X-Men

The X-Men are a team of fictional comic book superheroes in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, they debuted in The X-Men #1, published in September 1963. more...

Home
Action Figures
Animation Art, Characters
Apparel & Accessories
Bronze Age (1970-79)
Collections
Comics
Figurines
Full Runs
Golden Age (1938-55)
Graphic Novels, TPBs
International
Magazines
Modern Age (1980-Now)
Alternative, Underground
Cartoon Character
Horror, Sci-Fi
Movie, TV
Other Modern Age
Superhero
Alpha Flight
Avengers
Avengers Disassembled
Avengers West Coast
Original Avengers
Other Avengers
The New Avengers
Batgirl
Batman
Detective Comics
Gotham Knights
Legends of the Dark Knight
Original Series
Other Batman
Shadow of the Bat
Captain America
Catwoman
Conan
Daredevil
Darkness
Deathlok
Defenders
Dr. Strange
Fantastic Four
Fathom
Flash
Ghost Rider
GI Joe
Green Arrow
Green Lantern
Hawkman
Hellboy
Identity Crisis
Incredible Hulk
Iron Man
Justice League of America
Justice Society of America
Lady Death
Legion of Superheroes
Lobo
Magneto
Mixed Items
Moon Knight
Other Superheroes
Crossgen
Dark Horse
DC
Eclipse
Image
Marvel
Other
Valiant
Phantom
Punisher
Sandman
Secret Wars
Shi
Silver Surfer
Spawn
Spider-Man
Amazing
Marvel Knights
Other
Spectacular
Ultimate
Venom
Star Wars
Superman
Swamp Thing
Teen Titans
Thor
Tomb Raider
Transformers
Ultimates
Ultraverse
Witchblade
Wolverine
Wonder Woman
X-Men
Astonishing X-Men
Generation X
New Mutants
New X-Men
Other
Ultimate
Uncanny X-Men
Unlimited
X-Factor
X-Force
Trade Publications
Newspaper Comics
Original Comic Art
Other Comics
Platinum Age (1897-1937)
Posters
Silver Age (1956-69)
Supplies

The X-Men have branched into film and television, including one of the most successful Saturday morning programs, X-Men: The Animated Series. The year 2000 saw the successful debut of the X-Men movie directed by Bryan Singer. Its sequel X2 was released in 2003, and a third X-Men movie, X-Men: The Last Stand, was released May 26, 2006.

Background

The X-Men are fictitious mutants who, as a result of a sudden leap in evolution, are born with latent superhuman abilities which generally manifest themselves at puberty. Many ordinary humans harbor an intense fear and/or distrust of mutants (often referred to as Homo superior), who are regarded by a number of scientists as the next step in evolution and are thus widely viewed as a threat to human society.

The tensions between mutants and the rest of humanity are exacerbated by the many instances in which mutants (including such X-Men archenemies as Magneto and Apocalypse) have used their powers to criminal or violent ends. The X-Men alliance was formed by the benevolent Professor Charles Xavier, a.k.a. Professor X, a wealthy mutant who founded an academy to train young mutants to protect themselves and the world from Magneto, the Brotherhood of Mutants and other mutant threats.

The X-Men comic book series was one of comicdom's earliest and most influential trendsetters in adopting a multicultural central cast; during the 1970s, the roster was diversified, adding characters from Germany, Ireland, Canada, the Soviet Union, Kenya and Japan. Characters representing many other ethnicities and cultural backgrounds have subsequently been added. The stories themselves often touch upon themes relating to the status of minorities, including assimilation, tolerance, and beliefs regarding a "superior race."

The team's name is widely said to be derived from the fact that mutants have "extra" powers due to their "X-Factor" gene (a word which was coined by Professor X). Co-creator Stan Lee recalled in his book Son of Origins of Marvel Comics and elsewhere that he devised the series title after Marvel publisher Martin Goodman turned down the initial name, "The Mutants." In addition to this "official" explanation, the X-Men are widely regarded (both within the Marvel Universe as well as by the readers of the series) to have been named after Xavier himself. In Uncanny X-Men #309, Xavier claimed that the name "X-Men" was never intended to be a self-tribute.

History

1960s

The X-Men were founded by the paraplegic telepath Professor Charles Francis Xavier a.k.a. Professor X. Xavier gathered the X-Men under the cover of Professor Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters at a large country estate at 1407 Graymalkin Lane in Salem Center, a small town in Westchester County, New York. The original X-Men consisted of five teenagers whom the professor taught to control their powers: Cyclops/Scott Summers, Angel/Warren Worthington III, Beast/Hank McCoy, Iceman/Bobby Drake, and Marvel Girl/Jean Grey.

Read more at Wikipedia.org