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X-Men History from 1963-1970

Updates

  • 28Jun12- Updated 59-93. For all episodes in this article the summaries were tightened up and in many/most cases the story details were removed. For an in-depth read, refer to the original comics.
  • 26May12- Updated through Episode 58.
  • 28Apr12- Updated Episodes 51-54.
  • 27Mar12- Updated Episodes 48-50.
  • 20Jan12- Updated Episodes 43-47 with more abbreviated summaries.
  • 5Dec11- Updated Episodes 36-42*10/14/11- Rewrote summaries for Episodes 1-17 and added links to Marvel Universe.
  • 26Nov11- Updated Episodes 33-35.
  • 11/14/11- Updated Episodes 18-32.

Welcome

Welcome to X-Men Chronology, Facts, and Opinions. This page has a lot of spoilers! I put it together as a reference especially for X-Men movie fans who are not aware of their history. As of Nov 9, 2009, I consider this article mostly complete. It includes information on Issues No.1-66 up to when the series went into reprints in 1970. Uncanny X-Men Chronology is part two of the X-Men series that was reborn in 1975 with Giant Size X-Men Volume 1.

Please note that the terms "issue" and "episode" are used interchangeably. Also note that the "Characters Introduced" section does not mean this is the first place these characters have ever appeared. It is just the first time they appeared in the X-Men world. And be aware the the special X-Men Origins sections starting in Issue No.38 is my numbering. They were not numbered in the original issues.- Titanic71 (DPeck).

Links to related X-Men Wikia Chronology Articles: Uncanny X-Men Chronology Facts and Opinions covers 1975-1979. Uncanny X-Men Chronology, Facts, and Opinions Part 2 1980-Forward.

Misc Links

X-Men Themes 1963-1970

Warning: This section contains spoilers!

I assume you know about Marvel's X-Men Mutants, humans who have mutated genes that give them special abilities. The Marvel universe has good mutants on the left, bad mutants on the right, and Homo Sapiens in between a mutant philosophical-physical conflict to determine if mutants should be part of the World or to dominate the World at the expense of mankind.

Young pubescent boys may have loved the X-Men when they debuted in the mid 1960's. However reading this series published from 1963-1969 as an adult was interesting, at moments the story drew me in, but overall I was expecting more. It can be argued that comics are comics, especially in the 1960's. The stories are typically on the shallow side, with tidbits of personal interaction, followed by lots of action that seems flat especially when compared with today's theater special-effect extravaganzas. In fairness, I should not be holding a forty year comic accountable for being on the flat side as compared to today's technology. The stories are interesting enough to keep me going, some distinctly better than others.

The original X-Men team consists of 5 mutants, Cyclops (Scott Summers- optical energy beam), The Beast (Hank McCoy- acrobatic, extremely strong), Iceman (Bobby Drake- can manipulate water turning it to ice), Angel (Warren Worthington III- highly acrobatic and powerful flyer), Marvel Girl (Jean Grey- telepathic and telekinetic), and are led by Professor Xavier, a powerful telepathic personality who is wheel chair bound (most of the time).

At the personal level each of the X-Men do have unique personalities. The Beast has a high IQ and at times laments his mutant powers, expressing a desire to be a regular human being. At one point, he quits the X-Men to become a wrestler (Issue No.8), but he quickly returns during the X-Men encounter with Unus. The Beast likes using big words and is full of witty quips that he throws around while battling evil. He and Iceman are buddies and frequently go on double dates with Zelda, the Coffee A Go-Go waitress and Vera, the librarian, in Greenwich Village, N.Y.C. (Issue No.19), but I don't think it will ever be possible for the X-Men to go on an uninterrupted date, much less a holiday. Angel is a conceited mutant with an ego when it comes to his adoring female fans.

At the beginning of the series, all the X-Men teenagers immediately are drawn to Marvel Girl (Jean Grey). A romantic triangle develops between Cyclops, Marvel Girl, and Angel, with Marvel Girl clearly preferring Cyclops. However, Cyclops has some real issues lamenting his inability to self-control his optic energy. Injured as a child, he can't control is power without the help of special glasses and consequently he views the power as a curse, afraid of accidently hurting someone, especially the one he loves, Jean. He considers visiting a doctor for a cure if such a thing exists (Issue No.7). Unfortunately the series of episodes from 1963-1967 includes an excruciatingly long running soap opera between Cyclops who is torn between love and self loathing and Marvel Girl who is attracted to Cyclops and senses some form of affection from him. But instead of smoothly developing these personal encounters towards a conclusion, the reader experiences the same frustrating misconnects over and over again.

However, some progress is finally achieved on the Cyclops/Marvel Girl scene as they appear on a date during Iceman's Birthday party at Coffee A Go-go (Issue No.32 1967) and they actually appear to become a steady couple through the end of the 1960's. The Professor is mostly a strong, commanding presence in the stories, but on one occasion, Professor Xavier has a moment (Issue No.6) expressing self pity due to being wheel chair bound and at another point (Issue No.3) expresses love for Marvel Girl, but what kind of love is not made clear and it is not pursued in later episodes. In the big picture, these brief moments of drama are secondary to the main focus of action packed episodes, with the X-Men acting as guardians of the Human race, despite being despised and feared at times.

Besides the Cyclops-Marvel Girl soap opera the next most interesting story dynamic takes place between Magneto and his Brotherhood of Evil Mutants who spend most of their time bickering with each other. In the Brotherhood, the brother-sister mutant team of Scarlet Witch and Quick Silver (Issue No.4) are basically good mutant being coerced into helping Magneto, a megalomaniac without any sympathy built into his character, in contrast to the X-Men movies. Eventually the brother and sister take steps to undercut Magneto's plans and eventually leave the Brotherhood. Other interesting characters are, Toad who has the mannerisms of Renfield in Dracula, treating Magneto as his master (but he is betrayed in the end), Mastermind, a telepathic mutant who can plant visions in people's heads, The Mimic, a troubled mutant who is not sure if he wants to be good or bad, and the humorous Banshee who appreciates fine art and smoking his pipe.

The most shocking events in this time period is the untimely death of Xavier in Issue No.42 "If I should Die", who is not killed in action but dies of an ailment. However, if you've ever read any comic series, the concept of "death" means little as characters are resurrected without much problem. The same goes for Xavier.

Villains come and go. At times the X-Men, as a team have been beaten down and are at the mercy of bad guy, but good fortune always seems to shines upon them preventing their demise. Throughout the 1963-1970 time frame, Magneto and his henchmen are the most consistent antagonists to the Human Race and the X-Men. There is a lot of talk of taking over the world, but the most credible threat seems to come from the Z'Nox in Issue No.65 and it is dealt with by Xavier who has an impressive plan.

Through 1970, Marvel cross pollinates it's stories with other heros and villains from the Marvel universe such as SpiderMan (Issue No.27), The Human Torch (Issue No.13), the Mighty Avengers (Issue No.9), the Hulk (Issue No.66) and villains from other Marvel comic series such as Super Adaptoid who encounters the X-Men after battling the Mighty Avengers. Exotic locations are frequently used for battles between good and bad: The bottom of the Ocean (Issue No.6), an asteroid circling the Earth (Issue No.5- asteroids circle the Earth?), The Center of the Earth (Issue No.10), a South American Indiana Jones style Temple (remember X-Men did it first), and several underground caverns.

If you are a X-Men movie fan, but have not read the comics, be aware that the X-Men movies, turned everything around and to some extent upside down. Not to say they were bad movie-going experiences. The concept of X-Men was established, a variety of elements and characters were taken from the comics, molded and changed without regard to the original stories to create a pretty good series of movies even though they only have a partial resemblance to the original time table and character relationships. The best part of the X-Men movies so far has been devoting almost three entire movies to Wolverine's discovery of his past. However, Wolverine is no were to be seen in the 1963-1970 time frame.

I don't really know what happened in 1970, if the writing team was running out of story ideas or lagging sales, but the X-Men took a 5 year hiatus before the series was rebooted starting with Giant X-Men Vol.1 in 1975. I have included all of the issues in this article up through 1970 until the series went into reprint mode. Refer to this Uncanny X-Men Wikipedia article.

Finally, in the 1963-70 time frame the series was illustrated by different artists. The most dynamic visual issues consisted of those penned by Jim Steranko (Issues 50-51, 1968) and Neal Adams (Issues 56-63,65, 1969-70).- d.peck.

1963

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Issue 1 (1963)

Issue No.1- X-Men (1963)

Summary

Professor Xavier opens Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters for original Xmen, Angel, Beast, Cyclops, Iceman, 'Marvel Girl are the original X-Men team. Magneto the first villain, the X-Men face tries to take over the Cape Citadel Base.

Notes and Trivia

  • X-Men wear Blue and Yellow outfits. Magnetos wears a red outfit with purple trim, a purple cape and a red helmet.
  • Self revealed: Xavier was born of parents who worked on the first A-Bomb project and thinks he might be the first mutant. He created a school, Professor Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, as a haven for mutants so they can learn their powers for the benefit of mankind which includes protecting mankind from the evil mutants out there who feel they should rule the Earth. He is confined to a wheel chair due to a child hood accident.
  • Xavier puts his students through training to refine their abilities. X-Men display youthful competition and rivalry. Jean Grey (Marvel Girl) arrives by taxi for admission into school. All of the boys are ga-ga over the girl.
  • Magneto refers to himself as "Homo Superior" (versus Homo Sapien).
  • Considering when it debuted (1960's) there is no real surprise X-Men includes Cold War influences in the story.

Movie Relationships

  • In the movies, X-Men wear Black leather outfits. In the comic, they wore blue and yellow outfits.
  • In the movies Magneto is portrayed as someone lashing back at oppression while in the first edition of the comic, he is portrayed as an unsympathetic power hungry megalomaniac. In addition to controlling metal, he has the power to form a magnetic barrier around himself for protection or around others to trap them. His control over magnetism effects everything, not just metal.
  • Cyclops is called Slim Summers, a nick name. In later episodes and the movies he is called Scott. Scott has two eyes but a single power beam comes out of his eyes, hence the name (although sometimes it as drawn in the comics as two beams).
  • The Beast, Hank McCoy looks like a normal person as he is not covered with blue fur (he evolves in later decades).
  • Jean Grey, Marvel Girl is a strong X-Men team member with no mental issues at this point in time. However the rest of the story is yet to be revealed.
  • Angel was a strong central X-Men team member in the original series but only got peripheral treatment in the third X-Men movie, The Last Stand.
  • Bobby Drake, Iceman is a full fledged member of the X-men team, not just a student at the school as portrayed in the first 3 movies. It just so happens that Frozone in The Incredibles manipulates water in a similar manner, but Iceman did it first!
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Issue 2 (1963)

Issue No.2- Nothing Can Stop The Vanisher (1963)

  • Credits: Written by: Stan Lee; Drawn by: Jack Kirby; Inked by: Paul reinman; Lettered by: Sam Rosen.
  • Characters Introduced: Vanisher, FBI Agent Fred Duncan.
  • Gadgets: The Danger Room, a training room full of perilous gadgets for the X-Men to practice against; Psionic Head Band worn by normal people (Agent Duncan) making it easier for the Professor to read their thoughts; McDonnel XV-1 Convertiplane.

Summary

The team fights the Vanisher, a mutant who can teleport himself and who's primary interest appears to be robbing a bank and stealing Continental Defense Plans from the Pentagon for ransom. The fight against the Vanisher ends in more of a whimper than a real fight with Professor Xavier demonstrating his mental ability to get inside people's heads, even make them forget who they are.

Notes and Trivia

  • The X-Men spend time training in the Danger Room to deal with the Vanisher.
  • The Vanisher wears a funky red suit with a semi hood and another purple cape. He is the second mutant (after Magneto) who refers to himself as "Homo Superior".
  • The X-Men keep their identities secret however, Angel is swarmed by women who want his autograph and more! Angel is conceited.
  • X-Men are welcomed by the general populace aware of their actions at Cape Citadel. Later when the team receives some public scorn after failing to deal with the Vanisher.
  • Marvel Girl and Cyclops are developing a relationship and Iceman is jealous.
  • Professor Xavier coordinates X-Men actions with the FBI Agent Duncan and the White House.
  • Cold war influences in story.

1964

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Issue 3

Issue No.3- Beware of the Blob! (1964)

  • Credits: Written by: Stan Lee; Drawn by: Jack Kirby; Inked by: Paul reinman; Lettered by: Art Simek.
  • Characters Introduced: Blob
  • Gadgets: Electronic Mass Influencer, can effect the memories of a crowd.

Summary

The Professor senses a mutant called the Blob, working at the carnival. He is big and fat, can control his body such that skin can't be penetrated by bullets, harmed by fire, he can anchor himself to the ground and is "mutant" strong. Xavier invites the Blob to his school inviting him to join the X-Men, but Blob decides he'd rather steal the Professor's secrets sending his carnival friends and exotic animals to assault the school. Blob and the carnies loose. The Professor performs a group mind wipe, ending this episode.

Notes and Trivia

  • Cyclops expresses hesitancy to get involved with Jean Grey because of his power. Jean makes it apparent she has feelings for Scott.
  • Xavier reveals to the reader he loves Jean Grey but it's unclear what kind of love he is referring to.
  • Cyclops is referred to as Scott (Scott Summers) by Jean Grey and the narrative. Previously he was called "Slim".
  • Cyclops blasts a rampaging elephant the length of a football field. Yes it's true.

Movie Relationships

  • Xavier notices that Cyclops is always "grim and unsmiling". Noted in movies to some degree.
  • Blob makes a token appearance in X-Men "Wolverine: Origins" as part of William Stryker’s paramilitary team, but is not central to the plot. In the comic he is a carnival worker who uses his mutant abilities to entertain the crowds. In the movie, his size is attributed to a eating disorder and while in the comic his ability to anchor himself and resist damage is mutant related, in the movie, he appears to be just a big fat and powerful guy.
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Issue 4

Issue No.4- The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants (1964)

Summary

The The Brotherhood of (Evil) Mutants is established with members Toad, Quick Silver, Scarlet Witch, Mastermind, and Magneto. For world domination, they attack a small South American nation called Santo Marco using a stolen destroyer and Mastermind's ability to make the residents see an invading army the country capitulates. Magneto likes playing hard ball and arms a nuclear bomb to eradicate the X-Men. However, Quick Silver, brother of the Scarlet Witch, a mutant with a conscience prevents the bomb from going off. Xavier is left helpless (no mutant powers) at the end of this issue and the Brotherhood escapes.

Notes and Trivia

  • Mastermind, Quick Silver, and the Scarlet Witch have some personal conflict.
  • Magneto saved Scarlet Witch from a a village in Europe where she was going to be harmed by a mob because of her mutant powers.
  • The Scarlet Witch's brother, Quick Silver is not sold on Magneto's vision of world domination. Ultimately he takes action to prevent the X-Men from being killed.
  • The Professor and Magneto conduct a meeting on a "mental plane" to negotiate. Magneto believes people should be slaves to mutants. The Professor disagrees.
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Issue 5

Issue No.5- The Angel is Trapped! (1964)

  • Credits: Written by: Stan Lee; Drawn by: Jack Kirby; Inked by: Paul reinman; Lettered by: Sam Rosen.
  • Characters Featured: Magneto, Toad, Quick Silver, Scarlet Witch, Mastermind.
  • Gadgets: The Danger Room; Magneto's magnetically powered airplane; Magnetic Intensifier increase Magnetos control over metal and the environment; magnetic Dart Grenade.

Summary

Professor Xavier has lost his mental powers in the last episode. The Brotherhood (Magneto, Toad, Quick Silver, Scarlet Witch, Mastermind) abducts Angel, taking him to their asteroid base, unsuccessfully torturing him in an attempt to reveal the X-Men's HQ. Magneto faces a mutiny when The Scarlet Witch and Quick Silver refuse to kill the X-Men. The fight between the The Brotherhood of Mutants and X-Men is interrupted when the asteroid starts to break up and all escape. It turns out the Professor's lost mental powers was just a ruse to test the X-Men.

Notes and Trivia

  • Hank McCoy reveals he does not like being The Beast. He would rather be Hank McCoy honor student. (Remember he is not a blue furry beast in this rendition of X-men.)
  • The Brotherhood's base is now located on an asteroid circling the Earth.
  • Toad is very reminiscent of Renfield in the original Dracula story.

Movie Parallels

  • Jean Grey's parents come to visit her at the school. Unlike the movie there is no hint that she is mentally troubled.
  • Unlike the movie version, the comic version of Toad is short and toady and no super tongue has been revealed so far. His main ability is to hop with force, using his legs as weapons.
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Issue 6

Issue No.6- Sub-Mariner Joins the Evil Mutants! (1964)

  • Credits: Written by: Stan Lee; Drawn by: Jack Kirby; Inked by: Chic Stone; Lettered by: Sam Rosen.
  • Characters Introduced: Sub-Mariner (Prince Namor).
  • Characters Featured: Magneto, Toad, Quick Silver, Scarlet Witch, Mastermind.
  • Gadgets: Undersea Racer- a speedy underwater vehicle that looks like a jet aircraft.

Summary

The Professor and Magneto both attempt to enlist Sub-Mariner (Prince Namor) to their cause. Prince Namor wa romantically involved with a human once, Sue Storm but it turned out badly so he is done with humans. On Magneto’s island, conflict erupts between the X-Men, The Brotherhood of Mutants, and Sub Mariner, ending with Sub Mariner remaining unaligned, moping back to his under ocean castle, the BOEM (Brotherhood of Evil Mutants) escaping in Magneto’s rocket as the X-Men watch them leave.

Notes and Trivia

  • Iceman (Bobby Drake) has a sweet tooth. He's been eating ice cream in one form or another for the last 3 episodes.
  • Angel refers to the X-men as "Homo Superior" mutants.
  • One of the primary goals of the X-Men are to locate new mutants and turn them towards good before Magneto can turn them bad.
  • Xavier laments the power of his brain but his inability to cure his helpless legs.
  • Quote: Marverl Girl watching the Brotherhood escape: I'm glad to see them go! That witch is much too attractive!
Issue7

Issue 7

Issue No.7- The Return of the Blob! (1964)

  • Credits: Written by: Stan Lee; Drawn by: Jack Kirby; Inked by: Chic Stone; Lettered by: Art Simek.
  • Characters Introduced: Zelda.
  • Characters Featured: Magneto, Toad, Quick Silver, Scarlet Witch, Mastermind.
  • Gadgets: Cerebro- a machine that helps Xavier detect other mutants; Magma Car.

Summary

The X-Men graduate from Xavier's School and Xavier appoints Cyclops' as team leader. Magneto acknowledges that the X-Men stand between him and his goal of world domination. Marvel Girl likes Cyclops. The Blob joins The Brotherhood until he realizes he is expendable and returns to the carnival.. Another X-Men/BOEM fight without resolution. Quick Silver and Scarlet Witch are fed up with Magneto.

Notes and Trivia

  • The Scarlet Witch is not happy being part of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants.
  • Scott Summers (Cyclops) fears his power beam, afraid he will lose control of it someday and accidently hurt someone, and has considered visiting a doctor for a cure.
  • It is revealed that Magneto can read minds.
  • The term Hey Rube! is used by a Carney to call for help.
  • The X-Men celebrate their graduation by visiting a Greenwich Village Coffee Shop to listen to some jazz. The Beast's feet are killing him so he takes his shoes off and becomes a hit with the beat-nik crowd.
  • Zelda the waitress appears for the first time at the Coffee-a- Go-Go Coffee shop and The Angel flirts with her.

Movie Parallels

  • Cerebro is not a huge spherical machine in the original comic, but something that looks like a computer control panel.
  • Blob makes a token appearance in X-Men "Wolverine: Origins" but is not central to the plot. Unlike the movie, the Blob does not get fat as a result of a eating disorder. He starts out fat!
Issue8

Issue 8

Issue No.8- The Uncanny Threat of Unus The Untouchable! (1964)

  • Credits: Written by: Stan Lee; Drawn by: Jack Kirby; Inked by: Chic Stone; Lettered by: Sam Rosen.
  • Characters Introduced: Unus.
  • Gadgets: Ray device to defeat Unus by increasing his powers.

Summary

While saving a boy stuck on top of a water tower in Greenwich Village, NYC, The Beast and Iceman are assaulted by a crowd who fear their mutant powers. Beast leaves the X-Men and becomes a wrestler where he meets Unus, the Untouchable in the ring and notices Mastermind in the crowd. Beast's instincts are correct and Unus wants into the BOEM. A fight between the X-Men (minus Beast) and Unus comes to a draw after Unus interrupts a bank robbery, taking the loot for himself. The X-Men discover Beast is back at Xavier's Mansion working on a device to neutralize Unus's power. After they use it on him, Unus, agrees not to join the BOEM and returns to the ring to continue wrestling.

Notes and Trivia

  • In this issue it is revealed that Cyclops loves Marvel Girl, but appears to be hesitant to express himself especially now that he is the leader of the group. She feels the same about him but they are not connecting.
  • Xavier is located exploring a cave in the Balkans searching for Lucifer.
  • The Beast quits the X-Men and becomes a professional wrestler.
  • Lucifer (a new mutant) is mentioned but does not appear in the story.

1965

Issue9

Issue 9

Issue No.9- Enter The Avengers! (1965)

  • Credits: Written by: Stan Lee; Drawn by: Jack Kirby; Inked by: Chic Stone; Lettered by: Sam Rosen.
  • Characters Introduced: Mighty Avengers; Lucifer
  • Gadgets: Artificial Dust Devil!, A Thermal Bomb capable of incinerating a continent; Lucifer uses a Mental Directional Impulse that shoots a Destructive Ionic Ray; hydraulic Conveyer.

Summary

The X-Men follow Xavier to Europe as he searches for Lucifer in a cave in the Balkan Mountains. It is revealed that Lucifer caused Xavier to lose the use of his legs. The Mighty Avengers are also on the trail of Lucifer, but are unaware he has rigged a device so that if he is killed a huge bomb will detonate destroying most of Earth. The Avenger's allow the X-Men to take care of Lucifer. The Professor seizes control of Lucifer's mind incapacitating him, the bomb is disarmed, then Lucifer is set free. Why? Because the X-Men are good guys!

Notes and Trivia

  • This issue guest stars The Mighty Avengers (including Iron Man) and marks the return of Xavier.
  • In Issue 9, Jean Grey continues to have romantic feelings for Scott (Cyclops).
  • Magneto and Xavier have the ability to project mental images of themselves to others.
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Issue 10

Issue No.10- The Coming of Ka-Zar (1965)

  • Credits: Written by: Stan Lee; Drawn by: Jack Kirby; Inked by: Chic Stone; Lettered by: Sam Rosen.
  • Characters Introduced: Ka-Zar (not a mutant), Zabu, Maa-Gor (not a mutant).
  • Gadgets:

Summary

Imagined title: Tarzan and the The Lost World. Marvel Girl (Jean Grey) has honed her telekinetic skills to a high level, able to disassemble and reassemble a rifle using her mind. Cyclops (Scott) AGAIN expresses his attraction regarding Jean, but not to her personally. Team X-Men travel to Antarctica to locate Ka-Zar, a Tarzan like figure with a pet Saber Tooth Cat. He is not a mutant, but he has incredible powers. They crawl down a hole and discover a lost world filled with dinos, Ka-Zar, Zabu, (his cat), Swamp Men, and Maa-Gor (last of the Man-Ape tribe). Due to a little misunderstanding about who can "touch" Ka-Zar, a brief fight breaks out. Cyclops and Marvel Girl, are captured by The Swamp Men who try to sacrifice them to a T-Rex. Ka-Zar controls mastodons, just like Tarzan can! Jean and Angel are rescued. Ka-Zar tells the X-Men to get out of his jungle.

Notes and Trivia

  • Quote: from the writer Stan Lee- "No mere words of ours can do justice to the fury of Ka-Zar' attack... so we'll attempt no such written description".
  • Quote 2: In response to Cyclop's concern over Jean, she thinks: "Is that the normal concern of a leader for an ally...or, do I detect another note in his voice?... One that I've been longing to hear?"
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Issue No.11

Issue No.11- The Triumph of Magneto! (1965)

  • Credits: Written by: Stan Lee; Drawn by: Jack Kirby; Inked by: Chic Stone; Lettered by: Artie Simek.
  • Characters Introduced: The Stranger
  • Characters Featured: Magneto, Toad, Mastermind.
  • Gadgets: Radar Image Beam that converts radar blips into pictures of the object. Anti-Magnetic Membrane.

Summary

The Stranger, described as a super-powerful being (not a mutant) and according to Cyclops (Scott) (Cliche Alert) is "probably the most dangerous mutant we've ever faced!" Marvel Girl (Jean Grey) has more romantic thoughts about Cyclops. Magneto and The Brotherhood try to coerce The Stranger into joining them but are unsuccessful. The Stranger zaps Mastermind with a beam that turns him into a block of something solid (he's not dead), then abducts Magneto and the Toad to study their mutant powers. Back at the mansion Cerebro (Xavier's Mutant Detection Gadget) goes berserk. "Whatever it is that's out there threatening us, it is the most powerful, most deadly danger we have ever faced!" There is definitely no rest for the X-Men in this series!

Notes and Trivia

  • Quote: "Introducing the new, startling, staggering menace of The Stranger!"
  • Cultural Slang for Money: Scratch, Cabbage, Jack, Moola, Dough.
  • Without his glasses, Cyclops is unable to stop his energy beam, even with his eyes tightly closed.
  • Quote: When Cyclops refers to Jean Grey as "Good Girl" she thinks: "Somehow when he says "Good Girl", it's better than Richard Chamberlain saying "My Darling".
  • The Scarlet Witch and Quick Silver leave the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants and saying they are sick of conflict will not join the X-men although The Scarlet Witch takes one good look at Cyclops and appears to be attracted to him.

Movie Parallels

  • Bobby Drake, Iceman can do some pretty fantastical things with his ice ability that have not been shown in the 3 movies he has been featured in (2009 comment).
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IssueNo. 12

Issue No.12- The Origin of Professor X! (1965)

  • Credits: Written by: Stan Lee; Layout by: Jack Kirby; Pencilling: Alex Toth; Inked by: Wince Colletta; Lettered by: Sam Rosen.
  • Characters Introduced: Juggernaut (Cain Marko)
  • Gadgets: Steel Inner Wall that protects the Mutant School.

