X-Men

This article is about the superhero team. For other uses, seeX-Men (disambiguation).

TheX-Menare asuperheroteam inAmerican comic bookspublished byMarvel Comics.Created by writer/editorStan Leeand artist/co-plotterJack Kirby,the team first appeared inThe X-Men#1 (September 1963).Although initially cancelled in 1970 due to low sales, following its1975 revivaland subsequent direction under writerChris Claremont,it became one of Marvel's most recognizable and successful franchises.They have appeared in numerous books,television shows,20th Century Fox'sX-Menfilms,andvideo games.TheX-Mentitle may refer to the superhero team itself,the eponymous comic series,or the broader franchise, which includesvarious solo titles and team books,such as theNew Mutants,Excalibur,andX-Force.

X-Men
Variant cover ofX-Men(vol. 6) #2 (August 2021) depicting the first electedKrakoanX-Men team (clockwise from left):Synch,X-23,Sunfire,Marvel Girl,Rogue,Polaris,andCyclops. Art byMahmud Asrar.
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	The X-Men#1 (September 1963)
Created by	Stan Lee Jack Kirby
In-story information
Base(s)	Current: TheMorlocks' Alley New York Sewer System New York City Former: Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters Westchester County, New York The Treehouse (Krakoanbase) New York City
Member(s)	Current: Beast Cyclops Gambit Juggernaut Kid Omega Magik Nightcrawler Psylocke Rogue Temper Wolverine Former: SeeList of X-Men members

In theMarvel Universe,mutantsare humans born with a genetic trait called the X-gene, which grants them natural superhuman abilities, generally manifesting duringpuberty.Due to their differences from most humanity, mutants are subject to prejudice and discrimination; many X-Men stories feature social commentary on bigotry, justice, and other political themes. The X-Men have fought against variousenemies,including villainous mutants, human bigots, supervillains, mystical threats, extraterrestrials, and evil artificial intelligence. In most iterations of the team, they are led by their founder,Charles "Professor X" Xavier,a powerful telepath who runs a school for mutant children out ofhis mansion in Westchester, New York,which secretly is also the headquarters of the X-Men. Their stories have frequently involvedMagneto,a powerful mutant with control overmagnetic fields,who is depicted as an old friend of andfoilto Xavier, acting as an adversary or ally.

Background and creation

In 1963, with the success ofthe Fantastic Four,co-creatorStan Leewanted to create another group of superheroes. Unlike Lee's earlier creations such asSpider-Manwho acquired their powers through scientific means, Lee decided that this new group of heroes were "mutants",born with powers as he had grown weary of creating separate origins for each superhero.

In a 1987 interview, Kirby 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.

Lee devised the series title after Marvel publisherMartin Goodmanturned down the initial name, "The Mutants," stating that readers would not know what a "mutant" was.

Within theMarvel Universe,the X-Men are widely regarded to have been named afterProfessor Xavierhimself. The original explanation for the name, as provided by Xavier inThe X-Men#1 (1963), is that mutants "possess an extra power... one which ordinary humans do not!! That is why I call my students... X-Men, for EX-tra power!"

Publication history

Further information:List of X-Men comics

Original run

The original X-Men members that were created byStan LeeandJack Kirby,showing their original design

EarlyX-Menissues introduced the original team composed ofCyclops,Marvel Girl,Beast,Angel,andIceman,along with their archenemyMagnetoand hisBrotherhood of Evil MutantsfeaturingMastermind,Quicksilver,Scarlet Witch,andToad.The comic focused on a common human theme of good versus evil and later included storylines and themes aboutprejudiceandracism,all of which have persisted throughout the series in one form or another. The evil side in the fight was shown in human form and under some sympathetic beginnings via Magneto, a character who was later revealed to have survived Nazi concentration camps only to pursue a hatred for normal humanity. His key followers, Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch, wereRomani.Only one new member of the X-Men was added,Mimic/Calvin Rankin,but soon left due to his temporary loss of power.

The title lagged in sales behind Marvel's other comic franchises. In 1969, writerRoy Thomasand illustratorNeal Adamsrejuvenated the comic book and gave regular roles to two recently introduced characters: Alex "Havok"Summers (Cyclops' brother, who had been introduced by Roy Thomas before Adams began work on the comic) and Lorna Dane, later calledPolaris(created byArnold DrakeandJim Steranko). However, these laterX-Menissues failed to attract sales and Marvel stopped producing new stories with issue #66 (March 1970), later reprinting a number of the older comics as issues #67–93.

Claremont Era

Giant-Size X-Men#1 (May 1975). Cover art by Gil Kane and Dave Cockrum.

InGiant-Size X-Men#1 (1975), writerLen Weinand artistDave Cockrumintroduced a new team that starred in a revival ofThe X-Men,beginning withissue #94.This new team replaced the previous members with the exception ofCyclops,who remained. This team differed greatly from the original. Unlike in the early issues of the original series, the new team was not made up of teenagers and they also had a more diverse background. Marvel's corporate owners,Cadence Industries,had suggested the new team should be international, feeling it needed characters with "foreign appeal".So each character was from a different country with varying cultural and philosophical beliefs, and all were already well-versed in using their mutant powers, several being experienced in combat.

The "all-new, all-different X-Men"were led by Cyclops, from the original team, and consisted of the newly createdColossus(from the Soviet Union/Russia),Nightcrawler(from West Germany/Germany),Storm(from Kenya), andThunderbird(a Native American ofApachedescent), and three previously introduced characters:Banshee(from Ireland),Sunfire(from Japan), andWolverine(from Canada). Wolverine eventually became thebreakout characteron the team and, in terms of comic sales and appearances, the most popular X-Men character, even getting his ownsolo title.However, this team would not remain whole for long; Sunfire, who never really accepted the other members, quit shortly after their first mission, and Thunderbird died on the next. Filling in the vacancy, a revampedJean Greysoon rejoined the X-Men under her new persona of "Phoenix". Angel,Beast,Iceman,Havok,andPolarisalso made significant guest appearances.

The revived series was illustrated by Cockrum, and later byJohn Byrne,and written byChris Claremont.Claremont became the series' longest-running contributor.The run met with critical acclaim and produced such landmark storylines as the death of Thunderbird, the emergence ofPhoenix,the saga of theStarjammersand the M'Kraan Crystal, the introduction ofAlpha Flightand theProteussaga.Other characters introduced during this time includeAmanda Sefton,Mystique,andMoira MacTaggert,with her genetic research facility onMuir Island.

The 1980s began with the comic's best-known story arc, theDark Phoenix Saga,which saw Phoenix manipulated by the illusionist Mastermind and becoming corrupted with an overwhelming lust for power and destruction as the evil Dark Phoenix. Other important storylines includedDays of Future Past,the saga ofDeathbirdand theBrood,the discovery of the Morlocks, the invasion of the Dire Wraiths andThe Trial of Magneto!,as well asX-Men: God Loves, Man Kills,the partial inspiration for20th Century Fox's movieX2: X-Men United,which was released on May 2, 2003.

Uncanny X-Men#227 (March 1988) by Chris Claremont and Marc Silvestri

By the early 1980s,X-Menwas Marvel's top-selling comic title. Its sales were such that distributors and retailers began using an "X-Men index", rating each comic book publication by how many orders it garnered compared to that month's issue ofX-Men.The growing popularity ofUncanny X-Menand the rise of comic book specialty stores led to the introduction of a number of ongoing spin-off series nicknamed "X-Books." The first of these wasThe New Mutants,soon followed byAlpha Flight,X-Factor,Excalibur,and a soloWolverinetitle. When Claremont conceived a story arc, theMutant Massacre,which was too long to run in the monthlyX-Men,editorLouise Simonsondecided to have it overlap into several X-Books. The story was a major financial success,and when the laterFall of the Mutantswas similarly successful, the marketing department declared that the X-Men lineup would hold suchcrossoversannually.

Throughout the decade,Uncanny X-Menwas written solely by Chris Claremont, and illustrated for long runs by John Byrne, Dave Cockrum,Paul Smith,John Romita Jr.,andMarc Silvestri.In the Claremont era,Stormis the most prominent character and the main protagonist.Additions to the X-Men during this time wereKitty Pryde/Shadowcat,Rogue,Jean Grey/Phoenix,Psylocke,Dazzler,Longshot,Jubilee,ForgeandGambit.In a controversial move,Professor Xrelocated to outer space to be withLilandra Neramani,Majestrix of theShi'arEmpire, in 1986. Magneto then joined the X-Men in Xavier's place and became the director of the New Mutants. This period also included the emergence of theHellfire Club,the arrival of the mysteriousMadelyne Pryor,and the villainsApocalypse,Mister Sinister,Mojo,andSabretooth.

