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Post by wildfire2099 on Mar 20, 2015 12:26:59 GMT -5
The guy with the glasses and beard on the far right looks out of place--like it's Kirby drawing a cameo by a real person.
Also, according to Wikipedia, Vanisher's real name is Telford Porter. "Tel Porter" as a name for a teleporter? Someone was being far too cute.
Very much like what DC was doing at the time--James Jesse, T.O. Morrow, Roy G Bivolo. Very true... but Stan and Co. usually favor Alliteration to puns... that's a rare one in Marvel, I think. You could be right about that, I know they did that sorta thing ALOT back in the 60s... maybe one of the old timers here will be able to confirm or deny  |
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Post by wildfire2099 on Mar 20, 2015 12:28:18 GMT -5
What I never understood was why did he dress like a snake? Good question... perhaps because he's slippery and hard to catch? As 60s as that costume is, I actually like it better than the goth/tattoo freak version we have now. |
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Post by Dizzy D on Mar 20, 2015 12:57:35 GMT -5
What I never understood was why did he dress like a snake? So he could fill in at the Serpent Society whenever Sidewinder had the day off? |
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Post by spoon on Mar 20, 2015 15:20:31 GMT -5
What I didn't like is that Magneto had no reason to retreat. I guess one could say he was surprised at the resistance and wanted to re-group, but he wasn't losing in any way, just not winning as fast as he thought. There was no indication that he should be in a hurry.. in fact, after he flees, the general or whatever comments that the X-Men didn't even use up their 15 minutes he gave them. True. Magneto didn't exactly seem to be on the ropes. My No-Prize explanation is that Magneto was tired from facing 5 enemies, but just didn't let it on. I was 18 when I graduated, but I was born in February. Of course, my point got ruined when someone implied that Cyke's blast get melt things in #2. But I know a few different times (featurettes about powers, letter pages, etc.), I've seen creators explain that his optic blast doesn't generate any heat. I thought about that. Xavier's seems to be that he got his powers due to his parents work, so in that case, he wouldn't be born with his power. I get the impression that you may be reading this for the first time, so I don't want to spoil anything unless you ask. |
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Post by spoon on Mar 20, 2015 15:27:32 GMT -5
 X-Men #2 'No one can stop the Vanisher' [snip] -- Jean's power is referred to as 'teleportation' rather than telekinesis. It is SAID she can only lift what she could carry, but she easily puts 6 women on a roof of a building (though she feels tired afterwards), holds and lowers Beast, and hangs onto a giant ball in the Danger Room. Clearly, she's going to be as strong as the plot demands. Also, she can sense mutants. The "teleportation" thing is awful, but the limits of her telekinesis don't seem so inconsistent to me. Angel didn't say Jean is incapable of lifting those women, but that Prof. X advised her against lifting more than she can carry specifically because it can weaken her. It's the same deal with the giant ball. It's a test, within the safer confines of the Danger Room, of how much weight Jean can lift for long before it takes a physical toll on her. The impression that I get is that the weight she can handle is supposed to increase with more practice. |
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Post by Hoosier X on Mar 20, 2015 18:46:24 GMT -5
The early X-Men appearances are written rather haphazardly, but I've always loved them for the Kirby art (especially the Chic Stone inking), the audacious plotting, character interactions (especially among Magneto's little band of not very merry mutants), and some jaw-dropping imagery.
The first two issues - I have to admit - don't do a whole lot for me. But I like #3 a lot and things really get hopping when the Brotherhood is introduced and you spend most of your time scratching your head trying to figure out how Wanda's powers work.
And #7 is one of my favorite comics from the early Marvel era. Oh, it's not Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1 or Fantastic Four #25 and #26, but it's got a perfectly passable plot, a crazy cadre of colorful characters and some batty beatniks.
I recently purchased X-Men #11 from Comixology. I've read every other issue in the X-Men #1 to #18 range (mostly through reprints) but I somehow had never read #11. It was pretty sweet! But I'll wait until you get to that issue before making any further comments.
(I should add that I love Tales of Suspense #49. I bought it for $7 in the late 1970s because I was crazy about Iron Man and I wanted a really old issue. (I think I had already seen the story because it was reprinted in an Iron Man Annual or Giant-Size.) So maybe that's why I like it so much. The Paul Reinman inking gives the Ditko pencils an unusual look. And how can you not love the goofy antenna on Shellhead's shoulder?)
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Post by Roquefort Raider on Mar 20, 2015 19:47:08 GMT -5
It's odd to see a red Vanisher!
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Post by Reptisaurus! on Mar 20, 2015 22:32:38 GMT -5
I do really like the main fight sequence/big game of keep-a-way in this issue, just an amazingly well choreographed fight scene. The original X-men weren't all bad. And the next issue has evil carnies! You can't go wrong with evil carnies!
