Still reeling from their battle with the Sentinels, the X-Men face a mysterious enemy who fells them one by one in their own home!
Story: Stan Lee
Layouts: Jack Kirby
Pencils: Jay Gavin
Inks: Dick Ayers
Lettering: A. Simek
Originally published February 1966
In the immediate aftermath of the battle between the Sentinels and the X-Men, the military have arrived to tend to the X-Kids' injuries and see to it that Publicly Renowned Scientist and Educator Professor Charles Xavier (Unaffiliated) is also unharmed. The revelations about the Sentinels comes as a big PR win for the X-Men, who will surely enjoy a positive relationship with the U.S. Government and Military from here on out.
Iceman is in critical condition at the hospital, murmuring deliriously about all of his deepest insecurities about being the youngest X-Man. Don't worry Bobby - you're still handier in a fight than Warren. Speaking of whom, Angel receives word that the Xavier School for the Gifted is set to receive some visitors: his parents!
Despite several hints from Xavier that this is not a good time, the Worthingtons invite themselves right over. Several months on from the minor farce with the Greys, the writers are taking another crack at this whole "Visiting Parents" thing, only this time, most of the X-Men are laid up in hospital, and Professor Xavier has a vague feeling of unease about the whole thing. He's so worried he sends Angel to investigate and make sure the mansion is safe. Prof turns out to be right: Angel encounters mysterious foe who is able to dispatch him with ease. (He flies into a mirror in a darkened hallway.)
Soon the other X-Men are also captured by this mysterious foe - first the Professor and Cyclops, then Marvel Girl and Beast, while Iceman is still barely-conscious, barely breathing, and barely coherent.
At the end of the issue, the captured X-Men are trapped in a steel gondola hot air balloon which is set to rise high up into the air, presumably to their deaths. The Worthingtons arrive for their visit to their son's school, only to be greeted by an unexpected face...
Woah, who could have seen that coming??
Further Thoughts:
I mean, it's been a whole five issues since we've seen Magneto, but that was only two stories, and in his last appearance he was abducted forever by an incomprehensibly powerful force from beyond the stars. So the "surprise" comes in that they would just bring him right back already. But such is the nature of comic book villainy, and to be honest, I suspect the story of how Magneto overcame the Stranger and returned to Earth, just to resume antagonizing the X-Men, will at least be slightly fascinating.
I was originally inclined to knock this issue for being a bit thin until the final reveal, but by the standards of the day, it is done very skilfully, as the X-Men are isolated and taken out pretty effectively. (Mind you, nothing much we've seen so far would indicate that the X-Men are that strong of a fighting force - usually someone else wins their battles for them.) There are more than enough hints that the "mystery villain" is Magneto, but being kept in the shadows does add an element of suspense. I mean hey, Lucifer has the same color scheme, but nobody believes he could actually be a threat.
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