Guest Review - "Only a Mutant Like Ourselves Could Have Destroyed the Hulk!" What If? 31

Doug: Once again we welcome Thomas F. to the scribe's chair. Today he's sharing thoughts on a magazine that was a late-Bronze Age staple for many of us - What If? And lurking within the issue Thomas has chosen is a question stemming from the early 1970s -- What if Wolverine had killed the Hulk? Why wait? Read on!

What If? #31 (February 1982)

“What If Wolverine Had Killed the Hulk?”

Rich Margopoulos-Bob Budiansky/Mike Esposito/Bob Sharen

Thomas F.: The “What If” comics were an intriguing concept: as fans are aware, they presented hypothetical tales of an alternate reality. Usually based on a significant event in the Marvel Universe, they tried to show the direction history would have taken if things had unfolded differently—sometimes very differently. Some of the stories have unsettling and tragic outcomes, which will make the reader feel relieved that they are just imaginary. The narrator of the story is, as usual, the Watcher.

This invented tale features Wolverine. But in these early times, little was known about Wolverine. Still, a few facts were established:

(1) Wolverine, aka Logan, had been a Canadian field agent employed by the Canadian military;

(2) Wolverine was a mutant with an incredible healing factor;

(3) Wolverine had a skeleton constructed of adamantium, a virtually unbreakable metal;

(4) Wolverine had three razor-sharp, retractable claws on the back of each hand, which he used as offensive weapons;

(5) Wolverine had an extremely powerful sense of smell; and

(6) Wolverine possessed the savage instincts of an animalistic killer and had undergone drug therapy and “psycho-training” to curb these wild impulses of his.

  

BACKGROUND: To evade the American military, the Hulk made his way into Canada and fought a giant, Yeti-like cannibal beast in the woods of Quebec known as the Wendigo. Alerted to the ferocious creatures destroying the forest in the Canadian North Woods, the Canadian Armed Forces sent a special adamantium-clawed field agent with a six-hour deadline to capture the Hulk. Wolverine proved unsuccessful—he was unable to defeat the Hulk in combat, and the Canadian military intervened, sending a “crack-squad of specially-trained commandos” to finish the job. They use a soporific gas against the Hulk, which worked, but when the Green Goliath awakened, he easily broke free and escaped. (These incidents took place in The Incredible Hulk #s180-182, before the events of Giant-Size X-Men #1, where Wolverine abruptly resigned his Canadian commission and left with Professor X to join the new X-Men, who were introduced in X-Men #94).

 

300-WORD SYNOPSIS: This time around, Wolverine first incapacitates the Wendigo, then engages the Hulk in a fight to the finish. No quarter is given. Wolverine pits his tenacity, speed, and “diamond-hard” adamantium claws against the overwhelming strength of the Hulk. Caught up in the escalating intensity of the clash, Wolverine disregards the instructions of his superiors to apprehend the Hulk and decides to kill him instead. In a savage spate of fury, Wolverine repeatedly slashes away at the Hulk’s neck and succeeds in killing him.

Later, after a barroom brawl during which he loses control of himself, Wolverine is charged with murdering a civilian, and he deserts the Canadian Forces. Almost immediately afterward, Wolverine—now out of options and pursued by the law—is enlisted into the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants by the powerful Magneto, Master of Magnetism. Magneto tasks Wolverine with infiltrating the X-Men as a mole.

Over several weeks, Wolverine becomes a trusted member of the X-Men, training with the team in the Danger Room and helping to defeat the Sentinels. Wolverine is still committed to betray the X-Men for Magneto, although he does so with a troubled conscience, because he now considers the X-Men his friends. According to a prearranged plan, Wolverine disables Cerebro’s “proximity fuse,” which allows Magneto and his followers to break into X-Men headquarters without warning.

When Magneto and his mutant cronies—the Blob, Unus the Untouchable, Lorelei, and Mastermind—breach Professor Xavier’s School For Gifted Youngsters, they overwhelm the X-Men. But when Magneto tries to kill Jean Grey/Marvel Girl, for whom Wolverine feels affection, Wolverine turns on Magneto. Both inflict lethal injuries on one another: Wolverine slashes Magneto to death, and in his final moments, Magneto uses the power of magnetism to cause Wolverine to pierce himself in the throat with his own metal claws.

Before reading this issue, I’d never heard of Rich Margopoulos. After looking him up, I discovered that he’d written for Warren Publishing, which produced the monster/horror comics Hunter the Demon Killer and Vampirella. Margopoulos also wrote over at MLJ, now known as Archie Comics, and wrote at least one more What If? story for Marvel (issue #38). His influences were Steve Englehart and Roy Thomas.

As for Bob Budiansky’s artwork, it’s average, in my opinion. Passable, but not extraordinary, though he is a good storyteller. Certainly not a big name, Budiansky is best known for writing The Transformers and penciling issues of Ghost Rider near the end of its run. Personally, I would have liked to see Herb Trimpe pencil this issue.

I thought I’d mention that as a Canadian myself, I have an affinity for heroes of Canadian origin, and appreciate it whenever Marvel or DC create Canadian characters, even if they’re almost invariably depicted as British replicas.

I love the scenes where Wolverine does the Hulk in. Wolverine’s relentless viciousness really makes an impact here.
Although it wasn’t known at the time of The Incredible Hulk #181, it was established years later that Wolverine’s metal claws did lacerate the Hulk’s tough skin, but the Hulk healed so quickly that he appeared to be uninjured.

