My Marvel Life Presents: Fabulous First Issue – Giant Sized X-Men 1

Why I picked this comic:

One of the things I wanted to do with this project was to see how titles changed from decade to decade and this is the franchise that is amongst the best to do that with. They have had at least one re-boot of some description several times over the last 57 years and each one was worth a look at. As a big X-Men addict, I find it hard to work out, whether I am sharing the thing I love, or torturing the woman I love.

Still in for a penny, in for a  pound.

The Comic Itself:

Giant Size X-Men 1: April 1975

Second Genesis was written by Len Wein with art by Dave Cockrum.

I don’t know how much of a synopsis I really need to write for one of the bronze age of comics’ most famous single issues, but lets have a go.

X-Men founder/cult leader Professor Charles Xavier travels to Germany, Canada, Siberia, Kenya and the US state of Nevada to recruit Nightcrawler, Wolverine, Colossus, Storm and Thunderbird before recruiting former X-Men adversaries Banshee and Sunfire. He has brought them together to work with his first X-Man Cyclops to find the missing members of his team, Iceman, Angel, Marvel Girl, Havok and Lorna Dane.

In flashback we are shown that the original team was sent to an island called Krakoa in search of a powerful mutant. The rest are still there. Sunfire quits the team and the rest of them reluctantly go along. Sunfire rejoins the team mid-flight. Once at the island they split up and make their way to a temple which springs ups from nowhere. In the temple they recover the original team, but they soon realise that it was a trap. The mutant wasn’t on the island, it was the island and it’s hungry. Through teamwork and plot contrivance, the combined X-Men teams defeat the island, forcing it off the planet. The team head home, wondering what happens next.

The Thoughts of The MIGHTY Rosie

Question 1: Have you heard of this property before? Yes.

Question 2: What were you expecting? (Laughs for a while) Constant manipulation.

Question 3: What did you think of the cover? …Well…How did they have replacement shoes for Nightcrawler. Why does he even wear shoes.

Question 4: What did you think of the story? I have read it before, although I clearly chose to block some of it out, unless Professor X has been taking liberties again. (Note I didn’t realise this when I selected the comic)

Question 5: What did you think of the art? Very shadowy, heavy black. Rather than add drama, it makes it look like the artist got over excited.

Question 6: What did you think of the dialogue? (Big sigh)….okay, so why would ANYONE agree. I get Wolverine, but why would Colossus, Storm who was treated like a goddess, any of them agree to it all? None of the dialogue explains this. The reverse psychology against Thunderbird? WTF, is a three year old you are trying to convince to eat his veg? The dialogue doesn’t explain who designed the costumes, so who did? Storm has almost no clothes now, except f*** me boots anda bikini. The stereotyping is so bad I expected Banshee to be wearing a green hat and a shamrock. And why is any of them okay with being given new names?

Question 7: Does it make sense? After what I just said about the dialogue , what do you think? Krakoa admits that Professor X knowinlgy send the second team to be eaten and NO ONE seems to have a problem with it. No, this doesn’t make sense.

Question 8: Was it accessible as a new reader? Errrrrmmm… I don’t know if I can answer that to be honest.

Question 9: Did you enjoy it? Errrrmmmmmm I read it, the fact that I had read it before and forgot right up until the last few pages should tell you everything. Again, provided that Professor X hasn’t been up to his old tricks.

Question 10: Would you read the next issue? Errrrmmm no thanks. I am currently experiencing an ingrowing toenail which I am enjoying more.

Question 11: What would you do differently? Not read it again, failing that, get Xavier on a register.

Next time: Something not X-Related