The X-Men Season One OGN by Hopeless and McKelvie (coming out later this month) is apparently based around this issue, and as Hopeless points out it's an important moment in Beast's character development, as he uses science to solve the plot for the first time (although he's been portrayed as a bookworm since #3). I will make no attempt to further summarise the events, but will note it is as mad as a hat of frogs.
Reading the X-Men from #1 to last week. Usually posts Thursdays.
Showing posts with label 1964. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1964. Show all posts
Sunday, 4 March 2012
X-Men #8: "I'm resigning from the X-Men!"
X-Men #8 opens with Professor X still gone and Scott in charge. He's driving himself and the rest of the team hard, as is his wont. And although we've seen isolated examples of anti-mutant hysteria before, we get our best one yet, where Beast rescues a child trapped up on top of a water tower, and for his trouble gets mobbed. Together, that's enough for Beast - he quits the X-Men (and not for the last time) - and becomes a heel in pro wrestling! As with the coffee bar last issue, this is an environment he can show a bit more of himself, and have it assumed to be a performance by others, making it a kind of mutant drag. Scott takes it badly, realising that Beast quitting the X-Men means he as failed as leader (something that will also hit hard in several hundred issues from now). He contacts Xavier, who is busy in Europe on a mission we will learn more about in issue #9.
The X-Men Season One OGN by Hopeless and McKelvie (coming out later this month) is apparently based around this issue, and as Hopeless points out it's an important moment in Beast's character development, as he uses science to solve the plot for the first time (although he's been portrayed as a bookworm since #3). I will make no attempt to further summarise the events, but will note it is as mad as a hat of frogs.
The X-Men Season One OGN by Hopeless and McKelvie (coming out later this month) is apparently based around this issue, and as Hopeless points out it's an important moment in Beast's character development, as he uses science to solve the plot for the first time (although he's been portrayed as a bookworm since #3). I will make no attempt to further summarise the events, but will note it is as mad as a hat of frogs.
Saturday, 3 March 2012
X-Men #7: Graduation Day
Picking up from #5, where Xavier decided the X-Men were ready now, the team officially graduate at the start of X-Men #7, both as X-Men, and from prep school. Xavier then leaves them under the temporary leadership of Scott. Leader-Scott immediately starts doing the things we know and love Leader-Scott for - i.e. stays in at the mansion watching for trouble while his team-mates make their first on-panel visit to a Bohemian coffee shop in Greenwich Village. Here they feel comfortable displaying their mutant traits, with Hank showing off his oversize feet, and Bobby joking about their friend who is a "super-powered mutant". It's not quite the Stonewall Inn, and Greenwich Village has been that sort of place for decades by the sixties, but makes for a curious conjunction, especially with a trans reading in mind; only amplified by Magneto's finding he can "pass" at the carnival in costume.
Back at the mansion, Scott's vigil is broken by an alert, as Magneto removes Blob's memory block. They rush to the scene and we have the inevitable nil-nil draw between the X-Men and the Brotherhood. Blob walks away, and without Xavier around to mind-wipe him again, he's left with a memory of what happened. Why has Xavier left, anyway? Well, we're not told until issue #9, but Scott does say that he was thinking of leaving the team to seek out a cure until the temporary leadership thing comes up. Xavier, being manipulative? Never. In Astonishing X-Men #14, Emma, under the influence of Cassandra Nova, says he picked Scott to lead because he had nothing else. Perhaps that's not the whole of it.
Back at the mansion, Scott's vigil is broken by an alert, as Magneto removes Blob's memory block. They rush to the scene and we have the inevitable nil-nil draw between the X-Men and the Brotherhood. Blob walks away, and without Xavier around to mind-wipe him again, he's left with a memory of what happened. Why has Xavier left, anyway? Well, we're not told until issue #9, but Scott does say that he was thinking of leaving the team to seek out a cure until the temporary leadership thing comes up. Xavier, being manipulative? Never. In Astonishing X-Men #14, Emma, under the influence of Cassandra Nova, says he picked Scott to lead because he had nothing else. Perhaps that's not the whole of it.
