Sentinels of the Future

Uncanny X-Men #14 – By Stan Lee and Jack Kirby (Layouts) & Jay Gavin (Pencils)

With this issue, the X-Men mythology really kicks into high gear. Now we really begin to see the attitudes of normal people shifting against mutants. This type of mutant hysteria will become the foundation of the book in the future and drive so many storylines and characters in the entire run of all related mutant comics.

This issue takes place several weeks after the encounter with the Juggernaut and picks up and the end of the X-Men’s convalescence. Almost all of them suffered serious injuries at the hands of Cain Marko and Professor Xavier developed some interesting devices to help heal his students and nurture their powers. In fact, Professor Xavier is planning on sending the X-Men on vacation now that they’re feeling better. Warren gives Jean a ride home in his brand-new 1965 Mustang; Hank and Bobby head into Greenwich Village for a visit to the Coffee-A-Go-Go (where Bobby flirts with Zelda, and we’re treated to another performance by Bernard the beat poet); and Scott wanders off alone leaving even the Professor worrying about his loneliness.

No sooner have the X-Men begun their much-deserved rest, then anthropologist Bolivar Trask gives an interview that shocks the world – Mutants are waiting to conquer us all! The Daily Globe carries the story under the headline “Mutant Menace” (worthy of J. Jonah Jameson) complete with illustrations of what the world might be like under mutant rule. The “mutants” in the illustrations look more like Spock-eared aliens, but I’m sure it was enough to spark panic in the masses. Professor Xavier is so appalled, that he immediately calls the television networks and arranges a debate with Trask.

After the debate begins, Trask reveals his newest creation – the Sentinels! Within moments, these huge robots stop following Trask’s commands and take matters into their own hands. Determining themselves superior to humans, the Sentinels will protect them from mutants as they only the Sentinels can. The Sentinels grab Trask and are headed back to their headquarters to grow their army, but they leave one of their number behind to prevent the humans from interfering. Professor Xavier puts out a mental call to the X-Men.

Iceman and Beast have no trouble getting to the TV station following the Professor’s mental summons. A hard-driving taxi driver causes Scott’s glasses to fly off and the cab gets damaged by his optic rays. He barely escapes a mob caught up in anti-mutant hysteria before he arrives. The Angel confronts the squad of Sentinels, only to be rescued by Marvel Girl.

The group fights the single Sentinel remaining at the TV studio with little luck, only to have the robot collapse on its own muttering “Master Mold…” Professor Xavier can’t read its mechanical thoughts, but he does receive some information on where the others have gone. The X-Men follow that thought impulse to a pleasant little hill outside the city. Within seconds, the entire hill opens up, revealing a mechanical fortress below and begins assaulting the surprised X-Men with lasers!

This was another great issue by Stan Lee. The Sentinels are a scary, out-of-control menace that is equally a danger to humanity as they are to mutants. With their formidable size, strength and array of weapons, just a single Sentinel proves more than enough trouble for the team. As an emotionless opponent, they seem more then capable of eliminating all the X-Men and any mutants they encounter. And when you throw in the desire to “reproduce,” they become even scarier. At this point there are only a few, but major armies controlling humans and eliminating mutants would be a nightmare.

More importantly, we see the first real hatred and fear of mutants. In previous issues, there have been one or two quick comments, but the hysteria is seen here for the first time. This is the true horror of the issue – the apparent racism and scapegoating of mutants. This will become a mainstay of this series in later years and this is the first building block in the foundation.

This is really a very important story in the history of the X-Men series and everyone who’s a fan should read this. I’m glad I’ve finally gotten the chance and will continue to recommend it to all readers.

Note: This issue was reprinted in February, 1971 as the first story in Uncanny X-Men #68 (Cover by Jack Kirby) and again in June, 1995 as X-Men: The Early Years #14 (Cover by Larry Stroman).

Professor Xavier and the X-Men #16 – By Jorge Gonzalez and Nick Gnazzo & Anthony Castrillo

This is a pretty good example of a reimagining of this story. Gonzalez sticks with a lot of the original material and actually modernizes it by expanding on certain elements and Gnazzo and Castrillo update the look of the Sentinels for a 90s sensibility.