• X-Men
  • Uncanny X-Men,vol. 1 (flagship) – a team of young mutants with superhuman abilities led and taught by Professor X (1963–1970); the team expanded when Xavier recruited mutants from around the world (1975–1985); a reformed Magneto became the headmaster after Xavier had left Earth (1985–1988); the team later relocated to the Australian Outback after the events ofTheFall of the Mutants(1988–1989); after the X-Men is disassembled, the team reformed to fight the mutant-rights abuse of Genosha (1991).
  • X-Factor,vol. 1 – the Original Five set up a business advertised as mutant-hunters for hire, and secretly trained the captured mutants to control their powers and reintegrate them into society (1986–1991).
  • Excalibur,vol. 1 – Nightcrawler, Shadowcat and Rachel Grey teamed up with Captain Britain and Meggan to form a group of mutants based in Europe after the apparent death of the X-Men duringThe Fall of the Mutants(1988–1992).
• X-Men in Training
  • New Mutants,vol. 1 – a group of teenaged students of the School for Gifted Youngsters gathered by Professor X
• Other Teams
  • Alpha Flight,vol. 1 – Canada's premiere team of super-heroes organized under the auspices of the Canadian government's Department H.

Blue and Gold

ArtistJim Leesigning a hardcover collected edition of his work onX-Men(Vol 2) atMidtown Comicsin Manhattan

In 1991, Marvel revised the entire lineup of X-Men comic book titles, centered on the launch of a second X-Men series, simply titledX-Men.With the return of Xavier and the original X-Men to the team, the roster was split into two strike forces: Cyclops's "Blue Team" (chronicled inX-Men) and Storm's "Gold Team" (inThe Uncanny X-Men).

The first issues of the second X-Men series were written by Claremont and drawn and co-plotted byJim Lee.Retailers pre-ordered over 8.1 million copies of issue #1, generating and selling nearly $7 million (though retailers probably sold closer to 3 million copies),making it, according toGuinness Book of World Records,the best-selling comic book of all-time. Guinness presented honors to Claremont at the 2010San Diego Comic-Con.

Another new X-book released at the time wasX-Force,featuring the characters fromThe New Mutants,led byCable;it was written byRob LiefeldandFabian Nicieza.Internal friction soon split the X-books' creative teams. In a controversial move, X-Men editorBob Harrassided with Lee (andUncanny X-MenartistWhilce Portacio) over Claremont in a dispute over plotting. Claremont left after only three issues ofX-Men,ending his 16-year run asX-Menwriter.Marvel replaced Claremont briefly withJohn Byrne,who scripted both books for a few issues. Byrne was then replaced by Nicieza andScott Lobdell,who would take over the majority of writing duties for the X-Men until Lee's own departure months later when he and several other popular artists (including former X-title artists Liefeld, Portacio, andMarc Silvestri) would leave Marvel to formImage Comics.Jim Lee's X-Men designs would be the basis for much of theX-Menanimated series and action figure line as well as several Capcom video games.

The 1990s saw an even greater number of X-books with numerous ongoing series and miniseries running concurrently. X-book crossovers continued to run annually, with "The X-Tinction Agenda"in 1990,"The Muir Island Saga"in 1991,"X-Cutioner's Song"in 1992,"Fatal Attractions"in 1993,"Phalanx Covenant"in 1994,"Legion Quest"/"Age of Apocalypse"in 1995,"Onslaught"in 1996,"Operation: Zero Tolerance"in 1997,"Hunt for Xavier"in 1998," The Magneto War "in 1999,"Apocalypse: The Twelve"/"Ages of Apocalypse"in 2000 and" Eve of Destruction "in 2001. Though the frequent crossovers were criticized by fans as well as editorial and creative staff for being artificially regular, disruptive to the direction of the individual series, and having far less lasting impact than promised, they continued to be financially successful.

There were many additions to the X-Men in the 1990s, includingGambit,Cable,andBishop.Gambit became one of the most popular X-Men, rivaling evenWolverinein size of fanbase after his debut inUncanny X-Men#266 (Aug. 1990). Many of the later additions to the team came and went, such asJoseph,Maggott,Marrow,Cecilia Reyes,and a newThunderbird.Xavier'sNew Mutantsgrew up and becameX-Force,and the next generation of students began withGeneration X,featuring Jubilee and other teenage mutants led and schooled byBansheeand ex-villainessEmma Frostat her Massachusetts Academy. In 1998,ExcaliburandX-Factorended and the latter was replaced withMutant X,starringHavokstranded in aparallel universe.Marvel launched a number of solo series, includingDeadpool,Cable,Bishop,X-Man,Gambit,Maverick,Rogue, Storm, Magneto, Beast, Domino, Warlock, Magik, IcemanandSabretooth,but few of the series would survive the decade.

• X-Men
  • Uncanny X-Men,vol. 1 (flagship) – initially featured the Gold Team strike force led by Storm (1991–1995); later featured a team of X-Men recruited by Gladiator to defend the Shi'ar Empire against the Phalanx (1997); the Gold and Blue strike force merged to face new threats including Onslaught, Dark Beast, Shadow King and Magneto (1997–2000); later featured a squad led by Gambit during theRevolutionrevamp (2000–2001). The title is replaced byAstonishing X-Menduring theAge of Apocalypseevent.
  • X-Men,vol. 2 – initially featured the Blue Team strike force led by Cyclops (1991–1995); later featured a new core group consisting of Cannonball, Cyclops, Jean Grey, Storm and Wolverine took on Sebastian Shaw and Bastion during the events of Operation: Zero Tolerance (1997); members of theExcaliburteam joined the combined Gold and Blue strike force (1997–2000); later featured a squad led by Rogue during theRevolutionrevamp (2000–2001). The title is replaced byAmazing X-Menduring theAge of Apocalypseevent.
  • X-Force,vol. 1 – Cable re-organized the New Mutants into the para-military mutant strike team (1991–1995); the team move in with the X-Men at the X-Mansion and effectively become the X-Men's junior team (1995–1997); the team later move to San Francisco to set up a new headquarter (1997–2001); the team becomes a covert ops superhero team under the leadership of Pete Wisdom during theRevolutionrevamp (2001). The title is replaced byGambit & the X-Ternalsduring theAge of Apocalypseevent.
• X-Men in Training
  • Generation X,vol. 1 – students at the Massachusetts Academy mentored by Banshee and the former villain White Queen (1994–2001). The title is replaced byGeneration Nextduring theAge of Apocalypseevent.
• Other Teams
  • X-Factor,vol. 1 – the new team worked for the Pentagon replacing Freedom Force as the government-sponsored team (1991–1997); Forge later leads the mutant team as an underground government strike force (1997–1998). The title is replaced byFactor Xduring theAge of Apocalypseevent.
  • Excalibur,vol. 1 – the British team expanded and stays with Moira, making Muir Island their new base (1992–1998). The title is replaced byX-Calibreduring theAge of Apocalypseevent.
  • Alpha Flight,vol. 2 – A new team formed by the reinstated Department H which is involved in clandestine and criminal activities.

Morrison era

In 2000, Claremont returned to Marvel and was put back on the primary X-Men titles during theRevolutionrevamp. He was later removed from the titles in 2001 and created his spin-off series,X-Treme X-Men.X-Menhad its title changed toNew X-Menand writerGrant Morrisontook over. The book is often referred to as the Morrison-era, due to the drastic changes they made, beginning with "E Is For Extinction",where a new villain,Cassandra Nova,destroysGenosha,killing sixteen million mutants. Morrison also brought reformed ex-villainEmma Frostinto the primary X-Men team, and opened the doors of the school by having Xavier "out" himself to the public about being a mutant. The bright spandex costumes that had become iconic over the previous decades were replaced by black leather street clothes reminiscent of the uniforms of theX-Menfilms. Morrison also introducedXorn,who would figure prominently in the climax of his run.Ultimate X-Menset in Marvel's revised imprint was also launched, whileChuck Austenbegan his controversial run onUncanny X-Men.

Several short-lived spin-offs and miniseries started featuring several X-Men in solo series, such asEmma Frost,Mystique, Cyclops, Iceman, Blink, Chamber, Mekanix (featuring Kitty Pryde),andNightcrawler.Many of the second-tier X-books were relaunched with new titles:CablebecameSoldier XandDeadpoolbecameAgent X.

A new series titledX-Statixspawns from and replacesX-Force;it is a series that explores the crossroads between heroism and being a celebrity, and how being a mutant is only acceptable as a medium of disposable entertainment. It was known best for being a series that killed most of the introduced cast and having one of the highest team turnover rates for a superhero comic. The most prominent member to come out of X-Statix was Doop who is a green glob reminiscent of Slimer from Ghost Busters.

Another series,Exiles,started at the same time and concluded in December 2007 which led toNew Exilesin January 2008 written by Claremont.

Notable additions to the X-Men have beenEmma Frost,Danielle Moonstar,HuskandNorthstarwhile former villainJuggernautbecame member of the X-Men. Notable story arcs of this era are "E Is For Extinction"(2001),"Planet X"and"Here Comes Tomorrow".

• X-Men
  • New X-Men,vol. 1 (flagship) – The X-Men took in dozens of students expanding the school from a training center to a legitimate school (2001–2004).
  • Uncanny X-Men,vol. 1 – Nightcrawler and Angel co-lead the X-Men's primary field team to face new threat (2001–2004).
  • X-Treme X-Men,vol. 1 – Storm formed a globe-trotting team to hunt down missing copies of the Destiny's Diaries (2001–2004).
• X-Men in Training
  • New Mutants,vol. 2 – features a new group of teenage mutants attending the Xavier Institute.
• Other Teams
  • Exiles,vol. 1 – a revolving team roster from different realities, which have been removed from time and space, employed by the Timebroker to fix broken realities.
  • X-Statix–featured a group of young mutants marketed to be media superstars.
  • NYX– featured a group of teenage mutants as they attempt to survive on the streets of New York City.
  • Weapon X,vol. 2 – featured The Underground, a group assembled by Cable to oppose the activities of the third installment of the Weapon X Project.

