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Monday, January 30, 2023

60 Years of X - 1966

Year 4: 1966


1966 X-Men Comics & Appearances: X-Men #18-29, Strange Tales #156. 

019 - Year 4 Cover: X-Men #28



Not a lot of great covers to choose from in '66. Werner Roth's cover to Banshee's first appearance stands out due to the red background & eerie spectral quality to Banshee & the energy created by the figure's movement.

020 - Year 4 Creator: Werner Roth



I wouldn't call Roth (working under the pen name Jay Gavin, his sons' names) a favorite X-Men artist, but he certainly defines the look of the 1966 X-Men, his past in romance comics playing into the increasing interpersonal dramas.

021 - Year 4 Character: Mimic


If Mimic, the first non-O5 member of the X-Men had a year, it's 1966, in which he debuts, joins the X-Men, becomes their leader because Cyclops is paralyzed by angst, seemingly loses his powers, and quits.   

022 - Year 4 Comic: X-Men #29


Mimic vs. Super Adaptoid is a great hook (it's the O5 vs. Cap's Kooky Quartet!) & this is packed w/fun Silver Age moments, like Cyclops literally collapsing in angst or  Iceman being mocked into disbelieving his own eyes.

023 - Year 4 Fun Fact: Spider-Man!


Per Roy Thomas, a 4 panel Spider-Man cameo in X-Men #27 led to a full guest appearance in X-Men #35, making Thomas the first creator other than Stan Lee to write Spider-Man!

024 - Year 4 Memorable Moment: Banshee debuts!

I'd love to give this one to the debut of Ted Roberts, but it's hard to compete w/the 1st appearance of a future X-Man & headmaster of Generation X (even if his depiction at the time is...problematic).

3 comments:

  1. "Mimic vs. Super Adaptoid is a great hook (it's the O5 vs. Cap's Kooky Quartet!)"

    Does the SA beat the O5 in the issue as well, hence the Mimic stepping up?

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    Replies
    1. Yeah, more or less. Mimic is a jerk, so Xavier finally kicks him off the team, but then the Super-Adaptoid shows up, wipes the floor with the O5, and Mimic catches wind of the attack and returns to save the day and "redeem" himself (and lose his powers in the process, making his departure seem all the more final).

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  2. I actually like the cover to X-Men #29 over #28, but that's my own taste.

    Not a great year for X-Men but there's still some fun to be had. I will take these issues over Chuck Austen any day of the week.

    ReplyDelete

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