There is no newspaper interview in this story. The interview with Bolivar Trask is set up as a network news piece from the very beginning. Trask has his say on mutant issues, and then the announcer bring in Professor Xavier as an expert to represent the other side of the issue. This actually works out better in my opinion then the original. It just seemed very self-serving of Xavier to call up the networks and demand a debate. He’s not hiding any agendas there!

The other thing that made this initial debate so much more interesting is the fact that Trask brings up the issues of Magneto and the threats posed by other mutants. Xavier must counter that argument by saying “normal” members of society are also criminals – not just mutants. He also says that’s why the police force and the Avengers are around. The debate is much more well-rounded and interesting here.

Trask makes a big mistake by having his Sentinels break through the roof of the TV station! They’re here to protect mankind, but destruction of private property isn’t a big deal. The Sentinels are very menacing from the first appearance here. They’re even bigger than in the original story and their emotionless exchanges are equally scary.

After this, the story continues on very much like the original with a few notable differences. First off, there is no mention of the Juggernaut or the injuries the team sustained battling him. Of course, in this series, that took place TWO issues ago, since the Stranger story was placed between Juggernaut and the Sentinels. Also, Cyclops doesn’t have his “eye-wear malfunction” that causes a mob to chase him in this issue. He does make a reference to “car trouble” so we can assume it still happened, but this time it was all “off camera.”

Finally, Gonzalez obviously didn’t feel that facing off against the emerging fortress was a good enough cliff-hanger. He actually pulls in several pages from the following issue to arrive at a more typical ending – the team unconscious and apparently defeated, and Trask being dragged before the as-yet-unseen Master Mold. I don’t see it as much of an improvement. If anything, it makes the ending of the issue more clichéd.

Overall, I really enjoyed this reimagining and thought it brought some much-needed clarity to the debate scenes. The action sequences were quite a bit like the originals and I did find a somewhat dynamic flair to the Gnazzo/ Castrillo artwork. This one is worth a read.

Next: Uncanny X-Men #15 and Professor Xavier and the X-Men #17

Sibling Rivalry

Uncanny X-Men #13 – by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby (Layouts) & Jay Gavin (Pencils)

Part two of this story brings the threat of the Juggernaut home to the X-Men. Juggernaut is within inches of achieving his goal of killing his step-brother, Professor Xavier, and the X-Men have proven unable to stop him. The issue opens with a classic splash page from Kirby illustrating the Juggernaut looming over a cornered Professor X, starting off the story with the right amount of tension.

Professor Xavier retreats with Marvel Girl to his study where he begins to assemble his “mento-helmet.” He claims this device will essentially “super-charge” his mental powers, but it will take some time. This device looks like the helmet apparatus that will eventually become part of the Cerebro systems. Up until now, we’ve only seen the chaotic inner-workings of the device and the desktop control panel, but no helmet. Professor Xavier must incorporate this device into Cerebro to enhance his powers to better locate mutants.

Meanwhile, the remaining X-Men fight a delaying action, keeping Juggernaut from reaching the Professor. Nothing they do can slow him down – Iceman tries to encase him in blocks of ice, Cyclops uses his eye-beams at full force, and Angel and Beast do their best in directly and indirectly confronting the unstoppable villain. Eventually, Beast takes center stage luring the Juggernaut into the Danger Room and unleashing the rooms various threats against the enemy. During the confrontation, Juggernaut not only succeeds in breaking Beast’s leg, but also about runs him over with a “ten ton” barrel of steel.

Early in the issue, Juggernaut's powers and defenses are a bit further defined. When Xavier initially tries to blast him with mental energies, Juggernaut admits the powers granted him by the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak cause his body to produce waves of force even when he’s not moving. This field around him comes into play several times throughout this issue. The Temple of Cyttorak also gave him his costume and helmet. The helmet protects him from all manners of psychic attack, rendering Xavier’s standard abilities almost useless. I know the helmet become his Achilles Heel over the years, but I never remember the field being mentioned later. It’s a nice explanation for the power and could certainly be a mutant ability that was unclear last issue.