The Hulk’s passing made a personal impact on at least two people, General “Thunderbolt” Ross and his daughter Betty. The general has mixed feelings of part relief and part regret now that his long-time nemesis has perished. As for Betty, she is immensely saddened because although she was certainly aware that the Hulk was very dangerous, she loved Bruce Banner, the man inside the monster. The rest of the world is understandably astounded to when they hear of the Hulk’s death on a news broadcast.

I found it neat how the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, led by Magneto, have their version of a “Danger Room” at their headquarters where they train, just like the X-Men do. Supervillains have to keep in shape too!
Wolverine’s tendency to succumb to a berserk rage is an appealing quirk of his. Unfortunately for him, this time it led to tragedy—when a barfly pulled a gun on him, Wolverine acted instinctively and skewered him like a shish-kebab.

This also happened after Magneto tried to kill Jean Grey—Wolverine flew into a rage and butchered him.

 

The final page where the dying Magneto managed to summon enough power to carry out a final offensive, killing Wolverine, is shocking. Like some movies, the actually impalement occurred off-screen (in this case, off-panel).

 

Overall, this was an intriguing issue that I was glad to finally get my hands on. Just wish that “bigger” names had been involved in the production of this series, though Frank Miller did write and pencil two excellent What If? Daredevil stories: What If? #28 (“Matt Murdock … Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.”) and What If? #35 (“What If Bullseye had Not killed Elektra?”). If you’re a Daredevil and/or Miller fan, be sure to check those out.

Only Time Will Tell... X-Men 142

X-Men #142 (February 1981)

"Mind Out of Time!"

Chris Claremont-John Byrne/Terry Austin

Doug: Karen remarked last week how much material has been mined, lifted, and influenced by this two-part story. Of course the feature film named for this story opens in American theaters in less than two weeks. Of course, being the hangers-on that we are around here, we wanted to milk that publicity... oh, stop it. Of course you know we don't do that. Let's just say that it's a coincidence that we're running our reviews of X-Men #s 141-142 in May 2014. Really...!

Karen: After having read both issues again, which I have read many times before, although not for a few years, it's easy to see why they have become so highly regarded. Unfortunately, the story in these two issues, and the death and resurrection of Jean Grey, became two themes that were repeated endlessly in the X-books and have come to dominate X-Men mythology ever since. It's very much like the way Miller's The Dark Knight Returns came to dominate how Batman was portrayed for years (even still, to be honest). Something that should have been an exciting, one-off story gained far too much weight. But for now, let's just enjoy that story.

Doug: Your Dark Knight analogy seems apt. When you compare this story to that, I get it.

Doug:  When we left off we had two bands of mutants, neither very merry. The team in our "present" (1980) had just been engaged by the all-new, all-different Brotherhood of Evil Mutants in the United States Capitol while trying to defend Senator Robert Kelly from murder. In the future (2013 to be precise), what was left of the X-Men were trying to stay a step ahead of the Sentinels. Those robots had evolved to the point where they could plan and execute far more successfully than they ever had in the past. They had taken over the United States and had slain almost all super-powered beings save a ragtag band of mutants. Led by Wolverine and Storm, Colossus, Kate Pryde, and Rachel (girlfriend of the recently-deceased Franklin Richards) were all that remained. Rachel, an extremely powerful telepath, had launched Kate's consciousness back to the past to inhabit the mind of Kate's younger self in a bid to get that era's X-Men to halt the assassination of Kelly. They believed that preserving his life would interrupt a chain of events that would eventually lead to the apocalyptic future they now inhabited.

Karen: I was about to remark here that this reminded me a little of James Cameron's The Terminator -except that film came out in 1984! But then, time travel has been around as long as stories. Certainly Cameron was accused of riffing off of two of Harlan Ellison's Outer Limits episodes, "Soldier" and the excellent "Demon with a Glass Hand," both time travel tales. And I read the other day Cameron was a consultant to the film-makers on X-Men: Days of Future Past! I don't know what it all means, but there you go!

Doug: In the Capitol, the X-Men are at a disadvantage. First, they were still trying to come to grips with the fact that their Kitty was literally out of her mind, and also dealing with this plot that would send reality into a long state of decline. So when the Brotherhood attacked, and with so many new members, the X-Men were on their heels. Avalanche led the assault, ripping the marble floor from under the good guys. Nightcrawler engaged, using his power of teleportation to pepper Avalanche from all sides. But the precog Destiny could tell Avalanche where to strike before Kurt rematerialized. Nightcrawler down. Pyro warmed up Colossus' metal hide, and as Wolverine sought to intervene, new team leader Storm swept him from the fray. Mad, claws drawn -- not gonna fight that way, said Ororo. Angel grabbed Kitty by the arm and lifted her outside and above the mess. On the sidelines, a security guard offered to get the Professor and Moira MacTaggert to safety. Little did they know that it was Mystique in disguise. She hit them with a knockout gas, removing the most powerful X-Man from the battle. And in one of those tropes we love to hate around here, Mystique says to Destiny, "I should kill you (Xavier) while I have the chance, but for the moment, I think you're of more use as a potential hostage." Will they never learn?

Karen: Yes, a puzzling move by Mystique. I thought it odd that Avalanche wore armor too, but maybe he was just a careful guy. Just as you mused in our previous review that you'd never considered the Sentinels to be that much of a threat, I have to admit I'd never considered the Blob to be very formidable, but here, he seems to come across as a hefty Juggernaut.
Doug: Sometimes I think the Blob is one of those characters with the nebulous powersets. Does he have super strength? In this story he's shown lifting some pretty heavy stuff, as well as propelling himself out of a window in a leap that looks like it could have been borrowed from the Hulk. It's always been my understanding that he is a) invulnerable to penetration from bullets, etc. and b) immovable.