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Post by wildfire2099 on Mar 21, 2015 7:59:03 GMT -5
'  X-Men #3 'Beware of the Blob' Lee/Kirby/Reiman The issue once again starts with a training session, but this time, we actually get some personality in the characters... Scott (referred to by name this time, instead of 'Slim'), gets all brooding and shows that mutant angst that has been capturing us readers for generations. Angel is honed in as a rich, care-free sort of guy (I don't think he was 'the third' before this, in fact), and Beast suddenly sounds intellectual, and is shown reading a calculus text. The switch has been flipped, it seems.. after two issues of meandering, Stan has, at last, created the team that we all know and love . Anyway, the Professor senses a mutant, so he sends the X-Men out in their civvies to find him and bring him back to the mansion. After a couple hilarious misses, Scott discovers the Blob at the Carnival. He tries to convince him to return to the mansion, but fails, until Warren shows up with Jean. The Blob (otherwise unamed here), naturally, loves her, so when SHE asks, he goes. Professor X tests him, and offers to have him join. He refuses, and the Professor flips out... ordering the X-Men to hold him so he can wipe his memory. Blob escapes, and realizes the X-Men won't quit, so he rallies the carnies and invades the mansion. Back at the ranch, the Professor, anticipating the carny invasion, is building a device to amplify his powers and thus be able to wipe the minds of the whole troop, and he sends the X-Men out to stall while he finishes. The Blob mostly sits back and watches as the non-powered carnies dismantle the team, tied each one up in turn.. only deigning to fight when Beast comes right at him. Distraction disposed of, the carnies head inside... luckily the Professor has the brilliant strategic mind to order Jean to use her powers to remove her blindfold and free everyone else. The X-Men get back in the fray just in time for the Professor to use his doohickey, and the confused carnies head back home. Rating: 5/5 Notes: Now THIS is the stuff! Great issue, that actually features the X-Men one expects, not generic guys with powers. I wonder if enough time had past for them to get feedback from issue one? -- The Beast thing is very sudden... on one panel, you have to do a double take to make sure it's not Ben Grimm, then all of a sudden he's using big words like the Beast of today. He also narrates the fight, which is awesome, and something he didn't do before. -- Jean' s power is correctly called 'Telekinesis' this time, though she's made to look pretty stupid with the blindfold thing. The Professor calls her 'girl' at one point, too. --Then, of course, we have the famous panel where the Professor admits to himself he loves Jean, too. Good thing she can't read his mind yet! -- The X-Men are really the bad guys here... they try to recruit the Blob, attempt kidnapping when he refuses, then erase the memory of hundreds of people, just to keep their secret. You know, the one where the FBI talks to Professor X mentally, but doesn't think that's odd at all. This also marks the 2nd time in a row the Professor has messed with people aggressively, and he's admitted to impure thoughts about a student (which one goes to jail for). Never mind he's a jerk.. Bobby gets a 'demerit' for speaking when not spoken to. We're supposed to root for these guys? -- The carnies were awesome, as one would expect. Kirby pulled out all the stops. I also really liked how the Blob sorta looked... blobby, in some panels... like he's a mound of silly putty (which they say at one point) rather than a man.. very cool effect. -- I think Gene Roddenberry should sue... Professor X uses a Vulcan mind meld (he actually says 'My thoughts are Your Thoughts') that had me laughing. --EVERYONE loves Jean. Bobby gets in on the act this time... and so does the Blob. Stan sure does love his redheads. -- I wonder if this is the one and only time the Professor builds a gadget? Maybe Cerebro? Between the tinkering and the pipe, I though Reed Richards had shaved his head. -- Someone should tell Scott that only bad guys were plaid (at least, in the Superman comics)  |
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Post by wildfire2099 on Mar 21, 2015 8:01:16 GMT -5
I do really like the main fight sequence/big game of keep-a-way in this issue, just an amazingly well choreographed fight scene. The original X-men weren't all bad. And the next issue has evil carnies! You can't go wrong with evil carnies! I agree... I was thinking at first it was kinda silly, because the Vanisher can just vanish, then he goes ahead and say that very thing... and that he was just making his rep... awesome. I agree with everyone for sure that says #3 is the best one so far... no contest! |
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Post by spoon on Mar 21, 2015 9:31:58 GMT -5
