Issue(s): Uncanny X-Men #8
Published Date: Nov 64
Title: "The uncanny threat of ... Unus, the Untouchable!"
Credits:
Stan Lee - Writer
Jack Kirby - Penciler
Chic Stone - Inker

Review/plot: This one really touches on the mutant theme. The Beast rescues a child, and ends up being harassed for being a mutant.

Frustrated, he quits the X-Men, deciding to use his powers to benefit himself. He becomes a professional wrestler...

...and meets up with Unus the Untouchable.

Meanwhile, Cyclops contacts Xavier for advice on what to do about the Beast. The Professor, who is wheelchair-spelunking, tells Cyclops to let Hank be.

Unus is auditioning for Mastermind. After he defeats the Beast (not recognized as an X-Man even though he is using the same name), Mastermind tells him that he can join the Brotherhood if he proves himself by finding the X-Men or even defeating one of them. Luckily the X-Men, sans Beast, show up soon afterward. Unus nearly defeats them but, although they can't hurt him, they beat him when Angel leaves Unus hanging from the top of a skyscraper.

The X-Men return to the mansion and find the Beast in the lab. The Beast has always been depicted as intelligent, but this is the first time he's been shown to be a "Marvel genius". He creates a device that will increase Unus' power.

The other X-Men think he's gone traitor, but increasing the power of Unus' forcefield makes it impossible for him to do normal things, like eat.

In the end he surrenders to the X-Men. The Beast reverses the effects of his device with the warning that if he ever goes bad he'll zap him again.

Considering what eventually happens to Unus, one wonders if the Beast is actually responsible for his death.

This was a pretty solid story.

Cyclops is also still trying to work up the nerve to ask Jean out. Instead he compliments her on her stitching.

Iceman transitions from being covered in snow to to being a true Ice-man. His body is translucent, showing that he completely turns into ice and isn't just covered in it.

For what it's worth, Brian Michael Bendis' All New X-Men has the original X-team being pulled forward in time during this issue. A scene very much like the one below occurs in All New X-Men #1, with the Beast from the "future" showing up before the last panel.

At the time i'm writing this, that series has already shown multiple problems with continuity (including a reference to the fight with Unus, which, since it occurs after that scene above, is difficult to square), so it's not yet clear how canon it is (e.g., the characters may have actually been pulled from a similar but alternate timeline).

Quality Rating: C

Historical Significance Rating: 4 - first Unus

Chronological Placement Considerations: N/A

References:

• Magneto has had bad luck recruiting mutants in the past, including when he tried to recruit the Blob in Uncanny X-Men #7.

Cross-over: N/A

Continuity Implant? N

Reprinted In: X-Men: The Early Years #8

Unus' name always bugged me. It was one typo away from being "anus".

"After he defeats the Beast (not recognized as an X-Man even though he is using the same name)"

and we all mocked Marvel for telling Hogan to stop using "Hulk" in his name.

having watched some rassling in my day, i have to say watching a wrestler like Unus would be the most boring event ever. who wants to watch a match where one guy just stands there while the other guy can't touch him?

now, the Beast against a Luchador -that's rassling.