X-Men ReLoad

X-Men ReLoadwas the name given by Marvel Comics to their May 2004 revamp of the X-Men titles, including new visual designs for the characters.The revamp was prompted by Grant Morrison's departure fromNew X-Men.As a result of the revamp, Chris Claremont moved from writingX-Treme X-Mento writingUncanny X-Men,with Alan Davis doing the art. Chuck Austen moved from writingUncanny X-MentoNew X-Men,which returned to its old name of simplyX-Men,with Salvador Larroca, who had been working with him onUncanny X-Mendoing the art. Finally,Joss Whedonentered as the writer of the new titleAstonishing X-Men,withJohn Cassadayas artist.X-Treme X-Menwas cancelled.X-Statixended in October 2004. Also, the X-Men returned to more traditional (if not slightly revised) costumes, as opposed to the black leather uniforms from the movies.New X-Men: Academy Xwas also launched focusing on the lives of the new young mutants at the institute. This period included the resurrections ofColossusandPsylocke,a new death forJean Grey,who later returned temporarily in theX-Men: Phoenix - Endsong,as well asEmma Frostbecoming the new headmistress of the institute. The institute, formerly run as a school (until thedepoweringof 98% of the mutant population), served as a safe haven to mutants who are still powered.

Several short-lived spin-offs and miniseries started featuring several X-Men in solo series, such asNightcrawler,Jubilee,Madrox,X-23,GambitandRogue.CableandDeadpool'sbooks were merged into one book,Cable & Deadpool.

Notable additions to the X-Men have beenArmor,PixieandWarpath,while former villains such asLady Mastermind,Mystique,andSabretoothbecame members of the X-Men. Notable story arcs of this decade are "Gifted"(2004),"House of M"(2005),"Deadly Genesis"(2005–2006),"Decimation"(2006) and"Endangered Species"(2007). The X-Men were also involved in the"Civil War"and"World War Hulk"storylines.

• X-Men
  • Astonishing X-Men,vol. 3 (flagship) – Cyclops leads the team of X-Men and they start presenting themselves as superheroes again.
  • Uncanny X-Men,vol. 1 – Storm and her team continued operating as officially sanctioned mutant law enforcers (2004–2006); postDeadly Genesis,it featured Xavier taking a team to space to hunt Vulcan when he seeksvengeance on the Shi'ar Empire(2006–2007); the team returned to Earth to fight a group of rogue Morlocks (2007).
  • X-Men,vol. 2 – Havok led a new field team consisting of Polaris, Iceman, Rogue, Gambit, Wolverine and Juggernaut (2004–2006); later featured Rogue assembling a rapid response team featuring the most dangerous X-Men former villains (2006–2007).
• X-Men in Training
  • New X-Men: Academy X– the school is rebuilt after Xorn's attack and Emma Frost and Cyclops are named headmasters, organizing the student body into different squad who train together.
    • New X-Men,vol. 2 – AfterHouse of MandDecimation,Emma Frost disbanded all former training squads and integrated those students she deemed capable of combat to a new team.
• Other Teams
  • Excalibur,vol. 3 – Professor X and Magneto formed a team to rebuild the devastated mutant nation of Genosha.
  • X-Factor,vol. 3 – a mutant detective agency founded by Madrox based on Mutant Town.
  • New Excalibur– AfterDecimation,Captain Britain brings together a new team of Excalibur as the British government decided to become more pro-active with metahuman affairs.
  • District X–Bishop is assigned to the Mutant Town to investigate rising crime rates.
  • X-Force,vol. 2 – Cable re-assembles the team in order to stop an immortal creature called Skornn.
  • Weapon X,vol. 2 – featured Wolverine, Fantomex and Agent Zero quest to find the recently revived John Sublime.
  • Exiles,vol. 1 – the team learned the true nature of the Timebroker and later traveled through different realities to chase Proteus.
  • Alpha Flight,vol. 3 – Sasquatch recruits novice Canadian heroes to rescue the members kidnapped by the Plodex.

Messiah Trilogy

In 2007, the "Messiah Complex"storyline saw the destruction of the Xavier Institute and the disbanding of the X-Men. It spun the new volumes ofX-Force,following the team led by Wolverine, andCable,following Cable's attempts at protectingHope Summers.X-Menwas renamed intoX-Men: Legacywhich focused on Professor X, Rogue and Gambit. Under Cyclops's leadership, the X-Men later reformed inUncanny X-Men#500, with their new base located in San Francisco.

In 2009, "Messiah War,"written byCraig KyleandChris Yostto serve as the second part in the trilogy that began with "Messiah Complex," was released.Utopia,written by Matt Fraction, was a crossover ofDark Avengersand Uncanny X-Men that served as a part of the "Dark Reign"storyline. A newNew Mutantsvolume written by Zeb Wells, which featured the more prominent members of the original team reunited, was launched. Magneto joined the X-Men during theNation Xstoryline to the dismay of other members of the X-Men, such as Beast, who left the team.Magneto began to work with Namor to transform Utopia into a homeland for both mutants and Atlanteans.After the conclusion ofUtopia,Roguebecame the main character ofX-Men: Legacy. In 2010, "Second Coming"concluded the plot threads onMessiah ComplexandMessiah War.

Several short-lived miniseries started featuring several X-Men in solo series, such asDaken,Cable,Psylocke,Namor: The First MutantandX-23.

Notable additions to the X-Men have beenPixie,Karma,Sunspot,Magma,Magik,Namor,Domino,Boom Boom,FantomexandX-23.Other notable story arcs of this era are "Divided We Stand"(2008),"Manifest Destiny"(2008–2009),"X-Infernus","Utopia"(2009),"Nation X"(2009–2010),"Necrosha"(2009),"Curse of the Mutants"(2010–2011), and"Age of X"(2011). The X-Men were also involved in the"Secret Invasion","War of Kings","Siege","Chaos War"and"Fear Itself"storylines.

• X-Men
  • Uncanny X-Men,vol. 1 (flagship) – The X-Men open their new base in San Francisco and invite the world's mutant to join them (2008–2009); Cyclops later decided to move the mutant population to Utopia and off U.S. soil to avoid further persecution by the government (2009–2011).
  • X-Men Legacy,vol. 1 – featured Professor X's road to recovery as well as the encounters he faced during Messiah CompleX (2008–2009); later featured Rogue as mentor to the younger mutants under the protection of the X-Men on Utopia (2009–2011).
  • New Mutants,vol. 3 – the original team is reunited to form a new field team for the X-Men.
  • Astonishing X-Men,vol. 3 – the X-Men serve as protectors of San Francisco City.
  • X-Men,vol. 3 – featured team-ups between characters of X-Men and other superheroes such as Blade, Spider-Man, Ghost Rider and the Future Foundation.
• X-Men in Training
  • Young X-Men– a group of young mutants tricked by Donald Pierce disguised as Cyclops.
  • Generation Hope– Hope leads a new team, consisting of five new mutants ( "five lights" ) that appeared on Cerebro after she manifested her powers.
• Other Teams
  • X-Force,vol. 3 – Wolverine leads a more militaristic black-ops branch of the X-Men.
  • X-Factor,vol. 3 – the agency briefly moved to Detroit, Michigan and expanded to include several new partners.
  • Dark X-Men– Norman Osborn formed his own group of X-Men during the riots at San Francisco.
  • Alpha Flight,vol. 4 – the Canadian team provides rescue efforts for the victims during the events ofFear Itself.
  • Exiles,vol. 2 – a new team of heroes are brought together by Morph, acting as the new Timebroker.

"Schism" through "Regenesis"

In 2011, the aftermath of the "X-Men: Schism"storyline led to the fallout between Wolverine and Cyclops. During the"Regenesis"storyline, Wolverine's team was featured in a new flagship series titledWolverine and the X-Men,Wolverine rebuilt the original X-Mansion and named it theJean Grey School for Higher Learning.Meanwhile, Uncanny X-Men relaunched for the first time ever and served as the flagship title for Cyclops' Team. In 2012 "Avengers vs. X-Men"served as a closure to the" House of M "and" Decimation "storylines. It featured the death of Professor X and the reappearance of new mutants after the return of the Phoenix Force.

Several short-lived miniseries started featuring several X-Men in solo series, such asStorm,Gambit andMagneto: Not a Hero(featuring Magneto and Joseph).

Notable additions to the X-Men have been Warbird andBlink.The "Avengers vs. X-Men"storyline also took place during this period.