Using the “mento” helmet, Xavier reaches out to the Human Torch and calls him to the X-Men’s aid. The young Fantastic Four member helps frustrate and distract the Juggernaut while Xavier readies his final moves. Xavier orders the Angel to swoop in and tear the protective helmet from Juggernaut’s head. Xavier himself follows up with a pair of powerful mental blasts, knocking out the human powerhouse and ending the threat.

Of course, Xavier wipes the memory of this event from the Human Torch’s mind. Even though the teams have met previously, the Professor was not actually present. His desire to keep his involvement with the X-Men a secret makes this little indiscretion a necessity. I am curious when it becomes widely known that Xavier is the X-Men’s leader.

I found this two-parter to be the best X-Men story to date. It featured a villain that was compelling not only for his powers, but his link to one of the main characters. The emotional involvement in this component of the story was compelling and the reader could completely understand both Xavier’s and Marko’s side of the issue. The fight scenes were very interesting and built nicely one upon the other. You really get the sense that the Juggernaut is unstoppable and the X-Men simply do everything they can to prevent his forward momentum.

This is truly a classic of the Silver Age and it’s obvious why reprints decided to start here instead of earlier in the run.

Note: This issue was reprinted in December, 1970 as the second story in Uncanny X-Men #67 (cover by Marie Severin) and again in May, 1995 as X-Men: The Early Years #13 (Cover by Ken Lashley).

Professor Xavier and the X-Men #14 – by Jorge Gonzalez and Eric Battle

Unlike the previous two issues, this one follows very closely to the script of the original – to the point of exact dialogue being brought forward.

As I said, the story follows the original very closely, but this time, Gonzalez chooses to have the story narrated by Marvel Girl. I suppose he just felt it was “her turn” because she adds very little to the story in this role. A lot of her insights were simply box text in the Stan Lee script and any new commentary adds very little to the story. It would have been more effective to be in Xavier’s head during this issue. Being privy to his thoughts and feelings would have been intriguing and added so much more to the context of his relationship with Cain Marko.

The issue’s artwork is very stylized almost to the point of over-exaggeration, but it does add some excitement and energy to the visuals. Battle’s interpretation of the Human Torch is a little strange – he actually looks a lot more like Frankie Raye when she became Nova. Not a bad interpretation, just unusual. I actually think a lot of his action sequences are great and some of his images of Juggernaut are outstanding.

As we’ve seen in previous issues, the action quotient is amplified from the very beginning. Juggernaut actually tosses Xavier around in the beginning of the issue, even though he never touched the Professor in the original. Juggernaut swat down the Angel, barrels through Cyclops and tosses Beast around like a rag doll.

Ironically, one change to this version is Juggernaut doesn’t actually break Beast’s leg here. The panels where he actually snaps his lower leg are left out, and the Beast is hurt a little later. Beast states that he has “sprained” his leg clearly, but shortly after, Jean says she feels his seriously injured. And in spite of his valiant efforts, Beast doesn’t even get the credit for having loosened Juggernaut’s helmet, but Xavier takes the credit claiming HE loosened it telekinetically.

Xavier also doesn’t bother to wipe the Human Torch’s memory in this version. Most likely because everyone in the 90’s knew Professor Xavier was the leader of the X-Men and it would only have confused the issue.

In general, this is one of the more faithful reimaginings, and as result makes it pretty worth reading. It was a nice update to a great story. I just wish previous issues would have been handled similarly.

Next: Uncanny X-Men #14 and Professor Xavier and the X-Men #16

Unstoppable

Uncanny X-Men #12 – By Stan Lee and Jack Kirby (Layouts) & Alex Toth (Pencils)

Now this title is really starting to move for me! This was a really exciting issue that features a lot of back-story for Professor Xavier. After 11 issues and some cameos and cross-overs, we’re all dying to know more about the characters in this book. Starting with Xavier is a great move because it will all help lead us to why he founded the X-Men to being with.