Doug: Mystique had asked Destiny about their possibilities for success, but Destiny said that there was some random factor present that was prohibiting her from a clear vision. That factor was the adult mind of Kate Pryde inhabiting the teenaged body of Kitty Pryde. Kate thinks back to how she got to this point, and we get the obligatory flashback. But we scene shift to Kate's future, where the X-Men are moving on their target: the Baxter Building, nerve center of the Sentinels. Logan, Storm, Colossus, Rachel, and the unconscious Kate have moved to a point several blocks from the HQ they'll attack. Storm takes the lead, with time of the essence. She takes out a sentry at the main doors; John Byrne and Terry Austin draw a neat image of the Sentinel slumping against the wall and sinking. It reminded me of a panel Byrne had drawn in Fantastic Four #243 of Galactus in a similar posture. And with that big purple goon out of the picture, our heroes walk right in the front door. Logan has appropriated the tech to activate the FF's personal elevator. I thought it was strange that he said he got it from "intelligence reports" rather than from Franklin. But, I suppose the Sentinels would have rigged a different frequency once they'd moved in. Chris Claremont does a nice job in this scene of getting those potential new readers up to speed, with mentions of the fate of Ororo's parents, her criminal past as a child thief, and of her claustrophobia. It's done very organically, though -- I thought it was useful information but not forced on the reader.

Karen: It's interesting in this future sequence that Rachel says she's not certain that what Kate does in the past will definitely change their own time stream -it might just create a different timeline. Isn't this always the problem with time travel stories? Can you really change things? But the X-Men have nothing left to try. I did think Storm's mental monologue went on a bit too long -it actually covered about 50% of the panel she was in -but I guess it didn't do any actual damage. But why the heck would they take the elevator to the FF's floors? Convenient? Sure. But it's like ringing the doorbell.

Doug: I'd almost have to think that Claremont instructed Byrne to give him that specific panel. My point is, if it's not filled up with text, it's a pretty large, bland part of the page. Back in our nation's capital, all hell is still breaking loose. Kate Pryde circles the fracas, staying in close proximity to Senator Kelly. She knows he will be killed, but not the identity of the killer. Storm is feeling self-conscious, as this is her first dance as team leader after the leave of absence taken by Cyclops. Feeling that the team is confined, and at the mercy of the not-yet-fully-understood powers of the new Brotherhood, Storm decides to "take it outside". Using a hurricane force wind, she blows all the combatants right onto the Capitol lawn. And I have to say, given that I frequent Washington, DC at least annually, that the Byrne/Austin team didn't do too much homework on the vistas from the Capitol, the skyline, etc. There are no skyscrapers in DC, as nothing can be taller than the Washington Monument; in fact, there are only a handful of buildings taller than 200 feet. Anyway, to make matters worse, the Blob is thriving no matter his location. And then the army arrives. Now I'm all for our service men and women, and am in debt to their sacrifices for our rights and freedoms. But in a Marvel comic, when they arrive it's usually not a good thing. And not here, for sure. Colossus gets whacked by a concussion cannon developed by Shaw Industries, and a GI with a flamethrower plays right into Pyro's hands. Angel tries to draw one of Pyro's fire monsters toward him, but Pyro notices that Wolverine has finally gotten close to the Blob and without Storm's interference. But before he can do any serious hack/slash, the fire monster literally lifts him up -- and that's real fire, kids! Storm sees it and elevates, only to come flashing through the heart of the creature, dispersing it. Wolverine is burned badly.

Karen: Storm's self-doubts were well handled -heck, I wondered as a reader if she was ready to lead the team. She'd always been one of the gentler X-Men -could she possibly make the hard decisions required of leadership? This was an intriguing challenge for this character. The fire monsters were fun visually, although I'm not sure how they could physically lift anything. But it was refreshing to revisit a time when Wolverine could actually get hurt.

Doug: Nightcrawler had rushed to Logan's aid, but the healing factor had already kicked in. But Wolverine was, this time, definitely worse for the wear. He took a time-out. When's the last time you saw that? But as Kurt tended to his friend he was shocked to be attacked by... himself?!? Another Nightcrawler (of course we know who it is) leapt from the side and began to pummel Kurt. Wolverine was no use, as his senses were all messed up from his burning. He popped his claws, figuring the real Kurt would be able to bamf! out of the way. But Storm stopped him, and then a defining moment in the lives and careers of both characters happened: Storm told Logan to stand down, and he threatened her, saying he wouldn't take it from Cyclops. She, in no uncertain terms, informed him that she was now the leader, that his other powers should be sufficient enough in almost all situations, and that his claws henceforth were to be used only in emergencies. And you know what? He sheathes them. 

Karen: This sequence with Storm ordering Wolverine to sheathe his claws is rather interesting. It seems odd that it comes right here, at this point in the fight. I had recalled reading somethng about it, and dug out my copy of Peter Sanderson's excellent X-Men Companion Volume II (Fantagraphics Books, 1982). On page 27, in Sanderson's interview with Claremont, they're discussing how Claremont and Byrne would co-plot the title, Claremont brings up this issue, 142, and the scene with Storm ordering Wolverine to sheathe his claws. It was supposed to come at the very beginning of the fight, when Wolverine attacks Pyro. Storm was supposed to tell him, no killing, not here, not with the TV cameras on us. But (according to Claremont), Byrne drew this scene in the middle of the fight instead. You can see in the published material, Storm's objection is about Wolverine using lethal force, not about bad publicity. Which works better? For the story, I think it would have been better to have the sequence be at the beginning; but for Ororo's character, it should be about the killing, not the TV cameras.

