Complete listed story — includes the ending
Uncanny X-Men #26
Continued from last issue....
Professor X has lost mental contact with the X-Men and, through Cerebro, sees that El Tigre has obtained the second half of a mystical amulet that transforms him into the earthly reincarnation of the Mayan god Kukulcán. Held back by a security guard under Kukulcán's control, Cyclops is forced to use his optic blasts to destroy the guard’s gun, and the shock releases the guard from El Tigre's mental domination. Pushing the guard aside in order to go after his enemy, Cyclops attempts to blast Kukulcán but his optic blast strikes the pendant and is redirected back at him with doubled force, knocking him out.
Kukulcán's hired mercenaries, Toloc and Ramon, enter the room and attempt to take the amulet from Kukulcán's chest so that they might sell it on the black market. The pathetic attempt is easily stopped by Kukulcán who unleashes the energy of the sun itself, striking them with an irresistible wall of heat and force that knocks them senseless. With his new powers, Kukulcán decides that he must return to Santo Rico where he will restore the kingdom of the Maya to its ancestral glory. Traveling to the roof of the museum, he creates a solar energy sphere around himself and uses it to fly back to Central America. While monitoring from afar via his mental powers, the Professor detects that El Tigre has left the area and so he is now able to use his mental powers to revive Iceman, Angel, Beast, and Cyclops. Xavier then orders them to go to Rendezvous Point C and to leave Ramon and Toloc behind for the police.
The next morning, the Professor calls Jean at Metro College to aske her to bring him books about Maya history and legends. Jean is concerned that the Professor chose to call her on the telephone instead of contacting her telepathically, leaving her to wonder if she is still considered part of the X-Men. Later, as Jean checks out books from the college library, Ted Roberts enters the room and introduces her to another student, Calvin Rankin. Jean remembers Rankin from her encounter with him when he became the costumed criminal Mimic. When Rankin mentions that he has the strangest feeling that he's met Jean before and asks if they have, Jean recalls that the Professor had removed his memory of meeting the X-Men so Jean keeps up the ruse and says they haven't met. However, Calvin is secretly sure that he's seen her before and won't rest until he remembers where.
Two hours later, Jean arrives at the X-Mansion where she gives the Professor the books he requested. After looking through them to find any mention of the stolen pendant, the Professor briefs them on the legends of Kukulcán. Xavier tells them that centuries in the past, when the pendant's divine power was misused, it caused a holocaust of violent upheaval that had showered a Maya city with tons of molten lava, an event that modern archeologists, rejecting the legend of a man with the power of a god, had assumed was inspired by a volcanic eruption. With the briefing over, Xavier orders the X-Men to travel to Santo Rico to stop Kukulcán. Jean expresses concern to Scott when she hears that he was injured in battle, but Cyclops has managed to shake off the injuries he sustained battling Kukulcán.
As the X-Men race to Santo Rico in their jet, Kukulcán has already returned to where the pyramid is located and begins to clear it of overgrown vegetation with his vast powers. The first object that he chooses to uncover is the true and ultimate source of all his powers, a gigantic plumed serpent stela with the huge Solar Stone atop it. After using his now-increased powers to clear the pyramids and the city of vegetation, Kukulcán sits upon the pyramid's throne and uses his powers to mentally enslave all those Santo Ricans who are descendants of the ancient Maya and compel them to travel to the restored Maya capital.
After the X-Men arrive in Santo Rico, they set up in a building where the Professor stays while the teens begin traveling upriver to where the jet's portable Cerebro unit indicated Kukulcán is located. Along the way, the X-Men use their powers to avoid attacks from the various wild animals in the region. Their motorized dugout is eventually wrecked in rapids but by then the X-Men are close enough to their destination for the Beast to spot the pyramids from high in a tree. Their presence does not go unnoticed, as a signal from the jungle alerts Kukulcán of the X-Men's arrival. As the X-Men continue their approach, they fall victim to a pit trap covered by grasses and are menaced by a small group of spear-wielding natives. However, this proves to only be a minor setback as Cyclops has Iceman create an ice shield that both protects them from the spears and hides them from view, enabling him to use his optic blast to dig them a tunnel out of danger without their captors seeing. Once they're all free, they knock the natives into their own trap.
Getting past Kukulcán's armed guards, Santo Rican policemen who have fallen under his control, the X-Men try to attack the powerful demi-god but find his powers to be too great for them to face. When Iceman needs to renew his powers, he happens to rest near the Feathered-Serpent idol which leads the Beast to notice that the glowing Solar Stone at its top is made of the same mineral as the pendant and is red-hot, probably because it's absorbing solar energy. Hearing this, Iceman deduces that the stone is El Tigre's power source and he begins using his ice powers to coat it with a thick layer of ice to block the sun's rays. As the other X-Men fight Kukulcán, his sixth sense enables him to evade the Angel's dive-bomb attack, causing Cyclops to accidentally strike Angel with his optic beams, shaking the group’s leader because his worst nightmare has come true; he's harmed one of his friends with his optic blast. Kukulcán then simply blasts Cyclops aside, then sees that Iceman is trying to isolate him from the source of his powers. When Kukulcán tries to stop him with a solar bolt that falls short, he realizes that the mutants have been trying to trick him into using up all his energy. Desperate to stop them, Kukulcán channels all of his might into a solar bolt that he fires at the base of the idol in an attempt to shake Iceman off of it. However, this proves to be Kukulcán's undoing as his blast not only shakes the idol, it also strikes an underground fault line, triggering an earthquake. As the idol begins to crack and break up, the courtyard in which it stands opens up into a yawning abyss which swallows up both the idol and the Solar Stone. Then, as the fissure closes and the city begins to collapse, Kukulcán flees to the temple atop the pyramid where, since the Solar Stone can no longer provide the pendant with power, the god reverts back to being the powerless El Tigre who the Beast has to rescue from the temple. With the city crumbling and aflame, the two X-Men tie up El Tigre and seek out their two comrades. Finding them outside the city, where Cyclops had managed to carry the Angel, Iceman and Beast see that Angel is injured but, before Cyclops can explain what happened, Warren briefly comes around and in a state of delirium accuses Cyclops of blasting him on purpose because he is jealous of Warren's mutual love of Jean before passing out again.
Cyclops knows that this is not true and that Angel is delirious and would like to believe that both Beast and Iceman know this also. However, as they walk silently away from the ruins, the X-Men's brooding leader cannot help but doubt.
Uncanny X-Men #27
The X-Men square off against the newly revived Mimic, who has once more imitated all the X-Men's powers and abilities. Although the group of mutant heroes attack Mimic as a team, they prove to be no match against the combined force of Mimic's abilities. With the X-Men soundly defeated, Mimic proclaims that nobody can stop him.
We then turn the clock back to earlier when the X-Men have just returned from San Rico following their battle against El Tigre with an injured Angel. Back in his right mind, Angel apologizes to Cyclops for accusing him of purposely injuring him during the fight, realizing that it was really just an accident. This doesn't go far in eliminating Cyclops' guilt over the accident, as it is the one thing he's feared most of all, his powers harming someone close to him. The Professor orders Angel to be given immediate medical attention so that the X-Men are ready to face any menace that might arise in the near future.
Meanwhile, at Metro College, Jean Grey watches the athletic performances put on by Ted Roberts and afterword, Ted begins to express his growing feeling toward her. However, before the conversation can go any further, they are drawn to the sound of an explosion in the chemistry lab. Going to investigate, they find that Calvin Rankin was involved and he was unharmed by the accidental blast. However, the blast has revived Mimic's lost memories and powers.
This is not the only potential threat to the X-Men, as the evil Puppet Master is turning his attentions toward the X-Men's leader. Having learned of the Professor's existence from his sometimes ally the Mad Thinker, the Puppet Master begins to craft a special puppet of the X-Men's leader in the hopes of taking control of Xavier. However, when he attempts to use the special radioactive clay puppet, he finds that some sort of psychic feedback prevents him from taking control. The Puppet Master then decides to focus his attention on someone else who doesn't have these defenses.
Back at the X-Mansion, the Puppet Master's attempts to take control of the Professor do not go unnoticed, and he cautions his students about the attempted intrusion as the group is finishing a new component to Cerebro that will allow the Professor to better pinpoint any mutant menaces that might threaten the Earth. Sensing a potential threat from evil mutants, the Professor sends out his astral form to try and locate other mutants to join in their cause. He contacts Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch who are in Romania, where they have taken a brief sabbatical from their membership in the Avengers believing that returning to their homeland will restore their fading powers. Although this seems to be working, when the Professor contacts them, they decline an offer to join the X-Men, pledging their loyalty toward the Avengers.
Later, while Bobby and Hank are out on a date with Vera and Zelda, the girls become interested in a bank robbery when they hear the alarms going off. Deciding to go into action, the two mutants sneak off and change into the Beast and Iceman to try and catch the crooks. They happen on the crooks a little too late as they have just been rounded up by Spider-Man. Xavier contacts them mentally and asks Beast and Iceman to offer Spider-Man membership in the X-Men. Spider-Man, having just failed an initiation with the Avengers, wearily declines before speeding off. Hank and Bobby change back to their civilian guises before Vera and Zelda come back from the robbery scene.
The next afternoon, the team goes to visit Metro College to pick up Jean when they are confronted by Mimic who reveals to them that his powers and memories have returned. Mimic asks to join the X-Men, and the group agrees to take him aboard. As they bring him back to the X-Mansion, Mimic begins duplicating their powers again. The group is unaware that they are being monitored by the Puppet Master who sees Mimic's joining with the group the perfect opportunity to strike.
While the other X-Men are presented with new costumes designed by Jean, Mimic is suddenly put under the control of the Puppet Master, leading to the battle between him and the X-Men that began at the start of this issue. The Professor, detecting that the Puppet Master is controlling Mimic, tries to get Mimic to resist the Puppet Master's influence. Mimic refuses to believe it, and goes off for fresh air. However he falls under the Puppet Master's sway again.
The Professor sends Cyclops, Beast, Iceman, and Marvel Girl off to confront the Puppet Master. Arriving at the villain's hideout, they have to defend themselves from an attack from the Puppet Master's "Defender", a gigantic robot that can fend off the X-Men's power. Back at the X-Mansion, Angel is well enough to get back on his feet but still cannot fly and the Professor has no choice but to send him out to help his teammates.
By the time Warren arrives, the other X-Men are caught in a stalemate against the Puppet Master. They have defeated his Defender, but the Puppet Master has brought Mimic to his base and is about to force him to destroy the X-Men. Angel steps in and knocks the puppet out of the Puppet Master's hands, freeing Mimic from their foes control. While the X-Men are checking on Warren, the Puppet Master escapes. The group notices that Mimic looks like a man condemned, their assessment is correct as Mimic has now come to realize that his powers are not really his own, but stolen from others and wonders if perhaps he has a place anywhere on Earth.
Uncanny X-Men #28
A new mutant arrives in New York City, calling himself the Banshee and he has the powers to go with the name. Flying to an expensive art gallery, the sonic powered mutant uses his powerful scream to knock out the populous and to smash through the glass to get at an expensive painting of a beautiful landscape before fleeing the scene.
As this is going on, the X-Men are testing the range of Mimic's power-copying abilities and seeing if the Professor's mental powers can help boost the range. Mimic only gets so far before the powers he's copied from the X-Men begin to fade away and he is forced to land. However, Mimic is not worried about this because he believes that with his combined abilities he'll be the most superior member of the group. This leads to an argument between him and Cyclops over Mimic's risk taking, with Cyclops believing that Mimic is looking toward a big fall.
While back in the city, the Banshee has returned to a preset hideout where he is reunited with his colleague, a simplistic man named the Ogre, who has just learned the secret location of the X-Men's headquarters. When the Ogre realizes that Banshee had gone out and stolen a painting, he attempts to scold him for jeopardizing their mission. Banshee tries to downplay it but then realizes that he is running low on tobacco for his pipe. He goes back out into the city where he once more uses his powers to steal; this time tobacco from a closed up tobacco shop. The attack attracts the attention of the X-Men who begin to mobilize a mission to investigate. While in Manhattan, Jean Grey is in Central Park with Ted Roberts who is brooding over a letter from home. He tells her about his successful brother when they are interrupted by a radio report about Banshee's most recent attack.
