Was there something going on at this time? Some kind of resurgence of love and appreciation of the old Universal monsters? Someone who cared would do some research, read some articles, write a book / thesis about it. I am not that man. I'm just gonna go with my gut and say: Yes. People of 1967 were crazy over Frankenstein, Dracula, The Mummy, et al. (Though, I guess "et al" is just "The Wolfman" ... OH! And The Creature (the one from the Black Lagoon) so I guess the "et al" was deserved! Good for me!) Anyway, in '67, there were crazy Frankenstein parties, where everyone would come dressed as the mad scientist - because even back then there were pedantic jerks.
It is into this atmosphere that this comic was released.
Get this, here is the plot: Frankenstein ['s MONSTER] is found frozen in ice. But he's really an android from space. He once went amok, and was defeated by being trapped in ice. (Ice: Trapping monsters in, since 1967!)
Somewhere along the course of the story, it is said that Mary Shelley probably saw the old android go nuts and just wrote it all down as a work of fiction. I found this a clever, subtle way of being demeaning to women. Think of it! It's like saying, "Nah, no woman could have come up with such a story, she probably SAW it and just wrote it down!" We all know women make GREAT secretaries and stenographers. Gosh, even when these stories aren't being outright sexist, they still manage to sneak some sexism in there. Good work, boys!
Or am I reading too much into this? No. No I'm not. I refer you to this comic's past atrocities against women.
ATROCITIES!
Conclusion: This issue sucked and I'm not going to tell you any more about it.
...
Except that it was a short story because, again, they crammed a "bonus" story at the end, that continues the "origin" exploits of Cyclops. Though it doesn't really explain any origins of his powers, just how he got on the X-Men.
This month, Cyke, as you may remember, ran afoul of the first ever evil mutant. Meanwhile, Prof X is using CYBERNO to find him.
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| Well played, writers, to retcon a typo from years ago into canon. Clever bastards! |
Turns out, Cyke is hanging out with Jack O'Diamonds, a man who got his name from the fact that his hands are made of diamond and his parents named him Jack. Both of them are in a nuclear facility and they're going to rob it. Why? Because Diamond Jack hopes that stolen nuclear isotopes will turn the rest of him into a diamond. Then - only then - will he be a girl's best friend. Also: Diamonds are forever. Also: How can one months' Jack last a lifetime? Also: They call him the Diamond Dog. Also: Then the world will NEIL before him. Also:
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| ALL over. ALL. |
But who is this busting in to confront them and ask them to put aside their robbery-type ways and go straight? Oh, it's just Professor X? That was expected. Next month: A fight, probably.
Added to my auto correct dictionary: cyberno
Wanna read the source materials? Have fun with THAT! They're in here:
Marvel Masterworks: The X-Men - Volume 4