In which Professor Xavier and Magneto each try to lure Namor, the Sub-Mariner into their own mutant team,
Cover Story
I have to admit that my first thoughts when viewing this cover were, oh dear, purple and sky blue again. This time at least the logo is red with the drop shadow in black. It's the 'Special Guest Star' text that is rendered without outline in purple, and to my eye it just looks odd.
It's interesting to note that aside from the title caption on the page, the other caption announces that Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch are 'featured' Magneto doesn't get a look in.
All the mutants featured in the comic are present on the front cover. Namor is front and center, attacking the X-Men Looking at him from this angle I can't help that feel he is a little out of proportion, the head seems just a fraction on the small side, but then this is a quite an unusual pose for Namor to be in,
The X-Men are posed rather helplessly in the face of Namor's attack, like the title this scene seems designed to show Namor as part of the Brotherhood, and indeed the Brotherhood are present in the distance, watching as Namor attacks.
The setting is rather more detailed than we are used to in X-Men books, a building rises to the left, Magneto's magnet weapon to the right in the background. The rolling dunes of the beach form the background to about halfway up, the blue sky takes over higher up.
The overall impression is to create a cover far more busy and chaotic than we are used to in the X-Men, it's not a style that I feel fits, and whether it is down to the change in inker remains to be seen but one thing I can comment on positively is the way some of the X-Men are rendered in the foreground. In particular Marvel Girl, Cyclops and Angel are rendered with a clarity and drama that really suits the book.
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| Uncanny X-Men 006 Cover Jack Kirby, Chic Stone and Art Simek |
All the mutants featured in the comic are present on the front cover. Namor is front and center, attacking the X-Men Looking at him from this angle I can't help that feel he is a little out of proportion, the head seems just a fraction on the small side, but then this is a quite an unusual pose for Namor to be in,
The X-Men are posed rather helplessly in the face of Namor's attack, like the title this scene seems designed to show Namor as part of the Brotherhood, and indeed the Brotherhood are present in the distance, watching as Namor attacks.
The setting is rather more detailed than we are used to in X-Men books, a building rises to the left, Magneto's magnet weapon to the right in the background. The rolling dunes of the beach form the background to about halfway up, the blue sky takes over higher up.
The overall impression is to create a cover far more busy and chaotic than we are used to in the X-Men, it's not a style that I feel fits, and whether it is down to the change in inker remains to be seen but one thing I can comment on positively is the way some of the X-Men are rendered in the foreground. In particular Marvel Girl, Cyclops and Angel are rendered with a clarity and drama that really suits the book.
Sub-Mariner Joins The Evil Mutants
In Search of Power
CreditsWritten by Stan LeeDrawn by Jack Kirby Inked by Chic Stone Lettered by Art Simek |
Magneto almost shoots Scarlet Witch due to an illusion created by Mastermind, Magneto too wishes to find Namor and sends his astral form to find him.
As the X-Men train in the danger room Xavier sends his own astral form to track down Namor. He feels the presence of Magneto and decides to hide, and let Magneto guide him to Namor.
Magneto finds Namor's palace and bribes a subject with promises of power, to pass his message onto Namor.
Professor Xavier and the X-Men, spurred on by a naval report, set out to find both Namor, and Magneto's secret island base. As the X-Men man the ship and reconnoiter, Xavier can sense that they are close to Magneto.
Namor
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| Illustration of Namor by David Cooper |
The X-Men catch Angel and bring him back to the ship. Magneto unleashes his magnetic weapon on the ship and the X-Men are shipwrecked. Iceman creates a raft to take them to the island. They encounter a wall of thorns but Xavier realises they are an illusion of Masterminds and they pass through.
The Battle Is Joined
First AppearancesMortimer Toynbee - ToadJason Wyngarde - Mastermind Wanda Maximoff - Scarlet Witch Pietro Maximoff - Quicksilver |
The Brotherhood flee as the X-Men storm the base, only Scarlet Witch and Namor remain to try and reclaim Quicksilver. Beast attacks Namor but is rebuffed easily. Cyclops traps him with his optic blast but Scarlet Witch hexes him and he lowers his guard.
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| Uncanny X-Men 006 p20 |
The Brotherhood flee, and Xavier considered it a success that Namor did not join the Brotherhood, and announces that until Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver choose to leave Magneto of their own free will, he will not force them.
Mutant Evolution
| Mutant | Power Evolution |
| Professor Xavier | Professor Xavier demonstrates the ability to send forth an Astral Form to explore on his behalf. |
| Beast | Beast can balance on one finger, on a stack of balls, on a tightrope, avoiding missiles. Let's say Beast's balance is exemplary. |
| Marvel Girl | Marvel Girl can complete detailed tasks like a child's shape-sorter using er telekinesis, without being able to see the objects. |
| Magneto | Magneto demonstrates the ability to send forth an Astral Form to exolore on his behalf. |
| Mastermind | Mastermind can produce a convincing illusion of a known human being, that is indistinguishable from the real thing. |
| Namor | Namor can breath underwater, survive at extreme depths, has incredible strength, is impervious to damage and can fly. |
Superstars of X-Men
You might not think that comic-book writers pay much attention to viewer wishers, but in the 1960's readership numbers were everything and it was vital to remould comics to ensure they continued to sell.