Banshee has meanwhile returned to his hideout and he and the Ogre prepare to strike at the X-Men's base. They use a pyro-projector to cause a fire nearby to distract people from witnessing their ship's departure from the base. They travel to the X-Mansion, where the Professor, knowing that the attackers are coming to the mansion, has his X-Men prepared to counterattack. The X-Men are all knocked out by the Banshee's sonic scream, allowing the Ogre to kidnap the Professor and attempt to flee the scene. He is tripped up by the timely arrival of Marvel Girl who uses her telekinetic powers to keep the Ogre busy until the rest of the X-Men revive themselves and attempt to capture the Ogre instead.
The Ogre calls Banshee to attack the X-Men once more but is forced to flee when they overpower him, leaving the Professor behind. Returning to the ship, he finds that Banshee has returned as well and the mutant is hardly impressed that Ogre has returned empty handed, causing him to go back after the X-Men to try and recollect Xavier.
This time, the Professor has read the Ogre's mind and knows how he buffers against the Banshee's sonic scream and creates ear buffers for the X-Men to wear to protect their ears from his debilitating power. When the Banshee attacks, the X-Men are ready and they subdue him and seal him in a pressurized suit and vacuum chamber that prevent him from using his powers. While getting an extra oxygen tank in the cellar, Cyclops notices a giant locked door in the basement of the Mansion that he had not seen previously.
Mimic is sent out to search for the Ogre, but he sneaks into the mansion and attacks the X-Men. Cyclops uses his optic blast and causes him to retreat outside where he is attacked by the Mimic. Mimic smashes his mechanical costume, defeating him and destroying all of his controls. Xavier then allows banshee to free himself. Banshee then removes the headdress that he's been forced to wear, telling the X-Men that the Ogre and an organization called Factor Three had forced him to work with them by planting a bomb in the headdress. Banshee leaves the X-Men with some ominous words, that Factor Three intends to take over the world.
Uncanny X-Men #29
All the X-Men have gone out in their civilian guises to go skating on a nearby pond. When Warren manages to capitalize on Jean's attention, Scott slinks away and declines Jean's offer for him to join them, telling her he forgot his skates at home. Wandering into the woods, Scott broods over how he loves Jean but cannot bring himself to express his emotions because he has yet to learn how to control his optic blasts. Making an attempt to try, Scott removes his ruby quartz glasses and tries to control the destructive force of his blasts. However, Scott fails, and is even more disappointed to find that they are stronger than ever. In a fit of rage, he unleashes them at full strength against the side of a mountain causing a rock fall. Realizing what he has done, Scott flees the scene before he can get caught in the falling rocks.
Scott's blast also manages to revive the Super-Adaptoid, still inert following his last battle against Captain America. The Adaptoid decides to go out into the world once more and see what force awoke him. Meanwhile, the X-Men decide to return to the mansion, except for Bobby, who has had almost no luck skating. Left alone, he changes into his Iceman form and finds that skating is much easier. Witnessing this, the Super-Adaptoid realizes that there are other super-powered beings on Earth other than the Avengers and attempts to approach the young X-Man to duplicate his powers. Approaching the boy quietly, the Adaptoid gives himself away when his heavy body breaks through the ice. Startled by the Super-Adaptoid, Iceman learns of its true nature and freezes it in a block of ice and flees the scene to get the others. Realizing that the boy can lead it to more super-powered beings, the Super-Adaptoid breaks free and begins following Iceman's path.
Iceman rushes to the X-Men’s base where he finds Marvel Girl, Angel, and Beast and tries to warn them of the Adaptoid. The group thinks that Bobby is joking. Then, Scott shows up from the pond with Bobby's clothing, he tells the others that he saw no robot either, satisfying in the other X-Men's minds that this is simply another one of Bobby's pranks.
The X-Men are called by the Professor to begin a training session. However, Mimic refuses to participate in "hoop-jumping" for the Professor. When Cyclops demands that Mimic show respect, the two come to blows which leads to a fight between Mimic and the other X-Men. The Professor breaks up the fight and decides that with the looming threat of Factor Three coming, he has no time for fighting within the X-Men and orders Mimic to leave the school as soon as possible. With the Professor and Mimic's departure, Scott thinks about the worries the Professor has and how his fears over control of his powers are selfish in comparison. Meanwhile, Xavier begins a new experiment in his lab near the locked door that contains his greatest failure.
The X-Men have decided to practice outside by playing football with each other. The game is cut short when the Super-Adaptoid has finally caught up with Iceman and attempts to examine the X-Men. Going for Jean first, the creature is fought off by Cyclops, Iceman, Beast, and Angel. The Adaptoid, with its copies of the Avenger's powers, manages to stave off the attacks. He then uses a gas-filled arrow to fell the X-Men. Mimic comes back to the mansion to tell off the X-Men and decides to get into the middle of things with the Adaptoid.
When the Adaptoid realizes that Mimic has similar powers to it, the robot offers to turn to Mimic into another Adaptoid like him, the second in a new species of Super-Adaptoids that will take over the world and destroy humans and mutants alike. Cyclops begins to revive from the gas just as Mimic agrees to allow the Super-Adaptoid to change him into an Adaptoid as well. Scott warns Mimic that the Super-Adaptoid only intends on using him as a slave. That causes Mimic to realize how foolish his decision is and he breaks free from the beam that would have turned him into an Adaptoid. Mimic then begins to fight the Super-Adaptoid.
The two fight each other but the two super-beings find themselves to be an equal match. Deciding that he can gain the upper hand by copying Mimic's duplication of all the X-Men's powers, the Super-Adaptoid attempts to copy Mimic's abilities. This causes an energy backlash that sends both of them crashing to the ground, with both of their powers becoming nullified. While the now human Calvin Rankin is saved by the Angel, the now powerless Adaptoid smashes into the water, vowing that mankind has not seen the last of it.
With the battle over, Mimic tells the rest of the group that he is sorry for how he's acted in the past and that he has realized the true value of friendship.
Uncanny X-Men #30
The X-Men are suddenly pulled from the danger room by a gigantic hand that grabs them (and more specifically Marvel Girl) across the sky toward a strange mountain range. Jean is pulled away from Angel and the others and when she arrives back to the ground, she is shocked to find the Professor there with her. They are confronted by a man calling himself the Warlock, a powerful man who claims to be immortal and he intends to take over the world. The Professor notes that the man has a keen interest in Jean, however he cannot do anything about it because the Warlock has somehow nullified his mental powers.
The Warlock invites both the Professor and Jean back to his home and calls fourth three flying steeds to carry them there. When Jean inquires as to if the horses are magical in origin, the Warlock tells her that they are really mutants of his own creation. Flying along, the Professor recognizes the region as the New England Hills and wonders where the rest of his charges are. As they fly toward the Warlock's base of operations, they are joined by Angel who has scouted ahead of the other X-Men to try and find Jean. Angel notices that Marvel Girl is under the Warlock's thrall and asks the Professor what to do. Xavier tells Angel to hold back and follow along to see what the Warlock has in store for them.
They arrive at a castle hidden within the mountains where the Warlock tells them his origins. He tells them that he was really Merlin the Magician, who unknown to those in Arthurian times was really a mutant. In hibernation for thousands of years, he was revived in modern times and do battle against the Thunder God, Thor. Thor convinced Merlin to go into hibernation for another thousand years. However, he tricked Thor by breaking free at the first sign of Thor being away from Earth.
Warlock asks Jean to join him on a tour of his castle, to which the enslaved girl agrees. When Warren attempts to stop Warlock, the supposed mutant uses his power of suggestion to convince Angel that his wings have caught fire. When dousing the "flames" Warren remarks how the Professor was able to know that there was a nearby stream, making him wonder if his leader truly is powerless. The Professor also remarks about how the flames on his wings were only the power of suggestion imposed on him by the Warlock.
When the Warlock finds Xavier again, he finds him on the ground,apparently fallen out of his chair and knocked out. Taking Xavier to the infirmary, he attempts to probe the Professor's mind, but finds no thoughts. Just then, Cyclops, Beast, and Iceman arrive and the Professor reveals his ruse to stall for time until the other X-Men arrived, and pulls them out of the "Negative Space" that Warlock had left them in. Before the other X-Men can attack, the Warlock uses his powers to root their feet to the ground. However, before he can do anything else, the Professor challenges the Warlock to a fair fight. Warlock agrees to an arena battle between the X-Men and his own minions.
The challenge begins and soon the X-Men easily defeat all the warriors that the Warlock threw against them. Attempting to rescue Jean and the Professor, the X-Men are repelled by Warlock who escapes with Jean. The X-Men follow after him, easily breaking through the various traps and defenses that the Warlock rigged into his castle. Catching up with the Warlock, the X-Men are almost crushed by a force bolt that destroys a castle parapet, however Marvel Girl manages to break free of the Warlock's mind control long enough to save them with her telekinetic powers.
When the Warlock attempts to reassert his will over Marvel Girl, the X-Men swarm the villain and cover his head with his cape. The Professor then uses his mental powers to force Warlock to return to his coma state and the X-Men round up and incapacitate all of his followers. With the battle over, the Professor orders his X-Men to return home so that they can continue to prepare to deal with the coming threat of Factor Three.
Uncanny X-Men #31
After a successful test for Angel, Iceman, and Beast in the Danger Room, the Professor commends the X-Men for being at peak fighting capacity and also congratulates the group over their recent victories against Banshee, the Ogre, Super-Adaptoid, and Warlock in spite of the fact of their losing Mimic when his powers were lost. With that said, the Professor awards his students with time off much to the delight of the whole group and they decide to spend time in the city. When the Professor notices that Cyclops is once more brooding over Jean, he gives Scott some books to return to her at Metro College. To Scott's surprise, Warren offers him a lift to go visit Jean. Meanwhile, Bobby and Hank get ready to go on another date with Vera and Zelda.
In the city, Jean is hanging out with Ted Roberts, when they are both greeted by the arrival of his brother, inventor Ralph Roberts. When they hear about Ralph's athletic prowess, they go to the Metro College stadium where Ralph shows off his pole vaulting skills. However, the pole snaps and Ralph ends up hitting his head. When Jean and Ted show concern, Ralph merely shrugs off the injury. Later, Scott and Warren meet up with Jean, Ralph, and Ted at the Never-Say-Diner where Scott drops off Jean's books. When Ralph extends his invitation to Warren and Scott to see his lab, Scott agrees but Warren declines finding the visit to the lab as unappealing; politely declining, Warren parts company. Meanwhile, Bobby and Hank are on their date with Vera and Zelda. When beatnik poet Bernard attempts to make a play on Zelda, Bobby secretly freezes the poet’s coffee with his ice powers. Warren decided to go to a dance club where Warren runs into an old friend, Candy Southern, and the two begin to play catch up.
At Ralph's lab, Ralph shows off the various inventions he has created that operate off Cobalt power. He takes Ralph aside to show him his latest invention as well: a suit of Cobalt Powered armor that he hopes will rival that of Iron Man. Putting on the suit at Ted's insistence, the combination of his previous head injury and the Cobalt power of the armor causes Ralph to go crazy and he recklessly shows off his powers. When Ted mentions Iron Man, Ralph (calling himself Cobalt Man) snaps and strikes Ted down and then begins destroying his lab.
Alerted by the noise, Scott and Jean change into Cyclops and Marvel Girl and attempt to stop Cobalt Man's rampage. Although the two put up a good fight, they are buried under rubble when Cobalt Man attempts to bring the roof down on them, allowing Cobalt Man to escape and attack the Stark Industries plant. Saved by Jean's telekinetic powers, Cyclops calls for help, prompting the Professor (still working in his lab) to summon the other X-Men to Cyclops and Marvel Girl's aid. Bobby, Hank, and Warren all have to make excuses to leave their female company. While Zelda and Vera are less than impressed, Warren and Candy part on good terms with Warren promising to call her the next day.
