The Mimic joins the X-Men and things go bad, like, immediately.
Edited by: Stan Lee
Scripted by: Roy Thomas
Drawn by: Werner Roth
Inked by: Dick Ayers
Lettered by: Sam Rosen (wouldja believe Artie Simek?)
Originally Published December 1966
The X-Men are at their lowest ebb, with Jean Grey off at Metro College and Angel temporarily wounded by Cyclops' stray blast. Well, it's played like there's a chance Angel might not recover, but we all know that's code for "seriously, he'll be fine, let him sleep it off."
In the previous issue, it was revealed that Cal Rankin, the former Mimic, now amnesiac, is a fellow student at Metro College with Jean Grey. Unsurprisingly, a lab explosion occurs that unlocks Mimic's lost abilities and memories. Never one to pass up an opportunity for a new draft pick, Professor X offers him a slot in the X-Men (after being rejected by Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, and Spider-Man.) Not just any slot, though - he gets Cyclops' Deputy Leader job, after Cyke demotes himself out of guilt!
Mimic's first act as Deputy leader: get mind-controlled by Fantastic Four villain The Puppet Master, who has been plotting from a distance, after failing to take control of Xavier himself. Mimic trounces the X-Men with their own powers, which really makes you wonder why they even bother spending forty hours a week in a highly specialized supergym made of deathtraps learning to maximize their abilities.
Mimic bristles at Xavier's assertion that he is being mind-controlled, and it's not hard to see why since nobody likes to admit they got got. Also, he's never needed any prodding to be an a-hole to the X-Men in the past. Instead of straight-up murdering his would-be teammates, Mimic goes out for some air, while the X-Men take the opportunity to bail and go find the real villain, the Puppet Master. They do battle with -- of course -- his personalized android.
Although they are not adept at fighting people with their own abilities, you can always trust the X-Men to beat a big, stupid robot.
They confront the Puppet Master and his specially-designed Mimic Doll. Life-sized Mimic arrives and attempts to resist the command to destroy the X-Men, and you can practically feel him preparing to say "I will, but only because I want to, not because you told me to!" But before he can give in and do something he was probably already considering doing to begin with, the convalescent Angel appears on the scene and smashes li'l Mimic.
Cal Rankin is left to contemplate his place in the universe.
Further Thoughts:
Believe it or not, the X-Men are technically sporting new costumes in this issue. There is incrementally less yellow in their smocks, and the belts are now red. The X-Men even allow themselves a "She's All That" moment.
The book is also becoming slightly more serialized in its storytelling. The Mimic - whose return was hinted at in the last issue - is still part of the team at the end of the story. Meanwhile, Jean continues to amuse herself with Ted Roberts, who hints that the source of his drive is a desire to compete with his brother. What's so special about his brother? Well, I guess we'll find out sooner or later. As far as tantalizing mysteries go, it's basically LOST season 1 over here.
No comments:
Post a Comment