• Cyclops' X-Men
  • Uncanny X-Men,vol. 2 – the flagship of the Cyclops' team with the Extinction Team dealing with potential threats to mutantkind's survival.
  • X-Men,vol. 3–Storm's field team operating from an aeroplane to neutralize threats before reaching crisis levels.
  • New Mutants,vol. 3–Cyclops tasked the New Mutants as a clean-up team to resolve loose ends.
  • Generation Hope– a rapid response team locating new lights as they manifested with Rogue and later Shadowcat serving as liaison
• Wolverine's X-Men
  • Wolverine and the X-Men,vol. 1–the flagship of the Wolverine's team featuring the faculty and student of the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning.
  • X-Men Legacy,vol. 1–Rogue leads a team acting as the school's security detail
  • Astonishing X-Men,vol. 3–Wolverine's field team forming after the attack of the Marauders.
• X-Men in Training
  • Wolverine and the X-Men(also served as the flagship title)
• Other Teams
  • Uncanny X-Force,vol. 1 – a black ops team led by Wolverine with members from the previous strike force.
  • X-Factor,vol. 3 – Havok stepped back in to co-lead with Polaris after the disappearance of Madrox.
  • X-Treme X-Men,vol. 2 – a group of heroes from alternate dimensions led by Dazzler to defeat the Ten Evil Xaviers.
  • X-Club– the X-Men's Science Team dealing with the mutant birth crisis and the effects ofM-Day.
  • Age of Apocalypse– featured the X-Terminated, human resistance fighters banded together to save the human race by taking out Weapon X and his new mutant regime.

Time-Displaced Original X-Men

In 2012, as part of theMarvel NOW!relaunch, all X-Men titles (exceptAstonishing X-Men&Wolverine and the X-Men) were canceled, includingUncanny X-Men,X-Men: Legacy,X-MenandNew Mutants.New flagship titleAll-New X-Menwas launched which featured the original five X-Men members who were brought to the present day by Beast and were made a separate team led eventually by Kitty. The relaunchedUncanny X-Menfeatured Cyclops, his team and the new mutants, taking up residency in theWeapon Xfacility, which they have rebuilt into a school — the New Charles Xavier School for Mutants. An all female book titled simplyX-Menwas also launched. DuringAll-New Marvel Now!,Astonishing X-Menwas cancelled and in its place another flagship titleAmazing X-Menwas launched which featured the return of Nightcrawler and became the flagship title of Wolverine's team. Also,Wolverine and the X-Menwas relaunched and turned into mutants-in-training book. In 2013, for the 50th anniversary of the X-Men, "Battle of the Atom"was published which involved members of both X-Men schools trying to decide what to do about the time-displaced original X-Men, culminating in a confrontation with a version of the Brotherhood and the X-Men from an unspecified future date. In 2014, Wolverine was killed off in the"Death of Wolverine"story arc, as the conclusion of a storyline that saw him lose his healing factor after he was infected by an intelligent virus.

Several short-lived miniseries started featuring several X-Men in solo series, such asX-Men Legacy (featuring Legion),Cyclops, Magneto, Nightcrawler, StormandAll-NewDoop.

Notable additions to the X-Men have beenFirestarandM.Notable story arcs of this era are "Battle of the Atom"(2013),"X-Termination"(2013),"Death of Wolverine"(2014),"AXIS"(2014) and"The Black Vortex"(2015).

• Cyclops' X-Men
  • All-New X-Men,vol. 1 – the flagship of the X-titles with the original X-Men brought from the past to the present to confront their future counterparts.
  • Uncanny X-Men,vol. 3 – the flagship of the Cyclops' team with Cyclops and the remnants of his Extinction team taking up a revolutionary course to promote mutant rights.
• Wolverine's X-Men
  • Amazing X-Men,vol. 2 – the flagship of the Wolverine's team featuring a field team with initial mission to search for the deceased Nightcrawler.
  • X-Men,vol. 4 – an all-female team dealing with new threats from Arkea and a new Sisterhood.
• X-Men in Training
  • Wolverine and the X-Men,vol. 2 – the summer term on the Jean Grey School that focused on Logan's legacy on his students Quentin Quire, Evan Sabahnur and Idie Okonkwo.
  • Spider-Man and the X-Men–Spider-Man leads a Special Class to investigate the students as requested by Wolverine before his demise.
• Other Teams
  • Cable and X-Force– a fugitive team led by Cable to face the threats that he saw in his visions.
  • Uncanny X-Force,vol. 2 – a proactive team of misfit X-Men led by Psylocke.
  • All-New X-Factor– a corporate-sponsored X-Factor team hired by Serval Industries.
  • X-Force,vol. 4 – the remnants of Cable's X-Force and Psylocke's X-Force merge to form a superhuman black ops.
  • Wolverines– a group of mutants with healing factor are captured by the Paradise escapees to help them find the adamantium-petrified body of Wolverine.

Terrigen Cloud

Variant cover ofExtraordinary X-Men#17, Dec. 2016 (flagship series of this era) during the "Inhumans vs. X-Men"story arc. Art by Jorge Molina.

In 2015, as part of "All-New, All-Different Marvel",three team books were launched: the second volume ofAll-New X-Men,the fourth volume ofUncanny X-MenandExtraordinary X-Men.X-23 took on the mantle of Wolverine and got a new solo series andOld Man Loganalso received a new ongoing series when the character found himself in (from his perspective) an alternate past. During this period, the mutants dealt with the threat of theTerrigencloud that circulated the world and appeared to be toxic to them, placing the X-Men at odds with theInhumans.The X-Men also dealt with Apocalypse resurfacing, and the truth of what happened between Cyclops and the Inhumans that led to his death. Storm's team resided inLimboand worked to bring mutants to safety away from the Terrigen. Magneto's team took on a more militant approach. Beast worked alongside the Inhumans to attempt to find a way to alter the state of the Terrigen, but later discovered that it couldn't be altered and would have rendered Earth toxic for mutants. This revelation caused the X-Men to declare war against the Inhumans, but this conflict ended when the Inhumans learned what was happening, with Medusa sacrificing the Terrigen cloud to save the mutants.

Notable additions to the X-Men have beenOld Man LoganandCerebra.Notable story arcs of this era are "Apocalypse Wars" (2016), "Death of X"(2016) and"Inhumans vs. X-Men"(2016–2017). The X-Men were also involved in the"Civil War II"and"Monsters Unleashed"storylines.

• X-Men
  • Extraordinary X-Men– the flagship of the X-titles with X-Men relocated to Limbo following the release of the Terrigen Mists.
  • Uncanny X-Men,vol. 4 – Magneto leads a team of deadly mutants to deal with threats to mutantkind.
  • All-New X-Men,vol. 2 – the time-displaced original X-Men embarking on a roadtrip in an attempt to live normal lives.

ResurrXion

In 2017, theResurrXionlineup was launched withX-Men: Prime.It introduced new titles;X-Men Blue,X-Men Gold,Weapon X,new volumes ofAstonishing X-MenandGeneration X,new solo series forCable,Jean Grey,andIceman,and continuation of theOld Man LoganandAll-New Wolverinerun. With the Terrigen gone, the X-Men vacated Limbo and moved toCentral Parkwhere they returned to their heroic roots instead of constantly living in fear for their survival. Other notable changes include Kitty Pryde as the new leader of the X-Men, the time-displaced X-Men working with Magneto, Old Man Logan turning Weapon X into a black ops team, and mutant characters crossing over fromEarth-1610to the Earth-616 universe. Early 2018 saw the Phoenix Force returning to earth and mysteriously resurrecting the original Jean Grey. A new series featuring the original Jean leading a team of X-Men calledX-Men Redwas released later that same month. Rogue and Gambit's relationship became a focal point during theRogue & Gambitminiseries and again in theTill Death Do Us Partstory arc inX-Men Gold,which saw the two finally tie the knot, and once more during theMr. & Mrs. Xminiseries, which saw the new couple attempt to take their honeymoon but end up involved in an intergalactic conspiracy. Other noteworthy plot points included Wolverine's return coinciding with the arrival of a mysterious new villain named Persephone, Psylocke's return to her original body, Magneto's steady return to villainy, and the time-displaced X-Men facing the consequences of their presence in the 616 timeline, and the return of Cyclops. 2019 saw a new volume ofUncanny X-Menreleased beginning with a 10-part weekly story arc. Several solo series were launched, includingLegion,Multiple Man, Domino, ShatterstarandX-23,before the revamp of the entireX-Menlineup.

Mainly Charles Xavier, Cyclops, Wolverine and Jean were resurrected and time-displaced X-Men returned to their original timeline during theExterminationevent.

Notable additions to the X-Men have beenPyro,Gentle,Scout, Trinary,WolfsbaneandMultiple Man.Notable story arcs of this decade are "Weapons of Mutant Destruction" (2017), "Phoenix Resurrection: The Return of Jean Grey" (2017–2018), "Poison X" (2018), "Extermination" (2018), "Hunt for Wolverine"(2018),"Return of Wolverine"(2018–2019)," X-Men: Disassembled "(2018–2019) and"Age of X-Man"(2019). The X-Men were also involved in the" Venomized ","Secret Empire"and"War of the Realms"storylines.

