THE MANNEQUINOVS
Classification: Mannequins
Creator: Charles Xavier
User/Possessors: Professor Xavier's School For
Gifted Youngsters
First Appearance: Marvel Graphic Novel I#5
(January, 1983)
Powers/Abilities/Functions: The Mannequinovs were a
group of lifeless, non-functional mannequins patterned to resemble human
beings. They were part of a Danger Room training scenario designed by
Illyana Rasputin.
History:
(Marvel Graphic Novel I#5 - BTS) - After having watched a live,
televised debate between Charles Xavier and the anti-mutant pastor
William Stryker, the X-Men went down to the Danger Room to blow off some
steam. Illyana Rasputin had cooked up a solo/synergistic evaluation
sequence designed to test everyone's individual skills as well as their
capacity for teamwork. A group of four crash test dummies she christened
the Mannequinovs played a central part.
(Marvel Graphic Novel I#5) - Illyana introduced the X-Men to the
Mannequinov family: papa, momma, Ivan and little Svetlana. The mutant
heroes' primary task was keeping the four dolls safe from harm. As soon
as the sequence started, a combat robot fired missiles at the
Mannequinovs. Kitty Pryde managed to disrupt their electronic targeting
systems by phasing through the projectiles.
(Marvel Graphic Novel I#5 - BTS) - The Mannequinovs were still at risk,
but the X-Men were too wrapped up in their secondary tasks to truly
protect them. Wolverine was locked in a cage he had to escape from
without clawing his way out and Nightcrawler was struggling to move a
massive block across the room on top of a switch that would end the
exercise.
(Marvel Graphic Novel I#5) - With the combat robot ready
to fire again, Kitty Pryde rallied her teammates and told them to switch
tasks. Colossus blocked the robot's missiles, leaving her to attack the
machine directly. Her phasing short circuited their attacker. Following
this, Nightcrawler assisted Wolverine in escaping his cage, while
Colossus hurled the block across the room to hit the switch.
(Marvel Graphic Novel I#5 - BTS) - With the exercise over and the
Mannequinovs safe, the Danger Room computers started to collate combat
data and calculated individual results. Wolverine had the highest
proficiency rating of all: straight 99 percent.
(Marvel Graphic Novel I#5) - Wolverine remained moody despite his
excellent score. He reminded his teammates that this was all just a game
and games were for kids. As he walked out of the Danger Room, he
callously decapitated Poppa Mannequinov.
Comments: Created by Chris Claremont & Brent
Eric Anderson.
This was one of the last times we got to see a training scenario in the
classic Danger Room, before it was redesigned and enhanced with Shi'ar
holographic technology. The Mannequinovs are a prime example of the
X-Men's original training room: essentially it was a souped up gymnasium
with practical training materials like dummies (and the killer robots
that try to blast them).
Profile by Norvo.
CLARIFICATIONS:
The Mannequinovs have no known connections to
images: (without ads)
Marvel Graphic Novel I#5, p9, pan1 (main image)
Marvel Graphic Novel I#5, p9, pan3 (protected by Ariel)
Marvel Graphic Novel I#5, p12, pan3 (Poppa Mannequinov loses his head)
Appearances:
Marvel Graphic Novel I#5 (January, 1983) - Chris Claremont (writer),
Brent Eric Anderson (pencils & inks), Louise Jones (editor)
First Posted: 03/12/2022
Last updated: 03/12/2022
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel
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