Continuity notes
Xavier leaves, leading Cyclops in charge. First apperance of Cerebro, a giant machine to aid Cyclops find other mutants. First appearance of the Greenwich Village coffee shop, Zelda, and Bernard. Beast's middle initial given as "P". Blob joins the Brotherhood.Friday, 2 March 2012
X-Men #6: "He's just a man in swimming trunks!"
I'd known it was inevitable, but I'd purposely avoided finding out when X-Men's first guest appearance was. Here we have it - in issue #6, Namor, the Sub-Mariner, appears. Curiously, although the full Brotherhood line-up recur, Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch are singled out on the cover.
Namor is one of the original Timely characters from 1939, and was reintroduced in Fantastic Four #4, a couple of years before this. Here he's given enough of an explanation that readers who hadn't read that can get the jist - with editorial footnotes referring to Fantastic Four #27 and Avengers #3.
Magneto and Xavier realise that he must be a mutant at about the same time, and try and recruit him. Naturally, their teams collide, and equally naturally, Namor's libido wins. In a shocking development, Namor refuses to ally with either side. They are, after all, surface dwellers. A few hundred posts from now, we'll see how he'll eventually join the X-Men, alongside Magneto!
Wanda and Pietro briefly break free from Magneto's control (or rather, Pietro is captured and Wanda refuses to abandon him), but return to him by the end. The last panel provides a slashy moment, as Jean proclaims, perhaps little too hard, "I'm glad to see them go! That Witch is much too attractive!" Course you are, Jean.
Namor is one of the original Timely characters from 1939, and was reintroduced in Fantastic Four #4, a couple of years before this. Here he's given enough of an explanation that readers who hadn't read that can get the jist - with editorial footnotes referring to Fantastic Four #27 and Avengers #3.
Magneto and Xavier realise that he must be a mutant at about the same time, and try and recruit him. Naturally, their teams collide, and equally naturally, Namor's libido wins. In a shocking development, Namor refuses to ally with either side. They are, after all, surface dwellers. A few hundred posts from now, we'll see how he'll eventually join the X-Men, alongside Magneto!
Wanda and Pietro briefly break free from Magneto's control (or rather, Pietro is captured and Wanda refuses to abandon him), but return to him by the end. The last panel provides a slashy moment, as Jean proclaims, perhaps little too hard, "I'm glad to see them go! That Witch is much too attractive!" Course you are, Jean.
Continuity notes
Introduction of Namor into X-Men. Magneto uses his powers to produce an astral projection to search for him (as does Xavier). The phrase "Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters" appears.Thursday, 1 March 2012
X-Men #5: X-Men in space!
X-Men #5 picks up immediately from issue #4, with Professor Xavier shockingly de-powered in the X-Men's fight with Magneto. The Brotherhood has been driven off, and regrouped in an as-yet unnamed artificial asteroid. This marks the first visit of the X-Men to space - something that will become a mainstay of the series to the point that the recent Wolverine and the X-Men #6 has Wolverine run out of money and take his space plane to go and cheat at an intergalactic casino to raise funds for the school.
The main plot of this issue is driven by Magneto's wish to find out the X-Men's base of operations, something that ends up with Angel being kidnapped after an incident staged by Toad. The X-Men stow away on his ride back to space, and in the ensuing fight, the asteroid is destroyed. This provides a backdrop for some good action scenes and a nice character moment, with Wanda and Pietro refusing to acquiesce in killing the X-Men, but equally turning down their offer to join. In the end, the X-Men escape, apparently. Given that their escape craft is magnetically-powered and then immediately takes off again to pick up the Brotherhood from the soon-to-be-destroyed asteroid, I see a strong implication that Magneto himself saved the X-Men. Much later, we'll discover that Xavier and Magneto have history - history that perhaps explains why Mastermind and Toad are poking around Westchester in the first place. Is Magneto perhaps not being entirely straight with his subordinates?
And finally, we arrive at the last three panels, where we discover that Professor X was not really depowered at all. He was merely testing his students, who have now passed their final exam. Well, that was a bit quicker than I'd expected. I'll note that this "exam" involved Angel getting tortured.