• X-Men
  • X-Men Gold– the flagship of the X-titles with Kitty Pryde leading the X-Men at the new location at Central Park; an ad hoc team is led by Iceman while Kitty Pryde and her team are in prison.
  • X-Men Blue–the time-displaced original X-Men mentored by Magneto; an ad hoc team is led by Polaris while the Original Five is lost in space.
  • X-Men Red,vol. 1–the resurrected Jean Grey leading a team to have the mutants recognized as a nation.
  • Astonishing X-Men,vol 4 – an ad hoc team of X-Men members reunited in London to fight the Shadow King; later featured a ragtag team of X-Men co-led by Havok and Beast against the threat of the Reavers.
  • Uncanny X-Men,vol. 5 – Jean Grey leads the remnants of the Gold and Red team after Nate Grey resurfaces proclaiming himself the mutant messiah and reshaping the world in his own view; Cyclops and Wolverine reformed the team following the dissolution of the X-Men after fighting X-Man.
• X-Men in Training
  • Generation X,vol. 2 – Jubilee's group of students at the rechristened Xavier Institute.
• Other Teams
  • Weapon X,vol. 3 – a black ops team of heroes and villains working together to take down a new Weapon X program.
  • New Mutants: Dead Soul– a team of former New Mutants and X-Factor members founded by Karma to investigate paranormal occurring.
  • X-Force,vol. 5 – original X-Force members Domino, Shatterstar, Cannonball, and Warpath are on the hunt for Kid Cable.
  • Exiles,vol. 3 – The Unseen recruits champions from alternate universes to save the multiverse from the Time Eaters.

Krakoan Age of X-Men

Main articles:Krakoan Age,Dawn of X,Reign of X,Destiny of X,andFall of X

On May 14, 2019, Marvel announced they would cancel all the X-Men titles and relaunch the entire lineup.Jonathan Hickmanwill have full creative control and will start with two rotating bi-weekly six-issue limited series calledHouse of XandPowers of X.After the 12 issues are released, Hickman will pen the flagship title and several new and traditional titles will be released.It was subsequently announced in July 2019 atSan Diego Comic-Conthat there would be six new X-titles as part of Marvel'sDawn of Xcampaign.Following the end of theX of Swordscrossover, the sequel relaunchReign of Xwill encompass a new era in the X-titles.Destiny of Xfeatured the SecondKrakoanAge of X-Men after the events ofInfernoandX Lives of Wolverine/X Deaths of Wolverine.Mutantkind's unparalleled growth and prosperity on the island nation Krakoa was threatened during theFall of Xby the human supremicist organizationOrchis.Marvel teased the X-Men's final battle for Krakoa's future in the two interconnected titlesFall of the House of XandRise of the Powers of X.

Several miniseries and one-shots started featuring several X-Men in team-up and solo series such asGiant-Size X-Men(featuring Jean Grey, Emma Frost, Magneto, Nightcrawler, Fantomex, Storm and Thunderbird),Wolverine,Cable,Juggernaut,Sabretooth,Rogue and Gambit,Astonishing Iceman,Children of the Vault(featuring Cable and Bishop),Uncanny Spider-Man(featuring Nightcrawler),Jean Grey,Ms. Marvel: The New MutantandMs. Marvel: Mutant Menace.

Notable addition to the X-Men have beenSynch,Ms. Marvel (Kamala Khan),andRasputin IV.Notable story arcs of this era are "X of Swords"(2020),"Hellfire Gala"(2021),"Trial of Magneto"(2021),"Inferno"(2021),"X Lives of Wolverine/X Deaths of Wolverine"(2022),"Judgment Day"(2022),"Dark Web"(2022–2023),"Sins of Sinister"(2023) and" Weapons of Vengeance "(2023). The X-Men were also involved in the"Empyre","The Last Annihilation ","King in Black","Devil's Reign","Contest of Chaos"storylines.

Team	Details	Ref
Flagship teams
X-Men,vol. 5	The flagship title launched duringDawn of Xfeaturing world-building stories of the mutant renaissance.
X-Men,vol. 6	The flagship title launched duringReign of Xfeaturing a new team of chosen champions of mutantkind.
Immortal X-Men	One of the flagship titles launched duringDestiny of Xfocusing on the politics within the Quiet Council of Krakoa. The title is replaced byImmoral X-Menduring theSins of Sinisterevent. The storyline is concluded in the limited seriesX-Men Forever.
X-Men Red,vol. 2	One of the flagship titles launched duringDestiny of Xfeaturing thePlanet Arakkounder the guidance of the conflicting factions of Storm's Brotherhood and Brand's X-Men Red, and later with Genesis' Great Ring. The title is replaced byStorm & the Brotherhood of Mutantsduring theSins of Sinisterevent. The storyline is concluded in the limited seriesResurrection of Magneto.
Other teams
Dawn of X
Marauders,vol. 1	Captain Kate Pryde led a pirate team traveling the world for the supply and trade of the Krakoan drugs and smuggling of mutants into and out of nations hostile to Krakoa.
Excalibur,vol. 4	Betsy Braddock(asCaptain Britain) and her team explore the connection between mutant powers and magic in the Otherworld. The storyline is continued in the seriesKnights of X.
New Mutants,vol. 4	Magik led a spacefaring team of classicNew MutantsandGeneration Xmembers, and later acts as mentor to younger mutants in Krakoa; a second team of outreach party seek young mutants who have chosen not to come to Krakoa. The resident New Mutants' adventure continued inNew Mutants: Lethal Legion.
Fallen Angels,vol. 2	Kwannon(as Psylocke) recruitsCableandX-23for a personal mission which could jeopardize all of mutantkind.
X-Force,vol. 6	The mutant black-ops team dealing with the security of Krakoa.
Hellions	A team of mutant troublemakers given an outlet for their gene-given desires.
X-Factor,vol. 4	A team investigating and enforcing the Resurrection Protocols. The storyline in continued in the seriesX-Men:Trial of Magneto.
Reign of X
S.W.O.R.D.,vol. 2	The mutant nation's forefront representatives to the outer universe.
Children of the Atom	A group of young vigilantes operating in New York City posing as mutants.
Way of X	Nightcrawlerassembled a team focused on the path of answers for mutantkind's spirituality. The title is concluded in the one-shotX-Men: The Onslaught Revelation.
X-Corp	A corporate team headed by CXOsWarrenandMonetstaffed with some of the brightest and most deviant minds in mutantkind.
Destiny of X
Marauders,vol. 2	Captain Pryde leads a new crew for rescuing mutants.
Knights of X	Captain Britain leads a team of ten knights into Otherworld in a quest to search the Siege Perilous. The title concluded in the seriesBetsy Braddock: Captain Britain.
Legion of X	The mutant police force formed by Nightcrawler and Legion. During theSins of Sinisterevent, the title is replaced byNightcrawlersfeaturing Sinister's private army of chimera assassins.
X-Terminators,vol. 2	A limited series featuring Wolverine, Dazzler, Jubilee and Boom-Boom battling armies of vampires.
Sabretooth& the Exiles	The mutants exiled in The Pit are in pursuit of an escaped Sabretooth. The title is a continuation of theSabretoothsolo series and is concluded in theSabretooth Wararc of theWolverineseries.
Bishop:War College	Bishop training young mutants as War Captains in training for Krakoa.
Fall of X
Uncanny Avengers,vol. 4	A new lineup of the Unity Squad formed to foster the unity between humanity and the mutant nation of Krakoa.
Dark X-Men,vol. 2	Madelyne Pryror formed a team based out of Limbo to fill the void left by the X-Men.
Realm of X	A team of mutantkind's fiercest warriors sent on a mystical mission in Vanaheim to fight theWhite Witch.
Alpha Flight,vol. 5	Two Alpha Flight squads, split between human and mutant members, are secretly working together to transport mutants to Chandilar.
Dead X-Men	The fallen heroes murdered in the Hellfire Gala are guided by Askani on a sacred mutant mission to find for an intact biological Moira mind in one of Sinister's close-engine timelines.

From the Ashes

Main article:X-Men: From the Ashes

During the panel atSXSW2024, a new era of mutant mythos is announced with the X-Men scattered across the planet as they attempt to rebuild themselves in the wake of the acclaimed Krakoan Age. It introduced flagship titles forX-Men,Uncanny X-MenandExceptional X-Men, new volumes forX-Force,NYX,X-FactorandWeapon X-Men,solo series forJean Grey,Wolverine(Logan),Storm,Dazzler,Mystique,Psylocke,Wolverine(Laura Kinney) andMagik,and a new series forSentinels.

Notable addition to the X-Men have beenKid OmegaandTemper.Notable story arc of this era is "Raid on Graymalkin" (2024). The X-Men were also involved in the "Blood Hunt"and" One World Under Doom "storylines.

Team	Details	Ref
Flagship teams
X-Men,vol. 7	Scott Summers is leading a team from their base in Alaska using Cerebra to secure mutantkind's future.
Uncanny X-Men,vol. 6	Rogue leads a team of outlaw heroes from their new base of operations in New Orleans.
Exceptional X-Men	Emma Frost and Kate Pryde mentor an all-new team of young mutants in Chicago.
Other teams
NYX,vol. 2	A group of young mutants –Kamala Khan(codename Ms. Marvel), Laura Kinney (codenameWolverine),Anole,ProdigyandSophie Cuckoo– navigate New York City as the mutant community adapts to the post-Krakoan Age.
X-Factor,vol. 5	Angel and Havok co-lead a government-sanctioned team for mutant propaganda.
X-Force,vol. 7	Forge leads a mutant team in off-the-books missions to solve the increasing threats across the planet.
Weapon X-Men,vol. 2	A lethal striketeam (Wolverine, Cable, Deadpool, Thunderbird and Chamber) targeting enemy stronghold.

