Uncanny X-Men Issue 005 - Trapped: One X-Man!

May 1964

In which Jean Grey's parents visit the school and Cyclops gets trapped in the Danger Room. Where the Brotherhood try to entrap the X-Men and ultimately batter for supremacy aboard Asteroid M.

Cover Story

Vibrant, energetic and full of life the cover for this issue sets up the dramatic suspense of the story beautifully. The X-Men logo is rendered in white with a purple drop shadow over a blue background. The blue extends down the page to form a wall behind which Angel is trapped.

Uncanny X-Men Issue 4 Cover
Jack Kirby, Paul Reinman and Art Simek

Angel is lit in stark red with a heavy shadow. He hammers desperately on the window through which we can see the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. Magneto and Toad are triumphant in their capture of the X-Man and oblivious to the approaching danger. Scarlet Witch looks on in curiosity, clearly apart from triumph of Magneto.

Behind them Mastermind and Quicksilver react defensively to the attack of the X-Men. Beast leads the charge with his trademark two-footed kick aimed squarely at Mastermind while Iceman launches a snowball at Quicksilver.

To the rear Cyclops readies an attack and Marvel Girl brings up the rear, ready to strike. The poses of the X-Men are offensive, attacking poses while the two Brotherhood members that are aware of them are clearly defensive.

The captions on the page are in red and yellow announcing the return of 'Magneto and his Evil Mutants', the name Brotherhood clearly was yet to stick. A further caption announces that 'The Angel is Trapped', but lets face it, Angel does have a habit of being captured. A third caption announces that the comic is in the 'Magnificent Marvel Manner'

It's an amazing cover let down only perhaps by the somewhat weak white, purple and blue colour combination on the logo. Definitely one of my favourites from these early years. 

Trapped: One X-Man!

Two More Shades of Grey

Credits Written by Stan Lee Drawn by Jack Kirby Inked by Paul Reinman Lettered by Sam Rosen

At the school the X-Men care for Professor Xavier and worry how they will cope without his mental powers. John and Elaine Grey, Jean's parents arrive at the school and the X-Men return to their guise as students to give them the grand tour.

Cyclops gets trapped in the Danger Room and has to survive Beast's training course. John and Elaine leave the school satisfied with their visit. Outside Mastermind tries to identify the secret headquarters of the X-Men but does not realise they are under his nose.

Magneto orders Mastermind to return to base, Mastermind tries to convince quicksilver that he is returning to base of his own volition, but Quicksilver had heard the radio conversation and scoffs at Mastermind. Back on Asteroid M Mastermind takes his frustrations out on the overenthusiastic Toad, but Magneto chastises him as he has plans for Toad.

Star Mutant

Warren, Hank and Bobby get together to watch a track meet on the television, They see an athlete who easily outperforms in every event, they realise he is a mutant. The crowd at the track meet turn nasty and the X-men decide to rush to the mutants aid.

Toad is unmasked
Uncanny X-Men Issue 5 p12

At the stadium the X-Men get the mystery mutant to safety on a train, but Beast follows a hunch and removes the mutants prosthetic face to reveal Toad. Toad flees and the X-Men give chase, the rest of the Brotherhood join the fight. The Brotherhood capture Angel and flee with him, Toad is left behind. Magneto uses psychological torture methods to try and get the location of the X-Men's headquarters but Angel refuses to reveal anything.

Toad cannot bear to be away from Magneto and becomes a gibbering wreck. He uses a device to call down a rescue pod to take him back, naturally the X-Men hitch a ride on the pod to Asteroid M.

X-Men Attack

The X-Men easily defeat Mastermind on Asteroid M and cause him to retreat with Toad to Magneto's side. Magneto uses a power augmentation device to control the whole of Asteroid M and turn it into a giant death trap for the X-men. Magneto briefly traps Cyclops and Marvel Girl but the team quickly rallies and frees them.

First Appearances John Grey Elaine Grey

Magneto asserts to jettison the part of Asteroid M containing the X-Men. Scarlet Witch is disgusted with him and she hexes his control panel. Magneto postures while Quicksilver comes to her aid and there is a brief stand off.