The main plot of this issue is driven by Magneto's wish to find out the X-Men's base of operations, something that ends up with Angel being kidnapped after an incident staged by Toad. The X-Men stow away on his ride back to space, and in the ensuing fight, the asteroid is destroyed. This provides a backdrop for some good action scenes and a nice character moment, with Wanda and Pietro refusing to acquiesce in killing the X-Men, but equally turning down their offer to join. In the end, the X-Men escape, apparently. Given that their escape craft is magnetically-powered and then immediately takes off again to pick up the Brotherhood from the soon-to-be-destroyed asteroid, I see a strong implication that Magneto himself saved the X-Men. Much later, we'll discover that Xavier and Magneto have history - history that perhaps explains why Mastermind and Toad are poking around Westchester in the first place. Is Magneto perhaps not being entirely straight with his subordinates?
And finally, we arrive at the last three panels, where we discover that Professor X was not really depowered at all. He was merely testing his students, who have now passed their final exam. Well, that was a bit quicker than I'd expected. I'll note that this "exam" involved Angel getting tortured.
Continuity notes
Jean Grey's parents are introduced - they visit the mansion. First version of Asteroid M. Professor X is revealed to have been faking his depowerment.Wednesday, 29 February 2012
X-Men #4: "they hate us -- fear us"
The fourth issue of X-Men bursts with ideas new and old. It features the first return of a villain - Magneto, who has assembled a "brotherhood of evil mutants" around him (a descriptive term which does not appear to be used by Magneto himself), going up another floor on the threat escalator. Although his identity is given away in the cover, the interior pages introduce his minions first, who refer merely to their "leader", and so avoids mentioning Magneto by name until his appearance on panel in page 6. We meet uncouth Toad, impulsive Pietro, proud, compassionate, Wanda and the aggressive Mastermind.
More importantly for the saga, Magneto is given a philosophical justification of sorts. He claims his coup d'état in Santo Marco is necessary as homo sapiens hate and fear mutants, and they would "would kill [mutants] if only they could! We only fight in self defense!" Coupled with this, we see the first example of actual anti-mutant prejudice, in the flashback to Pietro and Wanda's origin story. An odd result of this is that Wanda's codename, "Scarlet Witch" was given to her by a villager from the lynch mob in the "heart of Europe". Her use of it is a reclamation of the term, and at this stage her powers are no more inherently magical than any those of any other mutant.
Then the X-Men arrive and ruin everything, defeating the Brotherhood after a series of thrilling fights. Pietro, moved by Wanda, disables the scorched earth bomb that Magneto has left behind, saving the innocent civilian population of Santo Marco. And, as a last gasp, Professor X incurs an enormous strain, resulting in his depowerment!
First appearances of Toad, Quicksilver (Pietro), Scarlet Witch (Wanda), Mastermind, along with the return of Magneto. Pietro and Wanda are given an origin story, implied to have happened some time between issue #1 and #4. Xavier is depowered!
More importantly for the saga, Magneto is given a philosophical justification of sorts. He claims his coup d'état in Santo Marco is necessary as homo sapiens hate and fear mutants, and they would "would kill [mutants] if only they could! We only fight in self defense!" Coupled with this, we see the first example of actual anti-mutant prejudice, in the flashback to Pietro and Wanda's origin story. An odd result of this is that Wanda's codename, "Scarlet Witch" was given to her by a villager from the lynch mob in the "heart of Europe". Her use of it is a reclamation of the term, and at this stage her powers are no more inherently magical than any those of any other mutant.
Then the X-Men arrive and ruin everything, defeating the Brotherhood after a series of thrilling fights. Pietro, moved by Wanda, disables the scorched earth bomb that Magneto has left behind, saving the innocent civilian population of Santo Marco. And, as a last gasp, Professor X incurs an enormous strain, resulting in his depowerment!
Continuity notes
First appearances of Toad, Quicksilver (Pietro), Scarlet Witch (Wanda), Mastermind, along with the return of Magneto. Pietro and Wanda are given an origin story, implied to have happened some time between issue #1 and #4. Xavier is depowered!
Tuesday, 28 February 2012
X-Men #3: "It is he! The one called the Blob!"
