Uncanny Origins #1

Now that I have seen Batman V Superman, my anticipation for Captain America: Civil War is beginning to grow. So I decided to spend some time getting to know the members of the Marvel Universe a little better. My choice of reading is Uncanny Origins, a secret Origins type title from the mid-90s.

  Uncanny Origins started in 1996 and lasted about a dozen issues or so. Though not a very common series to find, I was able to get most of my full run in bargain books. I spent no more than a dollar a book, except for issue #7, starring Venom. For some reason, it lists for upwards of $10 and I had to take to eBay to finally securing one and completing my collection.

    This series was written as an all ages primer for mostly young readers though adults could enjoy this title as well. Uncanny Origins was part of Marvel's .99¢ line of books that included a Spider-Man series, at least two X-Men titles, and a reboot of Marvel Fanfare. With the exception of the last title, one of this book's most appealing quality was that the issues were drawn in the art deco style of DC’s Batman: The Animated Series.

   The first subject for the debut issue of Uncanny Origins is the story of Scott Summers, AKA Cyclops, the first X-Man. When aliens attack his family’s plane, Scott and little brother Alex are forced to bail out using only one parachute. This results in severe head injuries for the boys that will eventually impact their latent mutant abilities.

   Separation results in Alex getting a new forever home and lots of additional tragedy for Scott. One day on a trip to visit an eye specialist, Scott's mutant abilities manifest in him uncontrollably shooting laser beams from his eyes. With the FBI aware of a rogue mutant’s existence, Scott goes on the run but runs afoul of other mutants who seek to use the lad for their nefarious schemes. Thankfully there's a very powerful mutant on the side of good whose taken an interest in Scott's case. But can this mystery man get to the young mutant before it's too late?

  I liked this story very much. I had always had trouble with Cyclops' origin because I thought it strange that he would just happen to know that ruby quartz could help him control his laser blasts. But this story does an admirable job explaining how Scott came to be wearing the red sunglasses prior to his latent abilities which would literally explode onto the scene.

  I thought the art was quite good. Artist Dave Hoover does a masterful job though I thought his Professor X looked a little weird. Still, it was the artwork that first sold me on this series but if the stories are as good as this first one, I will be a fan for life.

  Worth Consuming

  Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.