xavier mindwiping – Coke & Comics

Featuring: X-Men
Release: November 5, 1963
Cover: January 1964
12 cents
Written by: Stan Lee
Illustrated by: Jack Kirby
Inked by: Paul Reinman
24 pages

Before we start dissecting the bizarreness of this comic, I’d like to draw attention to the cool title font. Hat tip I presume goes to Art Simek.

I have a bit of difficulty assessing this issue. I can see two different stories: the one on the page, and the one Stan meant to write. In the story Stan meant to write, he failed miserably. I am confident he meant to portray Professor X and the X-Men as virtuous heroes. But any reasonable reading of the issue shows them to be the villains. That latter interpretation is interesting to me, but clearly not intentional.

This issue makes clear that Professor X and the X-Men have questionable ethics, though I don’t think Stan intended it that way. He just didn’t think it through. But later writers will look to stories like this as evidence that Professor X has a dark side.

Featuring: X-Men
Release: September 3, 1963
Cover: November 1963
12 cents
Written by: Stan Lee
Drawn by: Jack Kirby
Inked by: Paul Reinman
22 pages

For the second issue in a row, the cover reads, “In the sensational Fantastic Four style”. They are really trying to hype the tenuous similarity to Fantastic Four. The cover box also matches the previous issue, so it seems like the standard one. Odd that they chose an image which only highlights 3 of the X-Men. At least they don’t fit in everybody but the one woman, like the Avengers cover box.

Professor X has warned the X-Men that people will distrust them. But when I look at the last couple issues, evidence of that is lacking. The military seemed very grateful to the X-Men last issue. This issue, a gaggle of girls want to kiss Angel; Jean needs to shove them away. The construction workers seem grateful to Cyclops and Iceman for saving them. Xavier has contacts at the FBI, who are willing to lend him a special jet and seemingly clear the White House lawn to allow the X-Men to tackle this new threat their way. It’s weird.

What is a mutant? There are lots of super-powered beings running around now. I’ve already lost count. Very few have been described as mutants. Just Tad, Merlin, Namor, the X-Men, and Magneto. Xavier suspects the Vanisher is a mutant, but is not sure. It’s obvious that the Vanisher has “X-tra” powers. Professor X adds a bit of clarity to the question. He suggests that mutants are people born with their extra powers. So people who gain their powers from cosmic rays, gamma bombs, or radioactive spider bites would not be mutants.

Tag: xavier mindwiping

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