Back at Ralph's plant, Scott and Jean free themselves, ducking out of site when the revived Ted hops into his brother’s van to rush off and try and stop him from destroying Stark's plant. As Ted races off unknowingly leading Cyclops and Marvel Girl along the way, Warren picks up Bobby and Hank and they arrive at the Stark plant first. With Iron Man away on other business, the plant is defenseless against Cobalt Man until Angel, Iceman, and Beast arrive to stop his attack. Despite their best efforts, Cobalt Man manages to give the three X-Men the slip.
As Cobalt Man continues his attack, Ted, Cyclops, and Marvel Girl arrive on the scene. Cyclops quickly comes up with a strategy to stop Cobalt Man. Realizing their foes chest plate must be the source of his power, Cyclops has Iceman trap Cobalt Man in a chunk of ice long enough for Cyclops to blast the chest plate. Unaware that his powers have been disabled, Cobalt Man attempts to fly away but instead falls into a nearby lake to be recovered by Angel. Removing Cobalt Man's helmet, all gathered are relieved to find that Ralph's sanity has been returned to normal. Ralph realizes that some sources are too powerful for man to handle. In the aftermath of the battle, Ted thanks the X-Men for their help and hints that he may have figured out that Marvel Girl is really Jean Grey.
Uncanny X-Men #32
In their civilian guises, the X-Men are celebrating Bobby's 18th birthday at Coffee a Go-Go. After cutting Bobby's cake (wherein Bernard the Poet once more attempts to cut in for time with Zelda) the couples begin dancing. Scott and Jean dance with each other, while Jean wonders if Scott is dancing with her out of pity because she doesn't have a date, Scott wonders if Jean is interested in Ted Roberts, and wonders how he will tell her that he loves her. These thoughts are left to dwell when Warren arrives with Candy Southern and the group sits down and listens to another set of beat poetry by Bernard.
At the Mansion, the Professor finishes his long running experiment and is prepared for what he has to do next. Opening a locked room in the basement of the mansion, Charles reveals that he has been keeping the Juggernaut in a comatose state since his defeat at the hands of the X-Men months earlier. Recalling how his step-brother got his powers from the Crimson Gem of Cyttorak, the Professor wonders if he can restore Cain back to normal or if he will have to be forced to kill him instead.
While back at the Coffee a Go-Go, the X-Men's party is crashed when a biker gang called Satan's Saints comes bursting through the doors in their motorcycles to terrorize and attempt to rob all the patrons in the coffee shop. Unable to slip away and change into their X-Men costumes or blow their cover as mutants, the X-Men secretly use their powers and easily subdue their attackers who are then turned over to the police.
Meanwhile at the mansion, the Professor straps himself and the Juggernaut into a device that he hopes will use a combination of science and sorcery to send the energies that transformed Cain back into the realm of Cyttorak. However, the experiment is interrupted when a third powerful mental force interferes causing the machine to explode, knocking the Professor unconscious and freeing the Juggernaut. Once more awake, the Juggernaut realizes that he's somehow manages to absorb the Professor's mental powers. He then replaces his helmet and leaves the room to prepare a reception for the X-Men when they return home.
Xavier's students finish up their dates for the evening. Bobby's date with Zelda ends with Zelda and Bobby sharing a kiss and Warren departs from Candy thinking about how quickly they paired up following Warren's rebound from Jean. Scott himself confides some of his feelings with Jean almost going so far as to tell her how he feels. The conversation confirms to each other that they both have feelings for the other, and Scott decides that he must tell Jean his feelings soon.
Warren arrives home first, and when he notices that the lights in the Mansion are all off, he decides to search around in his Angel guise to make sure it's not an attack, unaware that the Juggernaut is silently watching. The other X-Men arrive and they also have the same idea and almost get in a fight with one another in the dark, thinking that the others are invaders. When the Cerebro alarm goes off, the X-Men rush to the Professor's study to see what mutant it's detecting and they are surprised to find it listing themselves as the threat. Suddenly there is a giant tremor which causes Cerebro to topple over and almost crush them.
Going down into the Mansion's basement to search for the Professor, they walk into the Juggernaut's trap. When Angel rushes forward, he is knocked out by the Juggernaut. He explains that he has come to get vengeance against the X-Men and begins to attack. While Marvel Girl is attempting to remove Juggernaut's helmet with her telekinetic powers, Iceman and Beast try a frontal attack. The Juggernaut easily knocks the two out, and Cyclops sends Jean to cover while he attempts to keep the Juggernaut at bay with his optic blasts. The Juggernaut strikes the ground causing a sonic wave that knocks Scott out and sends Jean sprawling to her feet. The Juggernaut approaches Jean, who tries to keep him at bay with her powers. Before the Juggernaut can strike, he is telepathically contacted by the masterminds of Factor Three who reveal their part in the Juggernauts revival and he is asked him to join them in Europe. The Juggernaut, believing Xavier to be dead and his students of no interest to him anymore, agrees to go and smashes out of the Mansion to seek out a jet to fly to Europe.
The destruction breaks a water pipe, and the rushing water revives the X-Men who find the Professor's unconscious body. Placing the nearly dead Professor into a bed, the X-Men decide that they have to go and stop the Juggernaut no matter the cost.
This story is continued next issue....
Uncanny X-Men #33
Continued from last issue....
The Juggernaut, having just defeated the X-Men, crashes through the countryside on his way to find an aircraft to fly to Europe so he can join Factor Three. The military attempts to stop him, but they are easily fought off and sent packing.
Back at the Mansion, the X-Men begin trying to figure out a way to deal with the Professor, who has been in a coma since the Juggernaut's attack. Jean digs up the Professor's Mental-Wave Amplifier in the hopes of using it to learn a key secret in defeating the Juggernaut and possibly reviving the Professor as well. In the Professor's memories, Jean learns that he had learned the secrets of the Crimson gem of Cyttorak. Centuries ago, the Ancient One came across the Crimson Gem of Cyttorak, and was attacked by its protector, Xorak the outcast. After a brief mystical duel, the Ancient One cast a spell trapping Xorak in the gem to never threaten a mortal again. Jean stops her probe for fear of harming the Professor and they turn their attentions to Cerebro. The group decides that the key to defeating the Juggernaut lies within a prototype gem that is within the Crimson Gem of Cyttorak and that they must seek out the Ancient One to learn how to get it.
Repairing the machine, the X-Men try and use their computer to locate the Ancient One to see if he can help them defeat the Juggernaut. However, instead of finding the Ancient One, they are visited by the spectral form of his successor, Dr. Stephen Strange, the Master of the Mystic Arts. He tells them that he is on an important mission, but he stops long enough to impart the X-Men with a means to enter the gem. He cautions that only two of their members can venture within, and that they must return from within the gem within an hour, otherwise they will be trapped in the Crimson Cosmos forever. Cyclops volunteers himself and Marvel Girl insists that she travel with him. Cyclops accepts and orders the rest of the X-Men to keep the Juggernaut busy while they venture into the Gem. With the decisions made, Dr. Strange imparts the incantation into Cyclops and Jean's mind and teleports them to Korea to search for the Gem in the ruins of Cyttorak's temple.
The two X-Men materialize before some Communist soldiers, and easily fight them off with their mutant powers before unearthing the cavern where the gem has been buried for years. Speaking the incantation, Cyclops and Marvel Girl are pulled into the gem and find themselves into the strange Crimson Cosmos, where they are greeted by Xorak, who tells them that in this realm he is known only as the Outcast.
Back on Earth, the other X-Men fly the X-Copter to the nearby airport where the Juggernaut has gone. He is there to steal an airplane so he can fly himself to Europe and rendezvous with the masterminds behind Factor Three. The Juggernaut sends the security guards fleeing. While he is busy, Iceman, Angel and Beast attempt to keep him at bay with the powerful wind generated by the X-Copters rotor blades. This proves only a minor delay for the Juggernaut who manages to smash his way through the vehicle.
Meanwhile in the Crimson Cosmos, the Outcast attempts to wrap up Scott and Jean in the Scarlet Circles of Doom, however Jean manages to fend them off with her telekinetic powers. Redirecting them back at their attacker he is seemingly destroyed by them upon impact. Traveling further through the Cosmos, they find out that this is a false assessment when they are caught up in mystical coils and pulled toward a gigantic facial image of Outcast, however Cyclops' optic blasts easily shatter this apparition. With Outcast the only thing between them and the prototype gem, and their time dwindling fast, the two X-Men manage to defeat the creature not with their mutant powers, but by the ticking of Jean's watch which has been keeping track of the time they have spent in the Crimson Cosmos. Throwing the watch at Outcast causes the creature to suddenly crumble into dust. The two X-Men then procure the prototype gem that they have been seeking and are instantly transported by the Professor's bedside. The two rush after their comrades in the X-Plane, unaware that they have left Professor X alone to be captured by two intruders that have been lurking in the shadows.
While at the airport, the other X-Men have lured the enraged Juggernaut into a wind tunnel, but this too also keeps their foe at bay for only a short while. The X-Men are then forced to maintain a frontal attack against the Juggernaut however none of their attacks have any effect on him. Just before the Juggernaut can start attacking the X-Men, Scott and Jean arrive with the prototype gem and present it to the Juggernaut. Juggernaut, thinking that this new gem can increase his powers grabs it, however to his surprise, instead of granting him increased power the gem instead transports him away to the Crimson Cosmos.
With the threat of the Juggernaut over with, the X-Men return to the mansion to find that the Professor has been kidnapped.
Uncanny X-Men #34
The X-Men a reeling from the kidnapping of Professor X, which confirms to the team the seriousness the threat of Factor Three means to the group. As the Beast repairs Cerebro (which was damaged in the kidnapping), Cyclops pulls rank to get his fellow teammates to get their heads together while they figure out how to find the Professor. In the meantime, he orders them to rest and relax, but to be ready for action when they are needed. With this, Jean returns to her dorm room at Metro College.
Arriving at the college, Jean learns that Ted Roberts had called for her in her absence and that he needed to speak with her urgently. Knowing that Ted suspects that she is Marvel Girl of the X-Men, Jean places a call to him right away. Calling Ted, she learns that he is at his brother's research lab and that someone has captured his brother Ralph. He begs her to contact the X-Men and get them to help before abruptly hanging up. Jean contacts her comrades, when Warren takes the call he wakes Bobby up and the two leave to join Jean on their own, not wanting to disturb Hank and Scott's progress in repairing Cerebro.
They pick up Jean in the X-Plane and they soon arrive at Roberts Research Inc. Ted lets them into the factory. Once inside, Ted tells the X-Men that his brother Ralph had been captured by beings from beneath the Earth. He explains that his brother Ralph had just perfected a new Cobalt based metal alloy that is impervious to damage, when suddenly his lab was invaded by Tyrannus and his Tyranoid's who had come to kidnap Ralph and exploit his expertise with Cobalt science. Both Ralph and Ted were easily overpowered and Tyrannus escaped with Ralph as his captive. When the X-Men agree to help, Ted takes them to another invention of Ralph's, an earth borer that is equipped with a Cobalt power source. With the device only fitting three, the X-Men convince Ted to stay behind while they search for Ralph in the cavern below.
Learning the controls, Angel pilots the device down the tunnel dug by Tyrannus and his minions and they find themselves in a subterranean tunnel. Upon their arrival, they are instantly attacked by the Mole Man, who is armed with a disintegration ray. When the three mutants prove too powerful for the Mole Man to tackle alone, he calls his Moloids to deal with them while he flees the scene. The X-Men make short work of the Moloids and follow after Mole Man to learn if he has any connection with Tyrannus. This is playing into the Mole Man's hands, as he leads them to the River Lethe, which unleashes a gas that causes the three X-Men to be struck with amnesia.
Meanwhile, in the home of Tyrannus, the underground dictator has forced Ralph to create a gigantic warrior robot out of his Super Cobalt alloy so that Tyrannus can use the robot against his foes. As Ralph is putting the final touches on this robot, Cyclops and Beast begin scaling the tunnel down to the underground caverns that is home to both the Mole Man and Tyrannus to search for their comrades. They find the Earth borer and use it to travel through the tunnels (thereby safe from the gas from the River Lethe). The Mole Man has convinced Angel, Iceman, and Marvel Girl that they are his slaves. Taking them to his lab, the Mole Man reveals that he has been building a robot of his own which he hopes to use against his foe Tyrannus, and also convinces the forgetful X-Men to fight on his behalf.
