Heading:
Author:
Title: X-MEN No. 5
Place Published:
Publisher:Marvel [Indicia: Canam Publishers Sales Corp.]
Date Published: May, 1964
Description:

CGC certified: Fine+ (6.5). Off-white to white pages. Cover: Jack Kirby, Paul Reinman (possible Marie Severin additions to Angel). Story and art: Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Paul Reinman. 3rd Appearance: Magneto. 2nd Appearance: Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, Mastermind, Toad. GPAnalysis: A 6.5 sold for $832 in March 2022.

The X-Men series is widely regarded as an extended metaphor for the Civil Rights movement, with Magneto standing in for Malcolm X and Professor X standing in (sitting in?) for MLK. It's arguable that the mutants-vs-mankind theme actually works better as a metaphor for arms control: should masked citizens possessing enough power to level cities be free to roam about untrained, unregistered and unregulated? Stan Lee's genius as an impresario is that readers of different political persuasions were able to comfortably inhabit Marvel's House of Ideas:

"For years, [Lee] had been a master of the middle ground, crafting stories that were so ambiguous in their political subtext that Marvel was embraced by both the far left and the far right." — Sean Howe, Marvel Comics, The Untold History. Harper: 2012, p. 94.

Consignments welcome for PBA's Fall 2022 Comic Book sale. Pre-Code Horror, Golden Age and Silver Age comics, original art, vintage comic-related photos and ephemera sought. Send inquiries to ivan@pbagalleries.com.