much like the old Flash Gordon serials but they have their own little charms. There’s no doubt that they’re not as good as the future comics but they are nice for what they are. Storytelling in comics was much different back then but I felt that the series could have been as popular as the Amazing Spider-Man comics if given a bit more effort.

Next Issue
X-Men (Volume 1) #9

[a0040pc]

Issue Information
Title- X-Men (Volume 1) #9
Release Date- January 1965
Writer- Stan Lee
Artist- Jack Kirby

Major Notes
First appearance of Lucifer and the first time that the X-Men battled the Avengers.

Brief Summary
The X-Men are on a cruise ship on their way to Europe so they can rendezvous with Professor Xavier. The ship is about to hit an iceberg but Cyclops is able to destroy it with his optic beams. The effort weakens him though and he is taken back to his cabin where the other X-Men try to comfort him. While in his cabin Cyclops is contacted by Professor Xavier who has discovered Lucifer’s base of operation deep below the ground. He informs his students that Lucifer is the reason for his paralysis and if he were to fail that the X-Men must stop the vile villain. When the telepathic communication has ended Lucifer traps Xavier and uses a self-made mini tornedo to bring the Professor to him. When Professor Xavier captured the mentor of the X-Men attempts to shoot Lucifer but the villain reveals that if he were to die the world would be doomed. A short time later the X-Men arrive at a Bavarian village that is directly above Lucifer’s hideout. At the same time the Avengers arrive a short distance away after Thor’s hammer detects the presence of evil. Below the village Lucifer reveals to Professor Xavier that he has created a bomb that can detonate an entire continent and will explode if his heart rate flat-lined. Lucifer knows that the X-Men are close and fires up a super weapon that he intends to destroy the team. Professor Xavier senses that the X-Men are nearby and contacts them about Lucifer’s plans and the warning is enough to alert the team of danger. They are just able to dodge the blast and they quickly suit up ready for action. At that moment they are confronted by the Avengers who mean to defeat the evil that they have sensed. Professor Xavier telepathically tells his students to keep the Avengers away from Lucifer or else the bomb will detonate. For the moment the X-Men attempt to stop the Avengers with mere words but they will not leave until the evil has been vanquished. The X-Men resort to attacking the Avengers and the two teams engage in battle. Below them Lucifer can see the battle above and Professor Xavier uses his telepathy to incapacitate the villain without killing him but until the bomb has been disarmed the continent is still in mortal danger. After several minutes the battle ends when Professor Xavier telepathically contacts Thor and informs him of the situation. The Avengers agree to leave so that the X-Men can deal with the threat of Lucifer. With the Avengers gone the X-Men move underground to Lucifer’s lair and find their mentor and the unconscious villain. Professor Xavier and Cyclops attempt to disarm the bomb but it comes near to detonating since Lucifer’s heart rate weakens. After a few more moments both men are successful in their efforts and the bomb is disarmed. At that time Lucifer regains consciousness but Professor Xavier and the X-Men allow him to leave although he swears revenge.

My Thoughts
Once again another character is introduced who hardly anyone remembers. Lucifer might not have lasted very long but he is still was very important to the history of Charles Xavier. As many people might not know Lucifer is the reason why Professor Xavier can’t walk and it has never been mentioned in any of the films or tv series. Each one of those give a different reason for why Professor Xavier lost the use of his legs but this is the original reason. We also see Professor Xavier in a caterpillar wheeled wheelchair and I don’t believe that its ever been used since but I can see it being useful on rough terrains. It was well before he had any kind of hover chair so I guess he just had to make due. Lucifer’s plan wasn’t all that stupid either, it was wise of him to link the detonator to his own heart rate and I have seen it used a few times like in the recent Dredd film. The issue also hints again that both Jean and Cyclops are practically in love with each other but are too nervous to really talk to each other. When it all comes out in the open everything will move forward but for now it’s as cold as the iceberg at the start of the issue. For the X-Men vs Avengers fight it was actually enjoyable to read and although it is nowhere near as epic as the recent Avengers vs X-Men crossover event it was still a good read. Although the battle did end in a draw if it had kept going I couldn’t see the X-Men prevail. Don’t get me wrong the X-Men are powerful but not as powerful as the Avengers. They were basically fighting a metal man, a giant, a God, a super soldier and a pixie and even the X-Men with all their powers would have not won. If it were the same characters today I’d say that it would be a close match but at that point in time the X-Men just weren’t up to the task in my book. Needless to say it won’t be the first time that we see the X-Men battle the Avengers and if I’m correct in this blog we should see two more battles between the teams before the blog is finished, one will take place in about a month or so where the other is a good year away (Avengers Volume 1 #53 and X-Men vs Avengers LS from 1987). Lucifer wasn’t too bad of a villain as well but I believe that he was killed off and they never bought him back, a very rare occurrence for any comic book character. Glad that everyone is still tuning in and as long as you read and comment I’ll still be posting.