Back at Tyrannus' lair, Tyrannus is preparing to mount his attack against the Mole Man but takes a moment to first drink from the Fountain of Youth to maintain his youth and vigor. Just then, the Mole Man's robot attacks his castle, prompting him to order Ralph to unleash the Super-Cobalt warrior that was constructed for him. Tyrannus' robot defeats Mole Man's creation and then Marvel Girl, Angel and Iceman attack the Super-Cobalt robot, easily destroying it. This surprises Tyrannus, who doesn't understand how the robot could easily be defeated, unaware that Ralph sabotaged the robot. With Tyrannus' guard down, Ralph takes a swing at the monarch but is easily subdued by the Tyrannoids. As the three X-Men burst into the castle and fight of Tryannus and his minions, Cyclops and Beast arrive at the Mole Man's castle and a break-in. There they easily defeat the Mole Man and learn what has happened to their friends.
Rushing to the palace of Tyrannus, Cyclops and Beast use a device to restore their friend’s memories. With Ralph saved, and the Mole Man and Tyrannus defeated, the X-Men deal with the two underground rulers in a most ironic fashion; dumping them near the River Lethe causing the two to lose their memories. With the enemy neutralized, the X-Men and Ralph use the earth borer to return to the surface.
Uncanny X-Men #35
Since being freed from their control, the mutant Banshee has been searching for the secret base of the Factor Three conspiracy. Searching the mountains of a small European town, Banshee uses his sonic powers to discover that one of the mountains is really hollow and correctly deduces that this is the secret hideout of Factor Three. However, the mountain is not unguarded, as a panel opens to reveal a spider-shaped robot that is armed with a paralysis ray. Although it strikes Banshee, he manages to make an escape before it had a full effect on him. Returning to his base of operations, he sends out a radio call to his friends the X-Men to tell them what he has learned. Banshee passes out before he can complete his communication, which only tells the X-Men to "beware of the spider". When agents of Factor Three arrive on the location, they find out that Banshee had attempted to contact the X-Men and report back to their commander. The commander of Factor Three then orders them to send out the spider-robot in one of their saucer crafts.
The X-Men have been searching around the mansion and through the Professor's notes to find out what they can learn about Factor Three so they can be ready for their next attack when they get Banshee's incorrect message, leaving them to ponder what exactly their comrade was warning them about. At that very moment, Peter Parker is riding his motorcycle through Westchester Country and decides to stop for a break near a stream. When he spots Factor Three's saucer in the sky, Peter ducks into an abandoned house and decides to check out the saucer as Spider-Man.
Changling into his costume, the wall-crawler approaches the saucer and is surprised when it opens up and reveals the spider-robot, which attacks Spidey right away. The battle between the robot and Spider-Man triggers Cerebro's alarm sending the X-Men (minus Marvel Girl) to go and investigate, driving out to the location in the Professor’s Royals Royce. In the meantime, Spider-Man has managed to grab the spider-robots paralysis ray and turn it against the machine, causing it to explode and leaving no identifiable rubble.
When the X-Men arrive on the location, they mistakenly believe that Spider-Man is an agent of Factor Three; rationalizing that he must be the "spider" that Banshee warned them about. The mutant heroes attack the Wall-Crawler, who tries to explain to them what happened. Although the X-Men come on strong, Spider-Man's superior fighting ability allows him to easily avoid capture, while Cyclops pleads to Spidey to stop fighting and listen to them.
Back at the mansion Jean has grown worried about her fellow X-Men and decides to try and get into contact with Banshee. Knowing that their comrade was given a special crystal put in his headband to allow his thoughts to be transmitted to the X-Men, Jean uses Cerebro, boosting its signal off an orbiting satellite to make the connection. When she learns the truth about the situation, she contacts her comrades who have continued to fight Spider-Man, succeeding only in making the Wall-Crawler fall into the nearby stream.
When Jean fills them in on what Banshee was really trying to communicate to them, they break off their fight and apologize to Spider-Man for the altercation. Rightly upset about the mix up, the Wall-Crawler explains how he got caught up in everything, prompting the X-Men to abruptly leave to get the rest of the information about Factor Three from Jean, leaving Spider-Man behind to try and make sense of the whole encounter and lament over the fact that he's starting a summer cold for all of his trouble.
Returning to the X-Mansion, the X-Men find that Jean has pinpointed the secret location of Factor Three's hideout, that it's somewhere in a remote Central European mountain range. With the location of their mysterious enemies revealed, Cyclops orders the rest of the X-Men to prepare to leave for Europe.
This story is continued next issue...
Uncanny X-Men #36
Continued from last issue...
Burglars have broken into Professor Xavier's mansion and find that they have gotten more than they bargained for when the Beast jumps them from the shadows easily defeating them. As Hank fights off the intruders, the other X-Men are in the lower levels of the mansion trying to figure out a plan on how to get to Europe and face Factor Three and rescue the Professor. When Hank joins them with the unconscious crooks, they hook them up to Cerebro and have all of their memories of the X-Men being at the mansion erased and send them off to confess their crimes to the police.
With the immediate problem solved, the X-Men have Warren call his parents to try and get them the money they need to fly to Europe, but find that the Worthington's have gone on a Caribbean Cruise. Checking the X-Plane, they find that their primary source of transport doesn't have enough fuel to take them to Europe. Changing to their civilian guises, the X-Men attempt to get the money through a Welfare organization; however this too turns up blank.
With no other choice, the X-Men decide that they should try using their mutant powers to earn them the money they need to plan the trip. Changing into their costumes, Marvel Girl, Cyclops and Angel then approach the foreman of a construction site and give him a demonstration on how their powers can be a benefit to his construction project. However, the foreman is forced to decline their offer when it turns out that they are not unionized and therefore cannot legally work on the site.
Adding insult to injury, when the X-Men change back to their civilian guises they find that the Professor's Royals Royce has been towed, and they haven't enough money to meet up with Hank and Bobby who have been trying to find a source of money in Greenwich Village. Overhearing their plight is student Tom Regal, who goes to college in the area and offers them a lift to the Village. There, Scott, Jean and Warren find that Iceman and Beast are entertaining people with their powers hoping to collect donations afterward. Departing from Tom, the X-Men cannot help but note that Tom has spent their encounter bemoaning being underprivileged in spite of the fact that he is wearing brand new clothing and driving a brand new vehicle.
Beast and Iceman's show is interrupted when Tom appears moments later, in a high tech exo-suit. Calling himself Mekano, he tells all gathered that he intends to demolish the New Memorial Library and implicates Beast and Iceman by telling all gathered that they are working with him. While Bobby is apprehended by the police (and having expended too much energy to free himself from the handcuffs), Beast attempts to attack Mekano straight on and is easily knocked out with a single blow.
Mekano arrives at the library and begins trashing the place when Cyclops, Marvel Girl and Angel arrive on the scene to try and stop him. When the police try to arrest them as well, Marvel Girl easily subdues them with her telekinetic powers, leaving Cyclops and Angel to deal with Mekano. Mekano easily overpowers the X-Men and continues his rampage. However, when the X-Men prove to be persistent adversaries, he attempts to flee by jumping from one rooftop to another. However, the novice villain underestimates his jump, and just barely manages to grab the ledge of the building. However, his weight of the armor causes the ledge to break off. Before he can fall to his death, Mekano is saved by Jean's telekinetic powers.
Upon planting his feet on the ground, Mekano is approached not only by the police and the X-Men, but also his father Andrew Regal, who reveals Mekano to be his son. When wondering why his son would go on such a rampage, Tom explains that his father’s philanthropy work had left him neglected and he was sick of being known as the son of a known philanthropist. Andrew Regal realizes the errors in raising his son, and agrees to pay for all the damage done by his son and return the stolen exo-suit. Satisfied by this response, the police allow Tom to be released into his father’s custody.
In thanks, Mr. Regal offers the X-Men an award for their help in stopping his son's rampage. The X-Men decline, however accept a loan of the $1,500.00 they need to fly to Europe. With their money in hand, the X-Men take a flight to Europe in their civilian guises unaware that the commander of Factor Three has been watching their every step.
This story is continued next issue....
Uncanny X-Men #37
Reviewing the X-Men's previous battle against the Juggernaut, the Changling, commander of the Factor Three conspiracy, dispatches another one of his minions in a saucer in order to deal with the X-Men, who are even now approaching their base aboard an airplane bound for Central Europe.
The X-Men are discussing their plans to deal with Factor Three when suddenly the commercial airplane they are traveling in is attacked by the saucer. Knowing its Factor Three and not wanting the other passengers to be harmed, the X-Men reclaim their luggage and jump out of the planes emergency hatch. Cyclops manages to destroy the saucer with a well timed optic blast. Without parachutes, the X-Men are rapidly plummeting to the ground below, and to make matters worse Scott's ruby quartz visor is blown off his face. However, with some fast thinking, Warren's wings, and Bobby's ice powers, the X-Men manage to land safely on the ground without any injury.
Safe on the ground, the X-Men change into their costumes and are soon attacked by a small army of Factor Three's spider-robots. After destroying one, they are outnumbered and flee from them and two of Factor Three's troops. Rounding a cliff side, the group walks into a cloud of knock out gas and is rendered unconscious. When they revive, they find themselves prisoners before Changeling and Factor Three's mastermind, the Mutant Master. Viewing the spectacle from a remote location are four of the X-Men's greatest foes, the Vanisher, Unus the Untouchable, the Blob, and Mastermind.
Showing the X-Men that both the Professor and their ally the Banshee are their prisoners, the members of Factor Three put on a mock trial against the X-Men. One by one, each of the four X-Men foes "testify" against the X-Men, telling a story of each of their defeats at the X-Men's hands, finding them "guilty" of betraying Mutants (Homo superior). With their "verdicts" read, Changeling sentences them to death. Before they are destroyed though, Mutant Master explains to them that he intends to trigger World War III. To cause this, Mutant Master would first set off a bomb at a top level meeting of Russian officials, while at the same time gassing high ranking US military officials with a paralytic gas. This in turn would hopefully cause both nations to blame the other and trigger a nuclear war. While Factor Three would remain safe, they would wait until the world finished annihilating itself and then take over the world and rule over the survivors.
The X-Men are then left hooked up to an oblivio-ray, which will ultimately wipe out the X-Men's minds leaving them mindless husks that will carry on a living death. This trap fails to stop the X-Men, who short out the machine when Jean uses her telekinetic powers to raise ice created by Iceman over the machine and waiting for it to melt.
Freed, the X-Men head toward the control room where they are stopped by a robot, which they easily destroy and continue on to the Mutant Master's control room to find it empty. Then appearing before them on a view screen, Mutant Master reveals that even though the X-Men have managed to break free from their fate, they are too late to stop Factor Three from beginning their plan.
Uncanny X-Men #38
Continued from last issue....
The X-Men have arrived too late to try and stop the Mutant Master and his Factor Three organization from preparing to trigger events that the terrorist organization hopes will start World War III, the first part of their world domination plan. Having arrived in Mutant Master's control room, they find the room empty with only a video screen of the Mutant Master mocking them of his impending victory. Acting on one of Beast's hunches, the X-Men flee the base inside one of Factor Three's flying saucers just before the base explodes. As they fly away from the explosion, the X-Men begin planning on how to prevent Mutant Master from triggering another World War.
Meanwhile, at another one of their headquarters hidden in the United States, Changeling begins to question Mutant Master's authority and planning when he brings up the fact that the Mutant Master left behind functional saucer ships at their old base. However, Mutant Master reasserts his authority over Changeling by showing his powerful weapons and reiterates his plot to take over the world. With Blob and Vanisher preparing for the first phase of their plan, the Mutant Master once more reasserts his domination over Changeling.
The X-Men have returned to Professor Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters and have begun planning their attempt at foiling Factor Three's plot. Dividing the group into two and taking the remaining Factor Three saucers on their mission, Marvel Girl, Angel and Beast go to the USSR while Cyclops and Iceman head to stop the plot against the United States.