Summary

Based on Cerebro's warning, the X-Men set up defenses around the school. Xavier reveals that his step-brother Juggernaut (Cain Marko) is the threat. A flashback tells the story of when Xavier was a child, this Father died in a nuclear research accident. A fellow scientist named Dr. Marko developed a romantic relationship with Xavier's Mom, just to get his hands on the family fortune. Evil Cain Marko, his son and Xavier's step-brother caused an accidental explosion in a lab fatally injuring his father. Before he dies, with his last breath Dr. Marko warns Xavier about Cain. Later during the Korean War, Cain is transformed into a mutant when he find the Temple of Cyttorak (black magic diety) in a cave and touches a powerful ruby which turns him into the Juggernaut. Back to the present, after fighting his way through all of the X-Men's defenses, Juggernaut stands face to face with Xavier and the reader is promised "one of the greatest battles of all time".

Notes and Trivia

  • The Professor's father is Brian Xavier.
  • The Professor's step-brother is Cain Marko (Juggernaught).
  • Xaviers mutant powers result from the radiation his parents were exposed to doing research.
  • The Temple of Cyttorak, a black magic deity that gave Juggernaught his powers.
  • Story is repeated in Issue No.67.

Movie Parallels

  • Juggernaught- No mention of his relationship to Xavier is made in the movie. Unlike the movie, Juggernaught does not have to build up speed to break through obstacles. He wears a helmet (which offers psionic protection to withstand Xavier).
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IssueNo.13

Issue No.13- Where Walks the Juggernaught (1965)

  • Credits: Written by: Stan Lee; Layout by: Jack Kirby; Pencilling: Jay Gavin; Inked by: Joe Sinnott; Lettered by: Sam Rosen.
  • Characters Introduced (as in first appearance in this series): Daredevil, Human Torch
  • Gadgets: Xavier's Mento-Helmit.

Summary

The fight continues with Juggernaut (Cain Marko)', protected by a mental-block helmet, prevents Xavier from attacking him. Marvel Girl (Jean Grey) levitates the Juggernaut while Cyclops burns a deep hole in the ground. Jean releases him and he falls in the hole. Eventually Juggernaut digs his way out. The Professor uses his Mento-Helmit to broadcast a help signal across the city which is felt by both Daredevil and Human Torch.

After Juggernaut escapes the hole, Beast maneuvers him into the Danger Room. The training equipment slows him down. A team effort of Beast, Human Torch, and Angel are able to remove Juggernaut's helmet. Now he belongs to the Professor who mentally zaps him ending the fight. After Juggernaut is ready turned over to the authorities. Professor Xavier tells the Human Torch the X-Men are eternally grateful and then rewards him by wiping his short term memory. Yes it's true!

Notes and Trivia

  • First Episode where Xavier's Mento-Helmit is used.

Movie Parallels

  • Mento-Helmit is what Xavier wears in Cerebro to locate mutants. It amplifies the power of his brain.
  • Juggernaught appears in the 3rd movie, X-Men, The Last Stand.
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Issue No.14

Issue No.14- Among Us Stalk... The Sentinels! (1965)

  • Credits: Written by: Stan Lee; Layout by: Jack Kirby; Pencilling: Jay Gavin; Inked by: V. Colletta; Lettered by: Artie Simek.
  • Characters Introduced: Dr. Bolivar Trask, The Sentinels
  • Gadgets:

Summary

This episode introduces The Sentinels, the mutant hunting robots originally created by http://marvel.com/universe/Trask%2C_Bolivar Dr. Bolivar Trask] who believes mutants are the greatest menace to mankind. Categorizing all mutants as "bad", the first witch hunt for mutants has begun. During a debate between Xavier and Trask, he reveals his invention, a squad of robots called Sentinels created to control and destroy Mutants who will not submit to authority.

However, in a surprise twist, the Sentinels run amok when they attack the Doctor, announcing they are superior to humans and must control humans to protect them. At times Cyclops has problems controlling his optical power beam. After accidentally damaging a cab, he is chased by an anti-mutant mob. The X-Men locate Sentinel Head Quarters, a hidden fortress that rises from beneath the ground, attacking them with energy beams as they approach.

Notes and Trivia

  • First three issue story arc.
  • Angel's wings did not sprout until he went to military school. Soon after he left school for fear of having to submit to a physical exam. His parents don't know about his condition.
  • Cyclops allows Angel to have the upper hand in the competition for Marvel Girl's (Jean Grey) affection due to a complex regarding the danger of his power vision. Cyclops appears to be a melancholy person. This theme has continued since Issue No.1.
  • The first real witch hunt for mutants begins.
  • Zelda the waitress makes her second appearance at Coffee A-Go-Go in Greenwich Village. Bobby asks her for a date, she agrees, but when an emergency pops up, asks for a rain check. Zelda is pissed.
  • It is revealed that Warren Worthington III, Angel comes from a well to do family living on the North Shore of Long Island, N.Y.
  • Marvel Girl demos her ability to levitate herself with her mental power.

Movie Parallels

Dr. Trask in the comic is the original mutant alarmist as opposed to Col. William Striker or Senator Kelly in the movies. In the X-Men: The Last Stand (3rd movie), the X-Men are seen fighting a Sentinel in the movie version of the X-Men's Danger Room, which is more like a Star Trek HoloDeck.

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Issue No.15

Issue No.15- Prisoners of the Mysterious Master Mold (1965)

  • Credits: Written by: Stan Lee; Layout by: Jack Kirby; Pencilling: Jay Gavin; Inked by: Dick Ayers; Lettered by: Artie Simek.
  • Gadgets: A huge hydraulic fortress with power beams, flame throwers, and giant mechanical arms; psycho probe- probes human minds; Heavy-Gravity Ray- used by Sentinels, immobilizes the X-Men.

Summary

Sentinels Part II- As the X-Men assault the Sentinel base, http://marvel.com/universe/Trask%2C_Bolivar Dr. Trask] tries to reason with the The Sentinels arguing that taking over Earth is not what he had in mind when he created them. The Professor mentally disables a group of the Sentinels who are manning the fortress's external defenses.

The Beast has been captured. The head Sentinel, Master Mold commands that the captured Beast be put under the Psycho Probe where he reveals the X-Men's mission is to protect Mankind from evil mutants. Dr. Trask anguishes about how wrong he was about the X-Men. Under the influence of the Psycho Probe, The Beast talks... a lot. Outside the fortress, the Professor creates an astral image of himself to enter the fortress and stop the Beast from revealing all of the X-Men's secrets and Xavier probes the Master Mold's analytical circuitry. The X-Men attacks are blunted by the Sentinel's heavy-gravity ray.

So ends episode 15 (the last issue of 1965) with the Master Mold (head Sentinel) demanding that Dr. Trask create an army of Sentinels for him. Trask yells "NO!" and is dragged away.

Notes and Trivia

  • Issue 15 includes a Beast origins story.
  • Iceman makes an ice glider and Cyclops uses his power vision to supply forward thrust to launch it and the X-men into the wild blue.
  • Beast suspects he got his mutant powers because his father was exposed to radiation working on an atomic project.
  • The Astral Image created by the Professor, is the ability to project his mental self to another location and interact with the environment, mentally but not physically. The image must return to his body before it is destroyed or he (the Professor) will be condemned to remain in a trance forever.
  • The Happiness Boys- Iceman's nickname for the Sentinels.

Movie Parallels

  • Iceman creates an ice shield as he did in X-Men 2.

1966

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Issue No.16

Issue No.16- The Supreme Sacrifice (1966)

  • Credits: Written by: Stan Lee; Layout by: Jack Kirby; Pencilling: Jay Gavin; Inked by: Dick Ayers; Lettered by: Artie Simek.
  • Gadgets: Heavy Gravity Globe- anything in it is effected by extra strong gravitational force.

Summary

"In Which A Life Is Lost... A Battle Won!", The Sentinels Part III- Xavier discovers that a large crystal mounted on top of a building can neutralize the The Sentinels by disrupting their communications. The X-Men are captured, break free, and then are hit with a massive stun ray. But when they wake up all the Sentinels around them have collapsed. The Professor, the police, and the mysterious crystal are passing overhead in a helo.

Inside the fortress, the Master Mold is intent on manufacturing more Sentinels, threatening Trask and the city with destruction if he does not cooperate. However, Trask knows that his actions will mean the enslavement of the human race, can't do it and instead, whacks the ionic power source with a wrench and kaboom, the fortress blows up, killing Trask and destroying the Master Mold, Sentinels, and Sentinel production equipment. Next episode includes "the most unexpected menace of all!"

Notes and Trivia

  • Dr Bolivar Trask sacrificing himself, dies in an explosion he caused to destroy the Sentinels.
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Issue No.17

Issue No.17- And None Shall Survive! (1966)

  • Credits: Written by: Stan Lee; Layout by: Jack Kirby; Pencilling: Jay Gavin; Inked by: Dick Ayers; Lettered by: Artie Simek.
  • Characters Introduced: Dr. John Thomas
  • Characters Featured: Magneto
  • Gadgets: Automatic Phone Answering Device- not too common in 1966.

Summary

Issue 17 starts with this warning: "You must not reveal the incredible ending to any living soul! (Remember... we'll be watching you!)".

Professor Xavier' receives accolades from the Army, keeping it a secret he is an X-Man. Beast, Cyclops, and Iceman, are injured and taken to the hospital but keep their outfits on to protect their identities. Of the three, Iceman appears to be in the worst shape, unconscious and delirious. Complicating the situation Angel's parents plan on visiting Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. Xavier senses some menace in the vicinity of the school, the X-Men headquarters, so Angel volunteers to scout it.

Inside the school Angel discovers a hostile presence. Xavier looses mental contact with Angel instructing Cyclops drive him post haste to the school. When Marvel Girl and The Beast notice everyone is gone but Iceman, they head for the school and one by one each of them are gotten the better of, but by who? The Issue ends with Angel's parents being greeted at Xavier's school by none other than Magneto, who was abducted and taken to another planet by 'The Stranger in a previous issue.

Notes and Trivia

Dr. John Thomas is the doctor who takes care of the X-Men in the hospital.

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Issue No.18 (1966)

Issue No.18- If Iceman Should Fail! (1966)

  • Credits: Written by: Stan Lee; Art by: Jay Gavin; Inked by: Dick Ayers; Lettered by: Artie Simek.
  • Characters Featured: Magneto, The Stranger
  • Gadgets: Laser-Induced Hypdermic- looks like a ray gun, used to give Iceman a shot; Mental Wave Distorter- placed on Xavier's head by Magneto to prevent him from using his telepathic powers; Selector Panel- A device that allows Magneto to analyze, duplicate and manipulate cell patterns to create new mutants.

Summary

If you remember in Issue 11, Magneto and Toad were abducted by The Stranger and whisked to another planet, so his appearance back on Earth is a surprise. Xavier probes Magneto's memory to discover, he hijacked a spaceship and during the escape, abandoned poor, devoted Toad.

'Magneto lifts Xavier's School/mansion with the intent of smashing it, but then decides to use it as his headquarters. He abducts Angel's parents, hypnotizing them, and uses a device (a Selector Panel) to measure their cell patterns with the intent of creating new mutants who will be at his command. Soon after, he starts growing mutants in large glass tubes.

In the gondola, the X-Men prisoners are in a tight spot. With the help of a talented doctor, Iceman has recovered at the hospital. Xavier is able to remove a mental shackle placed on his head and sends Iceman to stop Magneto's research and save Angel's parents.

Marvel Girl (Jean Grey) uses her abilities to stop the Gondola from rising. Cyclops punctures a hole in the gondola's gas bag and it starts to descend rapidly. Jean's most impressive telekinetic feat to date is accomplished when she arrests its descent at the last moment saving them from a deadly impact. Escaping, they engage Magneto in battle and during the fight Xavier uses his mental projection to call The Stranger, who suddenly appears. The episode ends with a panicky Magneto jumping in his magma car and speeding away with The Stranger in pursuit. Magneto's mutant research is stopped.

Notes and Trivia

  • Jean Grey's most impressive telekinetic feat to date is accomplished when she stops a large steel gondola containing herself and most of the X-Men that is plummeting to Earth from smashing into it by arresting it's fall at the last moment.
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Issue No.19 (1966)

Issue No.19- Lo! Now Shall Appear-- The Mimic! (1966)

  • Credits: Written by: Stan Lee; Pencilling: Jay Gavin; Inked by: Dick Ayers; Lettered by: Artie Simek.
  • Characters Introduced: Vera The Librarian, The Mimic (Calvin Rankin)- Vera's Wanna-Be Boyfriend.

Summary

Iceman and the Beast encounter Calvin Rankin (The Mimic) while on a double date. who is irritated that his "girl friend" is on a date with someone else. During a fight they discover The Mimic can absorb their mutant powers, but this can only happen when he is physically close to them. Xavier knows that Calvin is not a mutant and is a troubled person. A back story describes how he gained this power as a boy because of an accident in his father's lab. The father built a machine to make his son's powers permanent, but it was lost in a cave-in.

After absorbing all of the X-Men powers, he fights them, kidnaps Marvel Girl, taking her to his cave, and tells her his story. The Mimic's plan is to lure the X-Men into his cave where after absorbing their powers, he can dig through the rubble to find the machine that will grant him permanent powers. But after locating the machine, the Professor tells the X-Men to allow The Mimic to use his father's machine because he (Xavier) knows the machine was designed to remove the Mimic's power permanently. The episode ends with a good old-fashioned Xavior mind wipe, and Calvin Rankin heads out to live a normal life as a college student. (or does he?)

Notes and Trivia

  • Beast likes calling Iceman, "MacDuff".
  • Backstory of The Mimic- As a boy he sneaks into his father's (the scientist) lab and breaks a beaker exposing him to some kind of un-named gas which gives him the power to mimic other people's abilities as long as he is in their presence. These absorption abilities include regular human and mutant skills. Calvin Rankin's abilities are such that people have become suspicious and angry, so he is not popular. The father suggests they go live in a cave, yes a cave, until he can figure out how to help the boy so he creates a machine that will enable the boy to keep his powers, or so Calvin thinks.

But the machine is so powerful it causes a huge drain on the electricity supply, causing every fuse in the local area to pop! A mob, angry at having their electricity disrupted, shows up at the cave and to "protect" themselves Calvin's Dad sets off an explosion to seal the cave entrance, but manages to blow himself up in the process. Calvin digs his way out of the cave and vows to get even with people in general! He is determined to dig through the rubble and find "the machine" that will change him so he can keep the powers he absorbs permanently. However The Mimic does not realize the machine his Father built was designed to permanently take away his ability to absorb poweers.

Xm020

Issue No.20 (1966)

Issue No.20- I, Lucifer (1966)

  • Credits: Written by: Stan Lee; Scripted by: Roy Thomas; Pencilling: Jay Gavin; Inked by: Dick Ayers; Lettered by: Artie Simek.
  • Characters Introduced: Mr. Philbert (bank employee).
  • Characters Featured: Blob, Lucifer, Unus
  • Gadgets: Mechanical Memory Inducer- used to penetrate a mental screen.; Mento Wave- Receiver- Lucifer's gadget tells him that Xavier has penetrated his mental screen; Beam Distorter- helps Xavier recover from an attack from Lucifer.

Summary

Robbing a bank, Blob and Unus who are dressed as X-Men are unwitting accomplices to Lucifer who put the idea into their heads with the hope of drawing out the X-Men. Lucifer, wants to defeat them in battle with the help of his robot henchmen.

Cyclops is quitting the X-Men to get medical help for his "sight" anxiety (energy eyeballs). He wants to be a normal person. Also, he hides his affection for Marvel Girl because he's afraid he'll accidentally hurt her, while Marvel Girl is practically falling over in love with him. On the way to the doctor, Cyclops runs into the bank robbers, confronting them as an X-Men. However, the witnesses think he is one of the bad guys and is forced to retreat as the crowd comes after him. The rest of the X-Men appear at the bank and are also attacked by the crowd. This is one of the ongoing themes of the X-Men, mankind's anxiety regarding mutants.

Blob and Unus escape. Lucifer senses that Xavier is probing his mental screen and sets off a device that fries Xavier's noggin, paralyzing him! However, Xavier is able to mentally tell Jean (Marvel Girl) the story of his past with Lucifer and how Lucifer causes Xavier to loose the use of his legs. The fight with Lucifer is why Xavier formed the X-Men. He recovers from his paralysis by telling Jean to give Beast the technical specs for a Beam Distorter that will heal him. Xavier senses Lucifer's hiding place in the U.S. Southwest desert. The X-Men fly out on their jet for the showdown with Lucifer and the "Startling Sinister Secret of Dominus!"

Notes and Trivia

  • Backstory- How The Professor Lost The Use of His Legs. While visiting a mysterious walled city in the shadow of the Himalayas, Xavier senses a tyrant who controls the city with some kind of alien machinery. The people live in fear. Xavier locates the rebellious elements in the city and formulates a successful resurrection invading the tyrant's castle. Lucifer (the tyrant), is ordered by the "Supreme One" to abandon Sector A and move to Sector B. But before Lucifer abandons the castle, he causes a large slab of stone to fall from the ceiling, hitting and crushing the Professor's legs. Xavier claims Lucifer and his people are one of the reasons he created the X-Men.
  • Cyclops quits the X-Men for 2 pages of this issue because of his cursed eyes in combination with his affection for Marvel Girl.

Movie Parallels

  • The X-Mens' Jet sits inside a part of the school but does not rise out of the basketball court.
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Issue No.21

Issue No.21- From Whence Comes Dominus? (1966)

  • Credits: Edited by: Stan Lee; Writing by: Roy Thomas; Art by: Jay Gavin; Inked by: Dick Ayers; Lettered by: Artie Simek.
  • Characters Introduced: The Supreme One.
  • Characters Featured: Lucifer
  • Gadgets: Beam-Distorter Helmit- protects Xavier's Noggin from mental interference; Hovercraft.

Summary

The X-Men pursue Lucifer to his hidden layer at Buchanan's Butte. They use Iceman's ice raft to ride a river into a cave. Marvel Girl telepathically frees the X-men from a trap.

The Lucifer's history is revealed. He belongs to an alien race called the Quists who like taking over planets, turning their populations into slaves with the help of Dominus, a sentient super-computer.

Lucifer sets his robots on the X-Men, but Xavier is able to mentally turn them into reckless fighters to be defeated easily. Iceman creates an ice shield that reflects their attack rays back, destroying them. The Supreme One (Lucifer's master) dials in and finding that all of his precious robots are destroyed. In a huff, he banishes Lucifer to a "nameless dimension" and sucks the machine called Dominus back to its origins. As Lucifer starts to vanish, he cries out to the X-men for help as they wave good bye.


21big

Dominus Fight!

Notes and Trivia

  • Quote: When Angel states the obvious, The Beast replies "A most sagacious deduction, my feathered friend! The mind positively boggles at your prodigious powers of perception! (Beast likes using big words...)
  • Dominus- a sentient- super computer Lucifer uses in an attempt to enslave the human race.
  • Backstory of the Quists: Lucifer, belongs to an alien race called the Quists who has been around before the origin of the Earth and likes taking over planets, turning their populations into slaves with the help of Dominus, a sentient super-computer.
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Issue No. 22

Issue No.22- Divided We Fall! (1966)

  • Credits: Written by: Stan Lee; Script by: Roy Thomas; Art by: Jay Gavin; Inked by: Dick Ayers; Lettered by: Artie Simek; Colosso by: Irving Forbush Robotics, Inc.
  • Characters/Organizations Introduced: Count Nefaria, Plantman, Scarecrow, Eel, Unicorn, and Maggia- a criminal organization.
  • Gadgets: Colosso- a large robot training device for the X-Men; Sticky Net- used by Scarecrow to capture Angel; Hypnotic Disk- used by Porcupine to capture Beast.

Summary

By means of an illusion, the X-Men are captured one by one in Central Park by members of the Maggia, a criminal organization run by Count Nefaria and are whisked off to his ship where they are offered membership in his criminal organization. Nefaria's accomplices include Plantman, Scarecrow, Porcupine, Eel, and Unicorn. As part of a larger plan to take over the Earth, he attempts to isolate the Washington D.C. and ransom it.

There is competition between Angel and Cyclops for Marvel Girl's affection. Jean wants Scott, but the two of them can't seem to connect. Xavier witnessing young love, laments being confined to a wheel chair.

Notes and Trivia

  • Colosso- a large training robot for the X-Men to practice their skills against.
  • Maggia- a criminal organization headed by Count Nefaria.
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Issue No.23

Issue No.23- To Save A City (1966)

  • Credits: Written by: Stan Lee; Written by: Roy Thomas; Drawn by: Werner Roth; Inked by: Dick Ayers; Lettered by: Artie Simek.
  • Characters/Organizations Featured: Count Nefaria, Plantman, Scarecrow, Eel, Unicorn, and Maggia- a criminal organization.
  • Gadgets: Rocket Lift Boots (Unicorn); Lightweight Flexible Metal Braces- allow Xavier to walk.

Summary

Maggia Part II- Count Nefaria uses a machine to form an impenetrable dome over the Capital, Washington D.C. and projects an illusion of the X-Men demanding a ransom. Xavier's plan has the X-Men tell Nefaria they will join his team and head to Washington to collect the ransom money. They are attacked by citizens and the U.S. Army. Some mutinous members of the Maggia, decide they are going to grab the money for themselves. In the end, Xavier destroys the machine that created the dome, Nafaria and Unicorn think they have escaped with the money, but it turns out they just have one of Xavier's illusions while the Coast Guard closes in to apprehend them. After the dust settles, Marvel Girl (Jean Grey) reads a letter that arrived at the Xavier's School and announces, she must leave the X-Men forever!

Notes and Trivia

  • The Maggia is plagued by internal power struggles, deception and treachery.
  • Jean Greay (Marvel Girl) announces at the end of this episode that she must leave the X-Men (and she does, kinda)!
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Issue No. 24

Issue No.24- The Plague of The Locust! (1966)

  • Credits: Written by: Stan Lee; Script by: Roy Thomas; Art by: Werner Roth; Inked by: Dick Ayers; Lettered by: Sam Rosen.
  • Characters Introduced: Ted Roberts (Student at Metro College)- Jean's new friend; Locust (Dr. August Hopper)
  • Gadgets: Magno Ray- used by the Locust to mutate insects.

Summary

After Marvel Girl (Jean Grey) graduates from Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, her parents enroll her at Metro College and while compliant, she does not want to leave the X-Men (or Cyclops). More mental gymnastics regarding the unrealized love between Scott and Jean, but as usual no connection is made.

At college, trying to forget Cyclops, she meets Ted Roberts and develops a relationship with him. The Locust is a disgruntled college Professor called Doc Hopper, a genius, who employed by Ryan Chemicals developed the most potent of insecticides, but was never been given credit or the financial rewards. To gain the recognition, he concocts a plan to manipulate bugs, growing them to enormous size so he can be the one to rescue humanity, but the bugs get out of control and it is the X-Men and the U.S. Army that save him. Doc Hopper comes to his senses, seeing the error of his ways. The X-Men allow him to turn himself into the authorities.

Notes and Trivia

  • Johnny Storm (Human Torch) also attends Metro College but he does not appear in this issue.
  • Fav Quote from Stan to the Reader: Note to armchair psychologists: if, as you read on, it seems to you that our orthoperous antagonist has a distinct fascist fixation, please forward all analyses to mighty marvel...we're still trin' to figure him out!
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Issue No.25

Issue No.25- The Power and the Pendant (1966)

  • Credits: Written by: Stan Lee; Script by: Roy Thomas; Art by: Werner Roth; Inked by: Dick Ayers; Lettered by: Sam Rosen; Imitated by: Brand Echh.
  • Characters/Locations Introduced: El Tigre (Juan Meroz)- Gem hunter who with possession of the Sacred Pendant of Kukulcan, becomes the reincarnation of Kukulcan; Pyramid of the Mayan God Kukulcan.
  • 'Characters Featured: Ted Roberts'.

Summary

The X-Men save some kids from a burning orphanage. They drop Jean Grey off at Metro College who is met by Ted Roberts, her new persistent friend. Simultaneously in the departing limo, both Angel and Cyclops ponder a possible future with Jean Grey.

El Tigre (Juan Meroz), a gem hunter in South America comes across a special pendant in Kukulcan's catch of Sacred Gold which gives him great power. But he only has half of the pendant and needs the other half to realize even greater power, so he comes to NYC to steal it from the museum and runs head long into the X-Men. El Tigre glosses over the part of an inscription mentioning a curse of the pendant. Before they can stop El Tigre, he obtains the other half of the pendant, puts them together and is transformed into the reincarnation of Kukulcan!

Movie Parallels

  • Iceman suggests some ice skating on an ice rink he creates as in X-Men The Last Stand.
  • In comparison to the movies where Cerebro is used by the Professor to located mutants around the world, in the comic, Cerebro is rigged to sound an alarm any time it detects a new mutant or threat in the relative vicinity of the School.
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Issue No.26

Issue No.26- Holocaust (1966)

  • Credits: Editing by: Stan Lee; Script by: Roy Thomas; Art by: Werner Roth; Inked by: Dick Ayers; Lettered by: Sam Rosen; Mayan Headdresses by: Irving Forbush.
  • Characters Featured: El Tigre (Juan Meroz), Ted Roberts, The Mimic (Calvin Rankin).

Summary

While at school, Marvel Girl (Jean Grey) receives a call from Professor Xavier to research Mayan history and legends. She discovers the legend and curse of the pendant which tells of a violent holocaust if its powers are misused. A possible turning point in the relationship of Cyclops and Marvel Girl occurs when Cyclops senses that Jean Grey cares for him as much as he cares for her. Angel realizes and resents Jean's feelings for Cyclops.

El Tigre (Juan Meroz) successfully joins the two halves of the pendant to become the reincarnation of the Mayan God Kukulcan and heads back to the source of his newly acquired power at the ancient South American temple with the X-Men in hot pursuit. Beast discovers that a huge gem on top of an idol is the source of El Tigre’s power. In an attempt to dislodge the X-Man from the idol, El Tigre blasts the ground setting off a huge earthquake which swallows the idol and his pendant, converting El Tigre back to a mortal man, who is quickly apprehended. During the fight, Cyclops accidentally hit Angel with his optic energy. Angel accuses Cyclops of attacking him on purpose (because of their competition for Marvel Girl's affection).

