Ma, Simon :: Comic Art

Magneto – Mike McKone

Artist: Mike McKone (All)

2 Comments - 313 Views - 3 Likes

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Additional Images:

X-Men Blue 13 – published cover

Magneto by Dave Stevens (I do not own this)

Royal Mail X-Men stamps by Mike McKone

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Artwork Details

Title:	Magneto – Mike McKone
Artist:	Mike McKone (All)
Media Type:	Pen and Ink
Art Type:	Cover
For Sale Status:	NFS
Views:	313
Likes on CAF:	3 4
Comments:	2
Added to Site:	2/16/2023
Comic Art Archive:	X-Men: Blue Issue: 13 Page: variant cover View

Description

16 February, the day I am uploading this image, does not seem to be a hugely significant date but for British X-Men fans it could be said that it is unofficially X-Men day in Britain as Royal Mail have decided to release today a special issue of stamps featuring Marvel’s premier mutant superteam to commemorate its 60 years of publication. There is one snooty British commentator who has said that 1. The X-Men do not possess sufficient highbrow cultural cachet to have the prestigious honour of featuring on UK stamps, and 2. Neither does the X-Men have any homegrown British credentials to warrant them sharing a stamp with the former monarch of the country. It is unlikely this elitist pundit is ever going to read this but my rejoinder is 1. About ten years ago Royal Mail had an issue of ten stamps celebrating the history of British comics and these featured amongst others Dan Dare and Judge Dredd. And 2. I should not be surprised that a layman/non-comics reader would be unaware of the strong tradition of British creative talent writing and drawing for the X-titles. Normally it is invidious to single out one or two creators but I don’t think anyone would hold it against me if I were to mention the two British-born creatives who many hold, including myself, (and with all due respect to Len Wein and Dave Cockrum) to be behind the golden era of the all-new X-Men and crafted their breakout success during this period – Chris Claremont, who was born in London, and John Byrne, who was born in Walsall. In that sense, Mike McKone is the latest – latest in the sense that his drawings adorn the Royal Mail stamps which are released today – in a long line of UK-based or UK-born writers or artists who have had a hand in the history of the X-Men.

When I bought this drawing of Magneto from Tatiana, Mike McKone’s rep, over a year ago I did mention to her that although I bought it to make up for being outbid on a Dave Stevens drawing of the similar subject I do in fact prefer the Mike McKone. Obviously anything Dave Stevens drew is exceptionally precious, worth more than its weight in gold, and is many times rarer, but his drawing of Magneto depicts him with a malevolent grin which aligns him with the title of the leader of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. But from what I understand from the early X-Men films at least is that Magneto is now a much more morally ambiguous character. I am not sure if this ambiguity was there from the early Lee and Kirby issues and that it was just that my unsophisticated childhood mind could not discern it. In the Mike McKone version not only do I get all the iconic helmet worn by Magneto but also a blank and expressionless face onto which you can project a number of different facets to his personality. Tatiana agreed that Magneto is now a much more nuanced character than he used to be.

As far as the postage stamps go, Royal Mail can not only be aquitted of kowtowing to US cultural imperialism but also be seen to be all too aware of the British connection and important contribution, from Chris Claremont and John Byrne to Lords Stewart and McKellen via some of the finest writers and artists in the industry, to what is a global phenomenon. Happy X-Men day 2023.

My thanks to Tatiana of TDAGallery.com. for the sale of this drawing of Magneto.

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About the Owner

	Simon Ma ( 2 ) Premium Gallery Owner
Joined:	April 2013
Last Login:	September 2025
Country:	UNITED KINGDOM
On CAF:	Artworks Commented On Liked Art Site Activity on CAF

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Marcus Wai
Member Since 2005

Posted on 2/16/2023

McKone breaks up the symmetry with the lighting for outside and inside the helmet to make this one stand out. X-Men like anything else pop culture and nostalgia, moves the needle for a shrinking pool of stamp collectors.

Simon Ma
Member Since 2013

1 - Posted on 3/26/2023

Marcus Wai wrote:

Once more you are spot-on in your remarks. And, yes, even lapsed stamp collectors/lapsed X-Men readers such as myself can be lured back into the hobby by this sort of crossover.

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