The three X-Men arrive in Russia in order to prevent a bomb that has been planted at a meeting of high ranking Russian officials. However, their arrival is spotted by Russian military soldiers who open fire upon Angel, Marvel Girl and Beast. Beast orders Angel and Marvel Girl to go on while he handles the soldiers and they enter the government building where the meeting is taking place. However, their path is barred inside by the Vanisher and Blob who are waiting there to stop the X-Men from interfering with their plot.
Back at Factor Three's headquarters, a revived Professor X tries to rationalize with the Changeling, telling the already doubting mutant that a nuclear war would make the planet harmful to both humans and mutants alike. Put further into doubt by these words, the Changeling is still loyal to the Mutant Master and strikes Xavier for daring to speak out against their plot. However, when the Changeling threatens to execute the Professor, the Mutant Master prevents him from doing so.
Elsewhere, Cyclops and Iceman visit the military base that Factor Three intends to gas and try to explain the situation to the commanding Colonel on site. However, the Colonel finds the story hard to believe, with no time to waste the two X-Men decide that there is no other choice but fight their way to the weapon and disarm it. This causes a clash with the military, which Cyclops and Iceman are able to keep at bay with their mutant powers.
Finally, back in Russia, the other X-Men are attacked by Blob and Vanisher who are armed with high tech weapons. While Blob is disarmed by Angel, who also takes out the Factor Three minions that accompanied them, when Vanisher attempts to use his gas gun on Angel, Marvel Girl uses her telekinetic powers to knock Vanisher out and redirect the knock-out gas into Blob's face knocking him out as well. However, the Russian soldiers catch up to Marvel Girl and the Angel and hold them at gun point accusing them of being assassins. Not listening to the X-Men's story, they find themselves locked in a cell with the Beast (who was also captured) and their foes.
Monitoring the situation, the Mutant Master is happy to see that everything is going on schedule.
This story is continued next issue....
Beginning a series explaining the origins of the X-Men...
Not too long ago, before the formation of the X-Men, anti-mutant hysteria had grown to such a degree that it has been making national news. Reading of the latest news story out of the paper, Charles Xavier realizes that he must come out of seclusion and act on the fact that mankind has discovered mutants living among them, and embarks on a trip to Washington D.C.
Arriving at the Washington D.C. headquarters of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Professor uses his mental powers to enter the building unimpeded. Inside is agent Fred Duncan and his assistant Bill who are reviewing a film reel which shows a young mutant who accidentally fires an optic blast that breaks a crane lifting an air conditioner unit to the top of a building, and then using his blast to destroy the falling unit to save the crowd’s lives. The boy in the film would ultimately be chased off by an angry mob.
The Professor enters the room as they are discussing what to do about the mutant issue. When the two FBI agents attempt to forcibly remove Xavier from the room, the Professor demonstrates his mental powers to keep them from doing so. Convincing them to listen to him, Xavier tells them that there are both good and evil mutants in the world and that persecution of mutants with prejudice will only lead more to become evil and create the menace that baseline humanity fears. With this explanation, Xavier asks Agent Duncan to allow him to seek out mutants, starting with the young man in the film reel so that he can train them in the control of their powers. Agent Duncan agrees and the two forge an alliance.
This story is continued next issue....
Uncanny X-Men #39
Continued from last issue...
With his goal of nuclear Armageddon close at hand, the Mutant Master monitors the X-Men. Cyclops and Iceman were stopped in America fighting the US military in an attempt to stop a gas attack, while Beast, Marvel Girl and Angel are held prisoner in a Russian prison when attempting to stop a bomb plot.
In the States, Cyclops and Iceman fight their way through the military opposition to enter the building where the nerve gas has been planted. Deducing that it has been put into the ventilation system, Cyclops orders Iceman to freeze it solid, preventing the gas from being released. However, they are attacked by Mastermind and Unus, who catch them off guard. While in Russia, Marvel Girl uses her telekinetic powers to pull one of the guards close enough to their cell for Beast to knock him out and take his keys. Freeing themselves the X-Men disrupt a meeting of Russian military officials in order to stop a bomb planted in their meeting table, however the Blob (who was also in the same cell as them) has revived and appeared to oppose the X-Men from succeeding in their task.
Back in the States, Cyclops and Iceman continue to battle Unus and Mastermind. While the two evil mutants have the upper hand, Cyclops and Iceman turn the tables when Cyclops causes a dense fog when he melts some of Iceman's ice formations with his optic blast. Unable to see their foes and with the military fast approaching, the two evil doers flee the scene, as do the two X-Men who escape in their stolen Factor Three flying saucer. The military arrive to find the room empty and their base undamaged. As Cyclops and Iceman flee the scene, they consider their mission accomplished.
While back in Russia, the X-Men are in a Mexican stand-off with the Blob who holds the briefcase filled with explosives in front of the X-Men. The Blob boasts how the bomb can have no effect on him, however Marvel Girl psyches the Blob out, putting enough doubt in the Mutant Master being truthful about the strength of the bomb to cause the Blob to flee the scene in fear, dropping the bomb. Angel quickly grabs it and flies up as high as possible tossing the bomb away where it detonates safely, causing no harm to anyone. While the Russian military officials decide if they should re-imprison the X-Men or not, the three mutant heroes flee the scene.
The two teams of X-Men begin tracking the location of Factor Three. At the terrorist organization’s secret Midwestern hideout, the Mutant Master curses the X-Men for their victory, and begins to wonder where Changeling had gone, however he dismisses his second in command’s absence, and focuses on destroying the X-Men when they arrive.
The first to arrive are Cyclops and Iceman who are confronted by Vanisher, Unus, Mastermind and Blob. However they are only briefly outnumbered when Angel, Marvel Girl and Beast arrive on the scene shortly after. Before the two factions can begin fighting, Professor Xavier, recently freed tries to explain to the other Factor Three conspirators that Mutant Master has betrayed them by keeping the X-Men alive (by using the oblivo-ray instead of outright killing them and leaving the flying saucers to allow them to escape their European base before it self-destructed.) Realizing that Xavier is getting close to the truth behind his intentions, the Mutant Master then orders his androids to attack everyone, including his fellow Factor Three conspirators.
Elsewhere in the complex, Banshee revives finding that he too has been freed by parties unknown. Banshee then joins the battle and uses his sonic scream against Mutant Master, seemingly destroying his body. However, it turns out that his humanoid form was merely a disguise, and that Mutant Master is really an alien from another world. Claiming that it's from the planet Sirius. As it is battered by both Banshee and Unus, the creature explains it was attempting to exploit mutants in a bid to take over the Earth for its masters. Unwilling to accept defeat, the alien Mutant Master instead chooses death. During the course of the final battle, another Charles Xavier appears, and as it turns out the "Charles" who warned Factor Three and the X-Men about Mutant Master's hidden motives was Changeling, who was revealed to be a shape shifter.
With Mutant Master dead and his plot to take over the Earth ended, the remaining members of Factor Three and the X-Men agree to part company. Just as they escape in the remaining saucer crafts, the Professor tells Cyclops this cooperation between mutants against a common foe gives hope for the future.
Returning to the X-Mansion, Jean is excited to find that a package had been delivered in their absence, new costumes that she designed, and with Xavier's blessing, the X-Men don their new uniforms. The entire team is happy with their new duds, except for the Beast who is less than enthusiastic about the new outfit, Angel quips about how they could have made him a costume more fitting to his name, complete with fur and tail, everyone but Hank himself get a good laugh out of the joke.
Continued from last issue...
The fearful Scott Summers flees from an angry mob after his uncontrollable optic blast accidentally knocked loose an air conditioning unit from a crane, even though he then used his optic blasts to save them. Realizing that he can't go back the orphanage where he's grown up, young Scott decides to leave town by hitching a ride on a freight train.
In Washington D.C., the FBI and their mutant expert Professor Xavier learn of the incident and are interested in recruiting Scott into Xavier's school for mutants. Learning his identity, they learn that he had disappeared from the orphanage where he's lived most of his life. Learning of an optometrist who first suspected Scott was a mutant, Professor Xavier travels to visit the man and learn that he came up with the idea of using ruby quartz to control Scott's uncontrollable optic blasts.
Meanwhile, Scott had decided to get off the rails for fear of getting caught. Hungry, he follows the scent of someone cooking food and finds a group of hobos that are preparing a meal over a fire. Initially invited to join them, when Scott tells them that he's been hitching a ride on the rails, the homeless men think he's playing a college initiation prank on them and attack him. Hearing the commotion, a group of police officers chase the hobos away and help Scott to his feet. Realizing the boy fits the description of the missing person report they have, one of the officers attempts to take off Scott's glasses to get a better look at him, unleashing Scott's optic blasts and sending the officers fleeing.
Recovering his glasses, Scott flees into the woods and suddenly finds himself drawn by mental commands coming from a nearby cabin. Following them he is welcome by a man who claims to be a mutant as well. This man however, intends to use his powers to rule over humanity.
This story is continued next issue...
Uncanny X-Men #40
The X-Men are training in the Danger Room. When the Beast begins to showboat before the others, Iceman decides to pull a prank on his friend. This is not very well received, but the training session is cut short when they answer the mental summons of Professor X. The Professor reveals to the X-Men that he has uncovered the location of Frankenstein's Monster, long thought a myth due to the fictions of Mary Shelley, but an astonishing reality. The Professor recounts the tale as it is known, but tells his students a startling revelation, that the monster is really a high tech android, and he suspects that the "Monster" is the creation of a mutant. He explains that the discovered android is currently attempting to be thawed from the Arctic ice it has been trapped in for centuries and orders his X-Men to prevent the scientists from doing so to avoid any humans being harmed.
Although they rush there as quickly as possible and try to gain entrance with the Professor's credentials, they are barred from entry by the security guard. Even though Jean uses her telekinetic powers to knock out the guard, the X-Men are too late as the over-eager Professor Powell ignores his colleagues' warnings of caution. The android breaks free, prompting the X-Men to change into their uniforms and approach the creature. It attacks them directly, and the X-Men attempt to match its fighting. However, they find that its strength is superior to theirs and that it has eye beams that are more powerful than Cyclops' optic blasts. The Monster makes short work of the X-Men and leaves the scene.
Recovering, they are spotted by another professor who blames the X-Men for the damage done. Iceman temporarily freezes him and the mutant heroes flee the scene. With the Professor's mental probes, the X-Men track the faux-Frankenstein Monster to a sea freighter. When they board the vessel, they are attacked by the crew whom the X-Men easily subdue and get "permission" to search the cargo hold for the creature. They find the monster and it attacks them once more, and the X-Men fare no better against the monster than in their previous encounter. However, the creature is convinced to break off its attack when the Professor mentally contacts the creature and tells it that he is the one that commanded the X-Men to attack. Turning his attentions to the Professor, the android is distracted long enough for the Professor to command Iceman to cover the robot in ice, once more threatening to put it in a state of suspended animation. Attempting to break free, the robot strains itself too much and suddenly explodes, ending its threat.
In the aftermath, the Professor explains to his X-Men that he learned the android's origin from probing its mind. It was the creation of an alien race from a tropical world that sent it to Earth to act as an ambassador some 150 years ago. The robot malfunctioned however and its creators were forced to trap it in the Arctic regions of Earth, the cold being its only weakness. The Professor goes on to explain that the android attacked his X-Men so readily because it confused their colorful costumes with those of its creators. With their mission accomplished the X-Men return home.
Continued from last issue....
Young Scott Summers has been lured to the home of Jack Winters, a mutant with incredible mental powers, who intends to use him to rule over mankind. With the police seeking out Scott, Winters uses his mental powers to teleport them away. While they manage to elude the police, they do not escape the notice of Professor X, as their travels are picked up by his prototype mutant detector Cyberno. However, the signal is lost before the Professor can pinpoint it.
Jack and Scott are teleported to a nearby nuclear plant where he intends to use nuclear energy in the plant to boost his powers. Jack explains to Scott that one night not long ago, he broke into a chemical lab to steal something of value so that he can pay off his gambling debts, when grabbing a beaker of radioactive material it exploded in his hands. Surviving and considered lucky to be alive, Jack was released from the hospital where he found that the explosion activated his latent mutant abilities endowing him with mental powers and another power to his damaged hands. Finishing his story, Jack reveals that the explosion had turned his hands into a diamond.
