The irresistible X-Men met the immovable Blob in their third issue.
“The first two issues were notable for just how off-model the characters were, as Stan (Lee) had not yet found their personalities. This time out, however, it's surprising to see just how many of them he's zeroed in on,” noted comics historian Don Alsafi.
“Observe, for example, Scott Summers, the team leader constantly worried about his power's destructive abilities; this active, physical repression informs his psyche as well, and his ultra-serious tone stands in contrast to the clowning around of the other boys. Stan has also realized that Hank McCoy could be far more interesting if played against type — the powerhouse and the ‘big brain’ rolled into one, rather than just a typical brute — and Warren Worthington, the Angel, is now clearly set up as the rich, flashy, glamorous one.”
The Blob, Fred J. Dukes, had a distinct personality as well. A crude, high-handed lowbrow, Dukes was one of several X-Men villains who evoked an “immovable object” theme (including Magneto, Unus and Juggernaut).
The term “Blob” was popularized with kids because of the 1958 SF horror movie of that title, an early Steve McQueen vehicle.
Alsafi noted that the 1960s were the last heyday of the circuses and carnivals depicted often in Silver Age Marvel comics.
“These stories do evoke a time and place in the 20th century that has faded away, yet they resonate because of their more mundane settings,” observed Nick Caputo. “There is a feeling of humanity and humor in scenes such as Bobby's, something that is sadly lacking in the sturm und drang that takes place in many present-day comic books.”
“The gradual development of the X-Men is noticeable, as Stan and Jack (Kirby) were able to mold the strip into something interesting,” Caputo said. “Hank’s transformation was an important step in finding a voice that made him stand out, and offbeat characters such as the Blob made for entertaining stories.”
Bob Doncaster wrote:
ReplyDeleteI always thought Hank was kind of a combination of two of the Doc Savage aides, Monk, the homely scientist and Johnny with his big words
Vincent Mariani wrote:
ReplyDeleteThree early X-Men tales featured similar endings that were drenched in pathos. The Blob, Unus the Untouchable, and Namor all respectively returned to their familiar environs. Blob to the carny, Unus to the wrestling ring, and Namor to the sea, with each one with a soliliquy stating that they are going "where they belong". Comics being what they are, the three would inevitably appear again in comics, with Namor remining a mainstay anti-hero in the Marvel Universe.
Matthew Clark wrote:
ReplyDeleteSame with the FF. Their first two issues were almost like the other monster themed stories Stan and Jack had been turning out for the anthology titles like Tales to Astonish. But, by the time they started on issue #3, and had begun to receive fan mail, for the first time, everything changed. The team had a headquarters, uniforms and a flying car. This issue of the FF also ends with Johnny quitting the team. Which begins the practice of character driven stories becoming bigger than any individual issue.
Joseph Lenius wrote:
ReplyDeleteCoincidentally, I came on board with X-Men #3 (and later got the first 2 issues coverless). Right time, right place to begin this title.
David Lindsay wrote:
ReplyDeleteX-Men 3 (in it's Amazing Adventures reprints) was the first X-Men story I ever bought. I got the same week as X-Men 137, my first issue of the "new" X-Men. (What a way to start!) My only previous experience with the X-Men was in a reprint of Avengers #3 in a Hulk trade paperback. Their one-page cameo got my curiosity going, which I'm sure is why Stan & Jack were always slipping in cameos like that in books all the time.
Paul Carbonaro wrote:
ReplyDelete'My' X-Men, and absolutely my favorite comic book series through its first 35 issues or so.