This issue picks up exactly where the last one left off – with Cerebro literally screaming a warning that a ultra-powerful opponent was identified and on the way! Xavier seems to know who this is and urges the X-Men to bolster the defenses of the mansion. Iceman builds up a second wall of ice around the campus; Cyclops digs a ditch inside the walls where Beast lays a thick electrical cable and Marvel Girl hides under yard waste; and Angel helps Cyclops assemble mortars as a last line of defense. Then, the unknown enemy comes even closer – pounding on the outer ice walls.

At this point, Professor Xavier decides he needs to relate the story of his childhood to his students. Somehow, this story has a bearing on the incredible powerhouse they will be facing. There are several things revealed in this story that I never knew about Charles Xavier. I never realized he wasn’t born a mutant – or at least they give the idea here that he wasn’t. His father worked on nuclear weapons in New Mexico while he was young and he attributes his abilities to the radiation present in the area. His father died in an nuclear blast at the facility and his mother married Kurt Marko shortly after. In a rather clichéd storyline, young Xavier wasn’t well-liked by Marko or his son Cain. Some things I found surprising were Xavier’s exploits in sports – as both a quarterback and a track star. Of course, he used his mental powers to reach the pinnacle of these sports, but I just never saw the character doing that. Kind of a fun idea.

Cain confronts his father about Brian Xavier’s death during a quarrel over some money and young Charles overhears. Cain has a tantrum and smashes some beakers and test tubes causing a chemical explosion and fire. Kurt Marko drags both boys to safety and with his dying breath confesses that Brian Xavier’s death WAS an accident, but he could have saved him if he’d not been cowardly.

The boys grow up competitive and contentious. While serving together during the Korean war, Cain Marko seeks shelter in a cave during an artillery barrage. Inside, he finds a temple to Cyttorak, the god of Dark Magic. He picks up a gemstone, reads the inscription, and releases Cyttorak’s curse – becoming the juggernaut of dark magic.

I thought this was great as Charles Xavier refers to the “Crimson Bands of Cyttorak” on a few occasions here. This is one of the powers that Doctor Strange is known for calling on to bind his enemies. I’m not sure how much Cyttorak has been defined as yet over in Doctor Strange’s adventures, but this is another fine example of Marvel becoming that all-inclusive Universe.
The issue cuts between phases of the flashback, and the unknown enemy defeating defense after defense outside the mansion. This technique really built up the suspense and made the reader really hunger to see this new villain, while getting important information about a main character! Brilliant story craft by Lee here.

The only thing that sticks out to me in this story is the fact that Cain Marko is NOT a mutant. At least he’s not revealed as such in this issue. Even so, Cerebro – the mutant detector – is going crazy at his approach. Why would it detect him if his powers are based in magic? Does Cain Marko harbor a mutation that hasn’t been spoken of yet? Is that what enables him to actually contain the power of the Crimson Gem of Cyttorak?

The issue ends with Juggernaut bursting into the mansions and facing off against Xavier and the X-Men in a wonderful cliff-hanger! Kudos to Stan Lee for such an amazing introduction to this character and storyline!

Note: This issue was reprinted in December, 1970 as the first story in Uncanny X-Men #67 (cover by Marie Severin) and again in April, 1995 as X-Men: The Early Years #12 (Cover by Adam Hughes).

Professor Xavier and the X-Men #12 & 13 – By Jorge Gonzalez and Duncan Rouleau (issue 12) & Nick Gnazzo (issue 13)

As with issues 4 and 5, this title has decided to expound on the original material in Uncanny X-Men #12 and expand it to two issues. However, by doing that, Jorge Gonzalez separates the story between the flashback story (covered in issue 12) and the current continuity (covered in issue 13). I suppose Gonzalez or editor Kelly Corvese decided modern audiences might like a simpler retelling. My opinion is that changing the story this way weakens the tension and spoils the reveal of the Juggernaut himself. True, he is shown in the final splash panel of issue 12, but it’s not as powerful as the slow build-up used by Stan Lee as we see the shadowy figure breaking through all the defensive emplacements finally to be revealed looming over Professor Xavier.

