X-Men #12

The Origin of Professor X!

Featuring: X-Men
Release: May 4, 1965
Cover: July 1965
12 cents
Stupifying story by: Stan Lee
Spectacular layouts by: Jack Kirby
Slam-bang pencilling by: Alex Toth
Sensational inking by: Vince Colletta
The usual lettering by: Sam Rosen
Kibitzing by: the whole blamed bullpen!
20 pages

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Happy Labor Day. Thanks to all the workers, past and present, for all they have done to shape this nation by the fruits of their labors.


We just read X-Men #11. And by just, I mean over 2 weeks ago. Sorry, life stuff got in the way of my comic reading priorities. That issue ended with alarms warning the X-Men of what Xavier called the most deadly danger they had ever faced approaching. Seeming to ignore the fact that they’d just faced a godlike alien being.

I’ve left us hanging with that cliffhanger for 2 weeks now. But it’s better than kids in the 60s had it. They had to wait 2 months to meet this new menace, and then perhaps be disappointed to learn we don’t actually glimpse him until the very final panel.

Before we get to the story, we must ask questions about the credits: Why are there so many artists? And who is this Alex Toth? What’s this bullpen?

This is the second time Stan has referred to the “bullpen” in the credits, and the second time he has credited them with kibitzing.

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