For today’s comic book review I did X-Men #1 from 1963.  this volume of comics would eventually be retitled to Uncanny X-men.  in any case, i thought it a great idea to review X-men #1 for X-mas eve.

I feel it worth saying that the X-men comic came to be the same month as the avengers, but the x-man much like the Fantastic Four and even the hulk, got trusted with their own feature comic right off the bat, unlike so many of the other early marvel hero’s I am reviewing

The Story

synopsis

our story starts off with us being introduced to our strange new teenagers at their strange new school, on the day that a new student named Jean Gray arrives.  This allows us to be introduced to the team partly though there action’s and partly though the use of her character.

the school there practicing and getting to know each other is as much what this first issue is about as the conflict that arises when an ‘Evil Mutant’ named Magneto attacks a military base at Cape Citadel.

Review

I know Jack & Stan knew they where taking a chance, but i doubt they knew exactly what a hit they where creating.  Yet with this  first issue I liked how they took their time, letting us meet the characters and them seeing them take to action.

I feel the story flowed well, with the lack of a major origin story; as mutant’s are born with their powers.  This made it read much more naturally then say Fantastic Four #1, at least for me.

It is worth saying that, because on the cover they go to great marking lengths to say “in the sensational Fantastic Four style” just as they say the much more important words “The Strangest Super-Heroes Of All!“. I feel that while the first statement is true, the second is much more important, as The X-Men are unlike any other.

Artwork

I feel Jack did a great job with the art in X-men #1.   the action looked quite good, but for a first issue, and perhaps more importantly so did the characters.

The X-men where uniform in appearance, and it seems to be one that fits the young team.    There design being one that I think  in part made the art look so well in the first issue.  you may say the Fantastic Four also have uniforms, but they did not have such a uniform appearance from issue one.

But it’s not just the X-man who  have good design and make this first issue look so well, but also Magneto  the Mutant Menace that they face off against.

From the first moment you see him on the cover or in the issue, you get that feeling of regal power that I feel Magneto will come to represent.  I am sure this is in great part to how he looks and the color palate that was used on him

The Red’s and purples, the helmet and the strong blue eyes behind the mask and an evil-looking grin.

Magneto will change a lot in personality over the years, but little in appearance, because he was done right from the start.

Originality & Continuity

I think with the X-men came a great and original idea,  the idea that our hero’s could be born with powers instead of having to undergo some kind or origin accident.  This is perhaps the greatest story development in marvel history, even if it enables a level of laziness unseen before.

Characters & Development

It is a first issue, and we only begin to get a taste of our character’s and there personalities.

Iceman

We have Iceman, whom is the ‘kid’ of the team,  there all teenagers but he is the youngest, and this is made clear in the issue right off the bat. his clowning around attitude as well as his ‘snowman’ like appearance just adds to the fun of what Iceman is.

Cyclops

In this issue, we see cyclops assisting the professor for his test of the other X-Men,  and for his own, he stands against the X-men as they try to face him.  in many panels you can see him being Next to the professor, all of this I feel is foreshadowing his future role.

The Angel

one of the most interesting things about the angel in this first issue, is his name, Warren Worthington III,  out of uniform, he is dressed nicely in a blue suit and tie, he is given an appearance of society and class that would be fitting to an angel.

The Beast

The beast also has an appearance of being bulky and at least a little-bit disproportionate.

He is not yet given his articulate vocabulary or shown to have his superior intelligence that he will develop in issues to come.

Professor X

he is the core of the team, the teacher, leader, mentor and much more.  that is just what I feel this issue plays him to be. I can not help but feel that the wheelchair was in part a tool to help keep him out of the action more,  something that would not be held to strictly too.

Marvel Girl

We meet Jean grey just as she meets the team and they meet her, in some ways she is  as key to this first story as anything else, as she joins the X-men as well as  starts up at the school.