In general, the flashback contains the same material as the original, but in the moments before Cain Marko grabs the ruby of Cyttorak, Charles Xavier reveals his psychic powers to which Marko jumps to the conclusion Xavier is a mutant. The re-imagining also gives us an almost Hulk-like transformation page where Marko changes into the mammoth Juggernaut. Again, I thought this was revealing a little too much too soon. I liked Kirby’s shadowy change, where you weren’t sure exactly what was happening to Marko.

As happened with much of Marvel, the timeline is moved forward as well. Instead of Marko and Xavier fighting in Korea, this time they fought in Viet Nam. The Asian settings of the wars is easily interchangeable, however the time between the war and the issue dates is very different. When the original tale was written, the Korean war had been over about 10 years – the reimagining was written about 25 years after the end of Viet Nam. This dramatically changes the ages of Xavier and Marko. Not really relevant to the story, just something that stuck out to me.

Issue 12 ends with a one page version of a shadowy Juggernaut bursting out of a ship and beginning his journey to the school. The final, full-page panel gives Juggernaut the though-monologue threatening to kill Charles Xavier. *YAWN* The original told it so much better to end up in a similar place.

The X-Men set up the defenses in issue 13. Doing much of the same things they did in the original, the team bustles about the outside of the mansion preparing for the imminent arrival of Juggernaut. The focus is put a little more onto Iceman, who is also the narrator of this particular issue.

Gonzalez does a nice job of using the voice of the youngest X-Man to get across some of the fear that all of the characters are feeling. He also conveys some of Iceman’s youthful bravado in a couple of additional scenes – in one, he initially confronts Juggernaut alone. He is quickly overmatched and has to MELT his own icewall to escape unharmed. I don’t think I’ve seen Iceman melt anything before, but I assume this can be looked at the same way we’ve seen the Human Torch draw power out of fire.

Juggernaut cuts through the defenses just like in the original, but Gonzalez actually leaves the last line of defense – the steel “airlock-type” doors – out of the story entirely. This gives him a little more time for the first time the whole team takes on Juggernaut. In this version, Professor Xavier has holed-up in the control center for the Danger Room, and the X-Men face-off against Juggernaut in their training room. This doesn’t seem to make any difference as nothing from the Danger Room is brought into play accept for some type of ray gun in the initial few panels. The X-Men use very little teamwork trying to subdue Juggernaut and they pay for it by getting their butts soundly kicked! This issue ends with Juggernaut hovering over Xavier ready to kill him.

In general, making the original store two issues doesn’t play as well as the simpler, more tension-filled story. While we do get a few interesting extra scenes featuring Iceman in the second issue, we also get more room for longer exposition and a slightly longer fight.

We also get more of the Juggernaut which isn’t a bad thing. And some of the art from both Rouleau and Gnazzo gives us some fun splash-pages and big panels of the villain. The artwork gives the impression of the massive size and power of this guy. I think it makes him scary in ways that the story has dropped the ball on.

Up Next: Uncanny X-Men #13 and Professor Xavier and the X-Men #14

The Stranger Among Us

Uncanny X-Men #11 – By Stan Lee and Jack Kirby

This issue is a major turning point in the history of the X-Men. Stan Lee wraps up his original concept for the book here and sets the table for new adventures and adversaries for everyone’s favorite mutant teens – and really begins the journey to becoming the X-Men we think of in the 21st century.

The story begins straight-forward enough, with Professor Xavier detecting the presence of a new mutant. Here he unveils a new device – the Radar-Image Beam – which will use radar waves to create an image of the new mutant detected by Cerebro. But the mutant’s power is so great, that it disrupts the image and the team must be sent out to search for him.

The Stranger is the powerful character that the team is after. Dressed in a suit and white lab coat, he heads out into the city. Soon he runs into Magneto and the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants who encourage him to join their ranks. Magneto and Mastermind demonstrate their powers on him, but the Stranger quickly turns the tide on them by blasting off the metal Magneto wrapped him in and turning Mastermind into a lifeless statue of “solid matter.”

