The X-Men must do battle with Merlin - yes, that Merlin, but he doesn't really go by Merlin anymore.
Editor: Stan Lee
Scripter: Roy Thomas
Designer: Jack Sparling
Delineator: John Tartaglione
Letterer: Artie Simek
Manicurist: Irving Forbush
Originally published March 1967
We begin in medias res - i.e., with the X-Men in the midst of being summoned through a void by a mysterious giant hand. It's actually pretty disorienting because we don't get the usual scene of the X-Men working out in the Danger Room or being rewarded with yet another day off that inevitably goes awry. Adding to the off-putting feel of the scene is the artwork of fill-in artist Jack Sparling, who permits himself a few pages to experiment with the layouts, and whose figures skew slightly more "realist" in detail, along with the heavy ink brush of John Tartaglione.
While most of the X-Guys get left behind in the void, Marvel Girl, Professor X and Angel have been whisked away to the magical realm of New England, where the mysterious Warlock has been plotting world domination with his particular brand of magical mayhem.
Or scientific mayhem posing as magical mayhem. What difference does it make.
Warlock casually mentions that he is, in fact, Merlin the Magician from Arthurian Legend, but he's outgrown that identity (cropping the wizard beard for a slick goatee, eg.) Now, you may be wondering why Merlin, who is usually a nice guy in legends, has returned from a state of near-death to menace and conquer mankind, and the answer to that is actually shut up.
He reveals his brilliant plan to use technology to mentally revert the entire population of Earth to superstitious medieval villagers, whom he will then keep in line with thugs dressed as knights but armed with Tommy Guns.
A plan brilliant in its simplicity.
Warlock puts Jean under a spell to fall in love with him (because it's the 1960's and female heroes must be gross props.) The other X-Men arrive and the Warlock forces them to participate in a jousting tournament, which, if they win, Warlock will willingly return to his comatose state.
They do pretty well, but kinda break the rules a bit by attacking him directly. They chase the Warlock around for a while and, seeing her friends in mortal peril, Marvel Girl steps up and breaks the Warlock's hold on her. The X-Men dispose of the Warlock using one of their signature moves...
Xavier, who has recovered from being psychically subdued by the Warlock's powers all issue, puts him back to sleep, and the rest is history.
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