Customer Reviews

The Essential Uncanny X-Men (X-Men (Marvel Paperback))

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"The Uncanny X-Men" were always my favorite Marvel Superhero group and it was not just because they were younger than the Fantastic Four and the Avengers the way Spider-Man was younger than Captain America and Daredevil. I mean, the FF were driven by the walking tragedy of Ben Grimm as the Thing and the great villains, why the Avengers started out as the Marvel version of the Justice League of America with the best of the best and then deteriorated into those superheroes who did not have their own comics. But the X-Men were victims of persecution and prejudice because they were mutants. The metaphor for teenage angst and the joys of puberty was just too obvious not to work. Plus they had a bald headed guy in charge.

"The Essential Uncanny X-Men" presents the first twenty-four issues of the comic book, which starts with the creative team of writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby but ends with Roy Thomas and Werner Roth. Issue #1 provides one of the better foundations for a Marvel comic. We begin with Professor Charles Xavier's School for Gifted Children in Westchester County, where Jean Grey breaks the boy's only barrier as Marvel Girl (the all time worst name for a superhero Stan Lee ever came up with). The original roster of the group, for those who cannot remember back any farther than the rebirth under Chris Claremont and Dave Cockrum, consisted of not only Professor X's power to read minds and project thoughts and Marvel Girl's telekinesis, but the agility and strength of the brilliant Hank McCoy, the Beast; the fully functional wings of rich boy Warren Worthington III, Angel; the walking snow cone Bobby Drake, the Iceman (who originally looked like a snowman); and the power means that shot out of the eyes of the group's field leader Scott Summer, Cyclops. All gained their mutant powers when they became adolescents (although we would not learn their backstories for several years), and were rescued from fearful humans by Professor X and given a power of sanctuary. Having trained them in the use of their powers, Xavier has their working as a team. Thus we have alienation and the need to belong all wrapped up with a mixed bag of superpowers.

The other key part of the foundation is that Lee and Kirby came up with THE ultimate villain for the Uncanny X-Men in the first issue. The FF had the Mole Man, which smacked of all the monster comics Lee and Kirby did during the Fifties, but the X-Men had Magneto, the Master of Mutant Magnetism. Now, granted if his power works the way they say it does this is an invincible super villain (he can easily kill everybody in sight by either taking making a metal object a weapon or manipulate the iron in your blood if he wants to be overly creative), but the important thing here is that in the face of human prejudice over mutants ("homo superior"), Magneto agrees he is part of a superior race and is out to confirm humanity's worse fears. In Issue #4 Magneto leads the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants in a sort of mutant Civil War. Ultimately, the strongest similarity between the X-Men and Spider-Man are not that they are teenagers, but that they are heroes who are treated by the world at large mostly as villains.

The main complaint against these first two-dozen episodes is that despite this great foundation the comics are mostly standard superhero stories. The bit where Charles Xavier and Scott Summers both love Jean Grey but will not tell her their feelings is awkward at best, so the interpersonal relationships are nothing special at this point. Beyond Magneto really good villains are hard to come by; the Juggernaut is above average, but many of the others are laughable (e.g., the Locust), and even the Mimic is just an X-Men version of the Super Skrull. Even the mutant paranoia element is relatively low given where it would be in the future.

They are up to Volume 4 of "The Essential X-Men," but are still stuck on just this first collection of the original comics. This is too bad because in the next collection we would see Roy Thomas hitting his stride as the book's writer and then we get to the books drawn by Jim Steranko and then Neal Adams. Those were the early glory days of the X-Men and those volumes need to be published by Marvel as well. 'Nuff said. Final Note: Check out the great cover Kirby drew for "X-Men" #17: "...And None Shall Survive!" Nothing actually in the issue is that good, until the final pattern (which was nicely homaged by John Bryne at the end of "X-Men" #111), but I think it is one of Kirby's top 10 covers ever (not that I have really gone back and counted mind you).

Oh, to reread these rough-and-tumble stories from Marvel's early days brings a smile to my face. Sure, you wince at the hamhanded sexist portrayal of Jean Grey or the Scarlet Witch; sure, you groan at the excessively long-winded dialogue being batted about in the midst of a battle or crisis... BUT, elements are juggled in a page-turning manner. Every story features the characters doing everyday things and running into the problems being mutants brings to these situations. Every story features lots of free-wheeling adventure, not just slugfests. And, of course, there's the meetings between characters from different comics that still makes me feel all golly-gee-whiz. My favorite in this case is the meeting with the Avengers. VERY WELL-WRITTEN and fun. Even the lame-o second-rate villians are fun, to me at least! Finally, I don't think any fan can gaze at Kirby's panel revealing Magneto's return from space without saying, "WOW!" Adventure with an occasional message and lots of quirky bits of (at times misplaced) humor. (instead of heavy-handed mutants-are-hated-every-story-melodrama) Cool! Works well in the b&w newsprint format, too!