Rechristening himself Jack O'Diamonds, Jack theorizes that greater exposure to radiation would turn the rest of his body into a diamond as well. Before they can go further, they are approached by Charles Xavier who warns them to cease their criminal activities with his mental powers. Jack orders Scott to kill the Professor with his optic blasts, but the frightened boy cannot bring himself to kill another with his mutant powers.
Calling the boy a coward, Winters decides to tackle Xavier on his own, pitting his mental powers against that of Xavier. This story is continued next issue...
Uncanny X-Men #41
A sub-human creature has attacked a New York City subway train, which coincidentally happens to have Bobby Drake and Hank McCoy on board on yet another date with Zelda and Vera. Sneaking away from their dates and changing into their Iceman and Beast guises, the two X-Men attack the creature, who takes up the name "Grotesk" based on Beast's assessment of the creatures appearance. After a brief battle, Grotesk gets tired of the fight and seals the tunnel which he emerged from, warning the two mutants to beware of him in the future. When Beast and Iceman attempt to follow after the creature, they find that the passageway is sealed tight. Returning to their civilian guises and their dates, Bobby and Hank cut things short so that they can report what they encountered to the Professor.
Meanwhile, Grotesk returns to the caverns below New York City and thinks back to the events that led to his hatred of the human race. He recounts how he was a member of a subterranean race of people ruled by King Krono, whose daughter, Princess Ingar, was the love of Grotesk, who back then was simply Prince Gor-Tok. Their warrior race would rule below for a time until humanities atomic tests would cause volcanic eruptions underground that would wipe out everyone except for Gor-Tok, who mutated into the creature he is today by the lingering radiation. Blaming the surface dwellers for his plight, Gor-Tok decided to get revenge against the surface dwellers by destroying them.
Back at the X-Mansion, the Professor is running Cyclops, Angel and Marvel Girl into a series of tests and is pushes the team hard when they mess up their tests. When Bobby and Hank arrive to tell what's happened but are scolded and deducted two demerits and disallowed to go into the city for a week. Before they can say anything more, the Professor leaves for his study, asking Jean to join him. In private, the Professor and Jean discuss the fact that the X-Men must learn to fight as a tighter unit as much as possible if the Professor's current plans are to work out. Jean asks the Professor to confide in the others, a request the Professor refuses.
As the Professor reads Hank and Bobby's thoughts and learns about Grotesk, he tells his students to go and face this new threat to the Earth. Meanwhile, a series of tremors begin to threaten to destroy the Earth, gaining the attention of leading scientists including Professor Hunt, who learns the truth and tries to warn his colleagues of the danger. The tremors are also felt by Grotesk, who is unaware that one of his own dead civilizations own devices is the source of this disturbance. Blaming it on the surface dwellers, Grotesk begins to ascend to the surface world and face the threat, unaware that the Cyclops and Beast are right now traveling into his tunnels to face him as well. Blasting their way through Grotesk's tunnel, the X-Men find his city deserted. When Angel and Iceman demand to know why they and Marvel Girl were not allowed to accompany Cyclops and Beast, Marvel Girl refuses to provide them answers.
While on the surface, Grotesk has wandered to Professor Hunt's lab where he finds one of his assistants and captures him. Taking the man down to his lair, Grotesk demands that the human show him where the surface dwellers "weapons" are; however his interrogation is interrupted by the arrival of the X-Men.
This story is continued next issue...
Continued from last issue...
Professor X squares off against Jack O'Diamonds as the young Scott Summers watches on. When the Professor's mental powers prove to be superior to that of Jack's, Jack uses his diamond hands to smash a steel girder and send it flying toward Xavier, who ducks out of its path. This causes the roof to collapse, separating them. Jack O'Diamonds still needs Scott to help him and he uses a Cyclotron to bombard himself with more radiation.
When the two rush to the Cyclotron building, they are confronted by a security guard whom Jack orders Scott to disarm with his optic blast. Leaving Scott to stand guard, Jack enters the Cyclotron building to use its devices on his own. Inside, he finds a device that bombards him with radiation. While outside, the Professor arrives outside the building just as Scott uses his optic blasts to destroy a jeep full of security guards that are approaching the building. In order to prevent the guards from being harmed, the Professor uses his mental powers to knock them out. Realizing that the Professor survived, Scott stops to let the Professor talk to him. Inside however, Jack O'Diamonds has bombarded his entire body with a full dose of radiation, turning his entire body in diamond. Breaking through the walls to get outside, Jack Winters, AKA Jack O'Diamonds rechristens himself once again: Now calling himself the Living Diamond.
This story is continued next issue...
Uncanny X-Men #42
Continued from last issue...
Angel and Iceman are furious that the Professor has disallowed them to join Cyclops and Beast in battling Grotesk. When they present their displeasure to Jean, she refuses to allow them to go. When the Professor finally exits his study, the other X-Men demand that the Professor let them go, and Charles once more refuses, telling Marvel Girl not to allow them to leave.
While deep below New York City, Cyclops and Beast fight Grotesk and during the fight, one of Scott's optic blasts strikes a machine that causes the cavern to fill with radioactive fog. Detecting the Professor attempting to probe his mind, Grotesk believes that it is Xavier who is responsible for the earth tremors that destroyed his kingdom, and he departs to track Charles down. When Cyclops attempts to follow Grotesk through the fog, the Beast pulls him back and warns him against entering the lethal cloud.
When Cyclops and Beast return to the mansion, they also try to seek an audience with the Professor, but Jean keeps them at bay, even going so far as to use her telekinetic powers to keep her teammates away. She then tells the X-Men that she has received a mental command from the Professor to come to the Professor's aid. (The others are upset that they did not receive it also.)
Grotesk, meanwhile, has smashed his way into the lab where he has detected the Professor's mental probes and finds what he thinks is the device causing the earthquakes, as well as Dr. Hunt. Grotesk throws Hunt aside to destroy the machine, but "Hunt" takes off a mask to reveal that he is really Professor X. With the machine attempting to save the world from the earthquakes, and Grotesk's possible tampering likely to cause the destruction of mankind, the Professor keeps Grotesk stunned with his mental powers until the other X-Men arrive -- not, however, before Grotesk can start the device to send vibrations into the Earth's core.
Angel is the first to arrive with mirrors to reflect light into the light-sensitive cavern dwellers' eyes. As Cyclops, Beast, Angel and Iceman fight Grotesk, Marvel Girl is ordered to stop the machine, but finds that the lever is jammed in position. As the battle rages, the Professor and Marvel Girl combine their mental powers to bombard the machine, causing its effects on the Earth to slow down. However, they are not slowing down fast enough, and the Professor (telling Jean to stay back) gets closer to the machine to affect it more effectively. Meanwhile, Grotesk throws Angel into the other X-Men, allowing him a chance to break away from the fight and to try to speed up the process of the machine. Pushing the Professor aside, Grotesk slams his fist into the machine. Instead of causing it to complete its job, it instead explodes, seemingly killing Grotesk.
Checking the rubble, the X-Men find that their victory has come at a cost; the Professor has been mortally wounded. With his dying words, the Professor explains Grotesk's story, and confesses to his students that he himself was dying of a fatal illness and hence his secrecy. The Professor then passes away, and although the X-Men have saved the Earth, they have suffered a most tragic loss.
Continued from last issue...
Jack Winters has succeeded in using a cyclotron to bombard himself with enough radiation to turn himself into the Living Diamond. With his newly gained powers, Diamond resumes his attack on Professor Xavier, unaware that his "charge" Scott Summers has joined with the Professor. When the Professor's mental powers have no effect on Jack, Scott uses his optic blast in order to keep Winters at bay.
Fleeing into the research building, they find an ultra-sonic vibration inducer, a device the Professor probed for and hopes will be the key to defeating the Living Diamond. Xavier orders Scott to go and operate the device as the Professor acts as bait for Jack. When Jack enters the room, Scott activates the ultra-sonic device bombarding the Living Diamond with sound. Charles orders their foe to surrender; however, Jack refuses and continues to try to attack. This marks the end of the Living Diamond as the vibration device shatters him to bits, killing the evil mutant before he could ever have a chance to turn his powers against the world.
Horrified that he has murdered another human being, Scott is consoled by the Professor, who tells the boy he acted out of self-defense. Asking the boy if he'd like to join him at his school, the Professor takes Scott back to his mansion where Scott becomes the first X-Man. Given a costume and a special ruby quartz visor that allows him to use his optic blasts, Scott is rechristened Cyclops. That night, Scott spends time alone outside the mansion, wondering where the Professor's mission of peaceful coexistence between humans and mutants will take him.
Uncanny X-Men #43
The X-Men are attending the funeral of Professor Xavier, who died battling the evil subterranean Grotesk. Unaware their oldest foe Magneto is watching and planning to attack the group during their moment of loss, he calls for Quicksilver to come to his side, however finding that he is not present. We soon learn that Quicksilver has used his super-speed to travel to the location of Xavier's funeral to witness it from afar. He is spotted by the X-Men who confronts him and asks him why he has come. Thinking that they intend to attack him, Quicksilver realizes that he's made a foolish decision and speeds off back to Magneto. Before the X-Men can go after him they are called by the priest giving off Xavier's eulogy to finish the service. Furious that Quicksilver would blow their cover like that, Magneto vows to punish his wayward subordinate and then destroy the X-Men once and for all.
With the funeral service over, the X-Men return to the mansion and change into their X-Men uniforms before playing a tape of the Professors' final will. In the video, Xavier explains that he was dying of a terminal disease that medical science could not possibly cure, and asks the X-Men to carry on now that he is gone. He also explains to the X-Men that he has trained Jean in the art of telepathy, and cautions them to beware of Magneto, whom he suspects will strike against the X-Men again and soon. The X-Men then watches tearfully as Xavier says his final words to them before he perished at the hands of Grotesk.
While at Magneto's citadel, the master of magnetism gloats over how his magnetic powers are stronger than ever as Quicksilver returns to the base and is reunited with the Toad and Scarlet Witch who have also rejoined Magneto's Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. Reunited with his sister, the two mutants lament over their departure from the Avengers, their return to the Brotherhood and the death of Charles Xavier. Their moment is interrupted when Magneto enters the room and abuses his charges, demanding Quicksilver's further loyalty in return for helping his sister regain her powers.
Magneto then turns his attentions toward a cruise ship out at sea that is carrying a computer that he needs and he uses his magnetic powers to lift the boat out of the water. Magneto is unaware that his foes the X-Men are on board and they change into costume to face him directly. Seeing his hated foes approach his base, Magneto then orders his Brotherhood of Evil Mutants to help him destroy the X-Men. The X-Men are easily battered by a combination of Magneto's Brotherhood and his base’s traps. As a final salvo, Magneto turns on a device that electrifies the floor, knocking the X-Men unconscious. With his hated foes defeated, Magneto vows to destroy the X-Men once and for all.
A back-up narrative explaining Cyclops' mutant powers. Cyclops is endowed with a powerful optic blast that he cannot control and must use his ruby quartz glasses to prevent them from firing. It explains that his powers derive its energy from the sun.
It goes on to explain the application of Cyclops' visor, how it is controlled by a nob on the side of the visor or from a secret glove trigger that Cyclops can use when his hands are bound. It explains the force that his powers can strike with and it also explains how Cyclops is a trained fighter. The narrative ends by posing the question of if Cyclops' power is strong enough to face the Hulk.
Uncanny X-Men #44
Continued from last issue...
The X-Men have been defeated by Magneto and his Brotherhood of Evil Mutants and Magneto is about to kill them when he is stopped by Quicksilver. Magneto agrees with Quicksilver's request, deciding that he wants his hated enemies to witness his greatest victory first before destroying them and orders them locked up in specially prepared restraints that prevent them from using their powers to escape.
When the X-Men are locked up and regain consciousness, they question why Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch rejoined Magneto's Brotherhood. Quicksilver angrily explains to them how humanity seeks to destroy mutants and that they have realized that Magneto's way is right. The nosey Toad listens to this argument and reports to Magneto, who decides that perhaps he should destroy the X-Men after all.