Team roster

Main article:List of X-Men members

The X-Men team lineup has varied throughout the years and splintered into several other newer teams.

The original team lineup introducedCyclops,Jean Grey,Beast,Angel,andIcemanas well asProfessor X.Later issues brought fan favorites and frequent members includingWolverine,Storm,Colossus,Nightcrawler,Havok,andPolaris.

Overview

Angel Ariel Armor Aurora Banshee Beast Bishop Blink Boom-Boom Cable Cannonball Cecilia Reyes Cerebra Chamber Changeling Cloak Colossus Cyclops Cypher Dagger Danger Darwin Dazzler Doctor Nemesis Domino Firestar Forge ForgetMeNot Frenzy Gambit Gentle Havok Hepzibah Honey Badger Hope Summers Husk Iceman Ink Joseph Jubilee Juggernaut Karma Kid Omega Kuan-Yin Xorn Lady Mastermind Legion Lifeguard Lockheed Longshot Madison Jeffries Maggott Magik Magma Magneto Marrow Marvel Girl Mimic Mirage Ms. Marvel Multiple Man Mystique Namor Nightcrawler Northstar Old Man Logan Omega Sentinel Penance Petra Pixie Polaris Prestige Prodigy Professor X Psylocke (Braddock) Psylocke (Kwannon) Pyro Rasputin IV Rogue Sabretooth Sage Shadowkat Shen Xorn Slipstream Stacy X Storm Sunfire Sunspot Sway Synch Talon Temper Thunderbird (Proudstar) Thunderbird (Shaara) Trinary Vulcan Warbird Warlock Warpath White Queen Wolfsbane Wolverine X-Man

Enemies

Main article:List of X-Men enemies

The X-Men have a rogues gallery of enemies they fight on a regular basis, the most well-known beingMagneto,the mutant Master of Magnetism and Professor X's former friend.

Other popular enemies include the shapeshiftingMystique,the ancient mutantApocalypse,the mad scientistMister Sinister,the mutant-huntingSentinelrobots, villain teams such as theBrotherhood of Evil Mutantsand theHellfire Club,and the constant racism and discrimination from humans.

Themes and motifs

The X-Men use many recurring plot-devices and motifs for their various story arcs over the years that have become commonplace within the X-Men canon.

Reflecting social issues

The conflict between mutants and normal humans is often compared to real-world conflicts experienced by minority groups inAmericasuch asAfrican Americans,various religious or non-religious groups,ethnic minorities,autisticindividuals, theLGBTQ community,etc.It has been remarked that attitudes towards mutants do not make sense in the context of the Marvel Universe, since non-mutants with similar powers are rarely regarded with fear;X-MeneditorAnn Nocentiremarked that "I think that's literary, really – because there is no difference between Colossus andthe Torch.If a guy comes into my office in flames, or a guy comes into my office and turns to steel, I'm going to have the same reaction. It doesn't really matter that I know their origins.... as a book,The X-Menhas always represented something different – their powers arrive at puberty, making them analogous to the changes you go through at adolescence – whether they're special, or out of control, or setting you apart – the misfit identity theme. "Also on an individual level, a number of X-Men serve ametaphoricalfunction as their powers illustrate points about the nature of the outsider.

The X-Men are hated, feared and despised collectively by humanity for no other reason than that they are mutants. So what we have here, intended or not, is a book that is about racism, bigotry and prejudice.

—Uncanny X-MenwriterChris Claremont,1981

• Racism:Although this was not initially the case,Professor Xhas come to be compared tocivil rights movementleaderMartin Luther King Jr.andMagnetoto the more militantMalcolm X.(Magneto, in thefirst film,quotes Malcolm X with the line "By any means necessary.") X-Men comic books have often portrayed mutants as victims ofmob violence,evoking images of thelynchingof African Americans in the age before thecivil rights movement.Sentinels and anti-mutant hate groups such asFriends of Humanity,Humanity's Last Stand, theChurch of Humanity,andStryker'sPurifiersare thought to often represent oppressive forces like theKu Klux Klangiving a form to denial of civil rights and amendments.

1980s storylines involving the fictional island nation ofGenosha,where mutants are segregated and enslaved by anapartheidstate, are widely interpreted as a reference to the contemporary situation ofapartheid in South Africa.Chamber(2002) explicitly cites theNorman RockwellpaintingThe Problem We All Live With.The miniseries portrays using the mutant contextaffirmative action,National Guardtroops escorting a new student, sympathetic and antagonistic majority members, and majority-supremacist terrorism. Some mutants avoid confrontation and seek integration, while more militant mutantsplay the race card,reject theirhuman-given names,and denounce those who do not asStepin FetchitandUncle Tom.

• Antisemitism:Explicitly referenced in recent decades is the comparison between antimutant sentiment and antisemitism. Magneto, aHolocaustsurvivor, sees the situation of mutants as similar to those of Jews inNazi Germany.At one point he even utters the words "never again" in a 1992 episode of theX-Menanimated series. The mutant slave labor camps on the island ofGenosha,in which numbers were burned into mutant's foreheads, show much in common withNazi concentration camps,as do the internment camps of the classic "Days of Future Past"storyline.In the third X-Men film, when asked by Callisto: "If you're so proud of being a mutant, then where's your mark?" Magneto shows his concentration camp tattoo, while mentioning that he will never let another needle touch his skin. In the prequel filmX-Men: First Class,a fourteen-year-old Magneto suffersNazi human experimentationduring his time in the camps and witnesses his mother's death by gunshot.
• Diversity:Characters within the X-Men mythos hail from a wide variety of nationalities. These characters also reflect religious, ethnic or sexual minorities. Examples include Kitty Pryde/Shadowcat, Magneto andSabrawho areof Jewish descent.Dust,Ms. Marvel,andMwho areMuslim,Nightcrawlerwho is a devoutCatholic.Neal Shaara/Thunderbirdwho isHindu.Jubilee isChinese American,Gambitis born toCajunparents fromNew Orleans, LouisianaandRogueis from Caledecott County,Mississippiboth of whom areSoutherners.Warpath along with his deceased brother the first Thunderbird areNative Americans of Apache descent.Stormrepresents two aspects of the African diaspora as her father wasAfrican Americanand her mother wasKenyan.Karmawas portrayed as a devout Catholic fromVietnam,who regularly attended Mass and confession when she was introduced as a founding member ofthe New Mutants.This team also includedWolfsbane(a devoutScottishPresbyterian),Danielle Moonstar(aNative American of Cheyenne descent),Cannonball,and was later joined byMagma(a devoutGreco-Romanclassical religionist). Different nationalities included Wolverine,Aurora,Northstar,Deadpool andTransonicfromCanada;Colossus and Magik fromRussia;Banshee andSirynfromIreland;Dust fromAfghanistan;Psylocke, Wolfsbane andChamberfrom theUnited Kingdom;Sunfire,Armor,SurgeandZerofromJapan;Sunspot fromBrazil;M fromMonaco;Nightcrawler fromGermany;Sabra fromIsrael;Omega Sentinel,Neal Shaara,Kavita Rao,IndraandTrinaryfromIndia;VelocidadfromMexico;OyafromNigeria;PrimalfromUkraine;etc.
• LGBT themes:Some commentators have noted the similarities between the struggles of mutants and theLGBTcommunity, noting the onset of special powers aroundpubertyand the parallels between beingclosetedand the mutants' concealment of their powers.In the comics series, gay andbisexualcharacters includeAnole,Bling!,Destiny, Karma, Mystique, Psylocke, Courier,Northstar(whose marriage was depicted in the comics in 2012),Graymalkin,Rictor,Shatterstar,Shade, theUltimate versionof Colossus and later Iceman after revealing that he is a mutant; the comics version of the character was then revealed to be gay in 2015.Transgenderissues also come up with shapechangers like Mystique,Copycat,and Courier who can change gender at will. It has been said that the comic books and the X-Men animated series delved into theAIDSepidemic with a long-running plot line about theLegacy Virus,a seemingly incurable disease thought at first to attack only mutants (similar to the AIDS virus which at first was spread through the gay community).In the filmX-Men: First Class,Hank McCoyis asked by his CIA Boss why he never disclosed his mutant identity, and his response was"you didn't ask, I didn't tell".
• Communismandsocialism:Occasionally, undercurrents of the real-life "Red Scare"are present or the events of the Red Scare in history are alluded to. Senator Robert Kelly's proposal of aMutant Registration Actis similar to the efforts ofUnited States Congressto try to bancommunismin the United States.In the 2000X-Menfilm, Kelly exclaims, "We must know who these mutants are and what they can do," even brandishing a "list" of known mutants (a reference to SenatorJoseph McCarthy's list ofCommunist Party USAmembers who were working in the government).
• Religion:Religion is an integral part of several X-Men storylines. It is presented as both a positive and negative force, sometimes in the same story. The comics explorereligious fundamentalismthrough the person of William Stryker and his Purifiers, an antimutant group that emerged in the 1982 graphic novelGod Loves, Man Kills.The Purifiers believe that mutants are not human beings but children of the devil, and have attempted to exterminate them several times, most recently in the "Childhood's End" storyline. By contrast, religion is also central to the lives of several X-Men, such as Nightcrawler, a devoutCatholic,andDust,a devoutSunni Muslimwho wears an Islamicniqāb.
• Subculture:In some cases, the mutants of the X-Men universe sought to create a subculture of the typical mutant society portrayed. The Morlocks, though mutants like those attending Xavier's school, hide away from society within the tunnels of New York. These Morlock tunnels serve as the backdrop for several X-Men stories, most notablyTheMutant Massacrecrossover. This band of mutants illustrates another dimension to the comic, that of a group that further needs to isolate itself because society won't accept it.InGrant Morrison's stories of the early 2000s, mutants are portrayed as a distinct subculture with "mutant bands," mutant use of code-names as their primary form of self-identity (rather than their given birth names), and a popular mutant fashion designer who created outfits tailored to mutantphysiology.The seriesDistrict Xtakes place in an area of New York City called "Mutant Town."These instances can also serve as analogies for the way that minority groups establish subcultures and neighborhoods of their own that distinguish them from the broader general culture. DirectorBryan Singerhas remarked that the X-Men franchise has served as a metaphor for acceptance of all people for their special and unique gifts. The mutant condition that is often kept secret from the world can be analogous to feelings of difference and fear usually developed in everyone during adolescence.
• Genocide:Genocide and its psychological aftereffects, primarilysurvivor guilt,are recurring elements in some of the most significant X-Men story arcs. Magneto was a survivor ofThe Holocaustand witnessed the genocide of his people, severely scarring him emotionally and leaving him with a strong distrust of humanity. Because of this he constantly toes the line between ally and enemy of the X-Men. The iconicDays of Future Paststory line saw an alternate future where Sentinels committed genocide on most of the world's mutants.In Rachel Summers' original timeline, she was captured by humans and turned into a 'hound' used to hunt down other mutants in order to capture and kill them, leaving her extremely traumatized by the experience and knowledge that she unwittingly assisted in the genocide of her own people. Bishop's childhood consisted of him being trapped in a mutant concentration camp, leaving him so emotionally scarred as an adult that upon returning to the past he was prepared tokill a baby who might have caused his future.WhenCassandra Novacommitted genocide on Genosha, the event left bothEmma FrostandPolaristraumatized by survivor's guilt as they were amongst the limited few survivors. While taking some time off in Germany,Nightcrawlerwitnessed the genocide of numerous mutants. The event left him as an emotional shell of who he used to be because of the trauma of what he witnessed until he had psychic therapy withJeanto help him cope.Other characters who have either committed or have survived genocide include Mystique,Callisto,Apocalypse, Onslaught,Bastion,Mister Sinister,Hope Summers, Cable, and thePhoenix Force.