The first two issues of X-Men provide the template for one type of X-Men story - the X-Men are alerted to some evil mutant seeking to take his rightful place as Homo Superior - who they must defeat. X-Men #3 adds a new type of story, one essential to the mix, and yet of a kind that X-Men comics abandoned telling for several years recently (until the emergence of Generation Hope). The X-Men become aware of a new mutant - the Blob (who the cover correctly describes as "one of the strangest super-foes of all") - and seek to recruit him.
The Blob, who they find working as an attraction in a carnival, is brought to the mansion under protest, and declines to join the X-Men. One might wonder whether Cyclops picking a fight within him is something to do with this. Xavier's reaction is the remarkable
At least Xavier realises he's made a "really serious mistake" a few pages later. The Blob runs off, gets his colleagues at the roadshow to join him, and then makes a pre-emptive attack on the X-Men. Having driven Magneto and the Vanisher away in the first two issues, it is a little undignified that the attractions nearly defeat the X-Men, being saved only at the last possible moment by Xavier directing a subdued Jean. This time, Xavier only removes the memory of the X-Men from the antagonists' minds, rather than the full mindwipe we saw in #2 - a rather more proportionate response. By the logic of the "sliding scale of villain threat" we take away that the Vanisher is a more powerful threat than Magneto, and that the Blob (with allies) outweighs both of them.
Away from the plot, we see characterisation developed here. Beast is now Beast, complete with long words and an avowed aversion to violence. The first issue saw general leching over Jean from a mass of undifferentiated boys. It now becomes a bit better drawn, with Hank, Bobby and Warren all competing for her affections, but Jean picking Scott instead. Poor repressed Scott, who we learn here dares not open up while he "possess[es his] dread power". The most disturbing aspect of this is that every named character appears to be carrying the torch for Jean. Xavier has the thought bubble
I'm not even going to try to unpack all the fail in that sentence. Thankfully the matter is never referred to again.
And so we have a X-Men story that resembles the X-Men a little more. Characters for Beast and Cyclops, and a bit of interpersonal dynamics, a new mutant emerging and our merry mutants needlessly antagonising them.
The Blob, who they find working as an attraction in a carnival, is brought to the mansion under protest, and declines to join the X-Men. One might wonder whether Cyclops picking a fight within him is something to do with this. Xavier's reaction is the remarkable
This is unheard of! No one has ever refused us before! You cannot be permitted to leave now that you know our identities -- it is out of the question!
Stop him, my X-Men! I must drive this memory from his mind! Take him to my lab!
At least Xavier realises he's made a "really serious mistake" a few pages later. The Blob runs off, gets his colleagues at the roadshow to join him, and then makes a pre-emptive attack on the X-Men. Having driven Magneto and the Vanisher away in the first two issues, it is a little undignified that the attractions nearly defeat the X-Men, being saved only at the last possible moment by Xavier directing a subdued Jean. This time, Xavier only removes the memory of the X-Men from the antagonists' minds, rather than the full mindwipe we saw in #2 - a rather more proportionate response. By the logic of the "sliding scale of villain threat" we take away that the Vanisher is a more powerful threat than Magneto, and that the Blob (with allies) outweighs both of them.
Away from the plot, we see characterisation developed here. Beast is now Beast, complete with long words and an avowed aversion to violence. The first issue saw general leching over Jean from a mass of undifferentiated boys. It now becomes a bit better drawn, with Hank, Bobby and Warren all competing for her affections, but Jean picking Scott instead. Poor repressed Scott, who we learn here dares not open up while he "possess[es his] dread power". The most disturbing aspect of this is that every named character appears to be carrying the torch for Jean. Xavier has the thought bubble
"Don't worry"! As though I could help worrying about the one I love! But I can never tell her! I have no right! Not while I'm the leader of the X-Men, and confined to this wheelchair!
I'm not even going to try to unpack all the fail in that sentence. Thankfully the matter is never referred to again.
And so we have a X-Men story that resembles the X-Men a little more. Characters for Beast and Cyclops, and a bit of interpersonal dynamics, a new mutant emerging and our merry mutants needlessly antagonising them.
Continuity notes
First appearance of The Blob [no name given]; Cyclops named as "Scott Summers"; first appearance of Bobby Drake in de-iced form.
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