X-Men #19

Lo! Now Shall Appear– The Mimic!

Featuring: X-Men
Release: February 3, 1966
Cover: April 1966
12 cents
Story: Stan Lee
Pencils: Jay Gavin
Inking: Dick Ayers
Lettering: Artie Simek
(All that, and Forbush too!)
20 pages

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Daredevil #15Reading orderAmazing Spider-Man #36
X-Men #18X-MenX-Men #20

The danger is clear– the task is yours– the moment is now!

This Irving Forbush fellow was mentioned in the last Daredevil post as well. What’s that about?

X-Men #10-18 took place over a very short span of time, with one adventure right after the other, likely knocking out of alignment with the other titles. There is now a big gap before this adventure, which hopefully brings us closer to alignment. The X-Men are healed from the battle against the Sentinels. Cerebro has been rebuilt.

Bobby and Zelda seem to be going steady now, so Zelda is setting Hank up with her friend Vera so they can have a double date. Prior to the blind date, Hank stops at the library and meets a woman… and they do not get along at all.

Guess who his date turns to be?

The already fraught romantic situation heats up when Calvin Rankin shows up. He’s basically a stalker who has been pressuring Vera to go out with him and refusing to take no for an answer. Well, he’s angry to find her out with another man and conflict ensues.

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Avengers #19

The Coming of… The Swordsman!

Featuring: Avengers
Release: June 8, 1965
Cover: August 1965
12 cents
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Don Heck
Inker: Dick Ayers
Letterer: Artie Simek
20 pages

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Tales of Suspense #71, Story BReading orderAvengers #20
Avengers #18AvengersAvengers #20

There must be no surrender!

“Marvel Pop Art Productions”? This phrase started appearing on covers these last couple months. The letters page explains that fans object to these magazines being called comics, perhaps as that implies they are humorous and juvenile. So Stan is going to start calling them “pop art books”. I started reading these things about 25 years later and heard they were called comics, so I’m not sure this rebranding will stick.

Swordsman tries to join the Avengers but is rebuffed after a fight.

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