Doug: Not having known that before, moving that dialogue to the beginning of the story seems odd. If Cyclops had said it, I have no trouble believing it and yes -- it would have worked better in that context. But since Storm is assigned that line, it seems to be appropriately placed.

Doug: Just then Avalanche struck again, rippling the asphalt and knocking everyone off-kilter. Somehow Peter gets his mitts on a long I-beam and sets it on Wolverine's adamantium-laced spine, using the shrimp as a fulcrum. With Blob's back turned, Colossus runs that girder right center-groin, and then punches his end, launching the Blob into the air. Well, what goes up comes down, and when the Blob is about to land he gets a face full of organic steel! Krom! indeed! Blob lands on Avalanche -- two down. Storm then creates a deluge to put Pyro out of the action, and at the same time Kurt lands a haymaker on his doppelganger. Yup -- it was Mystique, as she reverts to form. But then Claremont drops us a bombshell. Kurt gets a look at Mystique in her true form and immediately fixates on her eyes and her skin color. "Mein Gott, we are so alike!" Mystique tells him that perhaps he is not so unique, and that he should go ask his mother. Kurt is left with his mouth agape.

Karen: So...did Colossus hammer that I-beam into Blob's, uhm, private parts? It sort of looked that way. Then again, there's so much flesh down there...OK, Yuck. It was a fun bit though. The reveal of Mystique and suggestions of a link to Nightcrawler seemed innocent enough back in the day, but of course, spun out of control and became another convoluted X-Men backstory that is just painful to think about.

Doug: Well, as I said above -- Blob is supposed to be invulnerable, so I'm assuming he wasn't wearing a cup... So the team collects themselves mentally and counts Sprite and Destiny as among the unaccounted. They rush off to find them. Meanwhile, if you can say that when your storylines are separated by 33 years, the X-Men of 2013 have arrived to the floors of the Baxter Building formerly occupied by the FF. Here's an architectural question for you: if the FF inhabited the top six floors of the building, given that Sentinels are generally 30 feet tall can we assume that the new-and-improved Baxter Building only has two usable floors up top? Wolverine orders up a fastball special on the Sentinel in front of them. Peter obliges, but as Logan's claws are about to cut deep into the robot, it wheels and obliterates him with a beam of light and force. Takes him down to the skeleton. Storm attacks next, and is impaled on a spike shot from the wrist of one of the Sentinels. Colossus then uses his rage to punch a Sentinel through an exterior wall and across the street. Rachel huddles in the shadows with the limp Kate Pryde; Rachel has been telepathically connected to her teammates. She feels each of them die, yet stays linked to them to the end. She knows now that if they are to win their day, Kate must win hers in the past.

Karen: So. These three pages are the ones I remember the most from this issue. I suspect this is true for many readers. Back in 1980, we weren't used to seeing heroes killed yet, let alone reduced to a smoking skeleton. It really was shocking and the visual of Wolverine being disintegrated is one I doubt I'll forget (Regenerate from that, runt!). The X-Men fought valiantly here, but  -but -they lost. They did that a lot, too. And the two big stories that they are remembered for -"Dark Phoenix" and "Days of Future Past" -are essentially stories of their failure as a team. They couldn't save Jean -yes, she sacrificed herself and there is some nobility in that, but come on, they failed; and here, in the future, they couldn't stop the Sentinels. It's all rather discouraging when you think about it.

Doug: Back inside the Capitol, Destiny has closed on Senator Kelly, a small crossbow aimed at his heart. But Kate had crept behind an overturned table, just feet from the precog. She wonders why Destiny cannot sense her, but then figures that it's the anomaly of being from the future. As Destiny readies to fire, Kate leaps and phases through her foe, making her miss. At that moment, the assassination thwarted, Kate is called home. She gets a split second to see her teen self, and "gives herself a kiss". Kitty, now back in control of her own body, goes to a knee as her friends arrive. At about the same time, the Professor and Moira re-enter. Kelly wants to know what is going on; Storm tells him that he'd do well to know that like all people, mutants come in good and bad. She connects with Xavier's thoughts, and tells him that the team will meet at Warren's aircraft. Mystique watches from the shadows, and swears vengeance.

Karen: Just like you wondered why Mystique would hang on to Professor X and not kill him, I wondered why Destiny would use a tiny crossbow and not a semi-automatic weapon or a shotgun, anything more potent! She might as well have had a slingshot. But in any case -this scene here is would seem to indicate that the dread future has been averted. But has it been? 

 

Doug: On the plane back to Westchester, Kitty and the rest of the team want to know if they did indeed alter the future. Xavier says only time will tell. Although his mindscan of Kitty probably revealed more than he let on. The story ends with a one-page epilogue. In the White House, the President receives two visitors: Senator Robert Kelly and his friend, industrialist Sebastian Shaw. The president says that the mutant threat is still real; indeed, all super-powered beings should be watched, adds Shaw. And then the president drops a bombshell that would have made long-time Avenges fans perk up -- the man who will be in charge of the new "Project Wideawake", which will finally resolve (a "Final Solution"?) the mutant problem -- is one Henry Peter Gyrich. His first task -- to work with Sebastian Shaw to create a new and improved line of Sentinels. As Xavier said, "only time will tell".

Karen: So after all this, we still get a downer ending. Yup, it's an X-Men book.