' X-Men #3 'Beware of the Blob' Lee/Kirby/Reiman The issue once again starts with a training session, but this time, we actually get some personality in the characters... Scott (referred to by name this time, instead of 'Slim'), gets all brooding and shows that mutant angst that has been capturing us readers for generations. Angel is honed in as a rich, care-free sort of guy (I don't think he was 'the third' before this, in fact), and Beast suddenly sounds intellectual, and is shown reading a calculus text. Yeah, it's amazing how suddenly all those familiar characteristics pop up in this issue. I wonder if Stan & Jack had more time to work on #3. Warren was the third in #1 though. That's pretty weird. I wonder if it's about making Jean seem like she needs help, or just making Professor X seem like a leader. Jean does seem to get a better piece of the action than some of her teammates though. I wonder why she had to use a knife to cut the ropes rather than just untying them with her telekinesis. Must be super-complicated carny knots. And speaking of the action, this issue has more creative action moments than previous issue. I love it when the carnies run at the door with a battering ram, and Jean simply lets them in - right into the path of Cyke optic blast. Yeah, Professor X should be more circumspect before he messes with someone's mind. He should've known about the Blob's feelings earlier, but I guess he didn't want to probe his mind until he needed to. There should've been a longer feeling-out period, before the X-Men invited the Blob into their secret headquarters. The Blob comes off as a pretty too, though. But the Professor could hardly get into legal trouble for his thoughts (rather than actions) regarding Jean. And believe it or not, he might be okay legally there, too. The age of consent in NY is actually 17. Some states have second higher age for teachers, clergy, bosses, etc. But it's very strange that the obstacle in Xavier's mind is that he's confined in a wheelchair, and not, y'know, that she's his teenage student. Several Marvel comics had love triangles. In this issue, Stan & Jack seem determined to build a love rhombus (Jean-the Prof-Cyke-Angel), if not a love hexagon. Crazy! Star Trek didn't premiere until 1966. But there is that Doom Patrol thing. One of the hilarious moments is when all those guys are recruited from the crowd to try to move the Blob. They take off their jackets & roll up their sleeves. But Scott keeps his plaid jacket on! [/quote] |
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Post by wildfire2099 on Mar 21, 2015 10:22:30 GMT -5
Wow, you're right... so Gene Roddenberry stole from Stan Lee? Or, perhaps, more likely it's a case of great fantasy minds thinking alike. I agree the fight is quite good here, and Jean gave better than anyone. Mind powers are tough to write, there's often a very easy way to use them that's not very exciting.. that's why so many X-Men villains 'developed' immunity to mind powers over the years, I suspect. I would have liked to see Jean try to stop the elephant, instead of just playing damsel in distress... the elephant is about as large as the giant ball she lifted last issue in the danger room. She wasn't able to hold it for long, but she did for a bit, and, as she said, they've been 'training'. Also, this was the first time we get any hint of teamwork... the Professor emphasizes it, and we actually see it in a couple spots. In the first 2 issues, it was more of a free for all rumble, or a series of one on one fights. Of course, they still lost to the Carnies, so back to the Danger room! We also go another instance of Cyclops running out of gas (When he blasted the elephant). At least moving an elephant 100 feet or so SEEMS like it should be tiring! Perhaps Jean was just letting him be macho... she did have to save them all later, after all. I didn't notice about the jacket, that IS pretty funny. I guess he just loves that thing. I thought it was funny that 'Slim' Summers of all people was picked to try to move the Blob.. he couldn't have done it if the Blob wasn't a mutant. I think the love hexagon is really just to add tension.. or perhaps realism. Jean clearly picks Scott, after all.. even at this early stage (even if Warren seems to snatch her away all the time). As far as the Professor goes, I was thinking the teacher thing was the problem more than being underage... Jean COULD be 18 (though 17 is more likely)... I think that might actually be a law itself in some states. |
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Post by Cei-U! on Mar 21, 2015 12:03:40 GMT -5
"Telford Porter" was hung on the Vanisher in the first Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe series, then declared only an alias in the subsequent OHOTMU Deluxe Edition.
Cei-U!
Never, ever take Wikipedia's word for anything comic-related!
EDIT: By the way, hand controls for cars have been around since at least the '30s. FDR used to scare the snot out of reporters and White House staffers driving at high speeds around his Hyde Park estate.
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Post by wildfire2099 on Mar 21, 2015 12:18:37 GMT -5
Ahhh, OK. That's dumb of me, actually, because I knew that about FDR.. they've played on it in Doctor Who, and something else too... maybe Foyle's War? Anyway, I do wonder if someone worried about it, though, as in issue 4 Angel is driving (at least, I hope he is... the other 4 X-Men and the professor are show in the other 5 seats of the car).
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Post by the4thpip on Mar 21, 2015 12:29:19 GMT -5
Here is what Stan Lee wrote about figuring out the characters of the X-Men in "Son of Marvel Origins":  |
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