I have decided that you, the X-Man known as Cyclops, shall be group leader until I return! 
Appearing in "The Return of the Blob"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Zelda ⏵ (First appearance)
- Bernard the Poet ⏵ (First appearance)
Antagonists:
- Brotherhood of Evil Mutants
- ⏴ Blob (Fred Dukes) ⏵ (Joins and leaves team)
- ⏴ Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff) ⏵
- ⏴ Mastermind (Jason Wyngarde) ⏵
- ⏴ Magneto (Max Eisenhardt) ⏵
- ⏴ Quicksilver (Pietro Maximoff) ⏵
- ⏴ Toad (Mortimer Toynbee) ⏵
Other Characters:
- Numerous unnamed carnies and carnival guests
- Jumbo the elephant
- Coffee A Go-Go patrons
- Sam Hill (Invoked)
- Romeo (Mentioned) (Topical Reference)
Races and Species:
- Mutants
- Humans
- Elephants
- Snakes (Illusion or holographic simulation)
- Fleas (Mentioned)
- Hippopotamuses (Referenced)
- Mules (Mentioned)
Locations:
- Earth
- North America
- United States of America
- New York
- Westchester County
- Magneto's mansion
- New York City
- Manhattan
- Greenwich Village
- Coffee A Go-Go (First appearance)
- Greenwich Village
- Manhattan
- A Carnival
- Magneto's factory
- New York
- United States of America
- Europe (Mentioned)
- French Riviera (Mentioned)
- Swiss Alps (Mentioned)
- Waterloo, Belgium (Mentioned)
- North America
- Heaven (Mentioned)
Items:
- Magneto's Helmet
- Cyclops' Visor, version 1
- X-Uniforms
- Ruby-Quartz Sunglasses
- Cerebro (First appearance)
Vehicles:
- X-Men jetcopter (Destruction)
- Magna-Car (First appearance)
Synopsis for "The Return of the Blob"
Professor Xavier takes a photograph of his students during their graduation. Afterward, he informs them that they must continue their fight against evil mutants without him, while he takes care of some unfinished business. He tells his students that he will select a new leader from amongst them soon.
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First appearance of Cerebro
Across town at another mansion, the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants regroups. Mastermind and the Scarlet Witch are the first to arrive. Mastermind offers the Scarlet Witch a life of luxury, but she refuses since she cannot stand him. Magneto and the rest of the group arrive.
Back at the school, Professor Xavier asks Cyclops to accompany him to a previously off-limits section of the school. There he shows Cyclops his invention, Cerebro, which is used to detect mutant brainwave activity. Cyclops wonders why a telepath such as Professor Xavier would need such a device, so Professor Xavier informs him that it is intended to be used by the new leader of the X-Men, Cyclops. Cyclops questions his mentor's decision, considering Angel's aggressiveness and Beast's intelligence, so Professor Xavier informs him that it is because of Cyclops' leadership abilities. The next morning, the X-Men awaken to learn that Professor Xavier has already departed. They congratulate Scott on becoming their new leader. The group goes to New York City that night to celebrate, but Scott refuses, saying that he has to stay and monitor Cerebro.
At a carnival, Magneto seeks out the Blob, suspecting that he is a mutant, due to his inability to be moved by an elephant or a cannonball. Magneto tries to perform a mind probe of the Blob, but is stopped by a mental block put on him by Professor Xavier.[1] Suddenly the Blob's manager appears and tries to fend off Magneto, not wanting him to talk to his client. Magneto orders the Brotherhood to attack the carnival workers. They all run off, leaving Magneto alone with the Blob. Magneto orders the Blob to join the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants.
At first the Blob refuses and attacks Magneto. Magneto then magnetically lifts pipes from under the ground, hurling the Blob through the air. The force of impact from landing loosens the mental block in his mind, and his memory returns. Wanting revenge against the X-Men, the Blob agrees to join the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants.
At the mansion, Cerebro's alarm suddenly goes off, alerting Cyclops to the Blob's recent activities. Cyclops tries to contact the rest of the X-Men, successfully reaching Warren. Warren gathers Hank and Bobby so they can meet back up with Scott and Jean.
Magneto challenges the X-Men to a fight at an abandoned factory. Cyclops' leadership skills quickly show, as he leads the X-Men in successful counter attacks to everything that the evil mutants throw at them, including missiles. With the X-Men standing together, Magneto fires a second round of missiles at the group, even though the Blob is standing next to them.
The X-Men hide behind the bulky villain and let him take the full force of the missiles. Magneto orders the rest of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants to retreat, seeing that his plans have failed. The X-Men offer to help the Blob, since his teammates abandoned him. The Blob refuses, telling them that he's fed up with fighting other people's fights, and that he just wants to return to the carnival.
Notes
- Cyclops is named leader of the X-Men in Professor X's absence.
- The Blob makes his second appearance, and joins the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants for the first time.
- References: X-Men #3
Trivia
- This issue marks the original X-Men's graduation from the school and the first appearance of Cerebro.
- Professor X claims that he channeled the talent which his X-Men already had into a correct direction. He does not claim credit for creating the talent.
- During the graduation festivities, Beast suggests sending a group photo to Magneto. As a reminder that they are always thinking about him.
- Professor X has prepared diplomas for the X-Men, asserting that they completed their normal prep school curriculum.
- Cyclops expresses interest in finding a medical cure for his powers. First mention of a Mutant Cure.