Doug: Initially, after my first read and as I was readying to begin framing this review, I was going to express a bit of disappointment in the resolution of this story. My feelings at first went to the future X-Men and how everyone ended up dead (hey, for once a comic book cover's hyperbole rang true!), rather than succeeding in their mission in some last-minute, last-ditch effort to triumph over evil. But... on the re-read as I was writing I think I like this just fine. To have glimpsed the future and not had it end as it did, then that would have necessitated more trips to the future and now you're just feeling like you need to have a Crisis or some such thing. Instead, focusing on the least likely X-Man, Kitty, and this cypher or channel, worked just great and gave her instant credibility on the team. And along the way, the creative team gave us some great teeny-tiny vignettes that would establish characterizations moving forward. Nope -- this was a pretty satisfying 2-parter!

Karen: Despite my joking around about the downer ending, I too enjoyed reading this story all over again. Despite some minor flaws, it's well crafted. There's a true sense of desperation and even when the X-Men are at their worst in the Sentinel camps in the future, they are still trying to save everything, showing their great sense of hope. Maybe that's what drew me to these characters way back when I was a kid: they were outcasts, but they still fought hard for each other, and for a better world.

Avengers Firsts: Quicksilver & the Scarlet Witch

X-Men #4 (March 1964)(cover by Jack Kirby and George Roussos)

"The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants!"

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Paul Reinman

Karen: We're back with our second 'Avengers' Firsts', this time looking at those terrific twins, Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch. The first thing you might notice is their appearance on the cover: the Scarlet Witch is colored green, and Quicksilver, who wears his green costume on the pages inside, is garbed in blue here! What a mess. But this introduction to two important members of the Marvel universe is a pretty fun read. Beyond just being the first appearance of these two characters, it also brings the concept of Xavier's and Magneto's conflict and differing philosophies to the fore.

Doug: I'll be using the X-Men Marvel Masterworks, volume one for reading; the art in today's post is from the X-Men dvd-rom, but we'll also include a couple of scans at the end from the Masterworks to show some specific coloring differences. Editorial seemed to think that maybe it was a better idea to correct the twins' costumes for the high-quality Masterworks reprint! Like you, I really enjoyed prepping for today's review. I'd only read this story one other time, and it was the better part of two decades ago -- it really had a fresh feel to it this time around. I'd echo your comments about the relative importance of this particular comic, in light of the public's primary knowledge of the Marvel Universe coming through the feature films. Much of what happens between these covers is seminal to the X-Men franchise, and now with Wanda and Pietro set for their silver screen debuts it carries a bit more weight.

Karen: This issue starts out with the X-Men in the Danger Room -is it just my imagination, or did half the early X-Men issues start this way? Anyway, Beast is being put through his paces. He nearly completes his obstacle course but fails right at the end and falls into a pool of water. After getting some words of wisdom from Professor X, it's Iceman's turn. He's still the fluffy, snowman-like Iceman. He  also does well, to a point. After another short lecture from the Professor, it's Jean's turn. But she has a simple task: to lift the lid on a box. Teacher's pet! Inside is a birthday cake. Professor X says it's been a year since they began training and it's time to celebrate. Hey, he wasn't all bad! The youngsters gather around their teacher and dig in, smiles all around. Amusingly, Cyclops slices the cake with his eyebeam. Apparently he had achieved remarkable control even at this stage.

Doug: The Danger Room certainly received some modifications over the years, didn't it? Using the Masterworks, I flipped back through the previous three issues, as I thought this story was the first in which the term "Danger Room" was used; wrongo, buckaroo. It was in issue #2. But you're right -- in these first few months the team seemed to spend every moment at the school in said training facility. I suppose that's OK if Stan and Jack felt that they were doubling their readership each month (probably not the case) or just wanted to toy with the mutants' powers. One thing I did take note of as a major shift in characterization from the premier to this ish was the upgrade of Hank McCoy's speech patterns. Gone was the Thing-like grammar and in its place was a more "normal"-sounding fella. He didn't seem to be the scholar he'd grow to be, but he'd certainly left the street-level talk behind.

Doug: Even at this early stage, the team had formed their personalities that would carry them all the way into the Bronze Age. Bobby would mature the most, I guess -- but he had the furthest to grow. I always felt that Warren looked the coolest of the five, but was perhaps the most bland. Sure, his jerk-like qualities sometimes rose to the surface, but editorial perhaps didn't want him to stray too far from his namesake, I guess. Oh, and in regard to Cyke's eyebeams and our discussion of such back in the "Secret Empire" storyline -- everything I'm seeing in these early issues has them as force beams. No heat seems to be present.

Karen: We switch scenes to another group of mutants gathered around a table, eating, but this is a far different gathering. This is our first look at the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants: Toad, Mastermind, and the focus of our review, Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch. Gone is the camaraderie we saw with the X-Men; instead, Quicksilver upbraids the Toad for his table manners in front of his sister, while Mastermind comes on to her. Wanda, appalled and quite angry, uses her hex power to cause a bottle of water to fall over into Mastermind's lap. As he prepares to retaliate, she calls to her brother, and Quicksilver gives Mastermind a swift right to the jaw, knocking him off his feet. Mastermind is about to return the favor when the Toad begins hopping with glee, telling them go ahead, destroy each other, then just he and the Witch will be left to rule alongside "the Leader"! At the mention of "The Leader" Mastermind backs down, knowing that Quicksilver and his sister are integral to his plans. Hmmm, who could this mysterious Leader be???