This means that certain characters were bumped up and down the appearance listings in order to appeal to the most readers. We have already seen that the front cover of this issue lists Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver as being 'featured', Magneto doesn't get a look in.
If we take a look at the appearance numbers for this issue we can see that Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver really are being favoured compared to the first brotherhood issue.
Namor is clearly the star of the show, followed by Xavier and Magneto, but look at the appearance count of Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver compared to Toad and Mastermind. Toad in particular is only in 8% of panels compared to 27% in the previous issue. Mastermind was next in the Brotherhood with 32 panels in the previous issue, almost 50% less in this issue, and many of those panels are background appearances.
So what is going on, why are Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch getting so many more panels, the answer is easy when you take a look at the letters page. There are just five letters, and four of them specifically mention loving Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver, in particular wanting them to become heroes.
So what does this tell us, firstly Stan and the team are never afraid to listen to the fans, but also it tells us that the fans like dynamic, complex characters. Simpering Toad and melancholy Mastermind just wont cut it, our fans demand interesting characters. It's interesting to note that so far only Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver have any kind of history mentioned in the comics; pretty soon all that will change.
This means that certain characters were bumped up and down the appearance listings in order to appeal to the most readers. We have already seen that the front cover of this issue lists Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver as being 'featured', Magneto doesn't get a look in.
If we take a look at the appearance numbers for this issue we can see that Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver really are being favoured compared to the first brotherhood issue.
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| Appearance Stats for Uncanny X-Men Issue 006 |
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| Illustration of Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver by David Cooper |
So what is going on, why are Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch getting so many more panels, the answer is easy when you take a look at the letters page. There are just five letters, and four of them specifically mention loving Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver, in particular wanting them to become heroes.
So what does this tell us, firstly Stan and the team are never afraid to listen to the fans, but also it tells us that the fans like dynamic, complex characters. Simpering Toad and melancholy Mastermind just wont cut it, our fans demand interesting characters. It's interesting to note that so far only Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver have any kind of history mentioned in the comics; pretty soon all that will change.
Pin Up Parlour
Ah the pin-up, the chance for the comic artist to have a little fun putting our super heroines in interesting poses with, shall we say not their usual costumes. So let me tell you the relief when I can reveal the first ever X-Men pin-up was Cyclops, in full costume.
It's a really well composed shot of Scott, capturing that dynamic powerful feel that he has in his guise as Cyclops. There's not a lot to be said about the slightly plain original costumes, and indeed the less said about the yellow PVC gauntlets the better.
Scott is presented as a little less musclebound than he will in future years, but then here he is still in his late teens, and frankly for a nineteen year old that's a heck of a body.
Cyclops is using his optic blast here, correctly it is reflecting in all directions when it hits a solid surface, oddly however that surface is the edge of the panel, but for a pin-up we can suspend disbelief a little further than usual.
Unusually Scott is smiling, among my various spreadsheets i do have a 'Scott Broods' counter, so smiling is not usually on the menu, but one really gets the feeling here that Scott is at his most comfortably as Cyclops, perhaps the mechanical mask restricting and refining his optic blast gives him the confidence he needs.
Overall it's a stunning piece of artwork, and one worthy of being the first x-Men pin-up!
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| Cyclops - Uncanny X-Men 006 |
Scott is presented as a little less musclebound than he will in future years, but then here he is still in his late teens, and frankly for a nineteen year old that's a heck of a body.
Cyclops is using his optic blast here, correctly it is reflecting in all directions when it hits a solid surface, oddly however that surface is the edge of the panel, but for a pin-up we can suspend disbelief a little further than usual.
Unusually Scott is smiling, among my various spreadsheets i do have a 'Scott Broods' counter, so smiling is not usually on the menu, but one really gets the feeling here that Scott is at his most comfortably as Cyclops, perhaps the mechanical mask restricting and refining his optic blast gives him the confidence he needs.
Overall it's a stunning piece of artwork, and one worthy of being the first x-Men pin-up!
Advertisement Corner
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| Advert for Grit Uncanny X-Men 006 |
OK, maybe that's be being unfairly British about this, Grit is actually an American newspaper and features magazine and one that is still very much going today, just check out it's website. A massive hit in rural America it contained news, features, comics and entertainment for the whole family.
Essentially if you wanted to be a paperboy in 1960's rural America, Grit was the way to go.
Namor the Mutant?
The character of Namor, the Sub-Mariner would have been familiar to Marvel fans at the time he was introduced to the X-Men series, he had been turning up as a regular foe in the Fantastic Four and before that in various comics stretching as far back as the 1930's He has the distinction of being the first Marvel character with a 70 year history at Marvel.
This, however was the first time Namor was revealed to be a mutant, indeed he is often referred to as Marvels first mutant. His powers come from the fact that he is half Atlantean and half human mutant. Namor's speed and strength along with his ability to survive underwater come from his Atlantean ancestry while it is his ability to fly which is his mutation.
Sometimes he will be an ally of the X-Men, sometimes a foe, but he has more than earned his place in Marvel's mutant history.
This, however was the first time Namor was revealed to be a mutant, indeed he is often referred to as Marvels first mutant. His powers come from the fact that he is half Atlantean and half human mutant. Namor's speed and strength along with his ability to survive underwater come from his Atlantean ancestry while it is his ability to fly which is his mutation.
Sometimes he will be an ally of the X-Men, sometimes a foe, but he has more than earned his place in Marvel's mutant history.
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