Customer Reviews

Marvel Masterworks: The X-Men Vol 1 (ComicCraft cover) (1998)

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The 'true' X-men from back-in-the-day are finally available for the X-men fans of today. First off, this book contains the first ten issues of the series, including individual covers, in full color on glossy stock and and hard bound. These stories (Uncanny X-men 1-10) were written in '61 and '62 by Stan Lee and drawn by the Jack Kirby, with both a forward and afterward by Stan...'nuff said. It tells the origins of the X-men (original team: Professor X, Cyclops, Beast, Angel, and Iceman), the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants (Magneto, Toad, Mastermind, Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver), introduces modern mainstay characters like Jean Grey, Blob, and Kazar all for the first time, and guest-stars old-school Marvel money-makers like Namor the Sub-mariner and the Avengers. New-school fans may be a bit thrown by the presence of sixties throw-back characters like the Vanisher, Unus the Utouchable, and Lucifer or the lack of explanation of Magneto's powers or his prior relationship with Xavier, but it's worth it to see the Beast and Angel before they turned blue...It is incredible to see how good the story was in the sixties, even reading it now after the year 2000.

There is a sense, albeit very simplistic, that can look at "The X-Men" as a cross between Marvel's two most successful comic books, "The Fantastic Four" and "The Amazing Spider-Man." From the former you get the idea of a group of superheroes who received their powers through mutation (specifically, exposure to them good ol' cosmic rays) with the idea of a superhero who is alienated from the very society they are trying to success. As it was made clear from the first issue of "The X-Men," mutants were feared by "ordinary" people. The sub-text of the prejudice of the majority against the differences of the minority certainly became stronger as the series progressed and is perhaps its most defining element; certainly it was the centerpiece of the promotional campaign for the film version. I remember liking the comics because the original X-Men were basically teenagers (Scott Summers and Jean Grey are the proverbial starcrossed lovers here). That meant it was easier to identify with them, especially since the Legion of Superheroes had about a hundred members and it was always a hit-or-miss proposition that your favorite one would be involved in the story in any given month.

This first volume of "X-Men" comics collects the first ten episodes of the series, written by Stan Lee and drawn by Jack Kirby. We are introduced not only to our merry band of mutants (Professor X, Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Angel, Iceman, and the Beast) but some of the seminal villains for the group: Magneto (#1 and 4-6), the Vanisher (#2), the Blob (#3 & 7), the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants consisting of Magneto with Mastermind, Quicksilver, the Scarlet Witch and Toad (#4-6), the Sub-Mariner (#6), and Unus the Untouchable (#8). There are also those fun clashes between heroes with the Avengers (#9) and Ka-Zar (#10). What stands out from this list is that Lee and Kirby were able to come up with THE X-Men villain right off the bat with Magneto, who represents the flip side of humanity's fear of the mutants. He also makes up for the Blob. It is always fun to see what gets abandoned from these early issues, most notably Bobby Drake as the Snowman and Professor X pining away for the lovely Jean Grey because he is old and confined to a wheel chair (that sure would have been a very interesting love triangle once you throw Scott Summers into the mix). None of these stories are particularly great, but these are the first ten issues of what would eventually become THE comic book on the planet so you have to check these out to see how it all began.

This is the 2002 edition of the X-Men Marvel Masterworks, Vol. 1, reprinting the first 10 issues of X-Men stories from the early 60's. This is NOT the ComicCraft edition, for which many are thankful (I kinda liked that design) but a brand new dust jacket design that is very tasteful and hearkens back to the late 80's/early 90's trade dress style.

If you don't have this collection, I strongly urge you to get it. I re-read it again after many years, and was pleasantly surprised how strong it was. Jack Kirby and Stan Lee were slowly encroaching on some incredible themes in these pages. You can feel the creative urges these guys were having growing story by story.

Some of the ideas they were trying were quickly and unceremoniously dropped, but others were germinating in ways that would eventually change the history of comics. This is a very important book, as Jack and Stan are building up the X-Men mythos, which would in turn become the foundation of the Marvel Universe. The "mutant universe" that is now an omnipresent reality is hardly evident in these pages, so there is an absolute sense of innocence and naivete all throughout, but there is also an intense foreshadowing, too. Which makes these stories irreplaceable in the Marvel canon.

Magneto and the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants make their first appearance in these pages, as does the evil Lucifer...

Any fan of the X-Men, superheroes, or comics in general owes it to himself to own this book in the Marvel Masterworks series. The first ten issues of the original X-Men are here in beautiful color, printed on high quality pages. Watching how the X-Men began with Professor Xavier and the teenage mutants really takes us back to a time of wonder and amazement, which is what Marvel has done so well all these years. The book is well worth the money. If you doubt, go ahead and price the original books on the current market. This edition will hold up much longer and actually looks better than the originals! A must-have!