Doug: Talk about nailing it the first time! Quicksilver upbraids the Toad, indeed! "Toad! Must you chomp your food like that?? My sister happens to be at the table, you obnoxious fool!" No lie -- laughed out loud when I read that. So I said the Angel was jerk-like above. Pietro would take any and all comers in a jerk contest and destroy them all! We spent some time last week discussing the elements of Hawkeye's personality that would stick and grow to become literally who he was/is. Stan truly does nail it the first time with a) Pietro's brashness and speech patterns, and b) his twisted devotion to his sister as her guardian and protector. Given that this was a Silver Age story, we had no inkling that Wanda's power would one day far eclipse her brother's and that she would make a better protector for him! I loved Wanda's costume in these early years, from her headpiece to the rings around her boots. There really was no reason to sex her up as many artists did over the course of the 1980s-'00s.

Karen: I think you're a bit hard on Pietro -he's a hot-head, but at this stage, I don't think he's a real jerk. But I'll save my comments for him until the end.

Doug: I haven't read all of the Silver Age X-Men books, but every time I come across Mastermind I am astounded that the fool could pull off the whole manipulation of Phoenix as "Jason Wyngarde". Just floors me -- what a great choice by Chris Claremont and John Byrne, because I recall a deep sense of, "Ha! Got me!" when the reveal came.

Karen: In the office of a shipping line, the mutant master of magnetism, Magneto appears! I just really wanted to do a Stan Lee alliterative phrase there. He winds up stealing an old freighter that has guns on its deck. I don't know much at all about ships but I thought that was interesting. Using his magnetic abilities his pilots the craft out to sea -and who should be flying by but the Angel, on a training exercise. But although the winged teen swoops down for a closer look, neither mutant spots the other. Angel returns to the mansion and Professor Xavier runs a series of physical tests on him as Jean assists. Warren (the Angel) relays what he saw, and the Professor has a sense of foreboding about the freighter.

Doug: Speaking of headpieces, Magneto has one of the coolest headgears in all of comicdom. I love that helmet! I also know next to nothing about ships, but I share your wonder at why a "freighter" would be armed with heavy artillery; I also questioned Angel's query about the possibility that it was being remotely controlled. I tried not to read too much into the image of Jean as a lab assistant. Any reason why Hank wouldn't have been involved in... I don't know, biochemistry?

 

Karen: Magneto arrives at his uncharted Atlantic isle where the Toad excitedly greets him. The first thing the little wretch does is squeal on his comrades, telling Magneto they were fighting. Mastermind tries to downplay it, but when Toad says he tried to hurt Wanda, Mastermind angrily blurts out that he'll make the Toad pay for this. This infuriates Magneto, who grabs Mastermind and reminds him that their personal issues are nothing, only the plan matters. He finds Wanda and Pietro and tells them he must speak to them. Quicksilver says that he doesn't scare him, and that he's taking his sister away and leaving. Magneto then reminds him of the debt that she owes him. Wanda regretfully says that she has to serve him until she has repaid him. Magneto then recounts how he came upon their village "in the heart of Europe" where superstitious villagers were after Wanda, calling her a witch. The flashback shows Wanda standing in front of a burning building, her arms in the air as if in a panic, while angry villagers (one even has a pitchfork!) come after her. In the next panel, Magneto appears and gathers her up, saving her life. Back in the present, the master of magnetism reminds the twins that they are Homo Superior and it's their destiny to rule over humankind. Quicksilver however, has not completely drunk Magneto's Kool Aid -he isn't convinced, although he has no love for humans. But since his sister feels she must stay, he will too. Magneto says now that he has his ship, he will begin his assault on humankind. The five of them will attack and conquer an entire nation!

Doug: Would it be safe to say that since Magneto had found the island and then built an estate on it that it would no longer be "uncharted"? When Jack does the pullback right before the end of this scene, I can see why Magneto would later set up shop on an asteroid. This island is nothing to write home about! But I digress. I love the Toad. He's such a fool, a jester. I suppose one could argue that he's so unfairly persecuted and the butt of every joke as well as the recipient of the lion's share of the aggression from his comrades. But he could be (when written with a degree of reservation) such a great character, present mostly to add color to a typically testosterone-laced scene.

Doug: I am convinced that Europe never left the 19th century. Marvel Comics said so. Everything on that continent exists as it does in the 1931 Frankenstein film.

Karen: Several days later, Professor X is reading the newspaper, which says the tiny South American republic of Santo Marco has been attacked by an unknown ship. The Prof quickly figures out that it has to be Magneto and his allies. He summons the X-Men, who are all shown doing various off duty activities: Hank (the Beast) is solving math problems, holding the pen with his foot; Jean is either dancing or exercising; Warren could be listening to the radio or working on electronics; and Bobby is having a tremendous milkshake. Only Scott is dressed in his uniform. He comes running in from the practice field, yelling at everyone to suit up, it's a red alert. They find the Professor in a trance. But he's whispering, faintly. Professor X has sent his consciousness to the astral plane (although it is not called such here, it later will be) where he confronts Magneto. This is where the gauntlet is truly thrown down between them. Magneto says that only Xavier and his team stand between him and world conquest, but why do they fight their own kind? Xavier responds that he wants to save mankind, to bring about a golden age with humans and mutants living together. Magneto can't comprehend this. He says the only place for humans is as their slaves. If that's how Xavier feels, then they are enemies. Xavier comes out of his trance yelling that the X-Men will stop Magneto -even going so far as to say, "It will be mutant against mutant -to the death, if necessary!" Whoa, calm down there Professor! The X-Men are raring to go after Magneto.

Doug: I'll amend what I said earlier about Hank not being depicted yet as a scholar -- the scene of him working the math equations totally went by me! My eyes fixated on Jean's yoga (or whatever) and Bobby's ice cream soda. Hmmm... I'm sure someone in the audience could do a personality breakdown for me based on that. The two panels where Magneto and Xavier meet on the astral plane were just wonderful. Kirby could do scope and scale, couldn't he? This scene is formative for everything that will come after, for decades.

