X-Men Vol 1 42

X-Men Vol 1 #42 March, 1968 Editor-in-Chief Stan Lee Cover Artists John Buscema Sam Rosen Publisher Marvel Comics "If I Should Die...!" Writers Roy Thomas Pencilers Don Heck Inkers George Tuska Letterers Sam Rosen Editors Stan Lee "The End... or the Beginning?" Writers Roy Thomas Pencilers Werner Roth Inkers Herb Trimpe Letterers Al Kurzrok Editors Stan Lee Previous Issue Next Issue X-Men #41 X-Men #43

Appearing in "If I Should Die...!"

Featured Characters:

• The X-Men

• Angel (Warry Worthington III)
• Beast (Hank McCoy)
• Cyclops (Scotty Summers)
• Iceman (Bobby Drake)
• Marvel Girl (Jean Grey)
•  Professor X (Charles Xavier)  (Death)

Adversaries:

•  Grotesk  - (Apparent Death)

Locations:

• New York

• Westchester County

• Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters

• New York subway system
• Underground laboratory

Items:

• Cyclops' Visor, version 1
  
  

Synopsis for "If I Should Die...!"

• Synopsis not yet written.
  
  

Appearing in "The End... or the Beginning?"

Featured Characters:

• The X-Men

• Professor X (Charles Xavier)
• Cyclops (Scott Summers) (Joins Team)

Adversaries:

• The Living Diamond (Jack Winters) (Death)

Locations:

• New York

• Unnamed nuclear power plant

• Nuclear cyclotron lab

• Westchester County

• Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters

Vehicles:

• Professor X's Rolls-Royce
  
  

Synopsis for "The End... or the Beginning?"

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 and 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.

Notes

• This issue is reprinted in many other comics and books, see references for more info.
• The title page states that this issue is "Not a hoax! Not a dream! Not an imaginary Tale! This is for Real!" This is playing off of rival company DC Comics, who would regularly publish "imaginary tales" that could possibly happen, but were not part of their regular cannon. The "not a hoax" motif would become a common sales ploy by Marvel and other companies.
• Although it appears that both Professor X and Grotesk are killed in this issue both survive. The "Charles Xavier" who died in this issue was really a disguised Changeling, who was assisting the Professor in a plot against the Z'Nox alien race which will be realized in later issues of X-Men. Grotesk would survive as well and appear in the pages of Ms. Marvel.
• credits for Story 1:
  • Stan Lee Proudly And With Praiseworthy Perspicacity Presents Yet Another Roy Thomas-Don Heck Marvel Masterwork!
  • Inked by: George Tuska
  • Lettered by: Sam Rosen
• credits for Story 2:
  • Stan Lee Fondly Features the Far-Out Finale of A Roy Thomas-Werner Roth Four-Part Fantasy! (Whew!)
  • Inked by: Herb Trimpe
  • Lettered by: Al Kurzrok
    

Trivia

• The Mark Twain quote Prof X is referencing in the origin story is "The report of my death was an exaggeration."

See Also

• Write your own review of this comic!
• Discuss X-Men Vol 1 42 on the forums
• Images from X-Men Vol 1 42

Recommended Reading

• The first story is the conclusion of a two-part story that began last issue.

  Links and References

• Mark Twain quote: http://www.rotten.com/library/bio/authors/mark-twain/

Footnotes

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