Holy Hannah! It's Hank and Bobby...putting on an exhibition! They must be planning to ask for donations when they're finished! 
Appearing in "Mekano Lives!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Andrew Regal (First appearance)
Antagonists:
- ⏴ Mekano (Tom Regal) (First full appearance)
- Factor Three
Other Characters:
- Two unknown burglars
- Curtis (Behind the scenes)
- Ms. King (First appearance)
- NYPD
- Officer Bill (First appearance)
- Officer Sam (First appearance)
- Officer Charlie (First appearance)
- Unknown construction workers and foreman
- Unknown New Yorkers
- Alfred (First appearance)
- Professor X (Charles Xavier) (Mentioned)
- Warren Worthington Jr. (Mentioned)
- Norton McCoy (Mentioned)
- Edna Andrews (Mentioned)
- William Shakespeare (Mentioned)
Races and Species:
Locations:
- Earth
- North America
- United States of America
- New York
- Westchester County
- New York City
- Manhattan
- Lower East Side
- Welfare center
- Midtown
- Construction Site
- Greenwich Village
- Washington Square Park
- Memorial Library
- New York University (Mentioned)
- Lower East Side
- Queens
- Brooklyn (Mentioned)
- Manhattan
- New Jersey (Mentioned)
- New York
- Caribbean Sea (Mentioned)
- United States of America
- Central Europe
- Alps
- Factor Three's hideout
- Alps
- North America
Items:
Vehicles:
- Professor X's Private Jet
- Professor Xavier's Rolls Royce
Synopsis for "Mekano Lives!"
Continued from last issue...
Burglars have broken into Professor Xavier's mansion and find that they have gotten more than they bargained for when the Beast jumps them from the shadows easily defeating them. As Hank fights off the intruders, the other X-Men are in the lower levels of the mansion trying to figure out a plan on how to get to Europe and face Factor Three and rescue the Professor. When Hank joins them with the unconscious crooks, they hook them up to Cerebro and have all of their memories of the X-Men being at the mansion erased and send them off to confess their crimes to the police.
With the immediate problem solved, the X-Men have Warren call his parents to try and get them the money they need to fly to Europe, but find that the Worthington's have gone on a Caribbean Cruise. Checking the X-Plane, they find that their primary source of transport doesn't have enough fuel to take them to Europe. Changing to their civilian guises, the X-Men attempt to get the money through a Welfare organization; however this too turns up blank.
With no other choice, the X-Men decide that they should try using their mutant powers to earn them the money they need to plan the trip. Changing into their costumes, Marvel Girl, Cyclops and Angel then approach the foreman of a construction site and give him a demonstration on how their powers can be a benefit to his construction project. However, the foreman is forced to decline their offer when it turns out that they are not unionized and therefore cannot legally work on the site.
Adding insult to injury, when the X-Men change back to their civilian guises they find that the Professor's Royals Royce has been towed, and they haven't enough money to meet up with Hank and Bobby who have been trying to find a source of money in Greenwich Village. Overhearing their plight is student Tom Regal, who goes to college in the area and offers them a lift to the Village. There, Scott, Jean and Warren find that Iceman and Beast are entertaining people with their powers hoping to collect donations afterward. Departing from Tom, the X-Men cannot help but note that Tom has spent their encounter bemoaning being underprivileged in spite of the fact that he is wearing brand new clothing and driving a brand new vehicle.
Beast and Iceman's show is interrupted when Tom appears moments later, in a high tech exo-suit. Calling himself Mekano, he tells all gathered that he intends to demolish the New Memorial Library and implicates Beast and Iceman by telling all gathered that they are working with him. While Bobby is apprehended by the police (and having expended too much energy to free himself from the handcuffs), Beast attempts to attack Mekano straight on and is easily knocked out with a single blow.
Mekano arrives at the library and begins trashing the place when Cyclops, Marvel Girl and Angel arrive on the scene to try and stop him. When the police try to arrest them as well, Marvel Girl easily subdues them with her telekinetic powers, leaving Cyclops and Angel to deal with Mekano. Mekano easily overpowers the X-Men and continues his rampage. However, when the X-Men prove to be persistent adversaries, he attempts to flee by jumping from one rooftop to another. However, the novice villain underestimates his jump, and just barely manages to grab the ledge of the building. However, his weight of the armor causes the ledge to break off. Before he can fall to his death, Mekano is saved by Jean's telekinetic powers.
Upon planting his feet on the ground, Mekano is approached not only by the police and the X-Men, but also his father Andrew Regal, who reveals Mekano to be his son. When wondering why his son would go on such a rampage, Tom explains that his father’s philanthropy work had left him neglected and he was sick of being known as the son of a known philanthropist. Andrew Regal realizes the errors in raising his son, and agrees to pay for all the damage done by his son and return the stolen exo-suit. Satisfied by this response, the police allow Tom to be released into his father’s custody.
In thanks, Mr. Regal offers the X-Men an award for their help in stopping his son's rampage. The X-Men decline, however accept a loan of the $1,500.00 they need to fly to Europe. With their money in hand, the X-Men take a flight to Europe in their civilian guises unaware that the commander of Factor Three has been watching their every step.
This story is continued next issue....
Notes
- Credits:
- Stan Lee Punctiliously Presents a Roy Thomas-Ross Andru Panorama of Pandemonium-Packed Panels!
- Inked by: George Bell
- Lettered by: Sam Rosen
Trivia
- The 5th and 6th panels in this story are misplaced sequentially and should be swapped for story continuity.
- Iceman states that he has used up too much "ice-power" to break out of his handcuffs, yet he remained in his ice-body during the entire story.
- Jean Grey seems to have trouble keeping Mekano afloat with his heavy metal frame, but was able to easily maneuver a steel girder at a construction site.
- The X-Men receive a loan of $1500 from Mr. Regal and this apparently is enough for the five of their plane tickets to Europe and still recover their towed Rolls-Royce.