Next Issue
X-Men (Volume 1) #10

[a0040pc]

Issue Information
Title- X-Men (Volume 1) #10
Release Date- March 1965
Writer- Stan Lee
Artist- Jack Kirby

Major Notes
First appearance of Ka-Zar, Zabu and the Savage Land

Brief Summary
The X-Men are once again training in the Danger Room but after a short while they realise that Angel has not attended the session. When they go to his room to investigate they discover that he is watching a news report on his TV. At first Cyclops is annoyed but he sees that the news report is about a strange event in Antarctica. It is about the sighting of a caveman and a sabre tooth cat in the frozen wasteland. After watching the report the X-Men think that the caveman is a mutant since he was only wearing a loin cloth in such freezing temperatures. The X-Men inform Professor Xavier about the report and he dispatches them to Antarctica. Before they leave Professor Xavier informs Cyclops that the caveman isn’t a mutant or else Cerebro would have detected him, he also tells Cyclops that there could be a new type of danger there. The X-Men travel to Antarctica to where the news report was filmed and discover a crevasse that his hundreds of feet deep. When Cyclops fires down at it with his optic blast a geyser reveals a hidden tunnel that leads the X-Men down to a warm, tropical jungle. Angel flies around to investigate and has to dodge various pterodactyls and other flying reptiles. The other X-Men search the ground and discover long extinct animals living in the jungle. Suddenly the X-Men are attacked by native people on the backs of large carnivorous birds and their primitive weaponry is able to knock out Cyclops, Iceman and Jean. Beast is able to fend them off for a moment until the caveman seen on the news report appears with his sabre tooth cat. The natives flee taking Jean with them. With the natives gone Beast is able to awaken his fellow teammates and the caveman introduces himself as Ka-Zar and his sabre tooth cat Zabu. When Beast touches Ka-Zar to examine his muscles Ka-Zar takes it as an act of aggression and commands Zabu to attack the X-Men. The X-Men are able to subdue him for the moment until a man ape appears who has a grudge with Ka-Zar. They battle while the X-Men look on, they know that Ka-Zar is their only hope of finding Jean. Ka-Zar defeats the man ape and agrees to help the X-Men find Jean. Some distance away Angel is still flying over the Savage Land but he is caught in a net and captured by the natives and taken to a pyramid. Jean is also at the pyramid and they learn that they are to be sacrificed to a Tyrannosaurus. The great beast appears and they look on in fear. The X-Men led by Ka-Zar make their way to the pyramid but a fencing made out of strong lumber blocks their entry to the pyramid. Ka-Zar sends Zabu away to leave so that he can get assistance. On the pyramid itself Jean is using her telekinesis to throw rocks at the T-Rex with little damage. She resorts to pulling his tail which causes him to topple over and she is able to untie Angel. He quickly grabs her and tries to fly but he is too weak and the natives grab his legs. Outside Beast climbs up the fence and attacks the guards, Cyclops blasts a hole through the fence so that they can enter but before they do Zabu returns with a heard of mastodon who break down the fence with ease. The X-Men along with Ka-Zar are easily able to overwhelm the natives and rescue Angel and Jean. A short time later at the exit of the Savage Land Ka-Zar tells the X-Men that they must leave and never return, they do so and the mastodons cover the exit so that no one else can enter the Savage Land.