Time travel

Many of the X-Men's stories delve intotime traveleither in the sense of the team traveling through time on a mission, villains traveling through time to alter history, or certain characters traveling from the past or future in order to join the present team. Story arcs and spin-offs that are notable for using this plot device includeDays of Future Past,Messiah Complex,All-New X-Men,Messiah War,andBattle of the Atom.Characters who are related to time travel include: Apocalypse, Bishop, Cable,Old Man Logan,Prestige, Hope Summers,Tempus,andStryfe.A major notable period in the X-Men's history began in 2012sAll-New X-MenwhenBeastused time-travel to bring the original five 1960s X-Men into the present. These time-displaced characters subsequently starred in their own titleX-Men Bluebefore returning to their original timeline in 2018sExterminationevent.

Death and resurrection

One of the most recurring plot devices used in the X-Men franchise is death and resurrection, mostly in the sense of Jean Grey and her bond with the Phoenix. Though not as iconic as Jean and the Phoenix, many other X-Men characters have died and come back to life on occasion. Death and resurrection has become such a common occurrence in the X-books that the characters have mentioned on numerous occasions that they are not strangers to death or have made comments that death doesn't always have a lasting effect on them (for example, "In mutant heaven, there are no pearly gates, only revolving doors" ).X-Necroshais a particular story arc that seesSelenetemporarily reanimate many of the X-Men's dead allies and enemies in order for her to achieve godhood. In the Krakoan era, the characters invent a method of resurrecting mutants who have died; becoming a significant story element across the various x-men books.

Fate

Many of the characters deal with the topic of fate. In particular,Destiny's abilities of precognition have affected certain plot points in the X-Men's history long after she was killed off due to both the X-Men and their enemies constantly searching for her missing diaries that foretell certain futures. The topic of fate takes center stage yet again in a story arc called "The Extremists" involving attacks against theMorlocksdue to one of them seeing a dark future for their people.Some characters believe they already know their own fates, such as Apocalypse believing he is fated to rule the mutants or Magneto believing he is fated to lead the mutants to rise up against humans. Other characters such as Jean, Prestige,Evan Sabanur,Hope Summers, andWarren Worthington IIIhave all been wary of their fates and have all taken measures to alter their futures.

Space travel

Space travelhas been a common staple in the X-Men books beginning with the Phoenix and Dark Phoenix sagas. Since then space has been involved in many stories involving the X-Men's allies and occasional rivals theShi'aralong with stories involving the Phoenix Force. Space has been the setting for many stories involving the likes ofThe Brood,such as the story arc where the villainous species was first introduced.Through space noteworthy characters like TheStarjammersandVulcan(lost brother of Cyclops and Havok) were introduced. Space Travel played a major role inJoss Whedon'srun onAstonishing X-Menvia the introduction ofS.W.O.R.D.and especially in one of the final story arcs under his authorship called "Unstoppable".Other notable story arcs involving space included "X-Men: The End","Rise and Fall of the Shi'ar Empire ","X-Men: Kingbreaker","War of Kings",and"The Black Vortex".

Sanity

The topic of sanity has been addressed in many of the major heroes and villains of X-Men. Most famously this is addressed in Jean Grey when she gains near omnipotence through the Phoenix andProfessor Xavierafter he violently uses his powers against Magneto, unintentionally creating Onslaught. Mystique's sanity wavers throughout the franchise as her constant transformations causes more and more of her mind to fracture.Ever since swapping bodies withRevanche,Psylocke has occasionally struggled to maintain her sanity due to her more aggressive nature and new powers. The character Deadpool is famous for his blatant lack of sanity. After Magneto stripped Wolverine of his metal bones, Wolverine began to become increasingly feral throughout most of the mid to late 1990s X-Men comics. The nature of Rogue's powers affecting her sanity due to her retaining the memories of others has been a central plot device on many occasions, most famously retainingMs. Marvel'spsyche throughout most of the 1980s. Most recently Emma Frost's sanity has become fractured ever since Cyclops died in her arms, causing her to declare war against Inhumans.Other characters who have had issues with sanity include Cyclops, Sabretooth,Magik,Quentin Quire,X-23, and Prestige.

Political warfare

In the Marvel Universe, mutant rights is one of the hot controversial political topics and is something that is addressed numerous times in the X-books as a plot device. While some politicians likeValerie Cooperhave legitimately tried to help the X-Men, most have made it their mission to discredit the X-Men in order to eliminate mutants once and for all. SenatorRobert Kellybegan his platform on a strong outspoken anti-mutant sentiment until he changed his mind after being rescued by mutants later on in his career. When Sabretooth's human sonGraydon Creedran for office, the X-Men sent inCannonballand Iceman to discreetly join his campaign team and find anything on his anti-mutant agenda. This continued until it boiled to a head when his assassination led to "Operation: Zero Tolerance."Some of the issues presented in the comics serve as allegory to modern issues in the real world, such as Lydia Nance suggesting mass mutant deportation.

Ideological differences

Characters in the X-Men franchise espouse a variety of political ideologies, and these differences are a frequent catalyst for conflict. The most prominent ideological clash in the X-Men franchise is that between Xavier and Magneto; despite later interpretations of the two as analogues for Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, writer Chris Claremont (who originated Magneto's backstory and history with Xavier) saw them as more comparable toDavid Ben-GurionandMenachem Begin.Xavier's ideology has drawn comparisons toassimilationismandmodel minoritypolitics, while Magneto, originally depicted as a mutantsupremacist,is later portrayed as aliberationistadvocatingself-determinationthroughmutually assured destruction.Callistois aseparatist,who seeks to protect the Morlocks throughisolationism.Emma Frostis portrayed as rejecting social movements, opting to use thecapitalistsystem for her personal benefit, or for that of individual mutants in her care.Apocalypseis characterized as asocial darwinistwho believes that mutants can only survive through the rule of might. TheMutant Liberation Frontcommits acts ofterrorismtoliberatemutants wrongly incarcerated by the government. Even when individual characters expressing conflicting ideologies are portrayed as either misguided or villainous, their motives and beliefs are often treated by the X-Men with nuance, sympathy, and respect; for example, duringSecret Wars,whenThe Avengerstake issue with Magneto's placement among the heroic team byThe Beyonder,the X-Men defend him as an ally, despite disagreeing with his methods.Pulitzer-winning national security journalistSpencer Ackermanhas stated that "the importance of the X-Men as a universe of stories, as a mythos, is that we should always be debating who is right."

