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Cover: Werner Roth & Marie Severin & Dick Ayers

The X-Men #19

Name: The X-Men #19
Brand: Marvel
Availability: InStock

Apr 1966 · Marvel · 0.12 USD

📊 ~40,906 copies sold its debut month

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“Lo! Now Shall Appear--The Mimic!”

★ 1st appearance — Calvin Rankin★ 1st appearance — Mimic★ 1st appearance — Vera Cantor

About this Issue

The X-Men #19 (April 1966) is the debut of Calvin Rankin, the Mimic — the first non-mutant to wield the X-Men's combined power set and, more remarkably, the first outsider ever admitted to the team's ranks in subsequent issues. The issue also introduces Vera Cantor, Hank McCoy's long-running civilian girlfriend, whose decades-long presence in the Beast's supporting cast grounded his personal life across the Silver and Bronze Ages. As the final numbered issue written by Stan Lee before Roy Thomas took over scripting with #20, it serves as an unofficial curtain call on the founding era of the title, making it a genuine turning-point in the book's early history.

In "Lo! Now Shall Appear—The Mimic!", the X-Men face their most unsettling challenge yet when a mysterious stranger named Calvin Rankin effortlessly copies their abilities, leaving Bobby and Hank stunned. After a tense encounter with Jean at a restaurant and a dramatic pursuit to his hidden mine lair, the team confronts Calvin’s shocking origin—and a machine built by his father that could change everything. Written by Stan Lee and illustrated by Jay Gavin with inks by Dick Ayers, this 1966 classic features a cover by Werner Roth and Marie Severin, capturing the moment of revelation with bold, dynamic flair.

writer Stan Lee · artist Jay Gavin · inker Dick Ayers · letterer Artie Simek · cover Werner Roth, Marie Severin, Dick Ayers

ComicBooks.com Value

Our Model is In Beta

Raw (VG) $46

CGC 9.8 · 5 in census $8,950

CGC 9.6 · 31 in census $2,770

CGC 9.4 · 50 in census $890

CGC 9.2 · 82 in census $694

CGC 9.0 · 119 in census $406

CGC 8.5 · 135 in census $279

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CGC 8.0 · 135 in census $240

CGC 7.5 · 138 in census $240

CGC 7.0 · 141 in census $190

CGC 6.5 · 122 in census $151

CGC 6.0 · 120 in census $151*

CGC 5.5 · 109 in census $119

CGC 5.0 · 83 in census $119

CGC 4.5 · 63 in census $93

CGC 4.0 · 57 in census $69

CGC 3.5 · 26 in census $50

CGC 3.0 · 24 in census $42*

CGC 2.5 · 14 in census $40*

CGC 2.0 · 7 in census $33

CGC 1.5 · 4 in census $27

CGC 1.0 · 1 in census $21*

CGC 0.5 · 3 in census $20*

* estimate — limited direct-sales data at this grade

Our model’s value — refined as new sales data arrives · CGC census counts shown where available

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CGC 9.8 ▾ $54.95–$105 3 listings

CGC 9.8 $54.95 CGC 9.8 $58.94 CGC 9.8 · Newsstand $105

CGC 8 $350 1 listing CGC 7.5 $300 1 listing

CGC 7 ▾ $200–$350 2 listings

CGC 7 $200 CGC 7 $349.99

CGC 6.5 $265 1 listing CGC 2.5 $155 1 listing CGC $168 1 listing Raw — MINT $8 1 listing Raw — VF+ $2.99 1 listing Raw — VF $151 1 listing Raw — FN/VF $2.99 1 listing

Raw — FN+ ▾ $109 3 listings

FN+ $109 FN+ $109 FN+ $109

Raw — FN ▾ $99–$200 2 listings

FN $99 FN $199.99

Raw — VG ▾ $59.99–$125 7 listings

VG $59.99 VG $79.95 VG $96 VG $100 VG $105 VG $115 VG $125

Raw — FR $40 1 listing

Raw / ungraded ▾ $2–$200 33 listings

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History

Stan Lee scripted the story — the last of his uninterrupted run on the series — while Werner Roth handled the interior pencils, working under the pseudonym 'Jay Gavin' (taken from the names of his two sons) to conceal his Marvel freelance work from his DC editors; Dick Ayers inked. Jack Kirby, whose cover layouts had defined the book's visual identity, is credited as the cover layout artist for this period. Marie Severin later made alterations to Mimic's wings and hands in the printed art, as documented by the Grand Comics Database. The issue shipped with a cover date of April 1966 and an on-sale date confirmed by the Library of Congress 1966 Periodicals records.

Trivia · 8 facts

First appearance and origin of the Mimic (Calvin Rankin), a non-mutant whose latent power lets him copy the physical abilities and skills of anyone within roughly ten feet of him.
First appearance of Vera Cantor, a librarian who becomes Hank McCoy's (Beast's) long-term girlfriend; she recurs across the X-Men's Silver Age run and later appears in Amazing Adventures, The Defenders, and X-Factor.
Written by Stan Lee — his final issue as scripter before Roy Thomas took over with #20 (May 1966), marking the end of Lee's 19-issue founding run on the title.
Interior pencils by Werner Roth, credited in the issue under the pseudonym 'Jay Gavin' (derived from the names of his two sons) to conceal his Marvel work from his DC editors.
Cover art is by Werner Roth and Dick Ayers; Jack Kirby is noted as the layout artist for the cover by multiple sources.
The story also features the first appearance of the civilian supporting character Zelda Kurtzberg (Bobby Drake/Iceman's girlfriend) in a double-date framing that launches the Beast–Vera Cantor relationship.
The issue has been reprinted in Marvel Masterworks: The X-Men Vol. 2 (2003), Essential Uncanny X-Men Vol. 1 (1999), The X-Men Omnibus Vol. 1 (2009), X-Men Epic Collection Vol. 1 (2014), and Mighty Marvel Masterworks: The X-Men Vol. 2 (2022), among other formats.
A British edition variant exists, as documented by the Grand Comics Database.