Karen: Back in Santo Marco, Magneto and the Brotherhood have taken over the the small country. Mastermind uses his illusionary power to whip up a phantom army to keep the people in line. Kirby draws a bunch of jack-stepping goons whose attire, with striking helmet design and 'M' armbands, would have looked like Nazis if they were colored green and not purple. Of course, in 1964 Magneto did not have his origin as a concentration camp survivor, but with that thought in place now it's a little unnerving. Of course, Kirby was using what he knew, and the Nazis would have been a symbol of supreme brutality. It works no matter how you look at it. Wanda questions why Magneto must terrify the people so, but the mutant leader says the humans are sheep, and fear is key to controlling them.

Doug: There's a lot to chew on in these eight panels. First, though -- in the Masterworks the army's uniforms are indeed green with dark green helmets. They resemble the Wehrmacht. And so I wonder if Claremont considered what Lee/Kirby had produced as canon? As we've remarked, this issue is so foundational on several levels, that to ignore any of its trappings seems irresponsible. I agree with you that Kirby perhaps equated all of Marvel's diabolical megalomaniacs with the megalomaniac of the 20th century. Kirby draws a sentry on a road checking for identification papers -- of course Jews had to carry papers on their persons at all times, and their movements could be restricted. So for Claremont to later switch everything in this scene to a polar perspective seems odd at best. I'm not saying the transition in Magneto's backstory isn't good or worthwhile; I merely question the rights of creators to retcon the work of the masters. There's a reason why you're getting a paycheck writing comics, son.

Karen: Soon Magneto is able to take over the government, and he recruits a real army. They are guarding the border when the X-Men drive up, in their civilian disguises, acting as American students on a goodwill tour. They are allowed to pass. Magneto is dispensing 'justice' in the presidential palace when he senses their arrival -somehow he seems to have a residual mental connection to Xavier. He tells the Brotherhood to prepare for them. Likewise, Professor X senses more mutants than Magneto and warns his young charges. They plan their assault on the palace and Beast takes the lead. He climbs a tower but is repelled by the Toad. Beast grabs onto the side of the tower and starts to work his way back up, but Mastermind uses his illusions to make the Beast think the stone tower has turned to smooth glass. The young mutant panics, believing he can't get a grip on the smooth surface. On the other side of the castle, the Angel engages turret gunners, knocking them out (killing them?) by dropping a live wire on them. He flies into the palace to search for Magneto when he runs into Quicksilver. I really get a kick out of how Pietro's speed is depicted here -he's all blurred out, just a bunch of green lines. Angel and Quicksilver race around the hallways, and Quicksilver is definitely faster, but Angel has the upper hand in maneuverability, and makes a sharp turn, avoiding a wall which Quicksilver slams right into. Pietro is out cold, but suddenly Wanda appears and she's upset to see her brother hurt. All Angel can think about though is how hot Wanda looks! The Witch uses her hex and suddenly the ceiling above Angel collapses and crashes down on him. Moments later he's tied up by soldiers and Quicksilver has recovered.

Doug: What do you think of Magneto's mental prowess in this story? The ground certainly seems to be laid for a prior relationship between Magneto and Xavier -- could they have been brothers, old friends, cousins? There's a connection between them that of course was mined in subsequent years. Back to the Hitler comparisons for a moment -- how about the soldier who remarks to his partner, "Strange how he took over our entire government -- so sudden, without firing a shot!" Franz von Papen and his mates felt at one time they could "box Hitler in", or "hire" him. Making him Chancellor was too easy -- a fire in the Reichstag soon after and Hitler declared emergency powers to rule by decree. "Strange how he took over our entire government -- ...without firing a shot!" Yes.

Karen: Well, these two men -Lee and Kirby -lived through WWII, and I'm pretty sure they understood how Hitler came to power. This isn't the only example  of this type of analogy in Marvel books.

Doug: I thought it was interesting that the Beast would go first, but I suppose of the five teens he was the "stealthiest". Angel would certainly be obvious, and one could spot Iceman coming a mile away on his ice slides. I did think it odd, however, that given the size of Hank's feet that he could squeeze those big honkin' toes in between the stones on the tower wall. I also like how Kirby and Don Heck drew Quicksilver in motion. But my single favorite image of Pietro is this one (ha - have to make the jump to see it!). And Warren... ever the prospective playboy. Dummy.

Karen: Magneto arrives to see that the Angel has been captured and is pleased, but this doesn't last long as a powerful beam of read energy comes blasting into the room. Yup, it's Cyclops. It's pretty silly, but Cyclops sends to soldiers spinning heads over heels into the room by the force of his beam. Next he turns it on Magneto who dodges it. Quicksilver runs around behind Cyke and grabs him, but pulls him down, aiming his beam at the ceiling, inadvertently hitting the electrical generator for the castle and knocking it loose. Somehow this causes electricity to flow through the castle, menacing everyone. Cyclops then decides to blow the generator entirely out of the castle and cuts loose with a powerful blast, which blows the machine through the castle wall and away from them. But the strain of the task causes Cyclops to lose consciousness -so typical of these early 60s Marvel heroes.

Doug: I think in regard to Cyke bowling over the soldiers, that just Kirby's mind. I'm sure he was thinking of the most kinetic thing he could draw for a great entrance. Cyke and Magneto have had some cool stand-offs over the years. I always felt, that at least temporarily, Cyke could get Magneto. I don't think it ever turned out that way, but it just seems that when they come into contact Cyke enjoys an upper hand at the beginning of the fracas.