Left alone, the X-Men struggle to free themselves, however only Angel succeeds when he manages to grab a nearby disintegration ray that was negligently left near his cage. When attempting to free the others Cyclops stops him, fearing that the other rigs are booby-trapped, and orders the Angel to flee the scene and try and find the Avengers to get their help. Angel complies and just barely manages to escape Magneto's base without being recaptured by Magneto and Quicksilver. Caught in a storm while flying overseas, Angel decides to stop and rest on a rock outcropping poking out of the water. When he rests there, he is surprised when the outcropping suddenly rises, part of a submerged island that has been hiding beneath the ocean.
Exploring the island, Angel finds that there is a hidden complex and wonders if it's not the same base (HYDRA Island) that S.H.I.E.L.D. destroyed months prior. He soon gets some answers when he's attacked by the old World War II hero, the Red Raven, who is angry at normal humans who he believes are mindless killers. However, the hero is easily disarmed by the Angel and the fight is quickly ended. With the battle over, the Red Raven explains how he was a normal man whose family’s plane crashed in the secret home of the Avians, a society of winged people. Surviving, the young Red Raven was taken in, given mechanical wings and dubbed the Red Raven.
When the leader of the Avians, Aerivar XVIII, plotted an invasion of humanity, the Red Raven attempted to appeal to the king to avoid any invasion plans as the humans outnumbered them. However, his impassioned pleas were ignored and the invasion plans continued further. Not wishing to see his adopted countrymen slaughtered by humans, the Red Raven created a special gas that would put all the Avians into a state of suspended animation and then he sunk their floating island into the ocean.
With explanation over, Angel tries to convince the Red Raven to revive his people and give humanity another chance. Realizing the risk that the same cycle of events would happen again, the Red Raven instead decides to return his island to the bottom of the ocean once more. Blasting Angel into unconsciousness, the Red Raven uses an anti-gravity ray to keep the mutant afloat while the island sinks. The Red Raven puts himself and his people back into suspended animation.
Coming around on a floating raft, the Angel finds that the island has disappeared without a trace, and with his fellow X-Men still in trouble he departs to continue his travels to the Avengers' headquarters.
This story is continued next issue...
Continuing with the origins of the X-Men, our story begins with a young Bobby Drake taking his girlfriend Judy Harmon out on a date. It is interrupted when they are jumped by Rocky Beasely and his goons who have come to pick a fight with Bobby whom Rocky is competing with for Judy's affections.
With Bobby being roughed up by Rocky's friends, Rocky forcibly pulls Judy away, however he is stopped cold, literally, when Bobby's ice powers accidentally trap Rocky in a case of ice. The display not only scares off Rocky's goons, but Judy is also scared of Bobby and flees. When the news of Bobby's mutant powers quickly spreads across the town, the people begin to form a mob. Rushing home, Bobby tells his accepting parents that he accidentally used his powers in public.
When the mob reaches their home, Bobby's father attempts to talk sense into the crowd, but they force their way into the Drake home. With no other choice, Bobby is forced to defend himself by using his ice powers against them. However, he is easily overpowered and taken to the county jail.
Reading about the incident, the Professor decides to recruit Bobby Drake as his next student and sends Cyclops to go and retrieve the boy. Bobby meanwhile is sitting in a Nassau County jail cell pondering the prejudice that he is dealing with when suddenly the wall to his cell is blasted open.
This story is continued next issue...
Uncanny X-Men #45
Continued from last issue....
The X-Men are prisoners of Magneto, and while Angel has been sent off to get the aid of the Avengers, Cyclops has been trying to break free of his restrains. Using his optic blast, he manages to break the shield that has been put over his visor and manages to blast off his shackles. Rushing off to find the other X-Men, he finds Jean locked in a cell but finds that she is in a trance of some kind and is of no use to her, so he begins searching for the other X-Men. Spotted by the Toad, Cyclops attempts to stop the evil mutant, however, he manages to flee the scene to warn Magneto, leaving Cyclops to rush and find Beast and Iceman.
As Angel arrives in New York, while recounting his encounter with the old World War II hero the Red Raven, Cyclops continues to search for his captive friends. Cyclops is spotted and approached by Quicksilver, who attempts to talk to Cyclops, however Cyclops attacks instead. Meanwhile, Toad is reporting back to Magneto about Cyclops' escape. Magneto blasts Toad with a magnetic jolt and is about to kill his useless minion when the Toad's pleas for mercy disgusts Magneto into deciding that the Toad is not worth killing in order to focus on other matters.
The battle between Quicksilver and Cyclops takes a brief pause and Pietro attempts to convince Scott to join the Brotherhood and see the error in defending the humans. When Cyclops refuses to give up Xavier's teachings, the two resume their fight when Quicksilver resumes the attack on Cyclops.
Witnessing the battle through his control monitor, Magneto bellows over Quicksilver's inability to destroy Cyclops. When Wanda enters the room and sees the battle happening she asks Magneto to intervene, a request that Magneto refuses. The battle quickly ends when Cyclops knocks out Quicksilver with his optic blast. Trying in vain to revive the mutant speedster so he might learn where his fellow X-Men are, he is interrupted by the arrival of the Avengers.
This story is continued in Avengers Vol 1 53...
Continued from last issue...
Cyclops is attempting to break young Bobby Drake out of jail after he's been arrested for defending himself against a school bully with his mutant powers. However, Bobby, trusting in the justice system, refuses to leave with Cyclops knowing that the courts will find him innocent. However, the townspeople have other ideas in mind, namely lynching the young mutant so that they do not have to deal with his menace again.
As a mob organizes and prepares to attack, Cyclops goads Bobby into a fight, knocking them out into the streets where they begin to fight each other before the gathered crowd. When Bobby manages to get a moment to get away from Cyclops, the young boy flees to the docks with Scott and the mob following. When the mob attempts to shoot both mutants, Cyclops uses his optic blast to break the pier and land the mob into the water.
Catching up with Bobby, their fight resumes and the two fight to a stand still ending with both collapsing out of breath. With their guard down, one of the men in the mob manages to get the drop on Bobby with a gun trained on him ready to fire.
This story is continued next issue...
Uncanny X-Men #46
The X-Men have returned to the grave of the late Professor Xavier to pay their respects, each member lost in thought over what the Professor meant to them and what the future of the X-Men will be. Their vigil is interrupted by FBI agent Duncan, who has come to speak with the X-Men. Returning to the Professor's mansion, Nelson & Murdock co-partner Foggy Nelson is on site to read Xavier's will. To everyone's surprise, all of the Professor's assets have been willed over to Scott for the operation of a special charitable fund, also naming the other students as trustees, leaving behind all his possessions to them. After the will reading is completed, Foggy leaves to put the will through probate, allowing for the X-Men to return their attention to Agent Duncan who wishes to discuss an important matter with them.
While in the distant Crimson Cosmos, the Juggernaut is pulled out of the other dimensional realm he has been trapped in since his last encounter with the X-Men by one of the Professor's machines. Re-materializing in the lower levels of the mansion, the Juggernaut begins to trash the place. Hearing the ruckus, Scott excuses everyone from Agent Duncan and they change into their X-Men uniforms and go investigate. Finding the Juggernaut causing the commotion, the X-Men confront him and learn that the Juggernaut once more wants to get revenge against his step-brother Charles Xavier. The X-Men explain to the Juggernaut that Xavier is dead, to which the Juggernaut rages in disbelief, believing that it's a trick to fool him and he attacks the X-Men.
The Juggernaut manages to shrug off the X-Men's attack and continues his rampage through the mansion. Finding Agent Duncan, he demands to know where Xavier is. When Duncan also states that the Professor is dead, the Juggernaut knocks him out and continues his fruitless search. The X-Men revive and follow after him and find the Juggernaut at the Professor's grave raging that he has been cheated out of his revenge.
The X-Men continue their fight with the Juggernaut, this time with Jean using her newly acquired mental powers against the Juggernaut causing him pain. The Juggernaut grabs the downed Angel to use as a hostage to make Marvel Girl cease her attack. When she does, the Juggernaut is surprisingly shunted back to the Crimson Cosmos. Cyclops deduces that while the machine that was responsible for bringing the Juggernaut back to Earth worked, its effects were only temporary. Surmising that the Professor wanted to be certain of the Juggernaut's rehabilitation, he must have put in a fail-safe just in case the Juggernaut had not reformed.
With the battle over, the X-Men are once more confronted by Agent Duncan who tells the group that the government, realizing that the X-Men would prove to be too easy a target to evil mutants has demanded that the X-Men split up and spread out across the country immediately.
Returning to Xavier's Mansion to ponder this, Cyclops, as deputy leader, decides that despite the unconstitutional nature of the FBI's request, that it is in their best interest to follow the request. With a heavy heart, he orders the X-Men to disband and follow the government’s orders. Shortly thereafter, the X-Men pack up their things and part company, leaving Scott at the mansion. Each of the X-Men is left wondering where their future will take them.
Continued from last issue...
A lynch mob has taken the young Bobby Drake and Cyclops hostage following Cyke's failed attempt to spring Bobby out of jail after he used his mutant powers to defend himself from a school bully. However, before the lynching can begin, the sheriff attempts to assert some sort of control, not standing to have frontier justice be played out in his town. Branded a mutie lover by the mob, the sheriff is dragged away while Cyclops and Bobby are taken to a hanging tree.
Rushing to the scene, Professor Xavier uses his mental powers to contact Scott and order him to free Bobby and make an escape. Using his optic blast to snap the noose around Bobby's neck, Cyclops and Bobby fight off the mob and flee. Although the mob follows after them they suddenly stop when the Professor uses his mental powers to erase their memories of the whole episode.
Returning to Bobby's home, the Professor explains what has happened and in a meeting with Bobby and his parents, he offers Bobby a place in his School for Gifted Youngsters so that he might learn to control his powers and also fight for human/mutant coexistence, an offer which Bobby accepts. This is how Bobby Drake joins the X-Men as the Iceman.
Uncanny X-Men #47
The X-Men have been ordered to disband by the FBI. Having just left the group, Bobby and Hank have gone into New York City for a date with their girlfriends, Vera and Zelda; however, their minds are heavy with thoughts about being members of the X-Men. Vera and Zelda have Hank and Bobby take them to see the Maha Yogi, a popular hypnotist act, unaware that the Maha Yogi is really their old foe the Warlock. When the quartet attempts to get tickets for the show they find out it is all sold out. Hoping for a cancellation, the group goes to Cafe A-Go-Go until showtime. The Warlock is currently in a session with his audience and he uses his hypnotic power to make the audience his willing slaves who are to become part of a growing psychic army.
Meanwhile, at Cafe A-Go-Go, Hank and Bobby's double date is interrupted when a group of hipsters tries to pick a fight with Hank, thinking him an "uptown square". Using his ice powers, Bobby secretly douses the light so that the two mutants can use their powers to easily dispatch with the ruffians. Leaving the Cafe with the girls, they return to the theater box office and learn to their surprise that there was a cancellation and that they can enter the show.
Soon after they enter, Hank and Bobby instantly recognize the Maha as their enemy the Warlock and are able to defend themselves when the Yogi attempts to enthrall the audience. Slipping away and changing into Beast and Iceman, the two heroes confront Maha Yogi. The Maha manages to hold the two X-Men at bay with his powers and when Beast attempts to get up close with him, the Maha Yogi manages to use his hypnotic powers on him. The Beast, however, manages to fight off their effects. This distracts the Maha long enough for Bobby to use his ice powers on the theater lights causing them to explode. Trying to flee the loud noises, the Maha fires an energy bolt at Iceman, but it's deflected off an ice shield and strikes the stages pyrotechnic controls. Not only does this further confuse and distract the Maha Yogi, but the audience begins to snap out of his control and begins cheering on Beast and Iceman.
They finally defeat the Warlock when Beast trips him up in a curtain long enough for Iceman to toss in a hi-fi tape recorder cranked up to full blast. Unable to concentrate under all the racket, the Warlock surrenders and is then taken away by the authorities. Hank and Bobby slip away and change into their civilian guises once more to find that Vera and Zelda are not impressed that the boys had missed out on the night’s excitement. However, they forgive them when Bobby offers to take them to the Copa instead, and the quartet walks off into the night.