Notes and Trivia

  • Quote: El Tigre: But, I am a mortal no more. The essence of the divine Kukulcan pervades my very being. Cyclops: Uh oh! Either El Tigre's completely flipped or else, mankind is in for it's greatest menace yet! I don't care if that guy calls himself El Tigre, or Kukulcan, or Little Mary Sunshine...I've got to stop him!
Xm027

Issue No.27

Issue No.27- Re-enter the Mimic! (1966)

  • Credits: Editing by: Stan Lee; Script by: Roy Thomas; Art by: Werner Roth; Inked by: Dick Ayers; Lettered by: Sam Rosen; (Wouldya Believe: Artie Simek?).

'Characters Introduced: Puppet Master, Spiderman' (Reminder: Introduced in X-Men series.)

  • Characters Featured: [The Mimic (Calvin Rankin), Ted Roberts, QuickSilver, Scarlet Witch, http://marvel.com/universe/Spiderman Spiderman].
  • Gadgets: Radio Active Clay- gives Puppet Master control over the image of anyone whose shape it is sculpted in; Multi-Frequency Booster- a device that allow Cerebro to more accurately pin point the location of mutants.

Summary

The last issue of 1966 is one of the most complex and interesting stories to date. First there is The Mimic (Calvin Rankin)', who lost his powers and had his memory wiped by Xavier in Episode No.19, now a college student, regains his memory after an injury and invites himself to Xavier’s to join the X-Men. The problem is he is an egotistic trouble maker. In a surprising twist, Cyclops steps down as the deputy commander of the X-Men and Professor Xavier appoints The Mimic as X-Men Team Leader. In practice fighting, the solo Mimic bests the X-Men, but not all is as it appears. At college, Marvel Girl (Jean Grey) develops a friendly relationship with Ted Roberts. She also has time to design new uniforms that although are still blue and yellow, include more blue in the shirts along the side of the torso, giving the yellow area a more sleek angular appearance.

The villain of this issue is the Puppet Master who uses a special radioactive clay to create images of people to take mental control of them. He desires control the X-Men so they will fight his enemies, the Fantastic Four. First he tries to control Xavier, but when that does not work, he chooses the new X-Men Team Leader, Mimic. It turns out that Xavier was aware of the Puppet Master's efforts and reacted by putting The Mimic in charge of the X-Men as bate. To deceive the PM in the practice fighting sessions between The Mimic and the X-Men, Xavier had instructed the X-Men to hold back to make it appear The Mimic was stronger than he really was. The showdown occurs at Puppet Master's lair. After beating a large android Defender, the X-Men confront him while he brandishes a Mimic puppet. The PM orders the Mimic to attack the X-Men but to the PM's surprise, the Mimic resists the command! Angel, who is still recovering from his fight with El Tigre, summons all of his strength to snatch the Mimic puppet out of the PM's hands. The act releases mental control of the Mimic. The build up to a spectacular conclusion ends with a whimper as the Mimic realizes he is being controlled, the Puppet Master suddenly disappears, and the X-Men rush to Angel's aid. The Mimic anguishes about his future and lack of permanent mimic abilities.

Notes and Trivia

  • Marvel Girl creates new uniforms for the X-Men. They are still blue and yellow but more blue in the shirts along the side of the torso, giving the yellow area a more sleek angular appearance.
  • A shocker, Xavier announces that Cyclops is stepping down as the Deputy Leader of the X-men to be replaced by the Mimic!
  • When he is not flying Angel drives a red convertible Ford Mustang, (1966?).

1967

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Issue No.28 (1967)

Issue No.28- The Wail of the Banshee! (1967)

  • Credits: Editing by: Stan Lee; Script by: Roy Thomas; Art by: Werner Roth; Inked by: Dick Ayers; Lettered by: Artie Simek; Noise Maker: Irving Forbush.
  • Characters/Organizations Introduced: Banshee (Sean Cassidy), Ogre, Factor Three.
  • 'Characters Featured: The Mimic (Calvin Rankin), Ted Roberts.'
  • Gadgets: Pyro-Projector- used by Ogre and Banshee to starts fires; Ogre wears Jet Equipped Boots, a wrist mounted Repello-Ray, and a chest mounted Blinding Light Device.

Summary

At Metro College, Ted Roberts, Jean's friend tells her the reason he drives himself so hard is because of his over-achieving brother, Ralph Roberts. But before the conversation can develop, a news radio flash is broadcast about a mysterious mass-mental blackout in downtown Manhattan, an art gallery break in, along with stolen tobacco! Newly introduced, Banshee (Sean Cassidy), the Ogre, and the organization called Factor Three plan on attacking the X-Men! The Banshee's ability is to create debilitating sound waves that also allow him to fly. He appreciates fine art and likes smoking a pipe to the extent that he wreaks havoc in downtown NYC to fetch some tobacco. Ogre may not be a mutant because his abilities rely exclusively on mechanical gizmos. On behalf of an organization called Factor Three, Ogre and Banshee locate and attack X-Men headquarters, Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters. A pleasant surprise is that The Mimic (Calvin Rankin) is now working as a X-Man, playing an important part in defeating them. There are two rounds of the fight. The first round is a stalemate. Banshee's wail is difficult to defend against until Xavier, probes Ogre's mind figuring out what kind of material he needs to use for an effective anti-Banshee ear plug for the X-Men. This time when the Banshee sonically attacks them, he is confounded when his attack has no meaningful effect! As he tries to escape, he is captured by a sonic blast from Mimic who has absorbed his power, along with a "specially treated" steel netting, and a gas pellet fired by the Beast. Once incapacitated, the Banshee is placed inside a special chamber that neutralizes his ability to vibrate the air. The Mimic allows his huge misplaced ego to run his mouth. Despite this tendency, Cyclops realizes that the Mimic made the difference in this fight. The Professor determines that Banshee is a good mutant not acting on his own accord and removes an electronic headband that forced Banshee to cooperate with Ogre. With a combined effort from Mimic and Cyclops, Ogre is apprehended.. The Professor tells the gang that Factor 3 is a most dangerous secret organization with plans to conquer the Earth!

Notes and Trivia

  • First episode where Factor Three mentioned.
  • The Banshees appreciates art and smoking his pipe.
Xm029

Issue No. 29 (1967)

Issue No.29- When Titans Clash! (1967)

  • Credits: Editing by: Stan Lee; Script by: Roy Thomas; Art by: Werner Roth; Inked by: John Tartaglione; Lettered by: Sam Rosen; Skating Instructor: Irving Forbush.
  • Characters Introduced: Super Adaptoid.
  • 'Characters Featured: The Mimic (Calvin Rankin).'

Summary

In the Danger Room, Professor Xavier puts The X-Men, including The Mimic (Calvin Rankin) through their paces, but without fail, Calvin has a bad attitude, and gets into a fight with the rest of the X-Men team. Xavier tries to stay out of it but finally, tells the Mimic to leave the school and announces that the X-Men will have to fight Factor Three (see Issue No.28) without Mimic. As he leaves, Mimic grumbles something about getting even.

The X-men take some time to relax. Marvel Girl (Jean Grey) and Calvin enjoy ice skating on a private pond. Meanwhile, Cyclops is tormented trying to control his energy eye balls without the use of a visor. In frustration, he blasts a hill disturbing the Super Adaptoid who was hiding underground in Revolutionary War tunnels after a fight with the The Avengers. The Super Adaptoid threatens Iceman, who covers him in ice, then runs back to the mansion to warn the others, but they do not believe him. Later during the X-Men's casual football game the Super Adaptoid goes after Marvel Girl with the intention of turning her and the X-Men into androids like himself. A fight erupts as Super Adaptoid tries to absorb Mimic’s powers but because they are not permanent, something goes wrong, short circuiting his wiring. He falls into a river, but just before splashing in and disappearing, he expresses confidence that "the world has not yet heard the last of the Adaptoid"! The issue ends with the X-Men forgiving Calvin for saving their behinds, and Calvin actually discovers some humility and the value of friendship!

Notes and Trivia

  • Quote: Bobby Drake (Iceman) after taking many spills while ice skating using skates: "I'm beginnin' to think I should strap these skates on my backside!"
  • The Super Adaptoid does not like being called a "robot" as he is too good for that.
  • Calving Rankin (The Mimic) actually finds some humility in this issue.
Xm030

Issue No.30 (1967)

Issue No.30- The Warlock Wakes! (1967)

  • Credits: Editer: Stan Lee; Script: Roy Thomas; Designer: Jack Sparling; Delineator: John Tartaglione; Letterer: Artie Simek; Manicurist: Irving Forbush.
  • Characters Introduced: The Warlock (see Note section).
  • Gadgets: Single-Person Hover Craft provided by Warlock.

Summary

A giant hand pulls the X-Men into alternate space, a void. Marvel Girl (Jean Grey) and the Professor are confronted by the Warlock, a man dressed in exotic magically-themed clothing.

The Warlock has the power to nullify the Professor's abilities. He is attracted to Jean Grey, while controlling her mind, as he summons a trio of winged stallions that whisks them to his subterranean castle guarded by men in mid-evil armor armed with tommy guns. Angel escapes the void and follows them .

The Warlock has a machine with the power to remove the knowledge of modern technology from the minds of the human race, which if successfully used, would allowing him and his gang to rule the Earth. The Professor helps the other X-Men escape the void. The Warlock prepares a tournament and tells the X-men if they win, he will cancel his plans for world domination. The X-men win, the Warlock reneges on his promise, he is bagged by the X-Men and forced back into the coma (see the Warlock backstory in the X-Men Chronology article Add link).

As the episode ends, the X-Men mop up the remainder of Warlock's thugs. And as they head for home, Marvel Girl ponders 'Cyclops (Scott Summers intense concern for her during the time she was dominated by Warlock, wondering if Cyclops has feelings for her, and if so, why he has never said anything about it? The suspense of un-fullfilled X-Men love continues!

Notes and Trivia

  • The X-Men Comics turn Merlin the Magician into a villian!
  • Warlock Backstory: (No.30 1967)- A super-human mutant who was first known as Merlin the Magician (King Author's Merlin) who has the ability to teleport, mind control, and control the environment to some degree. Centuries ago, the Warlock, a super-human mutant was known as Merlin the Magician (the famous King Author's Merlin) who sleeps through centuries in a coma only to awaken in modern times to be opposed by [Thor The Mighty Thunder God (ref: Thor Issue 96 and Thor Annual No.2). He is tricked into returning to his crypt in a New York City Museum where he was supposed to sleep for aother millennium. But Merlin was playing possum. After Merlin senses the absence of Thor from the Earth, he alters his appearance and awakens to be known as The Warlock! Of possible interest I could find no marvel.com reference for this specific character and a general online search revealed only fleeting details. There is a marvel character known as Adam Warlock who appeared in the Fantastic Four in the same time frame as this X-Men issue but his bio does not match up with this individual who claims to be Merlin the Magician from King Author's court.
  • Quote: As seems typical with X-Men villains, Warlock has a huge ego: "Your puny minds cannot suspect the true genius of my scheme!".
  • More Unfufilled X-Men Romance: Marvel Girl ponders Cyclop's intense concern for her during the time she was dominated by Warlock, she wonders if Cyclops has feelings for her, and if so, why he has never said anything about it?
Xm031

Issue No.31 (1967)

Issue No.31- We Must Destroy The Cobalt Man! (1967)

  • Credits: Editing by: Stan Lee; Script by: Roy Thomas; Pencilling by: Werner Roth; Inked by: John Tartaglione; Lettered by: Sam Rosen.
  • Characters/Organizations Introduced: Candy Sothern'- the light of Warren Worthington's (Angel) youth; 'Cobalt Man' (Ralph Roberts, brother of Ted Roberts), 'Robert's Research Lab.'
  • 'Characters Featured: Zelda, Vera' (Beast and Iceman's dates); 'Ted Roberts, Bernard' (the Coffee A GoGo hippie poet).
  • Gadgets: Danger Room; Cobalt Man Suit; Repulsar Rays (in suit); Signal Devices in X-Men Wrist Watches.

Summary

Professor Xavier asks 'Cyclops (Scott Summers to take the books on Columbian Civilization ( used for reference in the recent fight with El Tigre) over to Jean (Marvel Girl) at the college. Angel (Warren Worthington III tells Scott he was going over to look up Marvel Girl (Jean Grey) so why doesn't he give Scott a lift -and- make Jean choose between the two of them! Scott accepts.

Beast (Hank McCoy). and Iceman (Bobby Drake) prepare for their double dates with Zelda and Vera. While dressing, Hank once again laments his fate of being an X-Man and how he wishes to be just a regular Homo Sapien.

At Coffee A Go-Go, a Greenwich village coffee shop, Hank, Bobby and their dates listen to Bernard, the hippie poet, who notices Zelda, and to Bobby's consternation invites himself to their table. Bobby quietly freezes his coffee to make him go away.

At Metro College, Jean Grey's friend, Ted Roberts, introduces her to his over achieving elder brother Cobalt Man (Ralph Roberts whom who he is very competitive with. Ralph is a former employee at Stark Industries, home of Iron Man. Ted, Ralph, and Jean, meet up with Scott and Angel at a local diner. When Ralph invites them to his research lab, Angel decides it's time to look for other fish in the sea and excuses himself. He wanders into the Monkey's Paw, the "East-Side world of post-Twist teens and Watusi-ing teeny-boppers" and runs into Candy Sothern, a girl from his youth. They sit down to compare notes.

At the Lab, Ralph puts on a Cobalt suit he created to compete with Iron Man but something goes haywire, the suit has some design flaws and possibly associated with a knock on his head, (earlier in the story), Ralph kind of loses his mind, deciding he must take down Iron Man and anyone who stands in his way (whatever that means). He punches out his brother, Ted and leaving the lab appears oblivious about destroying the equipment used to create the Cobalt suit.

Cyclops and Marvel Girl raced towards the calamity of equipment being destroyed but they both take a moment to reflect about the perfect romantic situation now being ruined by another event. Jean is quite certain, Scott was just about to ask her on a date!! The X-Men have to defend themselves and end up splashing Cobalt Man in the river, which short circuits his suit. This episode ends with Ralph coming to his senses, while Ted seems to suspect that Marvel Girl is Jean Grey and Cyclops is Scott Summers.

Notes and Trivia

  • The Beast again laments his fate of being an X-Man and how he wishes to be just a regular Homo Sapien.
  • Quote: From Bernard, the Hippie Poet: "Like, life is a yo-yo...and mankind keeps tying knots in the string!"
  • Quote: Cyclops to Cobalt Man: "All right, I don't know who you are under that helmet, mister, but it's a cinch you're ot the interior decorator!"
  • Ralph Robertson, Ted Robert's older brother, inadvertently becomes Cobalt Man.
Xm032

Issue No.32 (1967)

Issue No.32- Beware The Juggernaut My Son! (1967)

  • Credits: Editing by: Stan Lee; Coproduced by: Roy Thomas & Werner Roth; Inked by: John Tartaglione; Lettered by: Artie Simek; Catered by: Irving Forbush.
  • 'Characters/Organizations Featured: Juggernaut; Factor Three; Zelda; Vera; Candy Sothern; Benard; Satan's Saints (motorcycle gang).'
  • Gadgets: Energo-Transformer- used by Xavier to try to remove the effects of the demon Cyttorak from Cain Marko.

Summary

Lots of X-Men appear at Coffee A Go Go, a Greenwich Village Coffe shop. Beast (Hank McCoy) and Iceman (Bobby Drake) on dates with Zelda and Vera, fight a Wild One-like motorcycle gang called Satan's Saints. Amazingly, Cyclops (Scott Summers and Marvel Girl (Jean Grey) appear as a couple and Angel (Warren Worthington III is there with his date Candy Sothern, a child-hood friend. More antics with Bernard, the beatnik poet.

The Professor tries to revive his step brother, Juggernaut (Cain Marko) who has been in a coma since episode 13. But during the experiment with both of them hooked up to a machine, Factor Three interferes causing the machine to blow up, Juggernaut to wake up, and Xavier to be left unconscious on the floor. Juggernaut fights the X-Men at the school, but the fight is interrupted when he receives orders to head for Europe to rendezvous with Factor 3. Story continues in episode 33.

Notes and Trivia

  • First real physical romantic act in X-Men history as Zelda plants a kiss on Bobby Drake (Iceman)!
  • Juggernaut wipes the floor with the X-Men (minus Mimic).
  • The Professor is hanging onto life by a thread.


Movie Parallels

  • Anyone for Marlin Brando and the Wild One? A biker gang assaults the X-Men while riding their bikes during Bobby Drake's birthday party.
Xm033

Issue No.33 (1967)

Issue No.33- Into the Crimson Cosmos! (1967)

  • Credits: Editing by: Stan Lee; Coproduced by: Roy Thomas & Werner Roth; Inked by: John Tartaglione; Lettered by: Sam Rosen.
  • Characters/Locations Introduced: The Ancient One; Doctor Strange; Crimson Cosmos; Temple of Cyttorak; Xorak- Guardian of the Temple.
  • Characters/Organization/Locations Featured: Juggernaut; Factor Three; Crimson Cosmos.
  • Gadgets: Mental Wave Amplifier (first appeared in Issue 20) used to amplify a mutant's mental abilities.

Summary

Continuation of X-Men’s Factor 3 confrontation from episode 32. Juggernaut heads to NYC, to steal a jet so he can fly to Europe and rendezvous with [Factor Three. Scanning the Xavier's brain (who is still unconscious from the last episode) with a mental amplifier, Jean discovers the secret of Juggernaut's power, The Ruby of Cyttorak. A vision hundreds of years old shows a young mystic The Ancient One approaching the Temple of Cyttorak in Korea (Juggernaut's source of power) to be confronted by a being who calls himself, Xorak, Guardian of the Temple. They engage in magical combat and the Mystic prevails forcing Xorak into the Ruby of Cyttorak, causing him to disappear into the Crimson Cosmos, a dimension associated with The Temple.

For more information, the X-Men use Cerebro to search for The Ancient One. An image describing itself as Doctor Strange appears and makes this statement: Who calls the Ancient One... Calls Dr. Strange! The Ancient One is no more. His essence has passed to me...his mystic disciple! I have come here from Stonehenge at great risk. The X-Men ask for information abut Cyttorak. The image tells them, that two of them must go on a dangerous journey to the Temple of Cyttorak, face him, and repeat an incantation to acquire the Ruby Prototype. With Cyclops (Scott Summers and Marvel Girl's concurrence, Dr. Strange sends them to the Crimson Cosmos to retrieve the Ruby Prototype.

The other X-Men struggle fighting Juggernaut, but when Cyclops and Jean appear on the scene, Juggernaut grabs the Ruby Prototype, there is a huge explosion, and Juggernaut is sucked into the Crimson Cosmos (permanently?). The X-Men get back to the Xavier's mansion to discover the Professor is missing and presumed to be a prisoner of Factor 3.

Notes and Trivia

  • Quote: Temple of Cyttorak Incantation: "By dread Dormammu's deadly twin--by Hoggoth's hoar strands-- let these two now descend within the Ruby of Crimson Bands!"
  • Professor Xavier is kidnapped by Factor Three!
Issue34

Issue No.34 (1967)

Issue No.34- War- In a World of Darkness (1967)

  • Credits: Editing by: Stan Lee; Scripting by: Roy Thomas; Inked by: Dan Adkins; Lettered by: J. Feldmann.
  • Characters Introduced: Mole Man; Tyrannus
  • Characters Featured: Ralph Roberts (formerly Cobalt Man); Ted Roberts.
  • Gadgets: The X-Men's Jet is equipped with an Auto-Giro Hovering Device; Ralph Roberts invents an Atomic Powered Earth Borer equipped with Super Cobalt Alloy; Mole Man's laser gun.

Summary

The X-Men are sidetracked from their Factor Three encounter when Ralph Roberts (formerly Cobalt Man), head of Robertson Research is abducted by Tyrannus to help him in his battle with Mole Man. Angel (Warren Worthington III, Marvel Girl (Jean Grey), and Iceman (Bobby Drake) searching the underground caverns, fight with Mole Man who exposes them to river mists that put them under his mental control. Roberts is forced to help Tyrannus by coating his robot with super cobalt alloy (Robert's invention), so it can beat Mole Man’s 30' tall Diamond Android.

To make a long story short, Ralph Roberts sabotages Tyrannus’s robot so it blows up; the X-men briefly fight each other until the ones controlled by Moleman are sprayed with an antidote. Both Tyrannus and Mole Man are exposed to the mysterious river mists and left wandering the caverns wondering who they are.

Notes and Trivia

  • Quote: Marvel Girl regarding Cyclops: Scott's so thoughtful-- so selfless! Maybe, that's why I love him so!
  • The Professor has been abducted and missing since episode 33. Factor 3 was first mentioned in episode 28.
  • Quote: Angel Do unto others as they would do unto you, only do it first!.
Xm035

Issue No.35 (1967)

Issue No.35- Along Came a Spider (1967)

  • Credits: Editing by: Stan Lee; Script by: Roy Thomas & Werner Wroth; Inked by: Dan Adkins; Lettered by: Jerry Feldmann.
  • Characters Introduced: A glimpse of a Mysterious Member of Factor 3 (Changeling).
  • Characters/Organizations Featured: Spiderman; Banshee; Factor Three;
  • Gadgets: Mechanical spider with paralyzing beam.

Summary

Professor Xavier was abducted by Factor Three in Episode 33. Now Banshee is on a mission to locate Factor 3’s hideout in the Alps. He sends a brief puzzling message “Beware the spider” to the X-Men before being captured. Factor 3 sends a flying saucer to snoop on the X-Men but Spiderman (Peter Parker) who is passing by fights and destroys a mechanical spider that emerges from the saucer. The X-Men appear on the scene with “Beware the Spider” on their minds and assume Spiderman is the spider they were warned about. Finally the misunderstanding is straightened out and the X-Men refocus on chasing Factor 3 to the Alps.

Notes and Trivia

  • Spiderman fights the X-Men!
  • The Professor has been abducted and missing since episode 33. Factor 3 was first mentioned in episode 28.



Xm036

Issue No.36 (1967)

Issue No.36- Mekano Lives! (1967)

  • Credits: Editing by: Stan Lee; Scripting by: Roy Thomas-Ross Andru; Inked by: George Bell; Lettered by: Sam Rosen.
  • Mutants/Characters Introduced: Mekano (Tom Regal).
  • Gadgets:

Summary

Continuation of the X-Men’s encounter with Factor Three. The Professor has been missing since episode 33. Without the Professor and his vast resources around, the X-Men are broke and explore a variety of methods of raising cash so they can fly to Europe and save him. Iceman (Bobby Drake) and Beast (Hank McCoy) become street performers at Washington Square Park. After getting the Professor’s Rolls towed, the X-Men catch a ride to the park with a stranger, Mekano (Tom Regal). Little do they know that Tom is the neglected son of philanthropist Mr. Regal who has just built a new library. To get some attention Tom steals a mechanical suit from the Universities research lab to become Mekano and for some attention, starts trashing the new library. The X-Men fight him and ultimately save him from falling to his death. Mekano has a change of heart, makes up with his Dad, and Dad gives the X-Men a reward large enough to get the Rolls out of impound and purchase airfare tickets for Europe. Now they can go fight Factor 3!


Notes and Trivia

  • The Professor has been abducted and missing since episode 33. Factor 3 was first mentioned in episode 28.
  • Quote: Burgler “I’d better make like a banana and split!”
  • Cyclops uses his energy beam to stop an object in mid air and gently lower it to the ground.
Xm037

Issue No. 37 (1967)

Issue No.37- We, The Jury (1967)

Summary

Continuation of Factor Three fight. The following bad mutants are featured: Changeling, Vanisher, Mastermind, Unus, and Blob. The commercial airliner flying the X-Men to Europe is attacked by a Factor 3 flying saucer. The X-Men bail out without parachutes, Cyclops (Scott Summers destroys the saucer with an optical blast, Marvel Girl (Jean Grey), uses her telekinesis to slow the group down. Angel (Warren Worthington III, grabs some of them and Iceman (Bobby Drake) makes an ice ramp to help the other make a safe landing. After being surrounded by mechanical spiders, the X-Men are captured by Factor 3, the X-Men are tried by a kangaroo court composed of former mutant adversaries, and found guilty of treason against Homo Superiors, the mutants. They are sentenced by the Mutant Master to have their wills sucked out of them by an Oblivio Ray. Fortunately they escape the machine, but not before the Mutant Master leaves his fortress in the Alps with the X-men are locked in and trying to figure out a way to escape before the Mutant Master can spark a nuclear holocaust between cold war adversaries.

Notes and Trivia

  • At the trial of the X-Men, Mastermind reveals that when the Stranger turned him to stone (Issue No.11), it was not a permanent spell and after reviving, he sought the comfort of other evil mutants.
Xm038

Issue No.38 (1967)

Issue No.38- The Sinister Shadow of Doomsday! (1967)

  • Credits: Editing by: Stan Lee; Scripting by: Roy Thomas-Don Heck; Inked by: George Bell; Lettered by: L.P. Gregory.

Characters/Organizations Featured: Mutant Master; Changeling; Factor Three; Vanisher, Mastermind, Unus, Blob; http://marvel.com/universe/Banshee Banshee], FBI Agent Duncan'

Summary

The X-Men escape the Mutant Master’s hideout in the Alps. They know his plan is to start WWIII by blowing up some Iron Curtain Generals and by taking control of and launching U.S. ICBM missiles at Eastern Europe. Cyclops (Scott Summers and Iceman (Bobby Drake) try to convince the U.S. military of the threat, but when they are not believed, the X-Men start destroying ICBMs. In Eastern Europe, Angel, Beast, and Marvel Girl try to reach and convince the Eastern Block Generals of the threat, but land in the clink. Xavier and Changeling have a discussion about armageddon. Changeling slaps Xavier when he suggests Changeling is being used. Marvel Girl (Jean Grey) is showing tremendous increases in her telekinetic abilities, her ability to dodge attacks and even gather poisonous gas and control it with her mind.

Notes and Trivia

  • Marvel Girl is showing tremendous increases in her telekinetic abilities, her ability to dodge attacks and even gather poisonous gas and control it with her mind.