The X-Men arrive on the scene only to be attacked by Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch as the Stranger makes off with Magneto and the Toad. After a brief altercation, Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch are subdued and they finally decide they’ve had enough of Magneto and vow to leave the Brotherhood and head back to Europe.

After determining there is nothing that can currently be done to aid Mastermind, the X-Men and Professor Xavier head out after the Stranger. They finally face-off with him in a park, where he has Magneto and Toad wrapped in anti-magnetic material. He identifies himself as an alien who seeks out mutant on other planets and brings them back to his homeworld for study. He then leaves the planet, with Magneto and Toad in tow, vowing never to return.

The issue ends with Cerebro buzzing wildly and the promise of a powerful mutant more dangerous than any they’ve ever faced.

This issue is Stan Lee taking apart his original concept of X-Men vs. Brotherhood on a consistent basis, interspersed with “mutant of the month” stories like the Unus story or even Blob, and trading it for the more traditional model followed by the Fantastic Four or Spider-man. Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch join the Avengers in the same month they leave the brotherhood – bringing their popularity another book in the growing Marvel Universe, and preserving the balance of characters in the X-Men.

Lee also temporarily removes the rest of the Brotherhood from the picture by having Mastermind frozen in stone and Magento and Toad whisked away from the planet altogether. This opens up more possibilities for this book then before. We’ve recently been treated to the Savage Land and the conflict with Lucifer (along with some history of Professor X), which have been enjoyable departures from the “same ol’” stories with Magneto. Those original stories were kind of dull and repetitive. I’m glad to see Lee breaking out of the rut and moving in a new direction.

I’m very excited to see what’s coming around the corner and where this book is headed now!

Note: This issue was reprinted in December, 1970 as the second story in Uncanny X-Men Annual #1 (Cover by Jack Kirby) and again in March, 1995 as X-Men: The Early Years #11 (Cover by Larry Stroman).

Professor Xavier and the X-Men #15 – By Jorge Gonzalez and Nick Gnazzo.

Yep, number 15. For some reason, the powers that be at the time decided to run this story out its original order and placed it AFTER the next storyline. Since it’s a reimagining of the original #11, I’ll add it here.

As far as the re-imaginings go, this one is similar to those that have been before it. It covers the basics of the story, but makes some changes that I didn’t think were really necessary. First off, it puts the Stranger in his “super-hero” costume, not the simple suit and lab coat from the original. While this makes him more dynamic and recognizable, I liked the simple charm of him attempting to fit in at first. In fact, Gonzalez completely eliminates all scenes before the Stranger stumbles upon Magneto. And this time, the Stranger is summoned by a pulse that Magneto sends out to draw the alien to him. These changes only allow for Gonzalez to have more page-space to add material that wasn’t in the original.

Magneto is the narrator of this issue, and spends the first several pages ruminating about recent defeats and back-handedly introducing the characters of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. There’s nothing really new here, and he again refers to himself as Erik Magnus Lehnsherr, a name not yet introduced in the classic book. Magneto’s narration doesn’t really add anything to the story, except at the very end. When being whisked away by the Stranger, his thoughts read, “…my arrogance…has cost me…everything!!” Nice for him to admit that, even to himself.

Other than that, there aren’t too many other diversions from the original. Xavier only uses a 90’s version of Cerebro in the beginning of the story – no Radar-Image Beam – and later Xavier is seen in his 90’s “hover-wheelchair” as opposed to a simple one.

One thing I noticed, is that Gnazzo’s art is a lot more fun in this issue. He uses more dramatic poses and includes a lot more detail in his panels. He actually uses background art and dynamic angles to add tension and intensity to the story. For the first time, I wanted to see more of his art. Now that I’ve seen him grow his talent through this book, I’m curious what else he’s done.

As a re-imagining, this book is fine – bringing the look and feel into the 90’s and matching the imagery with comparable costumes and articles of that time. Still, I don’t think it adds much to the original and I’d still encourage readers to check out the Lee/Kirby version.

Up Next: Uncanny X-Men #12 and Professor Xavier and the X-Men #12 and #13