Those who doubt the magnitude of the debt current comics fans owe to Stan Lee and Jack Kirby need only pick up a copy of "Essential X-Men vol. 1" to become true believers. Most latter-day X-fans associate all that is good and pure with this title to Chris Claremont and John Byrne. As this collection of the first 24 issues of the title shows, however, Claremont and Byrne were truly standing on the shoulders of giants.

How many of these fans know, for example, that Lee and Kirby created many of the X-Men's archenemies? Magneto and the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. The Juggernaut. The Sentinels (yes, that's right---the Sentinels!). Much of the X-Men mythos emerged from the fertile collaboration of Lee and Kirby.

Unfortunately, the X-Men were a bit of an also-ran in the Lee/Kirby stable. The stories are fearly pedestrian, the art not as grandiose as we expect from Kirby, and the title ultimately languished until Claremont and Byrne brought it back from the ashes like, well, a Phoenix.

Still, this is a worthy glimpse into the birth of a legendary superteam, and I heartily recommend this collection to X-philes everywhere.

If you can get past the lack of color (it's not hard), and the fact the pages feel like coloring book paper, this collection is a must have for any X-Men or comic fan. I used to think the 70's Claremont issues or the 90's Jim Lee issues were the best X-Men stories, but after reading this I realize this is what the X-Men are all about.

Unlike Claremont's stories, there are no ridiculous aliens, no outer space adventures, hardly any fantasy elements - it's pure, street level, mutant action. Best of all, the strongest part of the X-Men mythos - the mutant/human issue - is portrayed in a way that doesn't get boring or tiresome, like most current X-Titles. In these early issues, the X-Men fight fascist mutants and humans trying to exterminate mutants...the things the X-Men should do! The Brood and the Shi'ar are fun, but this is why the X-Men were formed. Why do you think the current revamping of Uncanny X-Men and "New" X-Men features the Sentinels and mutant-human bigotry as the opening storyline? Why do you think the new "Ultimate" X-Men comic (set in another timeline) features the Sentinels and Magneto in the first story-arc?

This is the meat, the foundation, the bread & butter of the X-Men. Although it may have been a side project by Lee and Kirby, these stories are ten times better than any X-Book produced after 1994. Cyclops is moody, depressed, and damn near suicidal. The Beast isn't blue and furry, although he's still "bestial" with the mind of an intellectual. Angel is the gallavanting playboy before he was transformed by Apocalypse, while Jean is just a telekinetic. And if you thought Iceman had a low range over his powers now, just wait until you see his big transformation - from snowman to iceman!

Granted, the comic shows its age. There is "simplistic" artwork with some dynamic shots thrown in, and everything feels like the 1960's. However, despite all of that, the comic still feels timeless and is a cherished part of my comics collection. I hope they get around to reproducing more of these classic tales very soon.

Marvel gets lots of flak for the format of their Essential editions: I can agree with the mid-stream format change - just like the Masterworks, you have to start over if you want a uniform set. I can also agree with the flimsy paper, to a degree, as it tears easily during the binding process. The ink bleed results in ghost images on facing pages. And the lack of color leaves out some of the visual appeal. Yet, with all of this, I still LOVE this line, as it is hands-down the cheapest way to educate yourself on the Silver Age of Marvel Comics. I will gladly pay the low price for these 500-page books!

Anyway, on to the meat of this volume: Uncanny X-Men #1 - 24, by Lee, Kirby, Thomas, Gavin, et al. I guess most folks today prefer post-Giant-Size-X-Men, but whatever your preference, check out this book, as this is where it all began! These stories are from the early '60s, so of course the dialogue is cheesy; of course the characterizations are stereotyped; but by gum, you just can't get innovative stories like this anymore. Here we have the original X-Men, as kids no less, setting the stage for the uneasy coexistence of humanity and mutants. It's super-hero action combined with teen angst, and some little oddities that, to my knowledge, were not carried into later issues (Professor X loves teen-age Jean Grey? Eeeugh!). Featured villains include, in their first appearances, Magneto, the Blob, the Vanisher, Unus, the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, Juggernaut, the Sentinels, Lucifer, Mimic, and the Stranger, plus a few others I won't mention. Plus, you get a great Kirbyesque cover by Bruce Timm (this guy should do all of the covers for Kirby's reprints).

The Marvel Essentials line is one of the best bargains in comics. Why not fill your shelves with them?

