REDUX: UNCANNY X-MEN #1

School is in session!

This post is a Redux! Completists can read the original post here.

Originally Published September 1963

We begin at the upstate New York prep school run by one Professor Xavier. The Prof sits in contemplation, before ultimately calling out to his students with his mind, never speaking a word -- and making it very clear that tardiness is not acceptable. 

Xavier is soon surrounded by colorfully-clad superhero-looking types. These are his students, the X-Men, the latest Marvel Comic Book superhero characters, and we are soon made very well-acquainted with their powers as the Professor puts them through their paces in an intensive training session.

First up is Beast, who shows off his agility, leaping skills and balance...

As he swings around, he is told to "pretend an enemy is shooting at [him]" which may be hard to imagine, but I guess the alternative is for the Professor to actually rig up some kind of weapons system that will actually force the X-Men to fight for their lives? In training, under his roof? That would be insane, right? Best to pretend.

Next is Angel, a winged hero who zips through a rather menacing looking obstacle course, and Iceman, whose frostilicious powers are good for offensive applications and defensive ones.

Lastly is Cyclops, who opens his specially-designed visor to unleash a blast of red force on his teammates (who are un-knowingly playing the part of "enemies.") From what we see, it is apparent that the result does not feel like a warm hug.

With that brief expo out of the way, the Professor calls his charges to attention, to point out the arrival of a new student -- a dame!

Yes, all the X-Men stop a minute to ogle the new girl, except for Iceman, who is not romantically interested in this person for some reason. But Cyclops goes so far as to say she "looks normal enough."

Woah, keep it in your pants, Cyke!

When she arrives, she gets a full orientation, with Xavier revealing that this is a school for "X-Men" a team of "mutants" with "extra" power. In fact, that's why he called them the "X-Men." For "Extra!" 

It has nothing to do with the name Xavier, not one bit! And don't ask why they're not called the "E-Men" -- that doesn't sound as cool! Next question!

The rest of the team returns, dressed in civilian clothes - Hank McCoy (Beast), Bobby Drake (Iceman), Slim Summers (Our Human Cyclops), and Warren Worthington the Third (who is called the Angel.) Jean Grey here will be known as Marvel Girl, owing to her stupendous ability to move objects with her mind, and her short attention span.

It's okay -- it's not like there's a lot of reading that happens at this school.

Xavier, who has the ability to read minds and project his own thoughts, goes on to explain that humankind is not ready to deal with the whole mutant thing, so the school has been established as a haven for their kind. Their mission: to learn to use their powers for the benefit of mankind (punching bad guys, repairing interdimensional crystals and what not.) He also notes that he was left using a wheelchair due to a childhood accident, which is a funny way of saying "supervillain fight in my late-20's."

Naturally, Xavier explains, while the mutant population is growing, not every mutant is going to be saintly and altruistic like Xavier here assuredly is. Some seem to think that mutants should be the rulers of mankind and keep ordinary humans under their thumb -- their role is to protect the humans from these hypothetical "evil" mutants (especially, I would think, if they combine their powers to form some kind of fellowship, fraternity, or rotary club.)

It is, admittedly, a pretty tall order for five mixed-up teenagers.

But, as we speak, one of these Evil Mutants is making himself known, messing with the U.S. rocket project at the Cape Citadel Base.

This is Magneto - and in case you can't tell by his menacing headgear, he is one such evil mutant bent on domination of mankind. He has the power to control magnetism, which he demonstrates in numerous ways by sabotaging missiles and walking into the base like he owns it.

If you've ever seen a more powerful strut, I'd like to know.

He makes his demands known through elegant skywriting penmanship:

The X-Men get word about this when Xavier hears about it on the radio, since Breaking News Bulletins are the only conceivable way of alerting superheroes back in the 1960's, and leap into the fray. They negotiate with the base personnel to get 15 minutes to thwart Magneto while the flummoxed military police agree they have nothing to lose by letting these weird kids take on the superpowered terrorist.

Cyclops starts by opening up Magneto's magnetic force field by going maximum power, a trick so intense he may never do it again.

Frankly, that looks painful.

Magneto responds by volleying interceptor missiles at the X-Men, but they manage to dodge, dive, dip, duck and disarm all of them with their various powers.

In a last-ditch effort, Magneto throws a flaming fuel tank at the heroes...

But they're able to tunnel their way to safety. Magneto decides that he is just not in the mood for that kind of opposition right now and traps the heroes in another magnetic field while he flies away.

Magneto may not be done-for but hey, a W is a W, and the Military are just pleased that the threat is gone. The general is impressed that it didn't even take the full fifteen. And surely, this is the beginning of a fruitful and friendly relationship between the X-Men and the U.S. Government.

Uncanny, you say?

Further Thoughts:

It really speaks to the Hothouse of Ideas that was the "Marvel Bullpen" (in reality just one office where artists mostly dropped off their work to Stan Lee) that Stan and Jack knew exactly how to execute this debut issue. Many things that would be essential to the X-Men in the years to come are in place, and they even start off facing the man who would usually be considered their greatest, most iconic foe (as opposed to the Fantastic Four, who started off facing the Mole Man, or Spider-Man, who faced Chameleon in his first solo issue.)

Even the seed for the Mutants as Civil Rights metaphor -- which is not pushed hard in the early goings -- is planted, with the idea that this is a clash between fearful, vulnerable humans and a powerful new race or species cropping up in their midst. The whole purpose and mission of Xavier and his school is communicated thoroughly and effectively. It's a strong first issue.

For the most part, the characters and relationships are in place, with Iceman painfully informing us he is the "funny" one, the guys generally panting over Jean, and Xavier as an aloof taskmaster. Things would evolve and develop -- Beast does not yet have his erudite mannerisms, being more of an obvious lowbrow Ben Grimm type -- but for their first appearance they are reasonably well drawn as to be engaging templates to build stories on.

The adventure itself is simple but effective. The whole thing seems to write itself. And then there's the vibe. Marvel Comics from the 60's in general, especially the early part of the decade, are fun, weird, fresh and inventive -- if a little more ragged than their strait-laced, ultra-professional "distinguished competition." There's a reason why Stan Lee was so capable of garnering a cult around these little funnybooks.