X-Men Origins I: A Man Called X

  • Issue No.38 includes a this special X-Men Origins section..
  • Credits: Editing by: Stan Lee; Scripting by: Roy Thomas, Werner Roth; Inked by: John Verpoorten; Lettered by: Sam Rosen.
  • Characters Featured: Professor Charles Xavier, Cyclops, FBI Agent Duncan.
Summary

This story is included in Issue No.38. The public becomes aware of the so-called mutant menace in the mid-1960’s causing near panic in some cities. Professor Xavier who is a virtual hermit in his Westchester, N.Y. mansion, has previously vowed not to get involved in the affairs of Homo Sapiens, decides he must become proactive and heads for Washington, D.C. as a FBI mutant investigation begins. At a the guarded FBI building, Xavier displays impressive mental talents controlling the minds of three guards Obi-Wan Kenobi style, allowing him into the building and then wiping their minds of the occurrence. Two FBI agents are watching a film of an accident where a falling air conditioning unit is disintegrated by a person, a mutant with an energy beam erupting from his eyes. We know him as Cyclops (Scott Summers. The agents are surprised by Xavier who appears behind them, explains he is a mutant, and despite their best (failed) efforts to eject him pitches his plan to locate and approach mutants to keep them from becoming a menace to the human race. FBI Agent Duncan accepts.

Xm039

Issue No.39 (1967)

Issue No.39- The Fateful Finale! (1967)

Summary

Conclusion of the Factor Three conflict. Cyclops (Scott Summers and Iceman (Bobby Drake) (stalwarts of the early X-Men) prevent Mastermind and Unus from taking over the ICBM base. Angel (Warren Worthington III, Beast (Hank McCoy), and Marvel Girl (Jean Grey) save the Russian Generals from being blown up.

39Big3

X-Mens' New Duds 1967

During the Mutant Master fight, the mobile platform that he rides around on, comes apart to reveal an incredible sight. The Mutant Master is not only not a mutant or a Human but is an alien, a Siris to be exact, a large tentacled octopoid creature from the Siris Star System who wants to conquer the Earth. All of the mutants good and bad fight the Siris. As it faces defeat, the Siris pushes a button that blows up the remaining Factor 3 robots and kills himself. The good and bad mutants face each other, but instead of more conflict, decide to call it a day and head home. Jean Grey has made the X-Men their 3rd new uniform design. (The last change was Issue No.27.)

Notes and Trivia

  • The Mutant Master fails in its quest to conquer the Earth.
  • The 3rd uniforms for the X-Men- Marvel Girl (Jean Grey) creates new duds (clothes/uniforms) for the gang.


1968

Xm040

Issue No.40 (1968)

Issue No.40- Mark of the Monster (1968)

  • Credits: Editing by: Stan Lee; Scripting by: Roy Thomas, Don Heck; Inked by: George Tuska; Lettered by: Artie Simek.
  • Characters Introduced: Frankenstein's Android (I mean Monster.)

Summary

Sorry folks, the weakest X-Men story to date. The Professor senses a discovery in the Arctic, long lost Frankenstein's monster (as created by Mary Shelly) has been located frozen in a slab of ice and sent to the NYC Museum for study. It wakes up, the X-Men go to confront it, hoping they can make friends, but it does not like "costumed characters" and fights them displaying special abilities like incredible strength, energy eye-balls, sticking itself to the floor, and stomping shock waves. After kicking X-Men buttock, the Monster somehow boards a ship underway, with the X-Men in pursuit. More fighting and Iceman ends up dousing it in heaps of ice causing it to explode. It's probably better if you don't wonder why it did not explode before when it was in a block of ice...

Who was the monster android? An ambassador sent to earth to make contact with mankind by un-named "costumed" aliens, but due to a "malfunction" it went bonkers. The Aliens chased it to the Arctic but lost track of it. When it woke up the appearance of costumed characters, the X-Men, set up the confrontation and it's demise. Poor android.

Notes and Trivia

  • Weakest X-Men story line.

Movie Parallels

  • Frankenstein monster is an android!



Xm041

Issue No.41 (1968)

Issue No.41- Now Strikes...The Sub-Human (1968)

  • Credits: Editing by: Stan Lee; Scripting by: Roy Thomas and Don Heck; Inked by: George tuska; Lettered by: Sam Rosen.
  • Characters Introduced: Grotesk, Dr. Hunt.
  • Characters Featured: Zelda and Vera, girl friends of Iceman and The Beast.
  • 'Gadgets:'Iceman Ice Boomerang, Nuclear Occilator.

Summary

The Sub-Human who lives in the Sub-Way... well, not really, but that is where the X-Men, Beast (Hank McCoy) and Iceman (Bobby Drake) fight him after he messes up their double date with Vera and Zelda by stopping the subway train they are riding. When Bobby and Hank come out to investigate, the Sub-Human attacks them. When Hank refers to him as "grotesque", the Sub-Human who can't remember his name, adopts the name Grotesk and then escapes down a tunnel which he seals behind him.

Grotesk is really Prince Gor-Tok and as his memory returns, he recalls belonging to a great underground waring civilization about to invade the upper world when the Humans above accidentally destroy his subterranean civilization with nuclear bomb testing, killing all those he knows and loves. A large douse of radiation, turned him into a very strong mutant and now known as Grotesk, The Sub-Human he is seeking out the Nuclear Oscillator, an invention of a Dr. Hunt which can be used to cause Earth tremors and possibly rip the Earth apart, exactly what Grotesk has in mind.

At Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, the Professor is short tempered. He and Marvel girl share a secret. She urges him to tell the others, but he declines. This issue also includes a Cyclops (Scott Summers back story feature: The Living Diamond!

X-Men Origins II: The Living Diamond!

  • Credits: Editing by: Stan Lee; Scripting by: Roy Thomas and Werner Roth; Inked by: J. Verpoorten; Lettered by: Sam Rosen.
  • Characters Introduced: Jack O' Diamonds (Jack Winters) - powers: mental and teleportation, great strength and diamond hard hands.
Summary

The back story of Scott Summers (Cyclops), leading up to his becoming an X-Man. The scene opens before the days of X-Men, with Scott Summers accompanying an evil mutant called Jack O' Diamonds (Jack Winters) to a Nuclear power plant to be confronted by Professor Xavier. Whatever the evil deed on Jack's mind, the Professor is holding him stationary with "mental bolts" as Jack commands Scott to attack the Professor, but Scott declines. Jack uses his "diamond hard" hands to tear out a support structure and fling it at the Professor. The Professor mentally deflects it, but Jack has done enough damage to cause the part of the structure to collapse. He and Scott barely escape outside. Scott is worried about the fate of the man in the wheelchair.

The narrative reveals that Jack wants to use Scott's optic energy beams to break into the Cyclotron Center so that when he (Jack) takes an "atomic bath" (exposure to radiation), it will turn his entire body into a diamond hard material just like his hands. As Jack exposes himself to radiation, outside the young Scott Summers is holding off the police, not because he wants to help Jack, but because he is convinced that if they get inside, Jack will kill them. The Professor knocks the guards out using his mental powers and tells Scott to follow his instructions. Although Summers does not know who the Professor is, he trusts him and obeys. Inside the nuclear facility, Jack O' Diamonds has succeeded in turning himself into a living diamond. (Story continued as part of Issue No.42).

Xm042

Issue No.42 (1968)

Issue No.42- If I Should Die...! (1968)

  • Credits: Editing by: Stan Lee; Scripting by: Roy Thomas & Don Heck; Inked by: George Tuska; Lettered by: Sam Rosen.
  • Characters Featured: Grotesk
  • Gadgets Featured: Solar Orbs- used to temporarily blind people.

Summary

Part II of Grotesk encounter. The Professor and Marvel Girl (Jean Grey) share a secret concerning Xavier, not telling the rest of the X-Men. Cyclops (Scott Summers and Beast (Hank McCoy) fight Grotesk in his cavern, while Angel (Warren Worthington III, verbally accosts Marvel Girl (Jean Grey) and demands to see the Xavier. The Professor tells him that Cyclops and Beast can handle themselves and that they, Iceman (Bobby Drake), Angel, and Marvel Girl are to remain at the school. Angel can't believe this is the Professor talking.

42Big

Death of Professor X! (1968)

The scene switches to an undisclosed location, having located the Nuclear Oscillator, Grotesk bursts through the wall apprehending the person operating the machine, who turns out to be... Xavier! The narrative explains that the Professor wanted to lure Grotesk to the machine so he could handle him alone and not endanger the rest of the X-Men. As Grotesk tries to activate the machine, he is gripped by Xavier's mental power that commands him to turn away. A mental duel ensues between Xavier and Grotesk, but Grotesk is able to turn on the machine and then Angel appears! The Professor yells for Angel to turn off the machine before it is too late! Carrying "solar orbs", Angel momentarily blinds Grotesk who takes off in pursuit of him as Marvel Girl tries to turn off the machine, but the handle is jammed and an ominous vibration starts to be felt. Both Marvel Girl and the Professor concentrate blasting the machine with their mental power. Alerted, Grotesk leaves the fight with the X-men and returns to the machine where he tries to increase its power output, inadvertently causing the Nuclear Oscillator to explode, killing him. In a shocker of an ending, Professor Xavier apparently dies in the arms of Angel! This issue also includes a second Cyclops back story feature: The End or the Beginning!

X-Men Origins III: The End or The Beginning?

The conclusion of Cyclops back story started in Issue No.41. "I'm the Living Diamond!" spouts Jack O' Diamonds (Jack Winters) after exposing himself to radiation at a nuclear power plant. Professor Xavier tries to talk sense to Jack but when he attacks the Professor and Scott (the future Cyclops) blasts him with his optical beam. The Professor and Scott rush inside the facility and locate an Ultra Sonic Vibration Inducer, described by the Professor as a machine designed to test the reaction of radio-active isotopes under stress. Jack's movements are slowing and the Professor warns him several times "for his own good" to stop. Jack refuses and attacks the Professor a second time. Scott turns on the device and again the Professor warns Jack to stand still. Jack refuses to give up his "diamond state" and struggles until, KA-BOOM he is blown to smithereens! Afterwards, Xavier tells Scott he wants to form a team of mutants to do good things, and have Scott lead the group. Scott accepts and becomes the first X-Man.

Xm043

Issue No.43 (1968)

Issue No.43- The Torch Is Passed! (1968)

  • Credits: Editing by: Stan Lee; Scripting by: Roy Thomas & George Tuska; Inked by: John Tartaglione; Lettered by: Sam Rosen.
  • Characters Featured: Magneto, QuickSilver, Toad, Scarlet Witch.

Summary

Magneto is back, along with Toad, Quick Silver, and Scarlet Witch.. After Professor Xavier's death, Magneto makes plans on his island to marshal his forces and finish off the X-Men. If you remember in a previous issue, Magneto abandoned Toad on an alien planet, but Toad is back in Magneto's service again. Magneto portrays himself as a benefactor of Quick Silver and the Scarlet Witch, but in reality he is a bad guy who has manipulated them into joining him and has treacherous plans for the brother-sister pair (Avengers Issue No.49 is mentioned).

Quick Silver displays something approaching regret when he attends Xavier's funeral. It is revealed that Quick Silver regarded Xavier as his only friend and hoped that he could help cure his sister, Scarlet Witch who has lost her hex abilities. Playing both sides of the street, Quick Silver regards Magneto as cruel, but is also looking to him for a possible cure for his sister.

Back at Xavier's mansion, the X-Men discover a video made by Xavier that explains: 1) He died from a disease (un-named). 2) He trained Jean in telepathy to take over some of his abilities. It looks like the X-Men are on their own.

Magneto is looking for a ship reportedly carrying a computer he needs to create emanations designed to blanket the Earth turning the human population into slaves. He also claims it will help him help the Scarlet Witch's hex abilities. The ship becomes a trap for the X-Men who are taken by surprise when it is lifted out of the water! They fight the evil mutant on his island. The episode ends with Magneto gloating in apparent triumph as he throws a switch electrocuting the floor and the X-Men! (Story continued next issue.)

This issue also includes a third Cyclops back story feature: Call Him Cyclops!

X-Men Origins IV: Call Him...Cyclops

The third a Cyclops (Scott Summers back story explaining how his powered eyeballs work. Scott Summer's brown eyes store sun light like batteries and emit a red energy beam. Unfortunately he can't control it and any time he opens his unshielded eyes, this powerful beam has a habit of destroying whatever he is looking at. It is specifically stated that the beam created by Cyclops eyes is primarily force, not heat.

However the FX department for X-Men movies may not have it quite right, when in the Origins Wolverine Movie, Sabertooth tackles Scott Summers in school and the destruction cut through the exterior of the school appears to have a heat effect with glowing edges. The makers of the X-Men movies have constructed a separate X-Men universe with very little correlation to the comics.

To compensate when in civilian clothes, Cyclops wears sunglasses made of Ruby Quartz and when in uniform, a special visor (of the same material) that can retract instantly when he presses a button on its side. A secret until now, Cyclops has buttons in the palms of his hands that control the visor so he does not have to raise his hand to activate it. If you've been reading recent issues, he is gaining control over the beam, being able to modulate its width and strength to a less destructive, more manipulative state such as when he used it to catch/decelerate Angel in the fight with Grotesk. He can also use this force to pull objects, using it to slow down a vehicle traveling away from him. The effectiveness of his optic beams depends on whom and what he is using it on.

Xm044

Issue No. 44 (1968)

Issue No.44- Red Raven, Red Raven! (1968)

  • Credits: Edited by: Stan Lee; Scripted by: Gary Friedrich; Layout by: Jon Heck, Pencilled by: Werner Roth, Inked by: John Tartaglione; Lettered by: Sam Rosen.
  • Characters Introduced: Red Raven.
  • Characters Featured: Magneto, QuickSilver, Toad, Scarlet Witch.
  • Gadgets:

Summary

After being shocked into unconsciousness at the end of the last issue, the X-Men are locked up in custom devices designed to negate their mutant abilities by Magneto's henchman, Toad and are guarded by Quick Silver. Magneto hopes that after this defeat, the X-Men might join him! .

As the X-Men regain their senses, they are disappointed to see Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch standing over them and accuse them of joining Magneto. Before they end the discussion, Quicksilver makes a case that Homo Sapiens have mistreated them so they have no choice but join the cause of Homo Superior.

Angel (Warren Worthington III) is locked up in an electrified bird cage, but finds a device conveniently located just outside his prison. Using it to disintegrate the bars, he escapes and heads for NYC seeking The Avenger's help, but gets caught up in a raging gale. Exhausted, he lands on a small bit of coral rising above the waves. Suddenly the little spec of land, rises up into an island with a metal door. Inside Angel discovers a large scientific complex and is confronted by Red Raven who attacks him, claiming that no man is allowed to enter the sanctuary and that no man can be allowed to live to tell of it!

But as Angel gets the upper hand, Red Raven desires to chat. He tells Angel that he is a human who lived with the Bird Men on a floating island in the sky, normally obscured by a severe storm. (See backstory below.) It is his duty to re-sink the island, and prevent war between the Humans the the Bird Men. He zaps Angel with a ray gun, who later awakens on a plank of wood, the island is gone. Angel launches into the air for NYC. (Story continued in Issue No. 45.)

Notes and Trivia

  • First X-Men Issue credited to writer, Gary Friedrich.

Xmen Origins V: The Iceman Cometh!

  • Credits: Edited by: Stan Lee; Scripted by: Gary Friedrich; Drawn by: George Tuska , Inked by: John Verpoorten; Lettered by: Artie Simek.
Summary

An Iceman (Bobby Drake) back story, pre X-Men, who is seen walking Nancy Harmon home, when he is attacked by three thugs, one of them, Rocky Beasely wanting to show Ms. Harmon who the real man is. As Rocky makes off with Nancy, she screams for help. At the time of this story, Bobby knows about his powers and decides he must act, covering Rocky in a sheet of ice. Rocky's two companions are shocked. Nancy, although grateful is scared of Bobby and tells him she never wants to see him again! Other kids have seen Bobby's talent and the word spreads through town. In no time, an angry mob appears outside the Drake's residence with the intent of apprehending Bobby or worse. In self defense, Bobby pelts them with snow balls but he is apprehended and tossed into jail. Professor Xavier and Cyclops become aware of Bobby Drakes circumstance and decide to go fetch him. (Continued in Issue No.45.)

Backstory of Lost Race of Birdmen

When Red Raven was a child, while flying with his parents to the U.S., their aircraft crashed on an island in the sky, the Home of the Bird People! He was the only survivor and was raised by the Bird Men. On his twenty first birthday, Red Raven realizes he is not like the Bird Men, but is actually a human of the race whom the Bird Men plan on attacking and urges them to reconsider, but he fails to change the head Bird Man's mind. As the bird men prepare to attack the U.S., Red Raven opens a valve releasing suspended-animation gas because he is sure, the Bird Men will be wiped out if they attack the humans. Then he pushed a button which separated the military complex of the Bird Men from the floating island allowing it to sink into the ocean hopefully not to be disturbed for twenty years, upon where the island would raise up and the Bird Men warriors would awake! That day is the day Angel landed on the little rock in the ocean. Note during this part of the story, it is not told how Red Raven gets his wings. Red Raven continues the story saying it is his duty to start another twenty year cycle of suspended animation and resink the island.

Notes and Trivia

  • Quote: Angel to Red Raven- "You jokers are all alike! The minute things go against you... your suddenly ready to go to the conference table! But since I know now I can lick your weight in Hobbits any day, I'll lend an ear!
Xm045

Issue No.45 (1968)

Issue No.45- When Mutants Clash! (1968)

  • Credits: Edited by: Stan Lee; Scripted by: Gary Friedrich; Layout by: Jon Heck, Pencilled by: Werner Roth, Inked by: John Tartaglione; Lettered by: Sam Rosen.
  • Characters Featured: Magneto, QuickSilver, Toad, Scarlet Witch, The Avengers.

Summary

Continued from last episode. Angel makes it back to NYC but the reader is informed, they will have to read Avengers No.55 to see what luck Angel has seeking help from the Avengers. Cyclops (Scott Summers' escapes and fights QuickSilver. QS gets Cyclops to listen as he pitches Magnetos idea for a country just for mutants. Cyclops rejects the idea, knocking out QS. As Cyclops tries to revive him, the Avengers show up, The END. In an exasperating bit of Marvel marketing, the reader is told to read the cataclysmic conclusion of this two parter in Avengers Issue No.53- In Battle Joined!.

Avengers Issue No. 53 Condensed: The Avengers fight and beat the X-Men who are under Magneto's Mind Control. Time for Magneto to leave. His continual abuse of Toad reaches a head. Magneto tells Toad to get the ship ready to escape. Fed up, Toad sets up a generator overload to blow up Magneto's facility, then with Quick Silver and Scarlet Witch, takes off in the ship without Magneto. Magneto leaps, barely hanging on to the ship as it flies away when Toad stomps on Magneto's fingers causing him to fall to the rocks below. The final scene is an ocean filled with smoking debris and the remains of Magneto's helmet!

X-Men Origins VI: And the Mob Cried Vengeance!

  • Credits: Edited by: Stan Lee; Scripted by: Gary Friedrich; Drawn by: George Tuska , Inked by: John Verpoorten; Lettered by: Irving Watanabe.
Summary

Part II of the Iceman backstory started in Episode 44. Bobby Drake is sitting in jail when Cyclops appears and offers him freedom. Bobby declines, but Cyclops blows a hole in the cell and abducts Bobby. They are caught by the Sheriff. (Story continued in Issue No.46.)

Xm046

Issue No.46 (1968)

Issue No.46- The End of the X-Men! (1968)

  • Credits: Edited by: Stan Lee; Scripted by: Gary Friedrich; Layout by: Jon Heck, Pencilled by: Werner Roth, Inked by: John Tartaglione; Lettered by: Artie Simek.
  • Characters Featured: Juggernaut, FBI Agent Duncan

Summary

During a visit to Professor Xavier's grave, the X-Men run into FBI FBI Agent Duncan, whom the Professor has coordinated some of his activities with in previous episodes. Duncan wants to speak with the X-Men so they invite him back to Xavier's School while they attend the reading of Xavier's will. Duncan agrees to wait. Professor Xavier has left all of his assets to either the school or the X-men to be administered by Cyclops (Scott Summers. At the end of the will reading, Duncan springs it on the X-Men that a situation has developed that effects the fate of the entire world!

The scene switches to the Crimson Cosmos, and The Juggernaught, who if you remember got sent there back in Episode No.33 (1967), but suddenly he finds himself in the basement of Xavier's School. The Professor created a machine capable of fetching Juggernaught and somehow it activated. When the Juggernaught appears, and realizes where he is, vengeance and his desire to kill Xavier bubbles over.

Hearing a ruckus in the basement as machinery is being destroyed, the X-Men descend and confront him. It is apparent he is not aware of Xavier's death and when they tell him, he flies into a rage being cheated of the greatest goal in his life (killing Xavier), but he also thinks this is some kind of trick to protect Xavier. Juggernaught attacks the X-Men who are no match for his power, as he downs all of the X-Men. Upstairs Juggernaught meets Agent Duncan, whacks him against the ceiling and throws him out a window. What starts as the second round of a fight between Juggernaught and the X-Men is short lived when suddenly with special effects, he (Juggernaught) disappears back to the Crimson Cosmos! The X-Men deduce that the Professor set up the machine so the effects of it would wear off if Juggernaught was not otherwise treated (his powers removed).

Agent Duncan appears a little worse for wear, but he survived and he insists that the situation is such that the X-Men must split up. It's an order! They are too easy of a target for the evil mutants if they stay together in a group. Duncan tells them a letter will be sent to each of them, telling them were to go. Beast, calls the order BS, but Cyclops feels that they will be able to fight more effectively if they spread out. (Huh? It has been proven multiple times, they do better coordinating their efforts as a team.) As the X-Men pack their bags and leave, surprise, surprise, Cyclops stands there and thinks "Am I actually going to stand here and let the only girl I'll ever love walk out of my life?" While Jean Gray thinks "He...he isn't going to come after me! Maybe he does not care after all?" (Give me a break, just head your separate ways, you losers!)

"End of the X-Men" is just a tease title, which means nothing to the story. The X-Men split up for a time due to the insistence of FBI Agent Duncan

X-Men Origins VII: And Then There Were Two

  • Credits: Edited by: Stan Lee; Scripted by: Gary Friedrich; Drawn by: George Tuska , Inked by: John Tartaglione; Lettered by: Artie Simek.
Summary

Continued from Issue No.45- And The Crowd Cried Vengeance! After to trying to rescue Iceman (Bobby Drake) from jail, both an exhausted Iceman and Cyclops (Scott Summers (unable to use their powers until they recharge) found themselves surrounded by a vigilante gang intent on "string'n em up". The Sheriff intervenes, but he is wrestled to the side and the group brings out the ropes! Professor Xavier's Rolls Royce is fast approaching. Cyclops gets a mental message from the Professor, then he has enough power to zap the rope holding Bobby. One armed member of the mob raises his rifle to shoot Cyclops, but Iceman pelts him up side the head with multiple ice balls (ouch!), then Cyclops kicks and thumps the crap out of another moron, before the pair of X-Men take flight (running) escaping to Bobby Drake's house. The Professor is there. He has wiped the mobs brains of this incident. His parents agree to send Bobby to Xavier's school.

Notes and Trivia

  • The Title "End of the X-Men" is just a tease title, which means nothing to the story. The X-Men split up for a time due to the insistance of FBI Agent Duncan
Movie Parallels
  • Unlike in the Second X-Men movie, Bobby Drake's (Iceman) parents are not ashamed of him and seem to be supportive.
Xm047

Issue No.47 (1968)

Issue No.47- The Warlock Wears Three Faces! (1968)

  • Credits: Edited by: Stan Lee; Scripted by: Gary Friedrich & Arnold Drake; Layout by: Don Heck, Pencilled by: Werner Roth, Inked by: John Tartaglione; Lettered by: Artie Simek.
  • Characters Featured: Warlock

Summary

The X-Men have split up on the insistence of FBI Agent Duncan, spreading out to intercept mutant menaces quickly. On a double date with Zelda and Vera, Beast (Hank McCoy), & Iceman (Bobby Drake), The Beast questions if splitting up is the right move. An exciting date, at Coffee A-Go Go, they get into a fight with some beatniks, then later at a show featuring Maha Yogi, the boys discover they are really dealing with The Warlock (first appearance in Episode 30) as he hypnotizes this crowd and every crowd he entertains with the idea of turning them into his psychic army who will do his bidding when the time is right! Hank and Bobby battle the Warlock, and during the hu-bub, the crowd is broken out of their trance and observing the fight, cheer The Beast on as he drops the stage curtain on the Warlock! Iceman turns on a special effects tape which drives the Warlock almost insane (apparently Warlock can't stand loud noises) and he gives up to be arrested by the police. Iceman and Beast revert to their civvies (street clothes) to rejoin the girls. who are on the verge of dumping them because these two X-Men always seem to run off during their dates. But when Bobby suggests a stop at the Copa, a plush night club, the girls reconsider and go with them. Amazingly Hank admits they are financially challenged, but the girls don't seem to mind as they head back to the coffee shop.

X-Men Origins VIII: I, The Iceman

  • Credits: Edited by: Stan Lee; Scripted by: Arnold Drake; Drawn by: Werner Roth , Inked by: John Verporten; Lettered by: Joe Rosen.
Summary

An X-Men family album feature. "Hi, folks, I'm the Iceman and I can do lots of cool things!" or so it starts. Iceman shows off his icy powers. If you've been reading the X-Men, you kinda figured this stuff out all ready...

Xm048

Issue No.48 (1968)

Issue No.48- Beware Computo Commander of the Robot Hive! (1968)

  • Credits: Edited by: Stan Lee; Scripted by: Arnold Drake; Layout by: Don Heck & Werner Roth, Inked by: John Verpoorten; Lettered by: I. Watanabe.
  • Characters Introduced: Computo, Quasimodo.

Summary

Marvel Girl (Jean Grey) jump starts this issue showing a lot of skin (by X-Men standards) as a bikini swimsuit model for a fashion magazine! While being "shot" she mentally runs down the current situation for X-Men readers. Beast (Hank McCoy) and Iceman (Bobby Drake) have been sent to California. Jean and Cyclops (Scott Summers remain in New York City and Angel (Warren Worthington III is the roving X-Man.

Cyclops works as a reporter. Scott and Jean at long last have found each other romantically after a long painful series of near misses.