In this back-up feature, Iceman explains to the reader how his mutant powers work and how he uses them to create ice constructs like his ice slide. He also shows off different things he can create with his powers such as a bombardment of ice chunks, an ice boomerang, ice shields etc. He explains that he is able to do it by freezing the moisture in the air.
Explaining some of the social perks of his ice powers, he also explains how he learned how to turn his body into an ice form. Originally in a snow form, but later through the Professor's training, he was able to cover his body in ice. He explains that he is quite comfortable in cold climates, and can keep himself cool in hot ones.
Bobby finishes his explanation by wondering how he would fare against the Human Torch in battle, or if his powers would work in outer space since there is no moisture in space.
Uncanny X-Men #48
Following an FBI order to disband, Scott and Jean have gone on to start new careers to support themselves. Jean has become a fashion model while Scott has become a radio personality. During a photoshoot, Jean prevents an accident with her telekinetic powers when a studio lamp is almost knocked over. When the owner of Candy's Studio tries to ask Jean out on a date, he is opposed by Scott who almost picks a fight with the man until Jean calms him down. The roles reverse when all the other models show an interest in Scott, prompting a jealous Jean to yank Scott out of the room as quickly as possible. Although they are trying for a normal life, Scott and Jean are in for some trouble, because somewhere in a hidden lab a sentient device called Computo has begun activating its Cybertrons, robots that it plans to use to take over the world.
Scott takes Jean to the radio station where he works and they look over the records that they have to play. Scott points out the arrival of a new 50,000-watt transmitter when movers are attacked by Computo's Cybertrons, prompting Scott and Jean to go into action as Cyclops and Marvel Girl. The two mutants manage to destroy two of the robots, one with electrified hands, and the other with wind and flight powers. However, the final robot, one that is powered by sonic energy manages to flee. However, as it flees, Jean uses her telepathic powers to track it back to its base.
Following it to a construction site, the two X-Men blast their way into Computo's lair where they witness the failed robot being terminated by its master. The two mutants are then spotted and attacked by the other activated Cybertrons. Cyclops and Marvel Girl fight their way through them until Cyclops gets close enough to fire an optic blast that causes the computer to explode. However, from the wreckage comes the mastermind behind Computo: Quasimodo, the living computer. Defeated, Quasimodo sets the base to flood and flees the scene.
Cyclops and Marvel Girl take Quasimodo's example and flee the base themselves; just barely managing to make it out before they drown. Back on the surface, Cyclops uses his optic blast to seal the entrance. Leaving the scene, the two remark over the recurrence of evil.
In this follow up story, the Beast gives us a narrative about his mutant powers. He explains that his large hands and feet, enhanced strength and agility allow him to perform all his feats. He can leap and bound out of trouble, and use his toes to help him scale walls. He also explains his unique fighting style and he is so skilled with his feet that he can write with his toes. He is so skilled he can use both his hands and feet to repair machinery.
Taking a moment to revert to his civilian guise, he tells the audience about his interest in the various academic interests that he has before being called into action. Hank quickly changes into his Beast costume, bounds across the rooftops of cars, climb a nearby building, and manages to hop aboard the X-Copter to join his comrades in another battle.
Uncanny X-Men #49
Although the X-Men have been forced to disband by orders from the FBI, Angel still can't help himself but return to the X-Mansion. While lost in thought, Warren becomes aware of a ticking sound and finds that Cerebro is still active and running. To his shock, it's reporting a high concentration of mutants, prompting him to try and get in touch with the other X-Men. Straining to send out his thoughts, he manages to make a connection with Jean via her telepathic powers and creates a psi-link between them and Scott, Bobby and Hank. However, Jean couldn't pick a worse time to contact Bobby and Hank who are out trying skydiving. The momentary distraction makes it too late for Hank to pull his ripcord and deploy his parachute; however, he is saved from a fatal fall when Bobby uses his ice powers to slow the fall.
While far in San Francisco, we learn that this gathering of mutants is led by a man named Mesmero, who is amassing a mutant army to rise up and take over humanity, and apparently is under orders by Magneto himself. Needing to recruit more mutants for this army, Mesmero uses a psyche-generator of Magneto's own design to send out a call to latent mutants to awaken and heed his call. Among their numbers is one Lorna Dane, who in a trance-like state almost walks out into traffic and is saved at the last minute by Bobby Drake, who has come to San Francisco with the rest of the X-Men. When Lorna realizes that she has unknowingly traveled 1200 miles from home, she agrees to let Bobby take her back to the apartment he's rented out with Hank.
Hank is less than happy that Bobby has brought the girl home, with the pending arrival of Warren, Scott and Jean to investigate the influx of mutants in the area. However, when the other X-Men arrive, it appears that Lorna has fallen asleep, so the X-Men leave Hank behind to work on a portable Cerebro machine while they go and seek out the location of the mutant gathering. When they arrive at the mansion that Mesmero is operating out of, the X-Men are attacked by members of his Demi-Men army, who pledge allegiance to Magneto during the fight. After a brief battle, the X-Men manage to defeat the Demi-Men, however, Warren is injured in the fight and the X-Men decide to return to Hank's apartment to see if he has finished building the Mini-Cerebro.
Hank has indeed finished the miniature Cerebro machine, and it instantly starts picking up a mutant nearby. To Hank's surprise, it's Lorna who has just come out of the shower. She reveals her green hair, having used dye to cover it up. Hank covers up for his secret identity by telling her that he's a friend of Bobby and that he is on his way to a costume party. When the other X-Men arrive, they reveal to Lorna that she might be a mutant and then decide to investigate if somehow Magneto is still alive with the mini-Cerebro unit. Lorna does not recognize Bobby in his Iceman form and Beast once more covers for their secret identities by telling her Bobby is on a secret mission for them. When the X-Men leave, Iceman is left behind to keep an eye on Lorna.
Right after the X-Men leave, Iceman and Lorna are ambushed by Mesmero and some of his Demi-Men. When Iceman uses his powers to try and defend Lorna, he is easily overcome by Mesmero's mutant hypnotism. When the evil mutants approach Lorna, she panics until they stop and begin bowing down to her in worship.
Telling the origins of the Beast, our story begins with Norton and Edna McCoy. Recently married, the couple have relocated to a new home provided by Norton's employers an atomic energy plant. One day some of the carbon rods be lowered due to the fact that there is a short in the electrical systems.
Ordered to get the chief electrical engineer, Norton disobeys orders to manually lower the rods. Although in a protective suit, the radiation is intense and although Norton manages to save the day he passes out due to his exposure to the rods radioactivity. Norton survives and after a brief stay at the hospital he is released.
Sometime later in a new home and new job Norton and Edna conceive a child, however the doctors are worried about the state of the child given Norton's previous exposure to radiation. However months later, when their boy -- named Henry -- is born, the only odd thing about the boy is his large hands and feet. When Hank's Uncle Bob comes to visit, he responds to his uncles cooing by punching him in the chin. Marvelling at the boys strength, Bob tells them that the boy could be the next heavyweight champ and field kicker.
Uncanny X-Men #50
With Iceman and Lorna Dane captured, Mesmero takes them to his secret "City of Mutants", the staging ground for his mutant militia. There, Iceman is imprisoned while Mesmero's scientists work to awaken Lorna's latent mutant powers. Meanwhile, the other X-Men has stormed Mesmero's San Francisco mansion to find opposition from his Demi-Men who easily defeat the group with a special gas apparently created by Magneto himself. With the X-Men downed, the squad leader of the Demi-Men orders them taken to the Mutant City.
There, Mesmero's machines awaken Lorna's latent mutant abilities, which manifest as control over magnetism. Calling her the daughter of Magneto, Mesmero dubs her M-2 and orders the just arriving X-Men to bow to her supremacy. Refusing, the X-Men prepare to attack and Iceman manages to free himself by freezing his bonds to the point that they shatter from the intense cold. With Lorna under his control, Mesmero orders her to use her powers against the X-Men and she complies, unleashing a powerful magnetic blast... However, it's unleashed against Mesmero's men and not the X-Men. The strain knocks her out, and she is saved from a fall by Angel.
The X-Men then rushes in for the attack, but before they can strike Mesmero, they are blocked by some barrier. Then out of the shadows, to everyone's shock and surprise, Magneto reveals himself to be alive and well.
The young Hank McCoy is raised by his parents Norton and Edna McCoy, who find that raising a mutant child with superior strength and agility is difficult, but they still raise a well-rounded boy. Reaching his high school years, the academic Hank is pressured by the football captain to kick a ball, trying to show his team that a lowly freshman can play better football than them. To everyone's surprise, Hank's mutant nature makes him adept at playing football and he's soon invited to join the team. Hank does and becomes a football sensation.
During one of his games, the box office is robbed by a gang of crooks who try to steal the money from ticket sales. Witnessing the robbery, Hank uses his mutant abilities to knock out all the crooks, his daring actions are televised on national television, attracting the attention of a costumed villain known as the Conquistador, who seeks to exploit Hank for his own criminal ends.
Sources and content license
Source and revision history · Exact listed stories combined in catalog order. Sources retain their stated license; formatting and headings adjusted. Adapted from Marvel Database contributors, X-Men Vol 1 26. Illustrations and reference markup removed; synopsis paragraphs combined. Adapted from Marvel Database contributors, X-Men Vol 1 27. Illustrations and reference markup removed; synopsis paragraphs combined. Adapted from Marvel Database contributors, X-Men Vol 1 28. Illustrations and reference markup removed; synopsis paragraphs combined. Adapted from Marvel Database contributors, X-Men Vol 1 29. Illustrations and reference markup removed; synopsis paragraphs combined. Adapted from Marvel Database contributors, X-Men Vol 1 30. Illustrations and reference markup removed; synopsis paragraphs combined. Adapted from Marvel Database contributors, X-Men Vol 1 31. Illustrations and reference markup removed; synopsis paragraphs combined. Adapted from Marvel Database contributors, X-Men Vol 1 32. Illustrations and reference markup removed; synopsis paragraphs combined. Adapted from Marvel Database contributors, X-Men Vol 1 33. Illustrations and reference markup removed; synopsis paragraphs combined. Adapted from Marvel Database contributors, X-Men Vol 1 34. Illustrations and reference markup removed; synopsis paragraphs combined. Adapted from Marvel Database contributors, X-Men Vol 1 35. Illustrations and reference markup removed; synopsis paragraphs combined. Adapted from Marvel Database contributors, X-Men Vol 1 36. Illustrations and reference markup removed; synopsis paragraphs combined. Adapted from Marvel Database contributors, X-Men Vol 1 37. Illustrations and reference markup removed; synopsis paragraphs combined. Adapted from Marvel Database contributors, X-Men Vol 1 38. Illustrations and reference markup removed; synopsis paragraphs combined. Adapted from Marvel Database contributors, X-Men Vol 1 39. Illustrations and reference markup removed; synopsis paragraphs combined. Adapted from Marvel Database contributors, X-Men Vol 1 40. Illustrations and reference markup removed; synopsis paragraphs combined. Adapted from Marvel Database contributors, X-Men Vol 1 41. Illustrations and reference markup removed; synopsis paragraphs combined. Adapted from Marvel Database contributors, X-Men Vol 1 42. Illustrations and reference markup removed; synopsis paragraphs combined. Adapted from Marvel Database contributors, X-Men Vol 1 43. Illustrations and reference markup removed; synopsis paragraphs combined. Adapted from Marvel Database contributors, X-Men Vol 1 44. Illustrations and reference markup removed; synopsis paragraphs combined. Adapted from Marvel Database contributors, X-Men Vol 1 45. Illustrations and reference markup removed; synopsis paragraphs combined. Adapted from Marvel Database contributors, X-Men Vol 1 46. Illustrations and reference markup removed; synopsis paragraphs combined. Adapted from Marvel Database contributors, X-Men Vol 1 47. Illustrations and reference markup removed; synopsis paragraphs combined. Adapted from Marvel Database contributors, X-Men Vol 1 48. Illustrations and reference markup removed; synopsis paragraphs combined. Adapted from Marvel Database contributors, X-Men Vol 1 49. Illustrations and reference markup removed; synopsis paragraphs combined. Adapted from Marvel Database contributors, X-Men Vol 1 50. Illustrations and reference markup removed; synopsis paragraphs combined. · Content license