Karen: Everyone's little buddy, Iceman, happens to be in the path of that ejected generator! Luckily he's been practicing -he creates an ice slide to divert its path. Then he uses ice spikes to climb up the wall of the castle, where he frees Angel and wakes up Cyclops -by covering him with slush! Yuck. They're soon reunited with Marvel Girl and the Beast -well, after Jean sends some telekinetically aimed objects at them by mistake - and then the whole team is together. I liked the next two panels as the teens expressed doubt over their ability to handle the situation. Beast: "So far we've used up a lot of time and energy and accomplished nothing!" Yes, these were the heroes. During the midst of their debate, a huge river of fire appears, heading down the hall towards them. The teens run but find themselves cornered. Then from out of the flames comes Professor X! He tells them not to be afraid, it's simply an illusion. Regrouped, with their older and wiser leader, they head back off to find Magneto.

Doug: "Everyone's little buddy" -- Bobby Drake is the Gilligan of this outfit, isn't he? I thought Iceman got some quality screen time on these pages. It was nice to see him making a contribution and not being some sort of mascot. His power, too, would grow over the years. The scene where Jeannie inadvertently fires the medieval weapons at the gang was a throwaway, but at the same time integral to showing her power set as well as that whole clay feet deal that was Marvel at this time -- everyone could screw up, at any time, and we all might end up paying the price. What seems like a silly scene is in reality part of the greater mythos that the Bullpen was crafting!

Doug: I'm going to assume that Magneto's fortress here did not comply with the Santo Marcos version of the Americans with Disabilities Act, so I'd sure be interested to know how Xavier got into the building in the first place! I have enjoyed seeing the Professor's various powers over the course of these first several issues.  

Karen: Magneto is busy at work on two bombs: one a simple bomb to booby-trap the door; the other, a nuclear bomb to blow up the whole country! Quicksilver asks Magneto about all the innocents who will die. Magneto has a bunch of answers for him -they are only Homo Sapiens, they would kill us if they could, and it's really self-defense! Good grief!

Doug: Quicksilver = conscience. Who'd have thunk it? But a question about young Pietro: do you consider him a moral person? I suppose my opinion of him is skewed by his reactions to Wanda's professed love for the Vision. But in these early years he was devoted, and I do believe that he had a hero's heart.

Karen: The X-Men rush at the door to Magneto's lair but at the last second Professor X senses the trap and throws himself in front of the X-Men. He takes the brunt of the impact. Surprisingly, it doesn't kill him -it only renders him stunned. Cyclops blasts through the door as the evil mutants high tail it down an escape chute (!) towards their freighter. Wanda is also shocked that Magneto would kill thousands of innocent people, but she runs off anyway. Her brother, though, has another idea. After Magneto jumps in the chute and commands Pietro to follow him, the speedy mutant says there's something he has to do first. He runs into the other room and defuses the nuclear bomb. The X-Men see him do this, much to their confusion. Quicksilver runs off, saying that although he couldn't let a nation be destroyed, his place is with Magneto. "You are the betrayers of Homo Superior! Expect no mercy next time we meet!" The X-Men return to Professor X, who lies dazed on the floor. Unfortunately the blast has somehow affected his mental powers. He no longer has his telepathic abilities. The team wonders how they can face Magneto without him?

Doug: Xavier's act in defense of his students was incredibly self-sacrificing and noble. It was the high point of the story, because I really felt that not only did he see them as his students or his charges; in a real way he saw them as his children. And I also found it strange that Wanda leapt into the chute. That's some blackmail/debt that Magneto is holding over her head. 

Karen: This was a very entertaining little story, action-packed as you can tell. We could probably consider it one of the key early Marvel issues, seeing as how it introduces some major players, and also sets up the key conflict in the X-Men mythology. One thing I'd like to do is defend Quicksilver. Too often I hear that he was always a jerk. I don't think that's really the case. He had a temper, and he would not let an insult to his sister go unopposed, but in the early days, he was not the unmitigated butthead that he later became. In this story we can see that the twins are not truly bad, but forced into Magneto's sphere by circumstances beyond their control. It would have been terrifically exciting to have been a fan back in those days and have seen them make the change from reluctant villains to heroes.

BONUS

Doug: I'd mentioned above that the coloring in the Marvel Masterworks edition was different from that which Karen was looking at on the X-Men dvd-rom. Below you'll see the re-colored, re-mastered, whatever version of some of the panels that featured Magneto's army on the island of Santo Marcos. See if you think there's a Nazi vibe going on here... which for me, and again we had a bit of this conversation above, is quite compelling given that the copyright date on the Masterworks is 1987 (I have the fourth printing -- not sure that makes a difference). All-New, All-Different X-Men scribe Chris Claremont retconned Magneto's personal history in Uncanny X-Men #150 to state that Magneto had survived the Holocaust. That issue hit the newsstands in 1981. So for the coloring in this version of X-Men #4 to mimic color schemes used by the various military and para-military branches of Hitler's forces seems a bit odd. I'd add that Magneto's entire schtick in this issue (and later stories) smacks of Homo superior as a true "master race" with all other sorts of people as untermensch (subhuman).

Doug: So, since this is after all a post about Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch, I have to ask our fellows who still read comics if the fact (now, at least) that Magneto is the twins' father has ever raised issues of their "Jewishness"? From what I've seen, and that would run about through Avengers, volume 3, Wanda has most often been portrayed as Romani (at least that's the implication to me) by various creators. But I don't know that anyone in the Marvel Universe other than Ben Grimm has been characterized as ethnically Jewish. Diversity is the spice of life, and America is certainly known as the "great melting pot"; our comics most often do not reflect that.