48 Big Swimsuit Jean

Jean Grey- Swimsuit Model (1968)

Meanwhile at a subterranean structure that "defies the wildest of satanic imaginings" three cybernetic agents in a hive of hundreds are awakened to serve their master Computo! They try to steal a transmitter from the radio station Scott works at. Scott and Jean intervene. During the fight, a big fat green, wind-sucking agent causing a cyclone of air that sweeps Cyclops and smacks him against a wall! Then it tries to crush Cyclops with a gigantic belly flop (I'm not kidding!), but it's attack is interrupted by Marvel Girl who telekinetically hangs the big wind bag in the air as Cyclops levels his visor and blows it to smithereens! Fleeing the scene, Marvel Girl and Cyclops follow the Ultrasonic Agent to it's liar under a sand and gravel pit.

In the tunnels below Marvel Girl and Cyclops take the fight to the cybernetic agents. The hive of agents awaken but the X-Men prove to be formidable opponents. Marvel Girl blocks a group of agents with a mental wall of energy and then slams them with a thought. Cyclops delivers multiple blast to Computo, blowing it up.

Marvel Girl wonders what the ultimate intelligence is behind these machines. Her question is answered by the appearance of an ugly green "Hulk" looking creature, calling himself Quasimodo, "the living product of man and machine"! Apparantly feeling out matched, Quasimodo leaves, pulling a switch which opens an underground river torrent as he disappears through an exit! Marvel Girl grabs Cyclops by the hand and levitates them out of the cavern. Cyclops then blasts their exit to contain the river. For now, they decide that ends the threat of Quasimodo for now.

Notes and Trivia

  • Cyclops and Marvel Girl find true love!


X-Men Origins IX: Yours Truly The Beast

  • Credits: Edited by: Stan Lee; Scripted by: Arnold Drake; Drawn by: Werner Roth , Inked by: John Verporten; Lettered by: I. Watanabe.
Summary

A X-Men family album feature. The Beast describes to the reader the power of his body, specifically in his hands and feet which give him super locomotion, superior strength, freakish flexibility, the ability to absorb impact from great heights, able to deliver powerful shots using his body as a weapon, whether it be from his feet or his hands. He also possesses great intellect mastering complicated machinery and appreciaes fine literature. The end!

Xm049

Issue No.49 (1968)

Issue No.49- Who Dares Defy...The Demi-Men? (1968)

  • Credits: Edited by: Stan Lee; Scripted by: Arnold Drake; Layout by: Don Heck, Pencilled by: Werner Roth, Inked by: John Tartaglione; Lettered by: Herb Cooper.
  • Characters Introduced: Mesmero (Vincent), Polaris (Lorna Dane). Note: Despite the link, Lorna Dane is not known as Polaris in this story.
  • Gadgets: Psyche-Generator- used to summon mutants, Portable Cerebro- designed by Beast; X-Men borrow a supersonic jet from the Avengers. Although not mentioned by name looks similar to the Avenger's quinjet and is referred to as such.

Summary

This issue starts a good four issue story arc. When the X-Men dispersed they forgot all about Cerebro, Xavier's mutant detection device. Angel (Warren Worthington III visits the mansion to discover Cerebro chirping an alarm. A large number of mutants are on the move! Now that Marvel Girl (Jean Grey) is telepathic, Angel reaches out to her for a psychic conference with the other team members who are spread across the country. The team convenes in San Francisco to figure out what is going on. As you recall, the X-Men had split up relocating on both costs to deal with mutant threats. They decide to assemble at the Beast (Hank McCoy) and Iceman's (Bobby Drake) apartment in San Francisco. Soon after the East Coast X-men, Cyclops, Angel, and Marvel Girl board a quinjet loaned to them by the Avengers to make a quick trip to the West Coast.

The bad guy for this episode, Mesmero (Vincent), is a disciple of Magneto is using a Psyche-Generator to summon latent Mutants, who don't know they are mutants, to come to him in a trance like state.

Iceman saves a girl, Lorna Dane after she trips on some of his ice. She awakens from her trance and wonders what she is doing 1200 miles from home? He takes her back to his apartment apparently fond of her. An irritated Hank, asks Bobby if he is out of his mind, bringing a girl to their apartment when the rest of the X-gang could arrive at any time. Just then, the door swings open and in walks the East Coast X-Men!

The X-Men locate and fight Mesmero's elite guards.

49big-most indecisive couple

Most Indecisive Couple 1968

Back at the apartment Beast cranks up his new portable Cerebro (mutant detection device) and it immediately picks up a mutant signal in the next room. Yes, it is Polaris (Lorna Dane). now with green hair who walks out in a robe having taken a shower. Hank introduces himself and she explains that her green hair has been something she has always had to hide by dying it, but the dye always washes out. The X-Men realize Lorna is a latent mutant, who does not realize she has powers or what those powers are. When they mention mutant, she has no idea what they are talking about.

Bobby stays behind to watch over Lorna as the X-Men take off to confront Mesmero, but in a surprise move, Mesmero and his helpers, bursts into the apartment and apprehend them. Surprisingly, they say they are there to worship her! Story continues in Issue No. 50.

Notes and Trivia

  • X-Men borrow a supersonic jet from the Avengers. Although not mentioned by name looks similar to the Avenger's quinjet and is referred to as such, including Issues No. 54 & 56.

X-Men Origins X: A Beast is Born

  • Credits: Edited by: Stan Lee; Scripted by: Arnold Drake; Drawn by: Werner Roth , Inked by: John Verporten; Lettered by: I. Watanabe.
Summary

The scene opens with Hank McCoy's father wrestling with a crisis at a breeder reactor nuclear power plant. The clock turns back momentarily to a time when Horton McCoy and Edna Andrews, Hank's Mom and Dat are married. Then the story rapidly jumps back to the crisis with the reactor where there is an electrical short and a volunteer is needed to go into the observation deck and manually lower carbon rods into the reactor to prevent a melt down. That volunteer is Horton McCoy who saves the day but is exposed to radiation in the process. And surprise, turns out his kid, Hank is a mutant with surprising strength as an infant with more surprises to come!

Xm050

Issue No.50 (1968)

Issue No.50- Hail, Queen of Mutants! (1968)

  • Credits: Edited by: Stan Lee; Written by: Arnold Drake; Artist: Jim Steranko, Inked by: John Tartaglione; Lettered by: Herb Cooper.
  • Characters Featured: Mesmero (Vincent), Polaris (Lorna Dane), Magneto. Note: Despite the link, Lorna Dane is not known as Polaris in this story.
  • Gadgets: Mutant Energy Stimulator- used to awaken mutant powers in a latent mutant, K-19- knock out gas.

Summary

The introduction of a new stylized graphic presentation by Jim Steranko does wonders for the X-Men story, which includes elevated tension along with snappy story telling, some intriguing events involving the destiny of Lorna Dane and the resurrection of Magneto! Magneto reappearing is not that surprising, but his relationship to Lorna is!

The story is a continuation from Issue No.49. A group of mysterious men apprehend, Polaris (Lorna Dane) and Iceman's (Bobby Drake) from his apartment.

The scene switches to the desert and a "fortress of fiendishness and memorial to malevolence!" that rises out of the ground along with a giant billboard, proclaiming "City of Mutants"! Once his "missile powered" car has entered the fortress, Mesmero (Vincent) orders Iceman to be placed in cell twelve. He orders the Mutant Energy Stimulator be prepared to zap Lorna Dane and awaken her mutant powers! Three seconds of magic and Lorna Dane is transformed!

50Big2-Polaris

Lorna Dane- Queen of the Mutants! (1968)

Meanwhile, the X-Men, minus Iceman, crash the Mesmero's sinister mansion, but instead of Mesmero, they find lots of guards to engage in battle. Some outstanding physical action as Beast (Hank McCoy), Angel (Warren Worthington III, and Cyclops (Scott Summers take turns pummeling the bad guys.

Marvel Girl (Jean Grey) gets a distress call from Bobby. Realizing that he and Lorna are captives, she has no idea where they are, so she sends a mental message to the boys to let themselves be captured. The idea is that they will be taken to the same place as Iceman. However, as they ease up, they are surprised by a giant plastic bag that drops on them filled with K-19, knock-out gas perfected by Magneto! The guards dance with joy at the thought of presenting the X-Men to Mesmero at Mutant City!

Citing Magneto as his inspiration, Mesmero hopes the transformation of Lorna Dane will bring forward a new, ultra powerful and invincible leader for the bad guys to worship! (She is hot.) As she steps forward in a sexy green outfit, out of the Mutant Stimulator, Mesmero proclaims she is the "DAUGHTER OF MAGNETO-- And Queen of the Mutants! Hail, glorious queen!!" The X-Men realize Lorna Dane is the weapon M-2 as in Magneto the second and wonder.

Marvel Girl mentally breaks Iceman's bonds. As Mesmero chants "Daughter of the emperor of evil-- offspring of our beloved leader-- now turn your insuperable power to the destruction of those who took your father from us!", Iceman yells, "Lorna, don't do it!!"

"From every living cell of the mutant being (Lorna Dane) flow mighty waves of incredible force, slamming outward to human targets into a labyrinthine limbo", yet, incredibly, the force is focused on Mesmero's agents, who go flying! Then Angel sweeps in and scoops Lorna up. An undeterred Mesmero focuses his mental energies for combat as the X-Men close on him! But before they can dish out a lick'n, the ground rises up and knocks the X-Men down. "No it can't be, only one mutant can do that!" the X-men shout! "But it is me, Magneto.!!" And there stands the baddest of bad mutants, Lorna Dane's father, HOLY CRAP! (Story continued in Issue No.51.)

Notes and Trivia

  • Jim Steranko- a new artist to the X-Men series along with more edgy dialog brings a fresh new exciting and stylized story rendering, introduced in Issue No. 50- Hail, Queen of Mutants!
  • Quote- Mesmero to Lorna Dane after she has been transformed into the Queen of Mutants: "Daughter of the emperor of evil-- offspring of our beloved leader-- now turn your insuperable power to the destruction of those who took your father from us!"
  • Magneto is alive! See Issue No.45 for the last previous appearance of Magneto. Not so fast!- The Marvel Universe link for Polaris includes notable info regarding Samuel Saxon, Mesmero, and makes reference to an android duplicate of Magneto. Is he alive or isn't he?? See the answer in Issue No.58.

X-Men Origins XI: This Boy, This Bombshell!

  • Credits: Edited by: Stan Lee; Scripted by: Arnold Drake; Drawn by: Werner Roth , Inked by: John Verporten; Lettered by: Herb Cooper.
Summary

More on boyhood Hank McCoy (Beast)- he can hang on walls! He does not know his own strength! He becomes a high school football star and single handedly foils a robbery of the stadium ticket office! The end!

Xm051

Issue No.51 (1968)

Issue No.51- The Devil Had a Daughter! (1968)

  • Credits: Edited by: Stan Lee; Written by: Arnold Drake; Artist: Presumed to be- Jim Steranko?, Inked by: John Tartaglione; Lettered by: S.Rosen.
  • Characters Featured: Mesmero (Vincent), Polaris (Lorna Dane), Magneto. Note: Despite the link, Lorna Dane is not known as Polaris in this story.
  • Gadgets:

Story Details

Continued from Issue No.50, at Mutant City, Magneto, who was thought dead, now stands before the X-Men and to their shock, calls Polaris (Lorna Dane) his daughter. No prior communications, no getting to know you moments, the bad guy appears and delivers an ultimatum to his child, "make your choice, the X-Men or me!"

Beast (Hank McCoy) and Cyclops (Scott Summers are sure that Lorna will pick her father, even if she knows him not. However Iceman's (Bobby Drake) who is enamored with Lorna, feels that if he can reveal the truth, they just might stand a chance of gaining her as an alley, so he confronts Magneto and challenges him to admit he has a mad ego, the fortunes he's stolen, the lives he's taken, and generally all of the bad things he stands for! Iceman gets so worked up, as he is ready to launch himself at Magneto, the other X-Men hold him back asking him to reconsider. Lorna asks him, "not to waste yourself on me!" But when Iceman makes it clear he means to take Magneto on, no matter what, Cyclops accepts fate and flattens Magneto with a mighty punch! Lorna looks distressed as Magneto commands Mesmero (Vincent) to "put an end to these noxious fools!"

Iceman's first concern seems to be Lorna as he whisks her up in his arms and she wonders why she feels so strange in his arms... But Cyclops breaks the spell "Hey, Casanova Jr, we need your help over here!" Iceman sprays down the bad guys (agents) with ice, sticking them to the floor so Angel and Beast can thump them! But there are lots more and three of them manage to apprehend Cyclops and slip a special helmet to block his optic energy. Beast is occupied with the mini-grenade mines that Magneto flings at him as Marvel Girl (Jean Grey) protects Iceman who has expended his energy, by hanging two agents in the air with her mental energy.

With extreme exertion, Cyclops blasts the helmet off of his head and the X-Men regroup to attack! Magneto counters by throwing every loose nut and bolt, every piece of scrap metal at them! Marvel Girl is able to shield herself and Beast behind her mental wall. Angel is pummeled, but seeks shelter behind Cyclops as he blast everything that comes at him.

As Magneto increases his exertion, Lorna pleads with her father, "Is there no other way?" "None", replies her father as Marvel Girl starts to loose her energy and Angel decides it might be a good time to retreat! However escape is not easy as Mesmero's agents form a circle, putting up a negative energy wall and Angel is bound up in Magneto-powered constricting steel cables! As a last resort, Cyclops blasts the ceiling of the structure causing the roof to collapse and everyone to scatter! Iceman sees Lorna trying to free her father from debris as the X-Men retreat and escape in one of Mesmero's rockets, as they debate if Lorna has joined the bad mutants or not.

Back at Hank and Bobby's apartment, Scott suggests that Bobby sit the next round on the sidelines because he is emotionally involved with Lorna, but Bobby takes offense and all most starts a fist fight! Scott references his plan for Magneto and Hanks asks "what plan?"

The episode ends as the scene shifts to Mutant City several days when Mesmero's agents detect an intruder, but it's not the X-Men! They scatter as a large red alien Viking, with flames shooting out of his hands and calling himself Erik The Red, demands an audience with Magneto!! (Story continued).

Notes and Trivia

  • Quote- Iceman to Magneto referring to his daughter Lorna Dane: "Tell her the rest big man! Tell her how you've used your mutant powers to feed your own mad ego! Tell her about the lives you've taken, the fortunes you've stolen, the misery and misfortune you've been spreading aroudn with a trowel! Tell her that you're offerin' her a half-interest in a bloddy empire that would make genghis khan and attila the hun look like... The Smothers Brothers!!" Yes, he really said that!- D.Peck.

X-Men Origins XII: The Lure of the Beast-Nappers!

  • Credits: Edited by: Stan Lee; Scripted by: Arnold Drake; Drawn by: Werner Roth , Inked by: John Tartag; Lettered by: Herb Cooper.
Summary

The forth Beast back story. Hank McCoy, high school football star, is the object of the Conquistador's plan for world domination. The Conquistador and his henchmen try to abduct Hank without luck as he is too quick on his feet, bouncing around the landscape! The second attempt, "Operation Snare" all most fails until Hank is zapped by Conquistador's trident. Hank's home is under surveillance by Iceman who reports back to Professor Xavier that the boy and his parents are missing! Xavier ponders who has realized Hanks full potential, while at the bad guy's HQ, the Conquistador threatens Hanks with his parents death if he does not cooperate! (Story continued)

1969

Xm052

Issue No.52 1969

Issue No.52- Twilight of the Mutants! (1968)

  • Credits: Edited by: Stan Lee; Scripted by: Arnlold Drake; Art by: Don Heck & Werner Roth, Inked by: John Tartaglione; Lettered by: Sam Rosen.
  • Characters Featured: Mesmero (Vincent), Polaris (Lorna Dane), Magneto. Note: Despite the link, Lorna Dane is not known as Polaris in this story.

Story Details

If you recall from the end of the last issue, Erik the Red was standing outside of Mutant City demanding an audience with a now invalid Magneto (who had his legs crushed last issue). Just who is this Erik? Not waiting to find out, Mesmero (Vincent) sends his agents to attack Erik, who mows them down left and right with energy that erupts from his finger tips. Mesmero seems over confident in his ability to handle Erik, until Erik's well placed shot starts a wild chain reaction causing a portion of mutant city to collapse. All participants scatter for their lives to avoid the falling debris which traps Mesmero and his agents.

Polaris (Lorna Dane) observing Erik approaching the inner chamber of the city on a view finder, and despite knowing her father is a bad person, she vows to defend his life. Confronting Erik the Red, Lorna commands him to stop. Erik tells her, he admires her father and wants to join them. She relays the request to an injured Magneto who feels they have no choice but to grant Erik an audience and ends up agreeing that Erik will be in charge until he recovers.

Back at the X-Men's apartment, Marvel Girl (Jean Grey) receives a message from Cyclops (Scott Summers, "ready to begin Operation Twilight, rendezvous as planned!"

In Mutant City, Mesmero (Vincent) does not take the news well, being pushed aside for Erik the Red, but he submits. Lorna observes Erik and wonders why she does not sense "evil vibrations" like the others, nor is she happy with the prospect of a love-less life beside her evil father, Magneto.

The X-Men arrive minus Iceman and sneak into Mutant City. Suddenly they are spotted by Erik, but amazingly Marvel Girl walks up to him and gives him a big hug. It is Cyclops in disguise who has been Erik the Red all along!! Angel (Warren Worthington III is equipped with a roll of copper tape (Cyclop's plan) to electrocute the bad guys as he runs it along the floor. But just as they pull the switch, in runs Iceman and "CRZZZ!", Iceman is electrocuted. Just as suddenly, a powerful blast destroys the power circuit, preventing the floor from being re-energized. Mesmero has discovered the X-Men's plot, destroyed the control panel, and attacks with his agents! A fight ensues as Angel "BWOOOSHes" some agents, Marvel Girl sends up a wall of mental power, and Beast (Hank McCoy) carries an unconscious Iceman to a safer location. In quick succession, Mesmero tries to attack Angel with psychic energy, just as Beast thumps him. Mesmero then turns on Beast as Marvel Girl zaps Mesmero with her psychic energy! Cyclops, in his Erik costume starts blasting enemy agents, Marvel Girl and Mesmero engage in a mental duel, while Beast knocks more agents around.

Magneto realizes it is the X-Men and asks for his daughter's help. She is conflicted, but feels compelled to save him. As she walks towards a show down with the X-men, Iceman surprises her and more surprisingly she embraces him, as he tells her some very important news! "MAGNETO IS NOT YOUR FATHER!!"

To summarize, Lorna's parents were killed in a plane crash when she was an infant. Her Aunt and Uncle raised her, but when Magneto became aware of her, and her mutant powers, he manipulated her into believing he was her father! (He likes doing that, think of Quick Silver and Scarlet Witch) "Then I'm not the Queen of those twisted beings?" she asks. Bobby confirms as she stomps off to settle a score with Mesmero and her "darling Dad"!

The X-Men are now in a bind as an evil agent holds a gun to Angel's head and threatens to pull the trigger, when suddenly "CRZZZZZZZ!", Mesmero and his agents are floored by a blast of psychic power. "My daughter, have you gone mad?" Magneto yells. Lorna replies, I have no father, and will destroy you with the very powers he helped her develop! Not surprisingly, Magneto disappears and leaves a taped message congratulating the X-Men on out performing his expectations, and oh, btw, Mutant City is going to explode and kill you all! He-he! Marvel Girl senses bombs about to go off and they manage to vacate the premises before "BATWOOM!", Mutant City explodes. Back at the apartment, the X-men are once again a happy family and Bobby has an attentive green haired admirer, Lorna Dane.

Notes and Trivia

  • Lorna Dane and Bobby Drake (Iceman) are a romantic couple. (Poor Zelda.)

X-Men Origins XIII: The Crimes of the Conquistador!

  • Credits: Edited by: Stan Lee; Scripted by: Arnold Drake; Drawn by: Werner Roth , Inked by: John Tartag; Lettered by: Herb Cooper.
Summary

The fifth Beast Back story. Hank has been captured by the Conquistador and taken to his hideout and abandoned power station. Because he is aware of Hank's great mutant abilities, he threatens Hank's parents and demands that Hank help him create a miniature power plant to power Conquistador's electronic arsenal. Hank agrees and sneaks into a top secret government facility to steal an experimental miniature nuclear reactor and gets away with the device! (Story continued.)

Xm053

Issue No.53

Issue No.53- The Rage of Blastaar! (1969)

  • Credits: Edited by: Stan Lee; Scripted by: Arnlold Drake; Art by: Barry Smith, Inked by: Michael Dee; Lettered by: Herb Cooper.
  • Characters Introduced: Blastaar

Summary

Mostly a forgettable episode in the X-Men saga. Marvel Girl is experimenting with one of Xavier's mind machines and in some vague way causes it to draw Blastaar, a humanoid who has been banned to "negative space" out of the heavens, and into the X-Men lab where he fights the X-Men for a while, before Blastaar gets either destroyed or pulled back into space due to some water on the floor that makes an electrical conduit between him and Xavier's machine which is still chugging along.

X-Men Origins XIV: Welcome To The Club, Beast!

  • Credits: Edited by: Stan Lee; Scripted by: Arnold Drake; Drawn by: Werner Roth , Inked by: John Tartaglione; Lettered by: Jean "simek" Izzo.
Summary

Continued from Issue No.52. Hank McCoy has done the Conquistador's bidding to steal an experimental solar generator. As the Sun nears sunrise, Hank realizes that the entire world is threatened by Conquistador and his electronic devices, now powered by the generator he stole, so he tries to destroy it. But just as Conquistador threatens to destroy Beast, the door blows in by means of an optic blast and in charge Cyclops, Angel, and Iceman! Fighting as expected, but as the sun rises and Conquistador pushes the fateful button, instead of his machines being powered, the electricity flows into him and "KWOOM!" the place blows up presumably along with the Conquistador but not before the boys have a chance to escape. We find that Professor Xavier has messed with the machine's electronic circuits using his telekinetic powers and a little brain wiping on the Professor's part causes none of the third parties to remember a thing. The episode ends with Beast donning an X-Man uniform and becoming part of the X-Men team!

Xm054

Issue No.54 (1969)

Issue No.54- Wanted: Dead or Alive- Cyclops! (1969)

  • Credits: Edited by: Stan Lee; Scripted by: Arnold Drake; Art by: Don Heck, Inked by: Vince Colletta; Lettered by: Jean Izzo..
  • Characters Introduced: Havok (Alex Summers), Living Pharaoh. Alex Summers is the younger brother of Cyclops (Scott Summers). Living Pharaoh is an alias name for the Living Monolith, see link.
  • Gadgets: The Ring of Silence- used surprisingly to silence people.

Summary

This is a five episode story arc. The X-Men take on the Living Pharaoh who abducts Havok (Alex Summers), Scott's younger brother. The Pharaoh is a mutant and feels threatened by other mutants and selects Alex (who does not yet know he is a mutant) for death. There is a fight, the Living Pharaoh looks rather dead, and because Cyclops is present, when the police show up, they try to arrest him for murder, but concerned about his missing brother, Cyclops resists arrest and goes searching for his brother in the tunnels under the Pharaoh's base.

Note: I found this story arc to be underwhelming. Ask yourself who do the police think this pharaoh guy is? How did they end up at his headquarters to discover him dead, and where the heck are they? Additionally, the story does not do a good job explaining how the rest of the X-Men leaving a fight at the Pharaoh's HQ, end up hearing a bulletin on the radio about Cyclops being wanted for murder! The X-Men were standing right there when Pharaoh reappeared. Maybe they did not see anything? Either this is intrigue to keep the reader guessing or it is confusing and poor story telling imo. The story gets better as it continues.


X-Men Origins XV: Million Dollar Angel!

  • Credits: Edited by: Stan Lee; Scripted by: Arnold Drake; Drawn by: Werner Roth , Inked by: Vinnie Colletta; Lettered by: Artie Simek.
Summary

As a kid Warren Worthington III (Angel) likes climbing trees and scaring his parents to death! Warren's parents are wealthy and he leads a privileged life. He is smart and athletic, outperforming all others at school. To his shock, Warren sprouts wings in boarding school although they are too small to be of use. But as time goes by they grow larger and when Warren is faced with a dorm fire with no way out except the window he leaps and discovers he can fly! He also realizes there are other people trapped in the dormitory so he finds a rope in the schools prop room, along with a blond wig and a night shirt. And what looks like a real angel flies to the upper rooms of the dorm and delivers the rope to the unbelieving students, but they are happy for the rope. Afterwards all the boys are excited and one of them vows to discover who the angel might be! (story continued.)

Xm055

Issue No. 55 (1969)

Issue No.55- The Living Pharaoh! (1969)

  • Credits: Edited by: Stan Lee; Scripted by: Roy Thomas; Art by: Don Heck, Pencilled by: Werner Roth; Inked by: Vince Colletta, Lettered by: Jean Izzo.
  • Characters Featured: Havok (Alex Summers), Living Pharaoh. Alex Summers is not known as Havok in this issue.
  • Gadgets: Sacred Ankh- Living Pharaoh's hand held weapon of choice.

Summary

Characters Featured: Havok (Alex Summers), Living Pharaoh. Alex Summers is not known as Havok in this issue. Second part of the Living Pharaoh story arc. The X-Men pursue Pharaoh to Egypt with both Alex and Cyclops as prisoners. Once there, the rest of the X-Men catch up, the usual fight and by natural instinct, Alex discovers he is a mutant who can project power from his hands (a fairly standard mutant ability) smacking down the Living Pharaoh. The Pharaoh is captured, and the story is continued.

55Big-Alex Summers Mutant

Alex Summers- Mutant (55)

X-Men Origins XVI: Where Angels Dare To Tread!

Angel zooms in on a warehouse robbery and armed with what looks like a gas gun with pellets, lets them have it from above! Then with a portable radio, he calls the cops before diving on them and finishing the robbery with his fists. Back at his apartment Angel is miffed because he does not get credit for stopping the crime. There is mention of some guy with wings, but that is discounted by authorities.

Angel is now working free lance and is wearing primarily red colored outfit. Based on news reports regarding the foiled robbery, he comes to the attention of the X-Men who show up at his apartment and offer membership in the X-Men. Angel's response: "You gotta be kiddin!" (Story continued.)

