Uncanny X-Men #2

Cover Date: November, 1963.

"No One Can Stop The Vanisher"

Writer: Stan Lee

Penciller: Jack Kirby

Inker: Paul Reinman

Synopsis

The X-Men are called to the X-Mansion mentally by Professor X. The team all gets to the mansion in their own ways (Iceman in an ice cream truck, Angel flying, etc.) and once there, the Professor tells them about the new super-villain the Vanisher. After the Vanisher steals some money, he threatens to steal some plans from the Pentagon and gains the support of human criminals who become his lackeys. Meanwhile at the mansion, the X-Men train relentlessly for their battle with the Vanisher. The X-Men then battle the Vanisher and his lackeys and defeat them. Professor X then erases all his knowledge of how to vanish and basically gives the poor Vanisher amnesia (until X-Force #68 anyway).

Review

Writing: Typical 60s writing. Every sentence either ends in a question or exclamation mark. But the characterization, as exaggerated as it may be, is maintained well and each has a very defined personality. I really like the scene at the beginning where Angel is mobbed by a bunch of Laura Petry looking teenage girls...and he likes it (!). But the writing of the 60s just doesn't hold up in the 90s. Especially the fact that the Vanisher makes it a point to mention he's "Homo Superior" every time he opens his mouth. And the Professor is bordering on a slave driver. The training scenes take up about half the issue, but it is a book about students so I can't really complain about that.

Art: Again, typical 60s art. I must say that the art really adds to the story. If you took away all the words, you could probably get the general idea of the book. That is the sign of a good artist, no matter how "bland" Jack Kirby's style is.

Overall a semi-okay issue, but it doesn't stand up today as a great issue. It was actually kinda hard to read it...so I give it a...

C+

This review was written by Brett

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