When I first started really reading comic books in the early 1980s, there was a definite distinction when it came to the X-Men. In particular, the heroes featured at the time were the "New X-Men" with such members as Wolverine, Storm, Nightcrawler and Colossus. These were different from the "Old X-Men" of Iceman, Angel, Beast and Marvel Girl; only Cyclops really bridged the gap between the two. A quarter century later, with the rosters changing so much, "Old" and "New" don't have the same meaning, but back then, it did. The Essential Uncanny (or Classic) X-Men chronicles the original group.

For those unfamiliar with the team's origins, it started off as a group of five kids in their late teens attending a private school with the single instructor, Charles Xavier. Professor X, as he was commonly called, was a mutant, gifted with strong psychic powers, especially telepathy. Recognizing that there would be other mutants out there, he founded the school to keep these other superpowered individuals on the straight and narrow and protect the world from less benevolent mutants.

These students were Jean Grey (Marvel Girl), a telekinetic; Warren Worthington (Angel) who had wings; Hank McCoy (Beast) who had incredible agility; Bobby Drake (Iceman) with grand ice-generating powers; and Scott "Slim" Summers (Cyclops) who could shoot destructive beams out of his eyes. Led by Professor X, they would fight various supervillains. More importantly, they would try to fight anti-mutant bigotry.

In the twenty-four issues in this first volume, the X-Men would battle a slew of villains such as the Vanisher, Unus the Untouchable, the Sentinels and Count Nefaria, but by far their greatest enemy was Magneto who was incredibly powerful but also had a contempt for humanity; he wanted to pave the way for the mutants, also known as homo superior. Either solo or with his evil brotherhood, he would be the greatest challenge to the X-Men.

In these early issues, the characters are still not fully defined, with only Cyclops and Professor X having really distinct personalities. For the others, we only get glimmers of who they are. But overall, the stories are pretty decent, if a little Scooby-Doo-esque: if it wasn't for those blasted kids, who knows what villainy could occur. Among the early Marvel comics, this is one of the better ones, even if it is not quite five-star quality yet. If you're an X-Men fan - even a "New" X-Men fan - this is a must read.

I'm one of those few people that prefer the original X-Men over the new. This book which covers the first 24 issues, is awesome. Granted, it's in black and white, but that's the only thing wrong with it. I'm still waiting for Marvel to make a Volume 2(c'mon Marvel, get with it!) so I can read more of these classic adventures like the first appearance of Banshee. I'd also like them to make Essentials for more Marvel characters like Daredevil and Sub-Mariner(God knows they deserve it).

This book rocks! It's better than the essential x-men in my opinion. The whole point of the essential line is to start from the beginning isn't it? The characterization is excellent for such old comics. The love triangle between Cyclops, Angel, and Marvel Girl is quite interesting and realistic. And the scenes showing Iceman and Beast's growing friendship are nice. I've always disliked Professor X and this book didn't change a thing. I hate how he acts like he's above everybody else. What gives him the right to read other peoples minds and erase them? All in all he's a pretty 2-dimensional character. And if he cares about people knowing he's the X-men's teacher so much why doesn't he just wear a costume?
As for the villains they're pretty good as a whole. They range from the ultimate bad(Magneto)to the ultimate corny(The Vanisher). I was extremely impressed with Magneto. He wasn't the amazing character he is today but fantastic for the 60s. He takes over a missile base in his first appearance. Yes, "takes" as in he actually does it! That's the great thing about Magneto, he actually goes through with his plans. He also adds themes like bigotry and racism. Very lightly of course, but better then the stories of fake one-sided communist countries that were popular with marvel back then.
The Vanisher is just pathetic. I mean he vanishes! The Blob. Don't even get me started on him. I mean, even his name! So whose idea was it to have him in 3 issues! The Brotherhood is pure genius! It was a great idea to have reluctant members. The Stranger is by far the most creative one-shot character ever! There are plenty of other villains too.
The art. This is probably the most controversial thing about the essential line. Yeah it's in black and white. I say get over it! Jack Kirby does most of the art. Friggin' Jack Kirby!
The book has its funny moments also. The scenes at Greenwich village are hilarious. Beast becomes pretty funny also.
BUY THIS BOOK!

For those of us too young to have even been alive in the '60's, this book is an excelent way meet some of the legends of the comic realm for the first time. Yes, the lack of color is something of a detraction, but having grown up on manga, I can't say that it' s enough to put me off of this book and others like it. In fact, I think the lack of color lets the characters stand out on their own. The only complaint that I have is that they haven't come out with a second collection of the early X-men.

The Essential Books are a great way to catch up on the history of your favorite marvel comics. This one covers the early days of the X-Men, and while [like many of the comics I've read from this era] are just self-contained stories in each issue with few plot elements that carry over (There are a few, just not as many as you see now), it is still a good read. You see the first appearances of many of the X-Men mainstays (Magneto, The Sentinels), and it is amusing to see how much has changed since the beginning.

I eagerly await the Essential books that cover the rest of the early X-men issues.