Xm056

Issue No.56 (1969)

Issue No.56- The Power? (1969)

  • Credits: Edited by: Stan Lee; Scripted by: Roy Thomas; Penciled by: Neal Adams, Inked by: Tom Palmer; Lettered by: Herb Cooper.
  • Characters Introduced: Living Monolith- The Living Pharaoh and the Living Monolith are one and the same.
  • Characters Featured: Havok (Alex Summers), Living Pharaoh. Alex Summers is not known as Havok in this issue.
  • Gadgets:

Summary

Characters Featured: Havok (Alex Summers), Living Pharaoh. Alex Summers is not known as Havok in this issue. Second part of the Living Pharaoh story arc. The X-Men pursue Pharaoh to Egypt with both Alex and Cyclops as prisoners. Once there, the rest of the X-Men catch up, the usual fight and by natural instinct, Alex discovers he is a mutant who can project power from his hands (a fairly standard mutant ability) smacking down the Living Pharaoh. The Pharaoh is captured, and the story is continued.

55Big-Alex Summers Mutant

Alex Summers- Mutant (55)

X-Men Origins XVI: Where Angels Dare To Tread!

Angel zooms in on a warehouse robbery and armed with what looks like a gas gun with pellets, lets them have it from above! Then with a portable radio, he calls the cops before diving on them and finishing the robbery with his fists. Back at his apartment Angel is miffed because he does not get credit for stopping the crime. There is mention of some guy with wings, but that is discounted by authorities.

Angel is now working free lance and is wearing primarily red colored outfit. Based on news reports regarding the foiled robbery, he comes to the attention of the X-Men who show up at his apartment and offer membership in the X-Men. Angel's response: "You gotta be kiddin!" (Story continued.)

Xm057

Issue No.57 (1969)

Issue No.57- The Sentinels Live! (1969)

Summary

Part 4 of the Living Pharaoh story arc, the transformation of Havok (Alex Summers) into a powerful mutant, and the return of the The Sentinels. Polaris (Lorna Dane) is abducted from her apartment in Manhattan by the Sentinels.

In Egypt, the Living Pharaoh is under X-Men custody but when the police show up, it's revealed the Living Pharaoh is also Professor Abdol, a noted archeologist and the police decide to arrest the X-Men and Alex Summers who inadvertently destroyed an ancient temple.

The X-Men fight the police. Alex runs off into the desert and while hiding in a cave runs into a Sentinel. The X-Men become aware that something happened to Lorna, so Iceman and Beast return to NYC to find her. At Cyclops's apartment, they watch a televised news conference where Larry Trask, son of Dr. Bolivar Trask (The original creator of the Sentinels. See Issue No.14), calls mutants a threat, as a sinister entity lurks outside their apartment window. (Story continued.)

57big-Beast takes a dive

Beast Takes A Dive! (57)

X-Men Origins XVIII: The Female of the Species!

Hi, I'm Marvel Girl, I can move things telekinetically, paring an apple with a knife just using my mind, clean the house just thinking about it, deflect projectiles, unlock locks, even levitate myself and others. You don't want to be on my bad side as I can fry your brain a little using the mental ability that Professor Xavier trained me for and I can communicate with others telepathically . Not only can I disrupt street crimes with ease, but I'm also a real head turner! The end!

Xm058

Issue No.58 (1969)

Issue No.58- Mission Murder! (1969)

Summary

The 5th part of the Living Pharaoh story arc morphs into the second Sentinels showdown. Havok (Alex Summers) finally becomes known as Havok as opposed to plain old Alex Summers! And a shocker, Magneto, the Magneto in this issue is revealed to be an android! So will the real Magneto please stand up?

If you read the first Sentinels encounter, you might expect something to go wrong and you don't have long to wait. Larry Trask, son of Bolivar Trask and the leader of the new Sentinels, wears a medallion given to him by his Dad and has sworn he'll always wear it. The reason for this will be made clear as the story progresses.

Story Details

In the last issue, Beast (Hank McCoy) and Iceman's (Bobby Drake) were in Cyclops's (Scott Summers apartment catching the "mutants are bad!" news conference when a Sentinel explodes through the wall, attacking them. Iceman tells Beast to get out and warn the other X-Men who are in Egypt chasing after the Living Pharaoh. Beast reluctantly leaves, feeling guilty as Bobby fights the Sentinel alone, a feeling reinforced when Beast sees the Sentinel take to the skies with Iceman in its grasp.

On the television, Larry Trask, son of Dr. Bolivar Trask drones on about evil mutants, the ones who murdered his Father and how he has improved the Sentinels, making them bigger, and better with improved intelligence and better weapons. When asked, how can we be sure The Sentinels won't run amuck again, Trask claims that the Sentinels did not rebel the first time, instead it was an X-Men trick. Of course, Trask is mistaken.

Judge Chalmers, Trask's co-sponser of the "rounding up mutants" plan is on the phone with Larry Trask expressing doubt that all mutants are evil. Trask tortures Iceman with a steam bath that temporarily takes away his powers. Then he video tapes Iceman's reaction, attacking him, to be used as proof for the world that mutants are violent! (Hmm, who would not feel a bit violent after such treatment?)

Iceman discovers that Alex Summers and Polaris (Lorna Dane) have also been captured. Trask has named Alex, "Havok", a name that seems to agree with him and he is wearing a mutant outfit. He tells Iceman, if he donned his uniform and cooperated, Trask would leave the other X-Men alone, including Lorna. This appears to be a lye. While flying back to the U.S., Angel (Warren Worthington III is also captured by Sentinels.

The scene switches to a television news report describing the newly created Federal Council on Mutant Activities who approves of Sentinels scouring the country, apprehending mutants. Surprisingly, one of the council members is none other than Professor Abdol (Living Pharaoh)! One minute he is raving about the dangerous X-Men and the next minute he feels himself transforming into the Living Monolith(#)... that is until the Sentinels arrive and spray him down with a special adhesive that blocks cosmic rays (the source of mutant powers). The Sentinels take Abdol into custody. (# if not made clear earlier in this narrative, when Havok loses power, the Living Pharaoh gains power, turning into the Living Monolith.)

The Sentinels find Mesmero and Magneto's hideout. Mesmero can't stop the Sentinel using his mental powers and begs Magneto to save him. The Sentinel hits Magneto with a ray revealing that this Magneto is a robot as it falls apart!

After an attack by the Banshee and a disagreement with Judge Chalmers regarding mutant treatment, Trask overreacts and orders the Sentinels to capture and destroy all mutants nearby. In response, Chalmers seizes the medallion from around his neck, causing the Sentinels to no longer recognize Trask as their leader. Not only is he not their leader, but the head Sentinel tells Trask, he is a is a mutant who must be destroyed! (Story continued.)

Notes and Trivia

  • The Federal Council on Mutant Activities is formed to control mutants.
  • Magneto, in this issue is revealed to be an android, but constructed by who? Is Magneto alive or dead? At this point in time, it is unknown.
Xm059

Issue No.59 (1969)

Issue No.59- Do or Die, Baby! (1969)

Summary

The sixth episode of the Living Pharaoh/Sentinels story arc. (See Issue No.14 for the first Sentinel encounter.) While flying in the Quin Jet searching for the Sentinels' mutant captives, Cyclops's (Scott Summers, Marvel Girl (Jean Grey), and Beast (Hank McCoy) are blasted out of the sky by a Sentinel projectile. They survive and sneak into the Sentinel base. Larry Trask now realizes he is a mutant with the power of clairvoyance. But before he lost his position as leader of The Sentinels, in an emotional moment, he gave them an order to "kill all mutants". Ironically he has been labeled one of the mutants to be killed.

At the Sentinels' headquarters, we resume Larry Trask's mutinous encounter with the head Sentinel. First, Trask expresses some mutant empathy, for the X-Men on the Quin Jet. If they had died, he felt bad. Secondly he wants to know why the new Sentinel leader keeps calling him a mutant?

Judge Chalmers is there to answer that question. Turns out Larry Trask is a mutant with the gift of clairvoyance. As a child he predicted the time of his Mother's death. His father, Bolivar Trask created a medallion that erased Larry's memory of the event and muted his natural ability as long as he wore it. He made the young Larry Trask swear he would always wear it. Then his father, who feared other mutants would discover his son's ability, started the original campaign to round up all mutants as a way of protecting his son.

When the younger Trask issued the "kill mutant" command in the last episode, Chalmers pulled the medallion from his neck to bring back his lost memory, but the unintended consequence was that the Sentinels no longer viewed Trask as their leader and intend on carrying out his last command (as their leader) to "round up all nearby mutants and destroy them!" Trask protests, but he is knocked out with gas and placed in a holding tube as reports roll in regarding the capture of Quick Silver, Scarlet Witch, Unus, Mastermind, Blob, and one of Magneto's former disciples, Toad.

After fighting their way into the Sentinel base, Cyclops engages in some logic with the Sentinel leader convincing him that the best way for Sentinels to protect humans is to remove the source of the radiation that causes mutation. The Sentinels agree and decide to go after the primary source of radiation, our Sun. In unison The Sentinels leave Earth for the Sun and dive into it, which leaves the reader wondering if their intent was to destroy the Sun, if they know of a way to stop the Sun from emitting radiation, and finally do they have the ability to survive direct contact with the Sun? These questions are not answered.

Back on Earth, Havok whose power is building as indicated by his chest monitor, wonders if it would be better if he destroyed himself before he hurts others as he blows a hole in the wall of the Sentinel compound and ends up unconscious under a pile of rubble. Cyclops needs to get his little brother, Havok to a doctor. A call is placed to a colleague of Professor Xavier's. Then a strange scene is revealed as the call is answered in Manhattan by a man calling himself Dr. Lykos sitting before a human chained to a wall wearing some kind of an apparatus on his head and shoulders. For more info, see the Dr. Lykos (Sauron) link. (Story Continued.)

Xm060

Issue No.60 (1969)

Issue No.60- In the Shadow of Sauron! (1969)

Summary

The aftermath of the second Sentinels encounter. The Sentinels have flown to the Sun where their fate is unknown.

Larry Trask former leader of the Sentinels is sitting in a daze. In an effort to help Larry Trask recover, Judge Chalmers, (who knows the power of the medallion he removed from Trask several episodes ago), slips it back around Trask's neck. This medallion removes Trask memory of being a mutant and mutes his ability of clairvoyance. Chalmers also plans on releasing the mutants who were captured by the Sentinels, which is ok with the X-Men who are leaving. On the flight out, Polaris (Lorna Dane) asks to become part of the X-Men.

Unable to control his power, Havok (Alex Summers) injured himself in the last issue after the fight with the Sentinels. Cyclops's (Scott Summers and Marvel Girl (Jean Grey) have taken him to see Dr. Lykos, a colleague of Professor Xavier who has a dark secret.

Dr. Lykos, due to no fault of his own has been transformed into a vampire, except this vampire preys on human energy instead of blood. Lykos has also discovered that when he preys on mutants, his energy absorption is so high, it transforms him into something that looks like a pteranodon and brings out his evil nature, so evil, he has named himself Sauron. Lykos tells them, he needs privacy to work. Scott and Jean agree to leave Alex there.

After reports of a winged thief, rumored to be a mutant hits the news, Angel (Warren Worthington III does not like the idea of a bad, winged mutant takes off to patrol the sky and runs into Sauron. When goaded into looking into Sauron's eyes, Angel gets a surprise! (Story continued.)

Xm061

Issue No.61 (1969)

Issue No.61- Monsters Also Weep! (1969)

Summary

Angel (Warren Worthington III stares into Dr. Lykos's (Sauron) eyes seeing monstrous hallucinations! The X-men fight Sauron. And as Sauron starts to revert to his non-flying human state, he hypnotizes Angel and commands Angel to take him back to his office. Afterwards Angel returns to the mansion in a post-hypnotic daze. Dr. Lykos tells Tanya Anderssen, his love that he can't be with her until he has the "means" and the "power".

The X-Men pick up Havok (Alex Summers), who is feeling better but weak at Lykos's office after being drained of energy. Back at the Mansion, concerned about Angel's state, the X-Men decide to speak to Lykos. But as they leave, Lykos sneeks into the Mansion, draws on Polaris's (Lorna Dane) energy, transforms into Sauron, and flies to the Anderssen mansion to kill Tanya's Father (who is against them being together).

Crashing through the window with murderous intent, Sauron vows to kill Dr. Anderssen who is against him being with his daughter, Tanya. Dr Anderssen and Tanya recognize the hideous creature's voice as Karl Lykos. As Sauron descends to kill Anderssen, he is caught completely by surprise by Beast's (Hank McCoy) flying feet that stomp him upside the beak, followed by an optic blast and some ice for good measure.

The jolt brings Sauron to his senses as he finally realizes how bad a bird he has been. And he wonders how the woman he loves could ever forgive him, if he had killed her Father. Feeling serious regret and unworthy, he flees the scene vowing to retreat to a place where no one can ever find him. But Tanya, thinks she knows where he has gone, and vows that "the girl who loves him will find him before anyone else does".

Sauron flies across the seas until he arrives at Tierra Del Fuego to "My Father's cabin, where I was born, where I met my true love Tanya, and it is here, my life must end". His plan is to sit and starve to death. The days roll by and he weakens, but one day he hears a voice, "Karl!". It's Tanya who has found him. "No, oh good Lord, no!" he thinks in alarm, "I'm so ravenous, that one touch might kill her!" Then he sees her as young, alive, and full of vibrant energy, but then snaps out of it and realizing he can't bring himself to hurt her, instead, opts to run and throw himself off a cliff. Tanya is right behind him and would have followed him over the side if not for the mental barrier thrown up by Marvel Girl (Jean Grey). The X-men have followed Tanya but they were unable to save the tortured soul known as Dr. Lykos! (Story continues!)

Xm062

Issue No.62 (1969)

Issue No.62- Strangers In A Savage Land! (1969)

Summary

Dr. Lykos jumped off a cliff. Tanya Anderssen is grief stricken and leaves the X-Men to search for his body. The X-Men think Angel (Warren Worthington III is back in New York at the Mansion, but they don't know Angel has found a clue in Lykos's office, has ventured to Tierra Del Fuego and attacked by winged pteranodons, has fallen down a hole to the The Savage Land, a large subterranean underworld made up of jungles, previously featured in Issue No.10, where he is saved from death by the mysterious personality known as Creator (Spoiler Alert: don't click the Creator link until you've read the Summary!)

62big cyclops-trex

Cyclops Provides Dental Services

The X-Men venture to the Savage Land looking for Lykos's body and have run into their old acquaintance, the lacking-in-social-skills, Ka-Zar and his big cat Zabu. Kazar has a beef with the Swamp Savages now being led by the Creator. Kazar gets in over his head but with X-Men help beat some Savages who have captured a Water Person. Kazar takes off for a showdown with the Creator. Angel who is grateful to the Creator for saving his life, promises to intervene with Ka-Zar and the X-Men and as Angel leaves, the Creator laughs evilly saying, "this will give me the time needed to make me Master of the entire planet!" as he pats Magneto's helmet!

This Issue features Equilibrius, Creator, Savage Land Mutants: Gaza, Amphibius, Lupo, Brainchild, the Piper, and Herr Anderssen.

Issue No.63- War In The World Below! (1969)

Story Details

This issue concludes the story arc that began with issue No.54 with Cyclops's (Scott Summers wanted for the murder of the Living Pharaoh.

The story continues from the last issue, and begins with Magneto's', yes I said Magneto, gloating about how he has Angel (Warren Worthington III interceding with the X-Men on his behalf! The Creator and his Savage Land Mutates are in conflict with Ka-Zar and Angel has volunteered to straighten things out between the two groups.

Angel does not know that the Creator is Magneto with his usual diabolical plan to rule the world.

As Angel approaches the X-Men and Ka-Zar, because he is weaing a blue and white outfit, they are not sure who he is. Ka-Zar being a man of action, does not wait for confirmation, and whacks Angel with a tree, then takes off in search of the "Strange One", we now know to be Magneto. Angel tells the other X-Men his story and how he thinks the Creator is a good guy, just like Xavier, helping mutants and all.

The X-Men and Angel, help Ka-Zar when he is attacked by Gaza, the blind, mutant giant. Then Amphibius, who I like to call Mr. Frog, thumps Beast's (Hank McCoy) and thanks Angel for delaying their enemies so the Swamp Men can mount an attack! Angel says "Who me?", as a swarm of Swamp Savages come at them. The X-Men engage the Swamp Men as Angel leaves to confront the Creator!

Returning to the Creator's haunt alone, Angel surprises the Creator and Brainchild talking about creating mutants. Creator slips on his helmet says "It's time you learned who I really am! MAGNETO!" Angel replies, "But your dead! I saw you die in Issue 53!" (Well, he does not say that exactly.) Magneto is nice enough to explain that when both the X-Men and Avengers were after him, he realized it was a loosing proposition so when he fell into the ocean, he used his magnetic powers to dig a hole down to underground caverns and found the Savage Land. After taking over the Savage Land, his plan is to reemerge in the world above and conquer it too! As he talks, Magneto points at a glowing sphere. Angel sees it and yells "No, it can't be!"

After taking care of Swamp Men, the X-Men and Ka-Zar arrive at the Creator's liar and fight some of his minions. Advance into a room they are surprised when out prances Magneto with Angel in some kind of a trance. Overcoming their shock to see Magneto, he presents his latest creation, Lorelei! She is a beautiful long-haired, platinum blond, former Swamp Savage, turned into a neo-mutant by Magneto with the ability to mesmerize people with her voice which sounds like "oooo, ooooooo!" But, she only has this effect on men. Marvel Girl (Jean Grey) is still ready to fight! Magneto offers her a place by his side so they can rule the world together! (The effect pretty women have on men...)

Marvel Girl's answer is "NO!" as she flings a table at him, which he disintegrates with a hand held weapon. Magneto and Marvel Girl engage in a short dual, but she runs out of power and gives up. Magneto tells her, he can't use the full extent of his magnetic powers due to all the delicate machinery, in fact he is wearing a device that mutes his electromagnetic powers. "Oh?" thinks Marvel Girl as an optic-blast smashes Magneto's weapon. "But how?" cries Magneto. Resourceful Jean has used her telekinetic powers to lift Cyclops's visor! Not only does it destroy Magneto's weapon, but it then demolishes Magneto's delicate machinery or as Magneto describes it, "the work of a lifetime!".

About this time, as is the custom for Savage World residents who talk in third person, Lorelei says "Lorelei feels, so strange, like she'll soon be coming out of a deep sleep!" Magneto has one last hope for vengeance and that is to hurl the wreckage at the X-Men, but Cyclops tells him, "your too late!" And Magneto agrees "too late to do anything, but die!" as tons of machinery appear to fall on him.

This Issue also features: Equilibrius, Gaza, Amphibius, Barbarus, Brainchild, and Lupo.

Notes and Trivia

  • Angel switches uniform from that of a primarily yellow outfit, to after being saved by Magneto, to a blue and white uniform. Actually it looks better than the yellow uniform, but nothing much is said about it other that at one point in the story, Angel flies towards the X-men and they are not sure who he is!
  • Magneto dies again? As usual that's a maybe!

Movie Parallels

The first X-Men movie, Magneto turn Senator Kelly into a mutant using radiation, but in that case the end results were not so good. Kelly turned into a gelatinous amphibious gill man and apparently died as he turned into water. However, his death is not 100% confirmed. In this story, the process of Magneto turning people into mutants is not explained, nor is it explained why after the apparent death of Magneto, they would change back into normal people.

1970

Xm064

Issue No.64 (1970)

Issue No.64- The Coming of Sunfire! (1970)

  • Credits: Edited by: Stan Lee; Scripted by: Roy Thomas; Art by: Don Heck, Inked by: Tom Palmer; Lettered by: Artie Simek.
  • Characters Introduced: Sunfire (Shiro Yoshida)
  • Characters Featured:
  • Gadgets:

Summary

This episode begins with what appears as a new evil mutant, Sunfire (Shiro Yoshida) standing on a building top looking down at people and calling them ants and insects! He crashes a ceremony at the U.N. where Japanese Statesmen Mr. Saburo Yoshida is dedicating a statue to the youth of the world. Sunfire destroys the stature and calls Yoshida as everyone scrambles! The X-Men show up to fight the mutant stranger who escapes with a burst of incredible speed.

Sunfire (Shiro Yoshida), (Diplomat Saburo Yoshida's son) and his Nationalistic Uncle have a score to settle with the U.S.A from the WWII atomic bombing of Hiroshima, that turned his mother into an invalid.

Years ago his Uncle helped train and focus Shiro's mutant powers by picking up Hiroshima's soil. His powers include fire shooting from his fingertips, incredible speed and the ability to fly.

In Washington D.C. at the Nation's Capitol, Sunfire plans on blowing up the Capital Building! The X-Men fight him on the dome. Overhead the X-men engage him. Sunfire proves to be a difficult opponent.

Mr Yoshida appears on the roof of he Capital, "Stop!" he commands Sunfire. "Father, don't make me choose between two worlds,my head is spinning!" replies Sunfire. Just then, his hateful Uncle appears and says, "I'll chose for you!" as he whips out a pistol and shoots Shiro's Father who falls off the dome. Sunfire returns fire, killing his Uncle! Sunfire gets a few last words with his Dad who tells him, "Live only for the future, not for the past! Forge the tools of peace from the chains of war!" and then he dies. The episode ends with Shiro Yoshida morning for his father.

Xm065

Issue No.65 (1970)

Issue No.65- Before I'd Be Slave (1970)

  • Credits: Edited by: Stan Lee; Scripted by: Dennis O'Neal; Art by: Neal Adams, Inked by: Tom Palmer; Lettered by: Jean Izzo.
  • Characters Introduced: Z'Nox
  • Characters Featured: Havok (Alex Summers), Polaris (Lorna Dane)
  • Gadgets: Gravity Transformer Drive- a Z'Nox invention designed to move an entire planet.

Summary

The X-Men are tired after their fight with Magneto and the Swamp Savages followed by Sunfire Upon returning to the mansion they are rushed into a briefing by Havok (Alex Summers). The interstellar warrior race, the Z'Nox are about to invade the Earth to conquer and enslave it's inhabitants.

Professor Xavier makes a surprise reappearance among the living. In the time frame of Issue 38 while the X-men fought the Mutant Master in the Alps, the Professor became aware of the pending Z'Non invasion and needed uninterrupted time to prepare for it. In typical Marvel Comic subterfuge, the Changeling came to the Professor and told him due to a disease, he only had six months to live and wanted to turn over a new leaf, doing something good before he died. Xavier asked him to become Xavier. Changeling agreed and since that time Xavier remained locked up in a private portion of the mansion's basement working out his plan to deal with the Z'Nox. During the fight with the Sub-Human Grotesk, the Changeling died (Issue No. 42). Not only did they all think it was Xavier, but apparantly he felt no need to let them know he was not dead! The X-Men are shocked!

65big-Xavier is reborn!

Xavier Lives! (1970)

A large scout ship acting with a homing beacon has landed at the South Pole. It is being followed by the Z'Nox's planet which can be moved by means of a Gravity Transformer Drive. It is the X-Men's job to assault the ship and help prevent the invasion. The X-Men use a rocket ship to assault the enemy ship. They fight, then get organized and form a huge mental network starting with Xavier. First he contacts millions of human minds and forms a mental network. Then all of the available mental energy is funneled through him, focused and sent to the X-Men from Polaris (Lorna Dane). to Marvel Girl (Jean Grey), who runs it through Havok who boosts the energy and passes it on to Cyclops (Scott Summers. Then as Iceman's (Bobby Drake) douses Cyclops with ice, he shoots a focused beam of mental power into the invading Z'Nox planet which causes such excruciatingly pain into the brains of the Z'Nox, they abandon their attack on Earth. However this feat leaves the Professor on death's doorstep again!

Notes and Trivia

  • Xavier Lives!
  • This issue ends the run of artist Neal Adams (Issues 56-63,65) who like Jim Steranko before him (Issues 50-51) raised the story presentation up several notches. Nothing against Don Heck, a competent artist, but his artwork seems squarely planted in the 1960's vs the other guys whose dynamic presentations clearly moved the genre towards present day standards.- d.peck.
Xm066

Issue No.66 (1970)

Issue No.66- Mutants And The Monster (1970)

  • Credits: Edited by: Stan Lee; Scripted by: Roy Thomas; Art by: Sal Buscema, Embelished by: Sam Grainger; Lettered by: Artie Simek.
  • Characters Introduced:The Hulk, Major Glenn Talbot
  • Characters Featured:
  • Gadgets: Mind Probe- built by Xavier based on an Avengers design. Gamma-Ray treatment device for mental exhaustion- co-designed by Banner and Xavier.

Summary

To save Xavier, the X-Men seek out Bruce Banner who spends a lot of time as the Hulk. Xavier and Banner coordinated the invention of a Gamma Ray device to cure mental exhaustion. After some action lively action with the Hulk who just wants to be left alone, the X-Men locate the device in Banner's secret lab, return to Xavier and cure him.

Story Details

As a result of the previous fight with the Z'Nox, Xavier is unconscious and appears to be dying. Lorna cries for Xavier, Havok comforts her but is rewarded with a flash of ice across his bow, because Iceman still thinks Lorna is his girl. Before Alex and Bobby start a real fight, Cyclops intervenes forcefully reminding them now is not the time to fight among themselves. Lorna reinforces those feelings.

Hank suggests they use the Professor's Mind Probe hoping to somehow get in touch with Xavier. They get a message from Xavier "Find the Hulk before it's too late!" Then Cyclops tells Marvel Girl to probe Xavier's mind, but all she sees is an image of The Hulk, which reminds Cyclops that the Hulk is also Bruce Banner, a famous physicist! Maybe he holds the answer to the Professor's condition?

The X-Men take off in their jet to search for the Hulk and at their destination, Angel jumps out and starts searching. He locates the Hulk tromping down a street with everyone running from him and dives towards him. But Hulk does not like being hounded so he claps his big green firsts together and knocks Angel away. Beast tries to stomp Hulk with little effect. Cyclops tries to talk to Hulk, but the response is, "Hulk does not like to talk!". Cyclops hits him with an optic blast that slows him down but does not stop him. Then Marvel Girl floods his brain with mental energy causing him to collapse and revert back to Bruce Banner, whom they can talk to.

They ask Banner if he knows Xavier. He says he is so tired and does not know the name. Suddenly the U.S. Army arrives, a group led by Major Glen Talbot, a member of the Hulkbusters intent on capturing the Hulk. Suddenly, Banner remembers the name Xavier, says they exchanged notes on creating a Gamma-Ray treatment for mental exhaustion and he has one in his secret lab!

