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<HEAD><TITLE>Don Markstein's Toonopedia: The X-Men </TITLE> <script language="JavaScript"></script> <META name = "author" content = "Donald D. Markstein"> <META name = "description" content = "Hypertext encyclopedia of comics and animation"> <META name = "subject" content = "Hypertext encyclopedia of comics and animation"> <META name = "keywords" content = "comic books animated cartoons animation comics comix syndicated comic strips"> <META name = "publisher" content = "Donald D. Markstein"> <META name = "format" content = "text/html"> <META name = "language" content = "EN"> </HEAD><BODY> <body onload="if (self!= top) top.location = self.location"></body> <BODY BGCOLOR="FFFFFF" TEXT="000000" LINK="0000EE" VLINK="551A8B"> <TABLE><TR><TD WIDTH=310 VALIGN="CENTER"><IMG GALLERYIMG="NO" ALIGN="LEFT" HEIGHT=455 WIDTH=300 ALT="1975 X-Men comics cover: transition issue between old and new groups. Artist: Dave Cockrum." SRC="xmen.jpg"> <TD VALIGN="CENTER"><H1>THE X-MEN</H1><FONT SIZE=4> <B>Original Medium:</B> Comic books <BR><B>Published by:</B> Marvel Comics <BR><B>First Appeared:</B> 1963 <BR><B>Creators:</B> Stan Lee (writer) and Jack Kirby (artist)<FONT SIZE=3> <! BEGIN DONATION CODE> <HR><FONT SIZE=2 COLOR="993366"><CENTER> If this site is enjoyable or useful to you, <BR>Please contribute to its necessary financial support. <BR><A HREF="http://s1.amazon.com/exec/varzea/pay/T1237L0BCY25QA" TARGET="_blank">Amazon.com</A> or <A HREF="https://www.paypal.com/xclick/business=don%40toonopedia.com&no_note=1&tax=0&currency_cod e=USD" TARGET="_blank">PayPal</A> </FONT></CENTER><HR> <! END DONATION CODE> <P><A NAME="cont"> Professor Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, a <A HREF="marvel.htm">Marvel Comics</A> institution since <I>X-Men</I> #1 (September, 1963), is a front for one of Marvel's most prominent  <P ALIGN="RIGHT"><A HREF="#cont"><FONT SIZE=2><I>continued below</A></FONT> </TABLE> <CENTER><! BEGIN ADSENSE "LEADERBOARD" CODE> <script type="text/javascript"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script> <! END ADSENSE CODE></CENTER> <P><TABLE><TR><TD VALIGN="TOP"> <A HREF="glossary.htm#superhero">superhero</A> groups. The "gifted youngsters" are <A HREF="glossary.htm#mutant">mutants</A> with special abilities, and the school's dual purpose is to teach them how to use their powers wisely, and to protect the world from evil mutants and other assorted menaces. <P> The X-Men ("X" stands for "extra abilities") don't get thanked for their good deeds. The general public of the Marvel <A HREF="glossary.htm#universe">Universe</A> doesn't distinguish between good and evil mutants — all, no matter how they use their powers, are objects of hatred and fear. Thus, the X-Men function as a metaphor for racial and religious minorities, those persecuted for their sexual preference or other differences, or just the alienation and uncertainties of the teenage years themselves. <P> The series opened with Jean Grey (<A HREF="marvlgrl.htm">Marvel Girl</A>) arriving at the school, greeted by Professor X, whose mental abilities more than compensated for the fact that he was confined to a wheelchair. Scott Summers (<A HREF="cyclops.htm">Cyclops</A>), Hank McCoy (<A HREF="beast.htm">The Beast</A>), Warren Worthington (<A HREF="angel2.htm">The Angel</A>) and Bobby Drake (<A HREF="iceman.htm">Iceman</A>) were already in residence. No sooner had Jean entered, than the group was called to its first mission — Magneto, among the most powerful of evil mutants, had invaded a missile base. (Note: It is almost certainly a coincidence that <A HREF="dc.htm">DC</A> introduced <A HREF="doompatr.htm">The Doom Patrol,</A> another group of outcast superheroes with a wheelchair-bound leader, at very nearly the same time.) <P> After that, it was one evil mutant after another — in #4, in fact, Magneto gathered several together as The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants (where <A HREF="quicksil.htm">Quicksilver</A> and <A HREF="scwitch.htm">The Scarlet Witch,</A> later members of <A HREF="avengers.htm">The Avengers,</A> got their start). Creative personnel came and went; and although some high-power artists (notably Neal Adams, Jim Steranko and Barry Windsor-Smith) drew the series at various times, it attracted little interest from fans. The most notable thing to happen in the 1960s <I>X-Men</I> was the re-introduction, in #10, of <A HREF="kazar.htm">Ka-Zar,</A> a <A HREF="tarzan.htm">Tarzan</A> knock-off who had appeared in 1930s pulp magazines and 1940s comic books. In 1970, with the 66th issue, the adventures of The X-Men ended — after that, the comic was filled with reprints. <P> The group was revived five years later, but with new characters. Most of the old ones graduated from the school and went their separate ways, and their places were taken by an even odder assortment than before — Nightcrawler, whose monster-like appearance made him even more an outcast than most; <A HREF="wolverin.htm">Wolverine,</A> whose mysterious background made him an instant hit with fans; Storm, an exotic beauty with an affinity for nature; and more. <P> The group became more fluid, with characters added and dropped at an awesome rate until it rivaled The Avengers in number and variety of former members and associates. Multi-part adventures, with exciting cliffhangers, scripted by hotshot young writer Chris Claremont, began to draw fan interest. Before long, <I>X-Men</I> was Marvel's best-selling comic. <P> And it remains so today. Most of its characters have been spun off into one-shots and mini-series of their own. Ancillary groups, too, have been spun off — <A HREF="xfactor.htm">X-Factor,</A> X-Force, Excalibur, <A HREF="newmutnt.htm">New Mutants,</A> etc. In 1992, it was made into the first of a new wave of Marvel TV animation, airing weekly on the Fox network, and the TV show was adapted into a separate comic book, aimed at younger readers. <P> As popular as <I>X-Men</I> and its many, many spin-offs are today, it's hard to believe that at one time, the series was canceled because the fans weren't interested in it. <P ALIGN = "RIGHT">— DDM <P><A HREF="index.htm">BACK</A> to <I>Don Markstein's Toonopedia</I> Home Page <BR><A HREF="today.htm">Today in Toons:</A> Every day's an anniversary! <P><! BEGIN ADSENSE BANNER CODE><CENTER> <script type="text/javascript"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script> </CENTER><! 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