X-Men #7 offered us a bit of everything, from character development, so story development as our hero’s move along the  course of their early adventures.  In this tale The original X-men Graduate, and all in only seven issues.  But now, they are left alone – as Professor X leaves them for tasks unknown –  to protect the world under the leadership of Cyclops.  If you think things can’t get any tougher for the young mutants, this issue features the Blob as a new member of the Evil Mutants.

Can the X-men Stop Magneto, Toad, Mastermind, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, and the Blob, all without the help of their beloved Professor Xavier?  Will the blob remain loyal to the brother hood of Evil Mutants?   these questions and more are addressed in X-Men #7, but the issue also does a wonderful job leaving us to wonder: What business called Professor Xavier away? That will just have to be saved for a future story… 

Artwork

While Kirby’s work in this issue is quite effective, and true to his style. it does not exceed what I have come to expect from him in that era.  While he does show us how he can draw teams like no other;  I can’t help but feel he had two few pages for such a big story to work with, leading to many great scenes  being small and lacking.  The two panels I picked to show is of Marvel Girl holding quicksilver captive in the air, and scarlet witch attempting to use her hex power to save her brother.  But this panel is no better or worse than any other in the issue,  in fact making a good example of what one would find in X-men ##7 and for showing a baseline for Jack Kirby’s work.

Originality & Continuity

This issue does a good job of working in the blob’s history, as well as show again, that it’s not just the X-men that are looking to expand their membership but also the brotherhood of evil mutants.    It seems  that Stan lee had found a stride by this time in 1964 of maintaining a  fair level of continuity both within a title, and across titles; in my view that alone is as important to the development and the proven sustainability of the marvel universe as anything else.

Characters & Development

While I am sure, 50 years later this is a surprise to no one reading this; Cyclops is selected to lead the X-Men in the professor’s leave in this issue.  It is this singular choice, (one that has been for shadowed a few times now)  that may be the most significant development of the X-men so far, not just this issue.  Then the fact that  Scott Summers proves to be a good and capable leader even without the professor is yet another.

Story

In many way’s beyond the developments and depth added to our hero’s,  this is a classic comic book story. Where the villains defeat themselves more so than by any action taken by the hero’s  Showing the ever classic statement  that no good ever comes from wrong doing once again.  In fact, the early – pure evil – Magneto  shows how he is his own worst enemy by the end, although I am sure he does not see it that way.. do you?