But instead of letting Banner go, Talbot insists on taking Banner into custody and the aggravation brings out the Hulk again who fights the Army and then takes off with giant leaps and bounds! The X-Men jump into their jet and pursue the Hulk into the desert where they confront him again. While the Hulk is busy taunting the X-men from the top of a cliff, Beast sneaks around behind him, catches him off balance and knocks him off and in the process causes a land slide that covers him up. But when Hulk pops out of the rubble, an entrance to his secret lab is uncovered. Angel flies in looking for the Gamma Ray device as Hulk "THRUMMs" the ground causing an earthquake upsetting Jean and Scott! Beast grabs them before they fall into a crevice and Angel comes out of the lab with the device. They take off back to the Mansion and Hulk is just happy to be left alone! However the X-Men surmise that at some sub-conscious level, the Beast led them to his lab on purpose. They zap the Professor and he is cured!

X-Men Take a Break! (1970-75)

  • At this point, the X-Men take a 5 year break and although X-Men issues are published, they are repeats of earlier stories.
  • Issue No.67 (1970) repeats Issue No.12- The Origin of Professor X!
  • Issue No.68 (1971) repeats Issue No.14- Among Us Stalk the Sentinels!
  • Issue No.69 (1971) repeats Issue No.16- The Supreme Sacrifice!
  • Issue No.70 (1971) repeats Issue No.17- And None Shall Survive!
  • Issue No. 71 (1971) repeats Issue No.20- I, Lucifer...
  • Issue No. 72 (1971) repeats Issue No.21- From Whence Comes Dominus?
  • Issue No. 73 (1971) repeats Issue No.25- The Power and the Pendant!
  • Issue No. 74 (1972) repeats Issue No.26- Holocaust!
  • Issue No. 75 (1972) repeats Issue No.27- Re-enter the Mimic!
  • Issue No. 76 (1972) repeats Issue No.28- The Wail of the Banshee!
  • Issue No. 77 (1972) repeats Issue No.29- When Titans Clash!
  • Issue No. 78 (1972) repeats Issue No.30- The Menace of Merlin!
  • Issue No. 79 (1972) repeats Issue No.31- We Must Destroy The Cobalt Man!
  • Issue No. 80 (1973) repeats Issue No.32- Beware the Jugernaut, My Son!
  • Issue No. 81 (1973) repeats Issue No.33- Into the Crimson Cosmos!
  • Issue No. 82 (1973) repeats Issue No.34- War, in a World of Darkness!
  • Issue No. 83 (1973) repeats Issue No.35- Along Came A Spider!
  • Issue No. 84 (1973) repeats Issue No.36- Mekano Lives!
  • Issue No. 85 (1973) repeats Issue No.37- We The Jury...
  • Issue No. 86 (1974) repeats Issue No.38- The Sinister Shadow of Doomsday!
  • Issue No. 87 (1974) repeats Issue No.39- The Fateful Finale!
  • Issue No. 88 (1974) repeats Issue No.40- The Mark of the Monster!
  • Issue No. 89 (1974) repeats Issue No.41- Now Strikes...The Sub-Human!
  • Issue No. 90 (1974) repeats Issue No.42- If I should Die!
  • Issue No. 91 (1974) repeats Issue No.43- The Torch Is Passed!
  • Issue No. 92 (1975) repeats Issue No.44- Red Raven, Red Raven...!
  • Issue No. 93 (1975) repeats Issue No.45- When Mutants Clash!
  • The series is reborn with Giant Size X-Men 01(1975)!

Team X-Men 1963-1970

Note: Number after name designates what comic episode they first appear in with a movie code if applicable: XM= X-Men Orig; X2= Sequal; X3= Last Stand; X4= Wolverine Origins.

  • Angel (1 X3): Warren Worthington III, he's got feathery bird wings and can fly.
  • Beast (1 X3): Hank McCoy, he's a Beast with super reflexes and power. With super strength he can hop from building to building. Note, in the early years he was not covered with blue fur and looked like a regular person not a wolf.
  • Cyclops (1 XM,X2,X3): Slim Summers, has energy-beam eyeballs. Called Scott in later episodes.
  • Iceman (1 XM,X2,X3), Bobby Drake, creates cold/Ice, turns himself into a frozen but animated figure.
  • Marvel Girl (1 XM,X2,X3): Jean Grey, telekensis, can move objects and can levitate herself.
  • Professor Xavier (1 XM,X2,X3,X4): Can communicate and control other people's minds with telepathy.

Team X-Men Additions

  • The Mimic- (1967) In addition to the original X-Men members- Professor Xavier, Cyclops, Angel, Iceman, Beast, and Marvel Girl, Calvin Rankin the Mimic who was featured in Issues No.19, 26, and 27 is now on the X-Men team as of Issue No.28 "Wail of the Banshee". The Mimic is a mutant who temporarily absorbs other mutant's powers while he is in their presence. He started out as an enemy but saw the error of his ways. Mimic is absent after episode 30 (based on issues posted in this article).
  • Polaris- Lorna Dane (No.49-52, 57-59 1968-70). Polaris first appears in Issue No.49, "Who Dares Defy...The Demi-Men (1968)?" She asks to stay with the X-Men and although never officially invited, she joins the team. Of note, during the issues listed in the 1968-1970 time frame, she is never addressed as Polaris.
  • Havok (Alex Summers) (No.54-59 1969)- Younger brother of Cyclops (Scott Summers) first appears in Issue No.54 "Wanted Cyclops, Dead or Alive!" that starts a fairly long story arc that starts with the Living Pharaoh, goes to Sauron (Dr. Lykos) and ends up in the Savage Land with Ka-Zar and Magneto, alias The Creator! Havok joins the X-Men.

Most Significant X-Men Issues

  • First Uniform (Issue No.1 1963)- Yellow Torsos with blue extremities.
  • Cyclops loves Marvel Girl! (Issue No. 8 1964)- but don't hold your breath as the relationship fumbles along for at least 5 years without any real development.
  • Beast quits the X-men! (Issue No. 8 1964)- just long enough to join the circus, help stop an evil-mutant plot and return to the X-Men.
  • I, Lucifer- (Issue No. 20 1966) Includes a back story on how Professor Xavier lost the use of his legs.
  • First X-Men Uniform Update! (Issue No. 27 1966)- First Uniform Update. Marvel Girl creates new uniforms for the X-Men. They are still blue and yellow but more blue along the side of the torso, giving the yellow area a more sleek angular appearance.
  • The Sinister Shadow of Doomsday (Issue No.38 1967) Includes an X-Men Origins story on the Professor prior to the X-men who decides he can no longer live the life of a hermit and must get involved in the affairs of Homo Sapiens.
  • Second X-Men Uniform Update! (Issue 39 1967)- The 3rd version of uniforms for the X-Men. Marvel Girl (Jean Grey) creates new duds (clothes/uniforms) for the gang. Angel is yellow and red, Beast is red torso and blue extremities, Cyclops is mostly blue with yellow accents, Marvel Girl is in a new sleek green outfit, and it's hard to describe Iceman as he is covered in a layer of ice.
  • Now Strikes the Sub Human (Issue No.41 1968)- First of three X-Men Origin stories on how Cyclops became the first X-Man.
  • If I should Die...! (Issue No.42 1968)- the biggest shocker to date, the death of Professor Xavier.
  • When Mutants Clash (Issue No.45 1968)- The presumed death of Magneto.
  • The End of the X-Men (Issue No.46 1968)- just a ploy. The X-Men split up as in spread themselves across the country to head off evil mutants.
  • Red Raven, Red Raven- (Issue No.44 1968)- First of four X-Men Origin stories on how the Iceman joined the X-Men.
  • Beware Computo Commander of the Robot Hive! (Issue No.48 1968)- First of six X-Men Origin stories on how the Beast became an X-Man.
  • Who Dares Defy...The Demi-Men? (Issue No.49 1968)- Good four issue story arc introducing Lorna Dane, reportedly Magneto's daughter, Mesmero, and the return of Magneto.
  • Hail, Queen of Mutants (Issue No.50, 1968)- Jim Steranko- a then, new artist to the X-Men series brought a fresh new exciting and stylized story rendering introduced in Issue No. 50.
  • Wanted: Dead or Alive- Cyclops! (Issue No.54 1969)- Starts a five issue story arc on the Living Pharaoh, Introduces Alex Summers, and brings back the Sentinels. Starts a X-Men Origins story on how the Angel becomes an X-Man.
  • The Living Pharaoh (Issue No.55 1969)- Alex Summers (Havok), Cyclop's younger brother discovers he's a mutant!
  • The Power! (Issue No.56 1969) Introduces a new X-Men artist: X-Men graphics get an upgrade as Neal Adams brings a more dynamic presentation to the story.
  • Xavier Lives!- "Before I'd Be Slave"(Issue No.65 1970).


Guest Appearance List (Chronological)

Note: Number after name designates what comic episode/issue they appear in with a movie code if applicable: XM= X-Men Orig; X2= Sequal; X3= Last Stand; X4= Wolverine Origins. The year is the first year they appeared.

  • Magneto (No.1,4-7,11,17-18, 43-44, 50-51,58,62-63; 1963-69; XM,X2,X3): By manipulating magnetism, controls objects and the environment, can read minds (issue 7).
  • Vanisher (No.2,37 1964-67): can vanish by teleporting.
  • Blob (No.3,7,20,37-39, 1964-67; X4) Can't be moved, skin can't be penetrated by bullets or harmed by fire.
  • Toad (No.4-7,11,43-44, 59; 1964-69 XM): Hops, hits with his limbs. Personality similar to Renfield in Dracula.
  • QuickSilver (No.4-7,11,27, 43-44, 59; 1964-69): Pietro, brother to Scarlet Witch, possesses great speed. In Issue 44 it is revealed he can now fly (with an Avengers reference).
  • Scarlet Witch (No.4-7,11, 27, 43-44, 59; 1964-69): Wanda, sister to Quick Silver, uses telekinesis like Jean Grey.
  • Mastermind (No.4-8,11.37-39; 1964-67): Mind control with hypnotic illusions.
  • Sub-Mariner (6): Prince Namor, a humanoid who lives under the ocean. He can fly by means little wings on his ankles, possesses great strength and is extremely tough by virtue of being able to withstand the great pressures at the bottom of the ocean which allow him to endure a beating from The Beast and with stand Cylcop's energy beam (No.5, 1964).

Zelda The Waitress (7, 14, 19; 1964-66)- Works at Cofee-A-Go-Go in Greenwich Village, NYC. Dates Iceman.
 Sentinels- (No.14,57, 96, 98, 141; 1965, 1976, 1981) Robots created for reducing the mutant threat by controlling and capturing them. Originally created by Bolivar Trask, then brought back by his son, Larry Trask,

  • Unus, The Untouchable (No.8,20,37-39; 1964-67) can't be touched.
  • Lucifer (No.9,20 1965-66) An Alien from the planet Quistalium who has a gifted intellect and knowledge of advance alien technology. He is not a mutant. Issue 9 does not really describe his abilities. The Wiki link says his abilities are Telepathy and Ionic Manipulation.
  • The Mighty Avengers (No.9 1965). Good Guys. Episode 9 includes Thor, Iron Man, Wasp, and Giant Man.
  • Ka-Zar (No.10 1965) "Tarzan-like" strong dude in loin cloth with pet Saber Tooth Tiger resides in a Lost World Realm accessed in the Antartic.
  • The Stranger (No.11 1965)- Not a mutant, an alien. Elderly looking man with a thick mane of white hair, thick white eyebrows, a white gotee and a wild Picasso style mustache, also white. He can levitate, walk through walls, form a cone of energy around himself and others that can be used for protection and transportation, can emit incredible bursts of destructive energy, emit a ray that can turn people into solid blocks of matter, and, and he can grow big, as in "giant" on a whim.
  • Juggernaut (No.12-13, 32, 46 1965-68; X3)- Cain Marko becomes the Juggernaut, a giant inexorable force that moves onward irresistibly chrushing anything in it's path after touching a cursed Ruby in the Temple of Cyttorak (a Black Magic Diety). Wears a helmit which offers mental block protection from telepaths like Xavier.
  • Human Torch (No.13 1965)- Johnny Storm, part of the Fantastic Four.

Sentinels- (No.14-16 ,57-59, 96, 98, 141; 1965-66, 1969, 1976, 1981) Robots created for reducing the mutant threat by controlling and capturing them. Originally created by Bolivar Trask, then brought back by his son, Larry Trask,

  • Dr. Bolivar Trask (No.14-16; 1965-66): Created the Master Mold and Sentinels to control and destroy mutants but to his surprise they turn on mankind.
  • Mimic (No.19,26,27,28 1966-67)- Calvin Rankin, absorbs other mutant's powers while he is in their presence. He joins the X-Men in Issue No.28 "Wail of the Banshee".
  • Count Nefaria (No.22, 1966)- Wealthy and powerful, head of a crime syndicate uses science to give himself super-human mutant powers.
  • Plantman (No.22, 1966)- Samuel Smithers has mutated into a plant like being, super strength, resistant to damage, can alter his shape, he can control plants and animate them.
  • Scarecrow (No.22, 1966)- Ebenezer Laughton, controls birds among other things (see link).
  • Porcupine (No.22, 1966)- Alexander Gentry, a criminal with advanced mechanical engineering/weapons design skills, wears a porcupine suit.
  • Eel (No.22, 1966)- Edward Lavell, criminal who wears an insulated eel suit that protects him and gives him the power to transmit electricity as a weapon.
  • Unicorn (No.22, 1966)- Milos Masanryk, a Soviet Intelligence Agent who undergoes "hyper-activator" conditioning that turns him into a freak with a stalk growing out of his forehead and a third eye that can project powerful attacks. He can generate a protective force field around himself.
  • El Tigre (Juan Meroz)- Juan Meroz (No.25, 26 1966), gem hunter discovers The God Kukulcan's Pendant of Power at a an ancient Mayan Pyramid.
  • Puppetmaster (No.27, 1966)- Controls people using their image sculpted in radioactive clay.
  • Banshee (Sean Cassidy) (No.28, 35-39,58-59 1967, 1969)- Uses sound waves to debilitate people, destroy objects, push himself through the air (fly) in such a way as to be invisible. An art lover who puts a high priority on smoking his pipe.
  • Ogre (No.28, 1967)- Real name unknown is not a mutant, assisted with a suit with many mechanical devices such as rocket assist boots, and repello-ray weapons.
  • Super Adaptoid (No.29 1967)- An artifical life form (android) created by an organization known as A.I.M. using a piece of Cosmic Cube, the Super Adaptoid fought the Avengers and then took refuge in Revolutionary War tunnels before being disturbed by Cyclops wallowing in one his many bouts of self pity and this time rage cause he can't stand the lack of control over his power-eyesballs.
  • The Warlock (No.30, 47 1967-68)- A super-human mutant who was first known as Merlin the Magician (King Author's Merlin) who has the ability to teleport, mind control, and control the environment to some degree.
  • [Cobalt Man (No.31 1967) Not a mutant in issue 31, Ralph is the accidental Cobalt Man, due to a knock on the noggin and creating a powered suit similar to Iron Man. Suit can fly and has built in power rays.
  • The Ancient One (No.33)- Marvel Girl (Jean Grey) sees the Ancient One in a vision as she probes the comotose Xavier's brain.
  • Doctor Strange (No.33 1967)- is located by the X-Men in an attempt to locate The Ancient One for information to fight the Juggernaut.
  • Tyrannus (No.34 1967)- dresses like a gladiator with the arrogance of Magneto.
  • Mole Man (No.34 1967)- wears a cape like most villains in the Marvel Universe.
  • Changeling (Kevin Sidney)- Shape shifter and second in command of Factor 3. (No.35-36 1967).
  • Mekano (No.36 1967)- Tom Regal, neglected son of Mr. Regal, philanthropist, who steals a mechanical suit and tears up his Dad’s library for attention.
  • Mutant Master (No.37-39 1967)- mysterious leader of Factor 3 first mentioned in Issue No.28 and abducted Professor Xavier at the end of Issue No.33. He is an alien from the Siris Star System with designs on conquering the Earth.
  • Grotesk, The Sub-Human- (No.41 & 42, 1968) Formally Prince Gor-tok, he is the last of his kind, a subterranean humanoid whose waring civilization was destroyed by Human nuclear bomb testing. He as been doused with radiation, is very strong, and vows to seek vengeance against the Human Race.
  • Red Raven (No.44 1968). Member of the Lost Race of Birdmen.
  • Computo- robot. (No. 48, 1968)- fought by Cyclops and Marvel Girl after the X-Men have split up.
  • Polaris- Lorna Dane (No.49-52, 57-59, 65-66 1968-70).
  • Larry Trask- (No. 57-59 1969) son of Dr. Bolivar Trask- believes his father was killed by the X-men, (actually his father sacrificed himself to try to defeat the out of control Sentinels) (see Issue No.14) makes trouble for mutants publicly pronouncing mutants to be a threat to mankind.
  • Judge Chalmers (No.57-59, 1969)- Friend of Larry Trask. Larry Trask created the new and improved Sentinels to take care of the mutant problem.
  • Dr. Lykos (Karl Lykos) (No.59-62; 1969)- Saved Tanya Anderssen when she was a teenager from prehistoric flying dinos, was injured by one giving him the power to draw energy from others transforming himself into an evil flying dino. His alter ego is known as Sauron and he is in love with Tanya.
  • Tanya Anderssen (No.60-62 1969)- Daughter of Dr. Anderssen and loves Karl Lykos (Sauron).
  • Equilibrius (No.62 1969)- Swamp Savage Mutant from the Savage Land.
  • Creator (No.62 1969)- Spoiler Alert: read issue 62 before clicking on this link!
  • Amphibius (No.62 1969)- another Savage Land mutant, along with these other Savage Land mutants who are just pictured- Gaza, Lupo, Brainchild, and the Piper.
  • Z'Nox- (No.65 1970) Interstellar warrior race who plan on conquering the Earth.



Guest Appearance List (Alphabetical)

Note: Number after name designates what comic episode/issue they appear in with a movie code if applicable: XM= X-Men Orig; X2= Sequal; X3= Last Stand; X4= Wolverine Origins. The year is the first year they appeared.

  • Amphibius (No.62 1969)- another Savage Land mutant, along with these other Savage Land mutants who are just pictured- Gaza, Lupo, Brainchild, and the Piper.
  • Tanya Anderssen (No.60 1969)- Daughter of Dr. Anderssen and loves Karl Lykos (Sauron).
  • The Ancient One (No.33)- Marvel Girl (Jean Grey) sees the Ancient One in a vision as she probes the comotose Xavier's brain.
  • The Mighty Avengers (No.9 1965). Good Guys. Episode 9 includes Thor, Iron Man, Wasp, and Giant Man.
  • Banshee (Sean Cassidy) (No.28, 35-39, 58-59 1967-1969)- Uses sound waves to debilitate people, destroy objects, push himself through the air (fly) in such a way as to be invisible. An art lover who puts a high priority on smoking his pipe.
  • Blob (No.3,7,20,37-39, 1964-67; X4) Can't be moved, skin can't be penetrated by bullets or harmed by fire.
End end of Issue 3 he is left with his memory partially wiped working at the carnival.
  • Judge Chalmers (No.57-59, 1969)- Friend of Larry Trask. Larry Trask created the new and improved Sentinels to take care of the mutant problem.
  • Changeling (Kevin Sidney)- Shape shifter and second in command of Factor 3. (No.35-39 1967).

Cobalt Man (No.31 1967) Not a mutant in issue 31, Ralph is the accidental Cobalt Man, due to a knock on the noggin and creating a powered suit similar to Iron Man. Suit can fly and has built in power rays.

  • Computo- robot. (No. 48, 1968)- fought by Cyclops and Marvel Girl after the X-Men have split up.
  • Count Nefaria (No.22, 1966)- Wealthy and powerful, head of a crime syndicate uses science to give himself super-human mutant powers.
  • Creator (No.62 1969)- Spoiler Alert: read issue 62 before clicking on this link!


  • Eel (No.22, 1966)- Edward Lavell, criminal who wears an insulated eel suit that protects him and gives him the power to transmit electricity as a weapon.
  • El Tigre (Juan Meroz) (No.25,26 1966), gem hunter discovers The God Kukulcan's Pendant of Power at an ancient Mayan Pyramid.
  • Equilibrius (No.62 1969)- Swamp Savage Mutant from the Savage Land.
  • Grotesk, The Sub-Human- (No.41 & 42, 1968) Formally Prince Gor-tok, he is the last of his kind, a subterranean humanoid whose waring civilization was destroyed by Human nuclear bomb testing. He as been doused with radiation, is very strong, and vows to seek vengeance against the Human Race.
  • Juggernaut (No.12-13, 32, 46 1965-68; X3)- Cain Marko becomes the Juggernaut, a giant inexorable force that moves onward irresistibly chrushing anything in it's path after touching a cursed Ruby in the Temple of Cyttorak (a Black Magic Diety). Wears a helmit which offers mental block protection from telepaths like Xavier.
  • Ka-Zar (No.10 1965) "Tarzan-like" strong dude in loin cloth with pet Saber Tooth Tiger resides in a Lost World Realm accessed in the Antartic.
  • Dr. Lykos (Karl Lykos) (No.59-60; 1969)- Saved Tanya Anderssen when she was a teenager from prehistoric flying dinos, was injured by one giving him the power to draw energy from others transforming himself into an evil flying dino. He is in love with Tanya.
  • Lucifer (No.9,20 1965-66) An Alien from the planet Quistalium who has a gifted intellect and knowledge of advance alien technology. He is not a mutant. Issue 9 does not really describe his abilities. The Wiki link says his abilities are Telepathy and Ionic Manipulation.
  • Magneto (No.1,4-7,11,17-18, 43-44, 50-51, 58, 62-63; 1963-69; XM,X2,X3): By manipulating magnetism, controls objects and the environment, can read minds (Issue 7).
  • Mastermind (No.4-8,11,37-39; 1964-67): Mind control with hypnotic illusions.
  • ‘’’Mekano’’’ (No.36, 1967)- Tom Regal, neglected son of Mr. Regal, philanthropist, who steals a mechanical suit and tears up his Dad’s library for attention.
  • Mimic (No.19,26,27,28 1966-67)- Calvin Rankin, absorbs other mutant's powers while he is in their presence. He joins the X-Men in Issue No.28 "Wail of the Banshee".
  • ‘’’Mutant Master’’’ (No.37 1967)- mysterious leader of Factor 3 first mentioned in Issue No.28 and abducted Professor Xavier at the end of Issue No.33. He is an alien from the Siris Star System with designs on conquering the Earth.
  • Ogre (No.28, 1967)- Not a mutant, assisted with a suit with many mechanical devices such as rocket assist boots, and repello-ray weapons.
  • Plantman (No.22, 1966)- Samuel Smithers has mutated into a plant like being, super strength, resistant to damage, can alter his shape, he can control plants and animate them.
  • Polaris- Lorna Dane (No.49-52,57-59,65-66 1968-70).
  • Porcupine (No.22, 1966)- Alexander Gentry, a criminal with advanced mechanical engineering/weapons design skills, wears a porcupine suit.
  • Puppetmaster (No.27, 1966)- Controls people using their image sculpted in radioactive clay.
  • QuickSilver (No.4-7,11, 27, 43-44, 59; 1964-69): Pietro, brother to Scarlet Witch, possesses great speed. In Issue 44 it is revealed he can now fly (with an Avengers reference).
  • Red Raven (No.44 1968). Member of the Lost Race of Birdmen.
  • Sauron- See Dr. Lykos.
  • Scarecrow (No.22, 1966)- Ebenezer Laughton, controls birds among other things (see link).
  • Scarlet Witch (No.4-7,11, 27, 43-44, 59; 1964-69): Wanda, sister to Quick Silver, uses telekinesis like Jean Grey.


Sentinels- (No.14-16 ,57-59, 96, 98,; 1965-66, 1969, 1976, 1981) Robots created for reducing the mutant threat by controlling and capturing them. Originally created by Bolivar Trask, then brought back by his son, Larry Trask,

  • Doctor Strange (No.33 1967)- is located by the X-Men in an attempt to locate The Ancient One for information to fight the Juggernaut.
  • The Stranger (No.11 1965)- Not a mutant, an alien. Elderly looking man with a thick mane of white hair, thick white eyebrows, a white gotee and a wild Picasso style mustache, also white. He can levitate, walk through walls, form a cone of energy around himself and others that can be used for protection and transportation, can emit incredible bursts of destructive energy, emit a ray that can turn people into solid blocks of matter, and, and he can grow big, as in "giant" on a whim.
  • Sub-Mariner (No.6 1964): Prince Namor, a humanoid who lives under the ocean. He can fly by means little wings on his ankles, possesses great strength and is extremely tough by virtue of being able to withstand the great pressures at the bottom of the ocean which allow him to endure a beating from The Beast and with stand Cylcop's energy beam (issue #5).
  • Super Adaptoid (No.29 1967)- An artifical life form (android) created by an organization known as A.I.M. using a piece of Cosmic Cube, the Super Adaptoid fought the Avengers and then took refuge in Revolutionary War tunnels before being disturbed by Cyclops wallowing in one his many bouts of self pity and this time rage cause he can't stand the lack of control over his power-eyesballs.
  • Toad (No.4-7,11, 43-44, 59; 1964-69, XM): Hops, hits with his limbs. Personality similar to Renfield in Dracula.
  • Dr. Bolivar Trask (No.14-16; 1965-66): Created the Master Mold and Sentinels to control and destroy mutants but to his surprise, they turn on mankind.
  • Larry Trask- (No. 57-58 1969) son of Dr. Bolivar Trask- believes his father was killed by the X-men, (actually his father sacrificed himself to try to defeat the out of control Sentinels. See Issue No.14) makes trouble for mutants publicly pronouncing mutants to be a threat to mankind.
  • Unicorn (No.22, 1966)- Milos Masanryk, a Soviet Intelligence Agent who undergoes "hyper-activator" conditioning that turns him into a freak with a stalk growing out of his forehead and a third eye that can project powerful attacks. He can generate a protective force field around himself.
  • Unus, The Untouchable (No.8,20,37-39, 1964-67) can't be touched.
  • Vanisher (No.2,37 1963-67): can vanish by teleporting.
  • The Warlock (No.30, 47 1967-68)- A super-human mutant who was first known as Merlin the Magician (King Author's Merlin) who has the ability to teleport, mind control, and control the environment to some degree.
  • Zelda The Waitress (No.7, 14, 19; 1964-66)- Works at Cofee-A-Go-Go in Greenwich Village, NYC. Dates Iceman.
  • Z'Nox- (No.65 1970) Interstellar warrior race who plan on conquering the Earth.