Cyclops blasts into the control room and tries to reason with Quicksilver, to no avail. Cyclops takes advantage of Quicksilver's distractedness and captures him. Scarlet Witch is unwilling to hex Cyclops with Quicksilver so close.

In the meantime the other X-Men break Angel out of his cell, and united the X-Men take on Mastermind. Magneto realises Asteroid M is breaking apart and in a sneak attack throws Cyclops out of the airlock to the disintegrating part. Iceman forms an ice tube for Angel to fly through and rescue Cyclops. The X-Men take an escape pod back to Earth,

Professor Xavier congratulates them on passing their final exam, he had his powers all along and was just testing them.

Mutant Evolution

Mutant	Power Evolution
Scarlet Witch	Scarlet Witch's power is directed at an inanimate object for the first time, bad luck befalls the first person to use it.
Marvel Girl	Distracting noise and movement such as flashing lights are shown to prevent marvel Girl using her powers.

 

A Matter of Opinion

This issue marks the first appearance of a letters page for people to write into, along with Spiderman and Fantastic Four three new comics gained letters pages and became part of the 'Big Five'; X-Men, The Avengers and Sgt. Fury joined the ranks.

Beast adopts his new personality
Uncanny X-Men 005 p3

So what were people writing in about? Along with the praise for the series, and much praise there was, one reader responds to a letter published in Fantastic Four claiming that Beast was just a rip-off of the Thing.

Not so,says nine year old John Spotts from Pennsylvania. He cites Beast's acrobatic skills, which indeed have been far more in evidence than Beast's not insignificant strength. The editor however also notes that Beast's linguistic prowess is much better than that of the Thing.

This is interesting as Beast is finally finding his character, rather than the knuckle-head buffoon of the early issues, Beast's reading glasses, love of education and books, and most importantly his position as the level headed member of the team are all in evidence in this issue.

It's almost like Stan wanted to subtly point out this change in Beast's direction in the letters page.

A Very Dysfunctional Family

It's some considerable time in the future that Magneto discovers his real relationship with Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, but if you want an example of a great dysfunctional family you need look no further than the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants.

Toad has a tantrum
Uncanny X-Men Issue 5 p8.

Magneto is the overbearing authoritarian father of the group, he has Toad so far under his control that Toad physically cannot bear to be away from him. Toad is essentially the youngest child, unwilling to be away from the safety of his surrogate father. Toad is constantly and desperately trying to earn the praise of Magneto, just like a youngest child who always has to outperform his elder siblings. In this issue Toad screams at Magneto to punish Mastermind for picking on him, this is an infant tantrum painted large by Toad. Ultimately Magneto has broken Toad so far down he is beyond repair.

Scarlet Witch is tied to Magneto through honour, hers, not his and Quicksilver will not abandon his sister. Neither of the siblings like their'father', nor any of the rest of their mutant family. They are the middle children, neither loved nor respected and so turn to each other for support. In the midst of any fight they will defend each other, rather than attack the X-Men.

Mastermind is the eldest child, pushing for seniority amongst the children, and constantly pushing his father's patience. He believes his is the most powerful mutation of the group, and only serves Magneto in fear of being proven wrong, in time Mastermind will fly the coop and demonstrate how powerful he can be, but ultimately his time with the Brotherhood and Magneto's scorn have left him bitter and downtrodden.

Other members will come and go, indeed one Brotherhood member Astra left before the first battle with the X-Men. In future comics we will learn how Magneto abused her too, and she decide to leave. The eldest child who got out before it all went wrong.

The Brotherhood then, the perfect, dysfunctional, family. 

Did You Notice

A Marvel Banner in Uncanny
X-Men Issue 005 p4

On the front cover Quicksilver, Toad, Mastermind and Scarlet Witch have incorrectly coloured costumes again. Likely for the same reason as the previous issue, as with Angel and Magneto both in red some contrast is needed.

Toad, for some unknown reason is in a yellow jumper this week, We get a good look at his actual costume on page 8, pictured above, and it remains the blue and gold jester-like outfit from before.

Time for an Easter Egg, did you notice what was on the wall behind Iceman while he was defrosting in preparation for Jean's parents' visit. It's pennant supporting our very own Marvel comics!