- "Silence! I detect the presence of another mutant! Clear your minds of all thoughts! There must be no interference as I try to mentally pinpoint the location!"
- ―Professor X
| "Beware of the Blob!" | |
|---|---|
 | |
| X-Men | |
| Title: | "Beware of the Blob!" |
| Volume: | 1 |
| Number: | 3 |
| Cover price: | .12 |
| Cover date: | January, 1964 |
| Publisher: | Marvel Comics |
| Credits | |
| Chief: | Stan Lee |
| Writers: | Stan Lee |
| Pencilers: | Jack Kirby |
| Inkers: | Paul Reinman |
| Cover artists: | Jack Kirby |
| Cover inker: | Sol Brodsky [1] |
| Cover colorist: | Stan Goldberg |
| Letterers: | Artie Simek |
| Editors: | Stan Lee |
| Navigation | |
| Previous: | The X-Men #2 |
| Next: | The X-Men #4 |
"Beware of the Blob!" is the third issue of the first X-Men ongoing comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The story was written by Stan Lee and illustrated by Jack Kirby. It was inked by Paul Reinman. Kirby also provided the cover art illustration with possible ink work by Sol Brodsky. The issue was lettered by Artie Simek and edited by Stan Lee. No colorist credit is given. The issue shipped with a January, 1964 cover date and a carried a cover price of 12 cents per copy (US). In this issue, Professor X discovers the presence of a new mutant and sends the X-Men to track it down. They eventually find a carnival strongman who calls himself the Blob, who can withstand immense physical trauma and can keep himself rooted to the ground completely immobile. They offer him membership and bring him back to X-Mansion. When the Blob turns them down however, Professor X realizes that he now knows their secret identities and the location of their headquarters. The Blob knows that Xavier plans on mind-wiping him so he rallies his fellow carnies to stage an attack on the mansion.
Synopsis[]
Appearances[]
Featured characters
Supporting characters
- None
Villains
- The Blob, Frederick J. Dukes (1st appearance)
- Stretcho
- Svenzaldo Zambooba
- Tex
- Unnamed circus performers
Minor characters
Organizations
Races
Locations
Items
- Cyclops' visor
- Mental intensifier (Only appearance)
Vehicles
- Warren Worthington, III's mustang
Powers
- Gravity manipulation [2]
- Ice generation
- Superhuman agility
- Superhuman durability [3]
- Superhuman strength
- Telepathy
- Telekinesis
Notes & Trivia[]
- The X-Men were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby. They first appeared in The X-Men, Volume 1 #1 in September, 1963. The title eventually evolved to include the "All-New, All-Different" X-Men, after which the series became a runaway hit, ultimately changing its title to Uncanny X-Men. Since then, this outcast team of mutant misadventurers have appeared in numerous comic book titles that have since been adapted into several cartoon programs, feature films, and video games; not to mention copious amounts of merchandising ranging from toys to apparel.
- X-Men 3 redirects to this page.
- This issue shipped to retailers on January 10th, 1964. [4]
- The events from this issue are re-imagined in Professor Xavier and the X-Men #3.
- The title to this issue is taken from the 1972 sci-fi/horror comedy film Beware! The Blob, directed by Larry Hagman.
- This is the first appearance of The Blob, whose real name is later revealed to be Frederick J. Dukes. Nothing says "evil mutant" more than a fat man wearing a Speedo. The Blob appears next in The X-Men #7.
- Charles Xavier's reluctance to pursue his romantic attachment to Jean Grey is disturbingly misplaced in this issue. He feels he cannot be with her because he is the leader of the X-Men and that he is confined to a wheelchair. The fact that he has a good thirty years on her doesn't seem to be a problem however. Creepy old man.
- Xavier's unrequited love for Jean Grey becomes a stepping stone towards his eventual evolution into the Onslaught entity as revealed in X-Men, Volume 2 #53.
- This is the first and only appearance of Charles Xavier's mental intensifier, also known as a mass influencer. This device is a precursor to Cerebro, which is used to intensify Xavier's telepathic abilities.
- This is the first and only appearance to date of Svenzaldo Zambooba, who is a circus performer and a trapeze artist/acrobat.
- This is the first and only appearance to date of Stretcho, who is a contortionist and circus performer.
- This is the first and only appearance to date of Tex, who is a circus sharpshooter.
- The X-Men chronologically appear next in Avengers #3.
- Angel chronologically appears next in Tales of Suspense #49, and then in Avengers #3 before returning for X-Men #4.
Taglines[]
- "The newest Lee-Kirby super-spectacular: 'Beware of the Blob!' 24 pages of thrills!"
- "The X-Men battle The Blob, one of the strangest super-foes of all!"
- "X-Men! The teen-age super-heroes who have taken America by storm!"
Reprints[]
This issue is reprinted in the following volumes:
- 40 Years of X-Men DVD-ROM
- Amazing Adventures Vol 4 5 (1st half)
- Amazing Adventures Vol 4 6 (2nd half)
- Essential Classic X-Men 1
- Essential Uncanny X-Men 1
- Marvel Masterworks 3
- Marvel Masterworks: The X-Men 1
- Marvel Super-Heroes 22
- Marvel's Greatest Superhero Battles
- Uncanny X-Men Omnibus 1
- X-Men: Children of the Atom Vol 2 1
- X-Men: The Early Years 3
Recommended Reading[]
See also[]
External Links[]
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Series links |
Issue links |
References[]
- ↑ Sol Brodsky cover inker credit taken from the Grand Comics Database; Unconfirmed.
- ↑ Gravity manipulation is inclusive to re-allocation of mass only and is only possessed by The Blob.
- ↑ This too is presented as a side-effect of gravity manipulation.
- ↑ Marvel.com; Uncanny X-Men (1963) #3