Movie Relationships

  • Note: Number in parenthesis is from which comic issue comment comes from.
  • In the movies, X-Men wear Black leather outfits. In the comic, they wore blue and yellow outfits. (1)
  • In the movies Magneto is portrayed as someone lashing back at oppression while in the first edition of the comic, he is portrayed as an unsympathetic power hungry megalomaniac. In addition to controlling metal, he has the power to form a magnetic barrier around himself for protection or around others to trap them. His control over magnetism effects everything, not just metal. (1)
  • Cyclops is called Slim Summers, a nick name. In later episodes and the movies he is called Scott. Scott has two eyes but a single power beam comes out of his eyes, hence the name (although sometimes it as drawn in the comics as two beams). (1)
  • The Beast, Hank McCoy looks like a normal person as he is not covered with blue fur (he evolves in later decades). (1)
  • Jean Grey, Marvel Girl is a strong X-Men team member with no mental issues at this point in time. (1)
  • Angel was a strong central X-Men team member in the original series but only got peripheral treatment in the third X-Men movie, The Last Stand. (1)
  • Bobby Drake, Iceman is a full fledged member of the X-men team, not just a student at the school as portrayed in the first 3 movies.
  • Xavier notices that Cyclops is always "grim and unsmiling". Noted in movies to some degree. (4)
  • Blob makes a token appearance in X-Men Wolverine: Origins but is not central to the plot. (4)
  • Jean Grey's parents come to visit her at the school. Unlike the movie there is no hint that she is mentally troubled. (5)
  • Unlike the movie version, the comic version of Toad is short and toady and no super tongue has been revealed so far. His main ability is to hop with force, using his legs as weapons. (5)
  • Cerebro is not a huge spherical machine in the original comic, but something that looks like a computer control panel. (7)
  • Bobby Drake, Iceman can do some pretty fantastical things with his ice ability that have not been shown in the 3 movies he has been featured in (2009 comment). (11)
  • Juggernaught- No mention of his relationship to Xavier is made in the movie. Unlike the movie, Juggernaught does not have to build up speed to break through obstacles. He wears a helmet (which offers psionic protection to withstand Xavier). (12)
  • Mento-Helmit is what Xavier wears in Cerebro to locate mutants. It amplifies the power of his brain. (13)
  • Dr. Trask (14) in the comic is the original mutant alarmist as opposed to Col. William Striker or Senator Kelly in the movies.
  • Iceman creates an ice shield as he did in X-Men 2. (15)
  • Iceman suggests some ice skating on an ice rink he creates as in X-Men The Last Stand. (25)
  • In comparison to the movies where Cerebro is used by the Professor to located mutants around the world, in the comic, Cerebro is rigged to sound an alarm any time it detects a new mutant or threat in the relative vicinity of the School. (25)
  • Iceman suggests some ice skating on an ice rink he creates as in X-Men The Last Stand. (25)
  • Anyone for Marline Brando and the Wild Ones? In issue 32, a biker gang, riding their choppers, assault the X-men at Coffee A Go-Go during Bobby Drake's birthday party. (32)
* Unlike in the Second X-Men movie, Bobby Drake's (Iceman) parents are not ashamed of him and seem to be supportive. (46)
  • Sauron Backstory (60)- Karl Lykos the teenage son of an ex-sailor and explorer's guide, accompanies his Father, Mr. Lykos as they take a client, a Mr. Anderssen to a cabin on Tierra Del Fuego, the land of fire on the edge of the Antarctic. The client's daughter, Tanya turns up missing. Splitting up they search the mountain side and Karl discovers a tunnel into the mountain. Following it, he hears Tanya's cries for help and discovers her being attacked by prehistoric Pteranodons, flying dinosaurs who have come from the depths into the cavern. Karl fights them off and in the process, he is wounded with strange lacerations. Under the care of Anderssen and his Father, Karl falls unconscious and has bad dreams of flying dinosaurs. When Karl awakens he feels bad and calls his dog to give him a hug. He immediately feels better, but his poor dog looks sick. Karl grows up periodically feeling the need to touch people draining their energy. After his Father died, Karl lived with Mr. Anderssen and Tanya, but Tanya's Father did not want his daughter with someone with no means, so Lykos left vowing to return when he possessed the wealth to marry Tanya. Lykos went to medical school and became a success. Along the way he devised electrical apparatus he needed to syphon energy off of his patents who were under hypnosis. Lykos is a human energy vampire! Then with Xavier, but unknown to Xavier, Lykos discovered the Mutants provide extra energy, extra power, and youthful vigor but also a terrible change that turns him a leathery winged dinosaur creature who is predisposed towards evil and names himself after Tolkien's Lord of the Rings villian, Sauron!


Important X-Men Events & Facts

  • Info on Professor Xavier (Issue No.1): Xavier was born of parents who worked on the first A-Bomb project and thinks he might be the first mutant. He created a school, Professor Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, as a haven for mutants so they can learn their powers for the benefit of mankind which includes protecting mankind from the evil mutants out there who feel they should rule the Earth. He is confined to a wheel chair due to a child hood accident. (Issue No.1)
  • The Scarlet Witch and Quick Silver are sister and brother. (Issue No.5)
  • Hank McCoy reveals he does not like the identity of The Beast, would rather be Hank McCoy honor student. (Remember he is not a blue furry beast in this rendition of X-men.) (Issue No.5).
  • Xavier laments the power of his brain but his inability to cure his helpless legs. (Issue No.6)
  • The Beast quits (temporarily) the X-Men and becomes a professional wrestler where he meets Unus, The Untouchable. (Issue No.8).
  • Backstory on Professor Xavier and Cain Marko (Issue No. 12) The Professor tells a tale from his childhood when his father died in a nuclear test blast and a fellow scientist, Dr. Marko could have saved him but did not. Xavier could sense intentions at a young age so he knew that Dr. Marko was just using his Mom when they were married so that he would get access to the Xavier family wealth. His step-brother Cain Marko (not a mutant) caused an accidental explosion in his step-father's lab which fatally injures his step-father, but before he dies he saves both Xavier and Cain and in his last breath warns Xavier about Cain. During the Korean War Cain becomes a mutant by stumbling into the cave to find the Temple of Cyttorak (black magic diety) and touches a powerful ruby which turns him into the Juggernaut.
  • The Temple of Cyttorak, a black magic deity that gave Juggernaught his powers. (Issue No.12)
  • Info On Angel (Issue No.14): Angel's wings did not sprout until he went to military school. Soon after he left school for fear of having to submit to a physical exam. His parents don't know about his condition. Warren Worthington III, Angel comes from a well to do family living on the North Shore of Long Island, N.Y.
  • The first real witch hunt for mutants begins. (Issue No.14)
  • Marvel Girl demos her ability to levitate herself with her mental power. (Issue No.14)
  • The Beast Origin Story- in his youth, acrobatic, unstoppable in sports, was feared by regular humans. (Issue No.15)
  • Dr Bolivar Trask sacrifices himself, dies in an explosion he caused to destroy the Sentinels. (Issue No.16)
  • Backstory of The Mimic (Issue No. 19): As a boy he sneaks into his father's (the scientist) lab and breaks a beaker exposing him to some kind of un-named gas which gives him the power to mimic other people's abilities as long as he is in their presence. These absorption abilities include regular skills that normal people have in addition to mutant abilities. The way people become aware of Calvin Rankin's skills has made them suspicious and angry, so Calvin is not popular. The father suggests they go live in a cave, yes a cave, until he can figure out how to help the boy so he creates a machine that will enable the boy to keep his powers.

But the machine is so powerful that it causes every fuse in the country to pop (besides being a huge drain of electrical power)! A mob, angry at having their electricity presumably stolen, shows up at the cave and to "protect" themselves Calvin's Dad sets off an explosion to seal the cave entrance and manages to blow himself up in the process. Calvin digs his way out of the cave and vows vengeance! He also vows to dig through the rubble and find "the machine" so he can keep the powers he absorbs permanently. However The Mimic does not realize the machine his Father built was designed to permanently take away his power.

  • Backstory- How The Professor Lost The Use of His Legs (Issue No.20): While visiting a mysterious walled city in the shadow of the Himalayas Xavier senses a tyrant who controls the city with some kind of alien machinery, and the people living in fear. Xavier locates the rebellious elements in the city and formulates a resurrection invading the tyrant's castle. The tyrant, Lucifer is ordered by the "Supreme One" to abandon Sector A and move to Sector B. But before Lucifer abandons the castle, he causes a large slab of stone to fall from the ceiling and onto the Professor crushing his legs. Xavier claims Lucifer and his people are one of the reasons he created the X-Men.
  • Backstory of the Quists (Issue 21): Lucifer, belongs to an alien race called the Quists who has been around before the origin of the Earth and take over planets, turning their populations into slaves.
  • Colosso- a large training robot for the X-Men to practice their skills against (issue 22).
  • Maggia- a criminal organization headed by Count Nefaria (issue 22).
  • Jean Greay (Marvel Girl) announces at the end of this episode that she must leave the X-Men (and she does, kinda)! (Issue No. 23)
  • The Pyramid of Kukulcan a Mayan God is where Juan Meroz, nicknamed El Tigre is where he locates the Kukulcan's Pendant of Power. (Issue No.25)
  • Due to the competition for Jean Grey's (Marvel Girl) affection, after Cyclops accidentally blasts Angel, Angel accuses him of doing it on purpose! But in the next issue he recants. (Issue No. 26)
  • At the end of 1966, a shocker, Xavier replaces Cyclops as the Deputy Leader of the X-Men by The Mimic! (But it is all part of a plan). (27)
  • Warlock Backstory according to the X-Men: (Issue 30 1967) Centuries ago, the Warlock, a super-human mutant was known as Merlin the Magician (apparently the famous King Author's Merlin) who has the ability to teleport, mind control, and control the environment to some degree. He sleeps through centuries in a coma only to awaken in modern times be opposed by Thor The Mighty Thunder God (ref: Thor Issue 96 and Thor Annual No.2). He is tricked into returning to his crypt in a New York City Museum where he was supposed to sleep for aother millennium. But Merlin was playing possum. After Merlin senses the absence of Thor from the Earth, he alters his appearance and awakens to be known as The Warlock! Of possible interest, I could find no marvel.com reference for this specific character and a general online search revealed only fleeting details. There is a marvel character known as Adam Warlock who appeared in the Fantastic Four in the same time frame as this X-Men issue but his bio does not match up with this individual who claims to be Merlin the Magician from King Author's court.
  • Backstory of the Lost Race of Birdmen: (Issue No. 44, 1968) When Red Raven was a child, while flying with his parents to the U.S., their aircraft crashed on an island in the sky, the Home of the Bird People! He was the only survivor and was raised by the Bird Men. On his twenty first birthday, Red Raven realizes he is not like the Bird Men, but is actually a human of the race whom the Bird Men plan on attacking and urges them to reconsider, but he fails to change the head Bird Man's mind. As the bird men prepare to attack the U.S., Red Raven opens a valve releasing suspended-animation gas because he is sure, the Bird Men will be wiped out if they attack the humans. Then he pushed a button which separated the military complex of the Bird Men from the floating island allowing it to sink into the ocean hopefully not to be disturbed for twenty years, upon where the island would raise up and the Bird Men warriors would awake! That day is the day Angel landed on the little rock in the ocean. Note during this part of the story, it is not told how Red Raven gets his wings. Red Raven continues the story saying it is his duty to start another twenty year cycle of suspended animation and re-sink the island.
  • Sauron Backstory (No.60 1969)- Many years ago, Karl Lykos the teenage son of an ex-sailor and explorer's guide, accompanies his Father, as they take a client, a Mr. Anderssen and his daughter, Tanya to a cabin in the mountains of Tierra Del Fuego, the land of fire on the edge of the Antarctic. The client's daughter, Tanya turns up missing. Splitting up, they search the mountain and Karl discovers a tunnel into the mountain. Following it, he hears Tanya's cries for help and discovers she is being attacked by prehistoric Pteranodons, flying dinosaurs who have come from the depths into the cavern. Karl fights them off and in the process, is wounded receiving strange lacerations. Under the care of Dr. Anderssen and his Father, Karl falls unconscious and has bad dreams of flying dinosaurs. When Karl awakens he feels bad and calls his dog over to give him a hug. He immediately feels better, but his poor dog ends up looking sick and refuses to go near Karl again. To keep his health, Karl grows up periodically feeling the need to touch people draining their energy. After his Father dies, Karl lives with Dr. Anderssen and Tanya, but Tanya's Father does not want his daughter with someone of "no means" (no wealth), so Lykos leaves vowing to return when he possesses the wealth to marry Tanya. Lykos goes to medical school and becomes a success. Along the way he devises electrical apparatus he needed to syphon energy off of his patents when they are under hypnosis. Lykos is a human energy vampire! Then with Xavier, but unknown to Xavier, Lykos discovers that Mutants provide extra energy, extra power, and youthful vigor but also create a terrible change that turns him into a leathery winged dinosaur creature who is predisposed towards evil and names himself after Tolkien's Lord of the Rings villian, Sauron!


General Trivia

  • See answers next section!
  1. In the movies, X-Men wear Black leather outfits. In the comic, what color outfits did they wear?
  2. Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters located where?
  3. Brotherhood of Evil Mutants is led by who?
  4. Which mutant is almost an exact double of Renfield in Dracula?
  5. Who likes to call themselves "Homo Superior"?
  6. Who is the most conceited X-Man?
  7. In the X-Men movies, who is the most underrated X-Man?
  8. What is the primary stated purpose of the X-men when they first form?
  9. Who is Zelda?
  10. What term is used by a Carney to call for help?
  11. Who is the most conceited Evil Mutant?
  12. Who is frequently caught eating ice cream?
  13. What part of NYC do the X-men like to go to relax?
  14. What are Cyclops nicknames?
  15. Which mutant is almost an exact duplicate of Tarzan?
  16. Cultural Slang for "Money"?
  17. Magneto and The Toad are abducted by?
  18. The Scarlet Witch and Quick Silver leave the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants when?
  19. The Scarlet Witch appears to be attracted to?
  20. The Professor's father?
  21. The Professor's step-brother is?
  22. In X-Men Last Stand (3rd movie) no mention is made of Juggernaught's relationship to Xavier. What is that relationship?
  23. Xaviers mutant powers result from?
  24. The Temple of Cyttorak plays a part in what episode?
  25. Which issue does Xavier's first use his Mento-Helmit?
  26. Daredevil and the Human Torch (Fantastic Four) make appearances in which episode?
  27. The Human Torch helps the X-Men defeat who?
  28. Slang for mutant?
  29. Which 2 mutants have spent Issues 1-14 vying for Marvel Girl's affection?
  30. The first real witch hunt for mutants is led by who?
  31. Where does Angel comes from?
  32. Which Issue includes a Beast origins story?
  33. Beast suspects he got his mutant powers because?
  34. The Astral Image was created by? first created in the fight against whom?
  35. "The Happiness Boys" is a nickname for who?
  36. What are Sentinels?
  37. Who is the first named character to die in the series?
  38. Who captures the X-Men and sets them adrift in a steel gondola?
  39. What does The Beast like calling Iceman?
  40. Who calls Iceman the Fudgesicle Freak?
  41. Why does Cyclops quit the X-men?
  42. Who caused the Professor to lose the use of his legs?
  43. What is Dominus?
  44. Lucifer, belongs to what race?
  45. What is Colosso?
  46. What is the Maggia?
  47. As of 1966, in the X-Men world, which mutants are attending Metro College?
  48. Who wears a bug suit and is mistaken for dinner by his creations?
  49. When and who gives the X-Men get their first uniform update?
  50. At the end of 1966, a shocker, who does Xavier replace Cyclops with as the Deputy Leader of the X-Men?
  51. What kind of a car does Angel drive in 1966?
  52. Who is Cobalt Man?
  53. The first romantic kiss in the X-men series takes place between?
  54. In which episode do the X-Men fight Spiderman?
  55. Which episode has the X-Men try to raise money for a trip by acting as street performers?
  56. Name the members of Factor 3?
  57. In which episode are the X-Men tried for treason?
  58. Frankenstein's Monster featured in Issue 40 was really a ______, who was supposed to?
  59. Issue No. 42 (1968) "If I should Die" refers to which X-Men character?


General Trivia Answers!

  • Note: Number in parenthesis refers to X-Men Issue number.
  1. In the movies, X-Men wear Black leather outfits. In the comic, they wore blue and yellow outfits.
  2. Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters located in Westchester, N.Y. (1?,17))
  3. Brotherhood of Evil Mutants- a group of bad mutants led by Magneto.
  4. Which mutant is almost an exact double of Renfield in Dracula? Toad. (4-7)
  5. Who likes to call themselves "Homo Superior"? Mostly Magneto, but most evil mutants and even Hank McCoy (8) in his disgruntled moments.
  6. Who is the most conceited X-Man? Angel.
  7. In the X-Men movies, who is the most underrated X-Man? Angel. (In the comic, Angel was on of the founding members of the X-Men and a primary player. In X-Men last stand, he barely makes an appearance. Sad.)
  8. What is the primary stated purpose of the X-men when they first form? (7) Locate other mutants and entice them to be good before they can be turned to the dark side by Magneto.
  9. Who is Zelda? A Waitress at Coffe A-Go-Go in Greenwich Village. (7, 14)
  10. The term Hey Rube! is used by a Carney to call for help.
  11. Who is the most conceited Evil Mutant? Hard to tell, a toss up between Magneto and Unus.
  12. Who is frequently caught eating ice cream? Iceman.
  13. What part of NYC do the X-men like to go to relax? Greenwich Village. (several episodes, see No.8,14)
  14. What are Cyclops nicknames? Slim (1), Cyke. (10)
  15. Which mutant is almost an exact duplicate of Tarzan? Ka-Zar. (10)
  16. Cultural Slang for "Money" (11): Scratch, Cabbage, Jack, Moola, Dough.
  17. Magneto and The Toad are abducted by The Stranger (11), an alien who says they will never return to Earth.
  18. The Scarlet Witch and Quick Silver leave the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants (11) after the encounter with The Stranger saying they are sick of conflict will not join the X-men.
  19. The Scarlet Witch appears to be attracted to? Cyclops. (11)
  20. The Professor's father is Brian Xavier. (12)
  21. The Professor's step-brother is Cain Marko. (12)
  22. In X-Men Last Stand (3rd movie) no mention is made of Juggernaught's relationship to Xavier. (12) Juggernaught is Xavier's step-brother.
  23. Xaviers mutant powers result from the radiation his parents were exposed to doing research. (12)
  24. The Temple of Cyttorak, a black magic deity turns Cain Marko into the Juggernaught. (12)
  25. Which issue does Xavier's first use his Mento-Helmit? Issue 13 against Juggernaught.
  26. Daredevil and the Human Torch (Fantastic Four) make appearances in which episode? (13)
  27. The Human Torch helps the X-Men defeat who? Juggernaught. (13)
  28. Negative slang for mutant? Mutie. (14)
  29. Which 2 mutants have spent Issues 1-14 vying for Marvel Girl's affection? Cyclops and Angel.
  30. The first real witch hunt for mutants is led by who? Dr. Bolivar Trask.
  31. Where does Angel comes from? (14) A well to do family living on the North Shore of Long Island, N.Y.
  32. Which Issue includes a Beast origins story? Issue No.15, Part II Fight against the Sentinels.
  33. Beast suspects he got his mutant powers because? (15) His father was exposed to radiation working on an atomic project.
  34. The Astral Image was created by? first created in the fight against whom? (15) The Professor in the fight against the Sentinels.
  35. "The Happiness Boys" is a nickname for who? (15) Iceman's nickname for the Sentinels.
  36. What are Sentinels? Robots designed by Dr. Bolivar Trask to contain and destroy mutants who are a threat to humans. To the Dr's surprise, when released, the Sentinels turn rogue with the intent of ruling mankind in an effort to protect them. Issues 14-16.
  37. Who is the first named character to die in the series? Dr. Bolivar Trask (16).
  38. Who captures the X-Men and sets them adrift in a steel gondola? (17) Magneto.
  39. What does The Beast like calling Iceman? MacDuff. (19)
  40. Who calls Iceman the Fudgesicle Freak? Unus (20)
  41. Why does Cyclops quit the X-men? His cursed eyes in combination with his affection for Jean Grey (Marvel Girl). (20)
  42. Who caused the Professor to lose the use of his legs? (20) Lucifer.
  43. What is Dominus? (21) a machine Lucifer uses in an attempt to enslave the human race.
  44. Lucifer, belongs to what race? An alien race called the Quists who has been around before the origin of the Earth, take over planets, turning their populations into slaves.
  45. What is Colosso? A large training robot for the X-Men to practice their skills against (issue 22).
  46. What is the Maggia? A criminal organization headed by Count Nefaria (issue 22).
  47. As of 1966, in the X-Men world, which mutants are attending Metro College? (24) Johnny Storm (Human Torch), Calvin Rinkin (Mimic), and Jean Grey (Marvel Girl).
  48. Who wears a bug suit and is mistaken for dinner by his creations? The Locust! (24)
  49. When and who gives the X-Men get their first uniform update? Marvel Girl creates new uniforms for the X-Men. They are still blue and yellow but more blue in the shirts along the side of the torso, giving the yellow area a more sleak angular appearance. (27)
  50. At the end of 1966, a shocker, who does Xavier replace Cyclops with as the Deputy Leader of the X-Men? Mimic! (27)
  51. What kind of a car does Angel drive in 1966? When he is not flying Angel drives a red convertible Ford Mustang. (27)
  52. Who is Cobalt Man? Ralph Roberts, older brother of Ted Roberts a friend of Jean Grey at City College. (31)
  53. The first romantic kiss in the X-men series takes place between? Bobby Drake (Iceman) and Zelda, the Waitress after Bobby's birthday party. (32)
  54. In which episode do the X-Men fight Spiderman? Issue No.35 Beware the Spider.
  55. Which episode has the X-Men try to raise money for a trip by acting as street performers? Issue No.36 Mekano Lives!
  56. Name the members of Factor 3: Mutant Master, Changeling, Banshee, Blob, Mastermind, Ogre, Unus the Untouchable, Vanisher. (according to Marvel Universe.
  57. In which episode are the X-Men tried for treason? Issue 37- We, the Jury!
  58. Frankenstein's Monster featured in Issue 40 was really a ______, who was supposed to?- An alien android sent to Earth to act as an ambassador and make contact with mankind.
  59. Issue No. 42 (1968) "If I should Die" refers to which X-Men character? Professor Xavier.



Quotes

  • Issue 7: Marvel Girl watching the Brotherhood escape: I'm glad to see them go! That witch* is much too attractive! (*Scarlet Witch)
  • Issue 10: From the X-Men writing team: "No mere words of ours can do justice to the fury of Ka-Zar' attack... so we'll attempt no such written description".
  • Issue 10: In response to Cyclop's concern over Jean, she thinks: "Is that the normal concern of a leader for an ally...or, do I detect another note in his voice?... One that I've been longing to hear?"
  • Issue 11: When Cyclops refers to Jean Grey as "Good Girl" she thinks: "Somehow when he says "Good Girl", it's better than Richard Chamberlain saying "My Darling".
  • Issue 14: Xavier scolding The Beast: "Careful, Hank! Remember our cardinal rule-- we never consider normal humans as our inferiors!"
  • Issue 14: Bernard,the hipster poet: "Like it's out to be in, and it's square to be hip, I mean dig the scene, a nap isn't a nip!.
  • Issue 14: Sentinel logic: "We were created to be the guardians of mankind! And to guard them properly, we must rule them completely!"
  • Issue 18: Magneto to Toad: Silence, Toad... you sniveling spineless fawning fool!
  • Issue 19: Cyclops: "If only I dared to ask Jean for a date! But, I haven't the right-- so long as my power beam is an ever-present danger!" (a constant theme in the first 3 years of X-Men.
  • Issue 19: Jean Grey on a shopping trip: " MMMM, What a wonderful shopping tour! A pity a girl has to run out of money so soon!"
  • Issue 21: When Angel states the obvious, The Beast replies: "A most sagacious deduction, my feathered friend! The mind positively boggles at your prodigious powers of perception! (Beast likes using big words...)
  • Issue 24: From Stan to the Reader (referring to the Locust): "Note to armchair psychologists: if, as you read on, it seems to you that our orthoperous antagonist has a distinct fascist fixation, please forward all analyses to mighty marvel...we're still trin' to figure him out!"
  • Issue 26: El Tigre: But, I am a mortal no more. The essence of the divine Kukulcan pervades my very being. Cyclops: Uh oh! Either El Tigre's completely flipped or else, mandkind is in for it's greatest menace yet! I don't care if that guy calls himself El Tigre, or Kukulcan, or Little Mary Sunshine...I've got to stop him!
  • Issue 30: As seems typical with X-Men villains, Warlock has a huge ego: "Your puny minds cannot suspect the true genius of my scheme!".
  • Issue 31: From Bernard, the Hippie Poet: "Like, life is a yo-yo...and man kind keeps tying knots in the string!"
  • Issue 31: Cyclops to Cobalt Man: "All right, I don't know who you are under that helmet, mister, but it's a cinch you're not the interior decorator!"
  • Issue 50: Mesmero to Lorna Dane after she has been transformed into the Queen of Mutants: "Daughter of the emperor of evil-- offspring of our beloved leader-- now turn your insuperable power to the destruction of those who took your father from us!"
  • Issue 51: Iceman to Magneto referring to his daughter Lorna Dane: "Tell her the rest big man! Tell her how you've used your mutant powers to feed your own mad ego! Tell her about the lives you've taken, the fortunes you've stolen, the misery and misfortune you've been spreading aroudn with a trowel! Tell her that you're offerin' her a half-interest in a bloody empire that would make Genghis Khan and Attila The Hun look like... The Smothers Brothers!!" (Yes, he really said that!- D.Peck.)
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