My Thoughts
I could go over all the inaccuracies about the dinosaurs in this issue like the tyrannosaurus having three fingers rather than just two but I would be ranting on for ages and its X-Men you wanna read about not dinosaurs. Anyway the Savage Land really reminds me of Jurassic Park which in my books is the GREATEST FILM EVER! It was mentioned in the recent X-Men Season One graphic novel which I believe part of it actually takes place during this issue (the part where Angel and Jean are fighting the T-Rex). Once again in this issue it has both Scott and Jean seemingly caring for each other but being too shy to say it out loud. To tell you the truth due to the fact that the comic is every other month I’m surprised that Stan Lee has just brought it out in the open yet. But I can see it staying quiet for now if he wanted to make it more realistic, besides there being people with fantastic powers like the X-Men of course. Ka-Zar did annoy me a little where he kept referring to himself in the third person. Some can do it right but others not so much (Now Grimlock from Transformers, he could do it right). Also I’ve noticed that in this issue the Savage Land is never referred to by that name, it is simply called a jungle so the name must have popped up at a later date. It was also interesting to see the natives with gas grenades and multiple shot bow and arrows, they were all primitively made of course but it is definitely an interesting idea and it showed that they weren’t just brainless savages. Ka-Zar also seemed to have an ego that could only be rivalled by that of Kanye West but at least he wasn’t claiming to be a genius. Ka-Zar called himself the Lord of the Jungle but I think it’s a title that he gave himself more than actually having a lordship. If he had of done he would have been Lord Ka-Zar, first of his name, Lord of the Savage Land and defender of the peace (Oh dear I’m going into Game Of Thrones here). All in all it was a good little adventure with the X-Men and although the entrance to the Savage Land was blocked off we all know that the X-Men will return there along with numerous other Marvel superheroes.

Next Issue
X-Men (Volume 1) #11

[a0040pc]

Issue Information
Title- X-Men (Volume 1) #11
Release Date- May 1965
Writer- Stan Lee
Artist- Jack Kirby

Major Notes
First appearance of the Stranger

Brief Summary
The X-men are viewing an image appear on a large new device that reads radar readings. It is registering a new super powered being but the image is destroyed before it can fully take form. Only the person in the image could do this and they realise that it could potentially be a very powerful mutant. Beast shows off in excitement for tracking this mutant but Iceman uses his abilities to stop his fun with a prank. Jean is able to prevent Beast from becoming injured and Professor Xavier gives Iceman a telling off. Meanwhile in New York a man known as the Stranger is moving into a rented accommodation. The landlady tells him that he needs to pay a week’s rent before he can stay there. He gives her a large sum of money and tells her not to disturb him again until he checked out. A little later the Stranger is walking amongst the people of the city. Rather than wait to cross the road he chooses to walk on air which attracts a lot of attention. He sees that he is causing a commotion so he phases through a wall into a building. An unknown force drew him to the building and when he steps through he discovers Magneto and the Brotherhood are waiting for him. Angel flies over the city looking for the mutant and Cyclops overhears a couple of policemen talking about the Stranger. Cyclops tries to investigate but the policemen become suspicious of his glasses and are able to knock them off. This causes Cyclops to accidentally start firing optic beams from his eyes. After a few moments he is able to find his glasses but the Policemen are in panic and recognise him as Cyclops from the X-Men. Beast is able to grab Cyclops with his feet and they go back to the other X-Men. Meanwhile Magneto attempts to convince the Stranger to join his Brotherhood and he demonstrates his power by wrapping him in metal. Mastermind also creates a powerful illusion around him but the Stranger is able to break free with ease. He turns Mastermind into solid rock which causes him to fall through the floor. The X-Men discover a hole in the side of the building created by the Stranger. Angel is the first to go through and is attacked by Quicksilver. The other X-Men arrive and Iceman covers Quicksilver with ice so that he can’t move. The Scarlet Witch causes various nearby objects to strike the X-Men. Angel tries to attack Magneto but he has created a magnetic shield around him. The Stranger creates a vortex that transports Magneto and Toad away. Jean is able to overpower the Scarlet Witch and she has surrendered Cyclops is able to defrost Quicksilver. The twins decide to leave the Brotherhood and return to their home in central Europe. Some distance away in a wooded area the Stranger, Magneto and Toad reappear and Magneto forcefully tells the Stranger that he must join him. The Stranger grows in size and envelopes Magneto in an anti-magnetic membrane leaving him powerless. At the mansion Professor Xavier is examining the still petrified Mastermind and although he is still alive his molecules have been altered. Professor Xavier tells the X-Men that the Stranger has the power to shake the universe. The X-Men tracks down Magneto and Toad and find them both in a cocoon. The Stranger appears and reveals that he is an alien who wants to study mutants. He takes Magneto and Toad away and takes them off the planet, he also reveals that they will never return. The X-Men stand in awe before leaving and returning to the mansion. Professor Xavier removes Magneto’s and Toad’s names from Cerebro believing that they are gone for good. Cyclops is with him in his office but Cerebro detects another being. Professor Xavier is terrified because he knows who it is and that he is the most powerful enemy the X-Men will face.

