X-Men

The X-Men in X-Men v6 #12.

The X-Men are a superhero team that features in Marvel Comics.

History

Origin

The X-Men were a team of Mutants and their allies formed by Professor X.

Over the years, Xavier realized that other mutants had alternative plans for mutantkind's future. In Israel, he met a mutant named Magnus. Radically opposing to Xavier's dream, Magnus believed that a species war between mutants and humans for dominance of the Earth was inevitable, and that mutants must take their rightful place as the supreme species. (Uncanny X-Men v1 #161) in Egypt, after an encounter with an unscrupulous mutant telepath known as the Shadow King, Xavier vowed to protect the world from the threat of evil mutants, endeavoring to foster peaceful coexistence between mutants and humans. (X-Men v1 #117) Ultimately, with Moira's support, Xavier decided to set up a school to secretly train mutants to protect a world that hates and fears their kind, dubbing them his X-Men. (Uncanny X-Men v1 #300)

First Class

As the uncanny X-Men were formed, their first mission led them to a direct confrontation with Xavier's old friend, Magnus, now the self-styled "Master of Magnetism" Magneto, who would become their most frequent adversary. The conflict took place in Cape Citadel, in a military base Magneto had claimed. This was the first clash of Magneto and Xavier's rivalling ideologies. Although the X-Men acted as super-heroes, growing anti-mutant sentiment eventually marred their reputation. (X-Men v1 #1)

Fearing an imminent threat, Professor X pressed the group to find new recruits. They unsuccessfully pursued Quicksilver, the Scarlet Witch and Spider-Man, though managed to recruit Mimic, who had just regained his memories and powers following a lab explosion at Metro College. He joined the X-Men despite the Puppet Master using him as his pawn to destroy the group. (X-Men v1 #27) Soon after, the X-Men learned of Factor Three, an organization that sent agents Ogre and the enslaved Banshee after them in an attempt to kidnap Professor X. Freeing Banshee from Factor Three's control, the X-Men easily defeated Ogre. (X-Men v1 #28)

Factor Three struck again when Professor X attempted to free his stepbrother from the powers of the Juggernaut. The resulting experiment of both science and sorcery ended with the Juggernaut's revival and Xavier on the brink of death. Factor Three mentally contacted the Juggernaut and tried to recruit him. (X-Men v1 #32) The X-Men ultimately stopped the Juggernaut with the aid of Doctor Strange, who banished Marko to the Crimson Cosmos. However, during the process, Factor Three managed to kidnap Professor X. (X-Men v1 #33)

When Banshee attempted to contact the X-Men after locating Factor Three's European headquarters, his message was interrupted, leading the X-Men to briefly fight Spider-Man, mistakenly believing the wall-crawler to be a member of Factor Three. (X-Men v1 #35) Not being able to afford the airfare to Europe, the X-Men tried to raise money and ended up taking a loan from the wealthy philanthropist father of Tom Regal after the X-Men aided in stopping Tom's rampage as the armored Mekano. (X-Men v1 #36)

Arriving in Europe, the X-Men were captured by Factor Three, whose membership included the Vanisher, the Blob, Unus, and Mastermind as well as two unknown villains: the Changeling and the Mutant Master. The group found the X-Men "guilty" of betraying mutantkind and sentenced them to death. Before executing the X-Men, Factor Three revealed their intentions of sparking a nuclear World War III by attacking both the United States and the Soviet Union. (X-Men v1 #37)

When Professor Xavier learned of an impending invasion from the alien Z'nox race, he decided to place himself in seclusion in order to prepare a counterattack. Approached by a terminally ill Changeling, Professor X made a deal with the dying mutant, who aided him in his plan by posing as Professor X for the X-Men, while the real Xavier secretly expected for the invasion. Jean Grey was the only member of the X-Men who was made aware of Xavier's plan, having her telepathic powers unlocked by her mentor as Changeling took his place. (X-Men v1 #65)

Deadly Genesis

Professor X decided to recruit another new team to face Krakoa and save his X-Men. This new group of X-Men from all parts of the globe consisted of the German demon-looking teleporter Nightcrawler, the Canadian berserker and federal agent known as the ferocious Wolverine, the Irish former member of Factor Three Banshee, the African wind rider Ororo, rebaptized as Storm, the Japanese son of the atom Sunfire, the Russian metallic strongman Colossus, and the stubborn Native American Thunderbird. This group succeeded in freeing the original X-Men and, as both groups combined their powers to send Krakoa into Earth orbit, its threat ended. (Giant-Size X-Men v1 #1)

Phoenix Saga

Aware of the massacre in their Empire, the Shi'ar arrived on Earth demanding the execution of Phoenix. Xavier invoked Arin'nn Haelar, an irrefutable Shi'ar duel of honor. Knowing her Imperial Guard would certainly win, Majestrix Lilandra agreed to challenge the X-Men. Putting up a valiant fight, the mutants fell one by one during a long battle on the Blue Area of the Moon. With only Cyclops and Phoenix left standing, Summers was hit by a stray energy bolt. Set into a panic, Jean Grey was able to utilize her full power as Dark Phoenix. To avert the loss of the entire solar system, as it had been ordered by Lilandra, Xavier ordered the X-Men to combat Phoenix. Jean Grey regained control once more and activated a weapon in order to sacrifice herself and prevent another disaster. (X-Men v1 #137)

Members

• Professor X :
• Cyclops :
• Angel :
• Beast :
• Iceman :
• Marvel Girl :
• Havok :
• Polaris :
• Wolverine :
• Nightcrawler :
• Thunderbird :
• Storm :
• Colossus :
• Rogue :
• Gambit :
• Cable :
• Psylocke :
• Bishop :
• Magneto :

Notes

• X-Men was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby where they made their first appearance in X-Men v1 #1 (September, 1963).
• In 2004, Stan Lee recalled, "I couldn't have everybody bitten by a radioactive spider or exposed to a gamma ray explosion. And I took the cowardly way out. I said to myself, 'Why don't I just say they're mutants? They are born that way."
• In Kirby Effect: The Journal of the Kirby Museum (2012), Jack Kirby in an interview in 1987 said, "The X-Men, I did the natural thing there. What would you do with mutants who were just plain boys and girls and certainly not dangerous? You school them. You develop their skills. So I gave them a teacher, Professor X. Of course, it was the natural thing to do, instead of disorienting or alienating people who were different from us, I made the X-Men part of the human race, which they were. Possibly, radiation, if it is beneficial, may create mutants that'll save us instead of doing us harm. I felt that if we train the mutants our way, they'll help us – and not only help us, but achieve a measure of growth in their own sense. And so, we could all live together."

In other media

Television

• In X-Men: Pryde of the X-Men, the X-Men appeared in the setting of the animated television series pilot.
• In X-Men, the X-Men appeared in the setting of the 1990s animated television series.

Films

• In X-Men, the X-Men appeared in the setting of the live-action film.
• In X-Men: First Class, the X-Men appeared in the setting of the live-action film.

Appearances

• X-Men v1: (1963)
• Uncanny X-Men v1:
• X-Men: Gold:
• X-Men v6:

External Links

• Marvel Database Entry
• Wikipedia Entry

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