This recounts the first 10 issues of the X-Men (now titled the Uncanny X-Men). And it is truly great. The Kirby artwork is surprisingly effective and clear-cut. Meaning you can actually understand exactly what the characters are doign (something which is lacking from elaborate modern comic book art). The stories are also pretty good. The first apearance of Magneto (#1) is a gem, although I wish it had delved more into ProfX/Magneto's shared past. It also includes first appearances of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, Blob, and Ka-Zar and the Savage Land. THere's also a cool Xmen vs Avengers story (#9 i think). The best part however is watching the early X-Men train. Back in these days, they actually WERE students, and they had tests and eventualy got their diplomas. This was very cool to see. Also we see the first hints of a Jean/cyclops relationship. If you're a fan of the X-Men, i recommend it.

This is it folks, this is where everyone's favorite merry mutants hit the comic scene and would go on to make an impact that not even Stan Lee could have predicted. Collecting the first 10 issues of The X-Men (years later it would be re-titled Uncanny X-Men); we are introduced to Professor X, Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Iceman, Angel, and the Beast: the original team of X-Men. Right off the bat they are thrown into battle against Magneto, and would later on face off against his Brotherhood of Evil Mutants (which included Toad, Mastermind, Scarlet Witch, and Quicksilver) and introduces us to the Blob and Ka-Zar. Namor the Sub-Mariner and the Avengers also make appearances, but the heart of this TPB lies within Stan Lee's story. He had described the X-Men as a hybrid between the Fantastic Four and Spider-Man: a team with otherworldly superhuman powers who faced the alienation and isolation of being different and being feared by normal humans. Jack Kirby's pencils are more than a throwback to Marvel's Golden Age, and for the most part they still stand the test of time. Though the story doesn't directly deal with Magneto's past and his reasons for his beliefs of mutant supremacy; this Marvel Masterworks collection is a must have for any and every fan of the X-Men.

This collection of comic books (most specifically, The X-Men 1-10) is the ideal novel for comic book readers: it includes enough issues to hold one's attention for quite a while, but it also is in color, so that purchasing the book is a worthy investment. It covers the origins of the original five X-Men (Angel, Beast, Cyclops, Iceman, and Marvel Girl) and their first missions under their wheelchair-bound leader Professor X. Although The Essentials version of this book features twice as many issues from the series, this one is a much better quality book, including the cover, the color inking, the paper itself, and even an introduction by the inventor of the X-men himself. What's more, once you're done with this one, you can follow it up with Vol. 2, which includes issues # 11-20. A great read, collector's item, or book just to have around, you owe it to yourself to buy The X-Men Vol. 1 #'s 1-10.

As the buzz for the upcoming live action X-Men movie starts to grow, it's instructive (and fun!) to take a look back at the birth of the X-Men. Superhero groups of course had been "done" for years prior, but Stan Lee and Jack "King" Kirby took it all a few steps beyond by introducing us to the members of the race Homo Superior. It was a clever way to comment on the racial issues of the day while also giving the group a nice hook. It's especially interesting seeing these youngsters come to grips with their powers ... growing into them, not always sure of where their abilities might take them. This is espcially true in the case of Cyclops, who struggles with the pressures of becoming a leader while also guaging the extent of his awesome power. The stories are fun and inviting, and although they have a lot of the "jive" factor of other stories of that era, the series is actually a lot more high-minded than you might expect. A great addition to your library.

Here is where the legendary X-Men franchise began -- with a single title featuring five teenagers and a crippled mentor. Their first fight as a team is against one of the great supervillains, Magneto. Subsequent issues feature such bizarre and unique menaces as the Vanisher, the Blob and Unus the Untouchable. Magneto returns with the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants to even things up. Then the Avengers visit for a clash of the titans!

If that weren't enough, all of the above are products of that team supreme, Jack Kirby and Stan Lee. (You know, the ones responsible for the Hulk, the Fantastic Four, the Avengers, etc.)

Before this book, there were no mutants in the Marvel Universe. But, issue by issue, this title laid the seeds of an entire mutant population! (At least until House of M decimated them.)

This is great stuff! Beyond the simply drawn panels, goofy characterizations and nearly adolescent plot lines there's a real sense of marvel, excitement and virtue that's just absolutely wonderful. To my thinking this book shows the beginning of the combined creative genius of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.
Over the course of these earliest issues of the "original" X-Men we see Lee's seminal themes of isolation, alienation and intolerance really beginning to take root. At the same time we witness Kirby slowly depart from traditional styles of comic book illustration and gradually come into his own-by issue #10 with the introduction of Ka-zar we see the first glimmer of Kirby's eventual brilliance.
I can't see how anyone could be disappointed with the stories collected in this book.