My Thoughts
This issue introduces a new character who although his debuted in an X-Men comic he isn’t really associated with the team. Although powerful he hasn’t appeared too much over the years and he has practically been forgotten since he hasn’t appeared for some time. When I saw his face it looked very odd to me and reminded me a bit of an ape with a moustache, if a child were to see him they would probably laugh. He is also the first person in the X-Men series that demonstrates the ability to walk through walls and walk on air (a trait that will be sin ominous with one of the greatest X-Men of all time). Too bad it will be fifteen years (comic wise) before we see that particular X-Man. It is also the first and only time that the X-Men ever used a device that could create images with the use of radar, it’s an interesting machine but it seems too science fiction so I can see why it was never used. The issue also hints that there might be some feelings between Cyclops and the Scarlet Witch or it could just be Jean’s jealousy. It would have been interesting if it was explored but it was quickly dropped and there could have been a fun love triangle that would lead to the ultimate battle between two of the most powerful mutants in comic book history. Who would have won? We may never know. Funny to see Magneto’s plans blow up in his face but technically he did get what he wanted, just not the way he had expected. It’s like having your cake and eating it before you find out that you don’t like the taste. Although Magneto and Toad are stated to never be returning we all know that you can’t keep a good villain down for long, they will eventually return and Magneto in particular will be a thorn in the X-Men’s side for years to come. At this point in time Beast seems to be a bit of a joker himself although he has been toned down a lot recently (and become a lot bluer and hairier). The issue wasn’t too bad but still had the sixties feel to it. The more serious stories later on will be darker and more exciting but for now I don’t mind reading the fun campy stories that you’d associate with the sixties.

Next Issue
X-Men (Volume 1) #12

[AbnormallyNormal]

I have a request I know this is inherently difficult and maybe artificial but can you give each issue a "Rating" or "Score" or something? Just your opinion, I mean you already have a good solid paragraph backing up whatever your score would be already.... it would just be kind of a nice thing you know, like out of 10 or whatever. I am already currently reading through as many X-related comics as possible after a long hiatus and I too decided to start with Uncanny #1 and go from there. It is going to get very hard once there are tons of different series going on which interact together storywise but I'll try to go all the way. I like a lot your idea but it sounds like years is too much commitment lol. Maybe if you were doing like 3 issues per day it would be more feasible to get through more... oh well good luck and I do Like a lot what youve typed thus far !!!!

[a0040pc]

I have a request I know this is inherently difficult and maybe artificial but can you give each issue a "Rating" or "Score" or something? Just your opinion, I mean you already have a good solid paragraph backing up whatever your score would be already.... it would just be kind of a nice thing you know, like out of 10 or whatever. I am already currently reading through as many X-related comics as possible after a long hiatus and I too decided to start with Uncanny #1 and go from there. It is going to get very hard once there are tons of different series going on which interact together storywise but I'll try to go all the way. I like a lot your idea but it sounds like years is too much commitment lol. Maybe if you were doing like 3 issues per day it would be more feasible to get through more... oh well good luck and I do Like a lot what youve typed thus far !!!!

I'll look into doing a rating system but for the three a day thing for me I cannot do that. It takes me over an hour to read through an issue and then write up the blog post. To do that three times a day on top of other things I do will make it extremely difficult for me. And at least with that I won't be going at too fast of a pace and it is nice to somewhat take my time and sink in everything I read. Thank you very much for reading and I hope that you continue this little journey with me.

[Gus]

This is awesome! Do you have a read order list somewhere?