Media and popular culture

The character ofMojo,an extraterrestrial being and media mogul from the Mojoverse, serves as a satirical embodiment of the pervasive influence of media on society. Created by Nocenti andArt Adams,Mojo's grotesque appearance and obsession with television ratings are a direct commentary on the often exploitative nature of entertainment media.

Mojo's realm, where citizens are addicted to his gladiator-like television programs, mirrors the real world's fixation with reality TV and the spectacle of media. It raises questions about the ethical boundaries of entertainment and the societal impact of media consumption. The character's creation was influenced by Nocenti's readings of media critics such asMarshall McLuhan,Noam Chomsky,andWalter Lippmann,reflecting concerns about how media shapes public perception and discourse.

The X-Men's encounters with Mojo often highlight the dangers of media manipulation and the commodification of individuals. These narratives underscore the importance of critical thinking and media literacy as tools to combat the potential indoctrination by mass media. The character's storylines serve as allegories for the real-world implications of media control over information and the shaping of societal norms.

In the broader context of the X-Men universe, Mojo's machinations can be seen as a metaphor for the media's role in perpetuating social issues. His control over the Mojoverse parallels the control media conglomerates have over public opinion and the dissemination of information. The X-Men's resistance against Mojo's tyranny is symbolic of the struggle against the monopolization of media and the fight for a free and independent press.

Setting

See also:Mutant (Marvel Comics)

The X-Men exist in theMarvel Universealong with other characters featured in Marvel Comics series and often interact with them. The X-Men/mutant corner of the Marvel Universe has been informally called "X-Universe".For instance,Wolverinewas an antagonist tothe Hulkbefore joining the X-Men and has ties to other heroes such asCaptain America,Black Widow,the Thing,Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers),ElektraandSpider-Man.QuicksilverandScarlet Witchare formerBrotherhood of Mutantsmembers who joined theAvengers,as have other X-Men characters such asBeast.Roguegot her powers via absorbing Carol Danvers (then called Ms. Marvel) who has also interacted with the X-Men.Kitty Pryde/Shadowcathas been part of theGuardians of the Galaxyand datedStar-Lord,she also served as a mentor toFranklin Richardsthe mutant son ofMister FantasticandInvisible Womanof theFantastic Four.Stormwas once the Queen ofWakandaand the wife ofBlack Panther,as well as a temporary member of the Fantastic Four.Rachel Summerswas the girlfriend of Franklin Richards.IcemanandAngelhave also joinedthe original Championsalongside Black Widow,Ghost RiderandHerculesas well as having frequent partnerships withFirestarand Spider-Man as "The Amazing Friends".Sabretoothwas anIron Fistvillain before becoming Wolverine's archenemesis. Aftera conflict over the Phoenix Force,Captain America admitted to a remorseful but unrepentant Cyclops that the Avengers should have done more to help mutants, and not allowed the world to hate them. As a result, he formed a team calledUncanny Avengers(aka Avengers Unity Division) of both X-Men and Avengers members in hopes of unifying mutant and humankind. The global nature of the mutant concept means the scale of stories can be highly varied. The X-Men's enemies range from mutant thieves to galactic threats.

Historically, the X-Men have been based in theXavier Institute of Gifted Youngsters/X-Mansionlocated inSalem Center,Westchester County, New York,and are often portrayed as a family. The Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters/X-Mansion is often depicted with three floors and two underground levels. To the outside world, it acted as a higher learning institute until the 2000s, when Xavier was publicly exposed as a mutant at which point it became a known mutantboarding school.Xavier funds a corporation aimed at reaching mutants worldwide, though it ceased to exist following the 2005 "Decimation" storyline. The X-Men benefit from advanced technology such as Xavier tracking down mutants with a device calledCerebrowhich amplifies his powers; the X-Men train within theDanger Room,first depicted as a room full of weapons and booby traps, now as generating holographic simulations; and the X-Men travel in theirBlackbird jet.

Fictional places

The X-Men introduced several fictional locations which are regarded as important within the shared universe in which Marvel Comics characters exist:

• Asteroid M,an asteroid made by Magneto, a mutant utopia and training facility off of the Earth's surface.
• Avalon,Magneto'sspace stationthat served as the primary base for him and hisAcolytesto create a mutants-only safe haven after Magneto drastically reverted to his villainous ways. Originally created byCable.
• Genosha,an island near Madagascar and a longtimeapartheidregime against mutants. The U.N. gave control to Magneto until theE Is for Extinctionstory saw Genosha destroyed via massgenocide.
• Krakoa,a living island which is currently home to the X-Men and other mutants. It is an official country.
• Limbo,a hellish dimension heavily populated by demons. Whoever possesses the Soulsword bears control over and can draw power from Limbo. InExtraordinary X-Men,the X-Men made a sanctuary in Limbo calledX-Haventheir home after Terrigen started making earth uninhabitable for mutants.
• Madripoor,an island inSouth East Asia,near Singapore. Its location is shown to be in the southern portion of theStrait of Malacca,south west of Singapore.
• Mojoverse,an alternate dimension ruled by the tyrantMojofocused on creating violentreality entertainmentusually featuring captive mutants
• Murderworld,fictional twisted amusement park designed by the Marvel supervillain known as Arcade.
• Muir Island,a remote island off the coast ofScotland.This is primarily known in the X-Men universe as the home ofMoira MacTaggert's laboratory.
• Mutant Town(also known as "District X"), an area inAlphabet City, Manhattan,populated largely by mutants and beset by poverty and crime.
• New Tien,a mutant-run region on the west coast of the United States where mutants outnumber humans. It was created afterHydra took over the United States.Emma Frost secretly leads New Tien by telepathically possessing New Tien'spuppet rulerXorn.
• Savage Land,a preserved location inAntarcticawhich is home to a number of extinct species, most notablydinosaurs,and strange tribes.
• Shi'ar throneworld Chandilar,the home world of the X-Men's occasionalextraterrestrialallies The Shi'ar.
• Utopia,Cyclops had Asteroid M raised from thePacific Oceanoff the coast of the San Francisco as a response to the rise of anti-mutant sentiment to form a mutant nation.

Cultural impact and legacy

• The insecurity and anxieties in Marvel's early 1960s comic books such asThe Fantastic Four,The Amazing Spider-Man,The Incredible Hulk,andX-Menushered in a new type of superhero, very different from the certain and incredibly powerful superheroes before them, and changed the public's perception of superheroes.
• The superhero team has been described as an allegory to real-life struggles experienced by people rejected by society.
• Ramzi Fawaz argues that X-Men presents a feminist revision of the idea of a superhero team: "As a corollary to its critique of normative identity,The X-Menshifted the traditional locus of affective and political identification in mainstream superhero comics from white male heroes to powerful and racially diverse female superheroes whose emotional strength anchored mutant kinships and whose superpowers granted them unprecedented ability to reshape the material world. "

Other versions

• Age of Apocalypse– In a world where Professor X is killed by his sonDavid/Legionbefore he can form the X-Men, Magneto leads the X-Men in a dystopian world ruled by Apocalypse. Created and reverted via time travel.
• Age of X– a world in which anti-mutant sentiment became even worse due to a series of events and thus led to the United States government hunting down mutants with Sentinels and leading to "The Decimation" which severely reduced the mutant population and Magneto leads the mutants who are based in Fortress X.
• Days of Future Past–Sentinelshave either killed or placed into concentration camps almost all mutants. Prevented by the time-traveling Kate Pryde/Widget (the adult Kitty Pryde/Shadowcat).
• House of M– Reality is altered byScarlet Witch,with her father Magneto as the ruler of Genosha and in which mutants are the dominant group with humans as second-class citizens. 2005's crossover event, it concludes with a reversion to the normal Marvel Universe, albeit with most mutantsdepowered.
• Marvel 1602– Mutants are known as the "Witchbreed"in this alternate reality set during the time ofThe Inquisition.Carlos Javier creates a "school for the children of gentlefolk" to serve as a safe haven and training ground for which he callsmutantur(orchanging ones) and normal humans (themondani). The roster consists of the original 5 members and analogues of Sunspot, Pietro and Wanda Maximoff.
• Marvel 2099– Set in a dystopian world with new characters looking to the original X-Men as history, becomingX-Men 2099andX-Nation 2099.
• Marvel Noir– The X-Men of this reality are a group of delinquent teenagers led by Charles Xavier who believes that sociopathy is the next step in human evolution.
• Mutant X– Set in a world where Scott Summers was captured along with his parents by the Shi'ar and only Alex escaped, allowing him to be the eventual leader of this Universe's X-Men ( "The Six" ). The Mutant X universe reimaginesMr. Fantastic,Nick Fury,and Professor X as villains andDoctor Doomand Apocalypse as heroes.
• MC2– In this alternate future,Jubileeforms theX-Peoplein response to anti-mutant sentiment.Members include Angry Eagle, Simian, Spanner, Torque,Push,Bluestreak,J2,andWild Thing.
• Time-displaced X-Men– The time-displaced team was introduced as such inAll-New X-Menvol. 1 #1, byBrian Michael BendisandStuart Immonen,and brought to the present with time travel. They were kept as regular characters, as Bendis intended to explore their reactions to the fate of their adult selves.The team was the main focus of theBattle of the Atomcrossover, some months later. Bendis also used them for crossovers with theGuardians of the GalaxyandMiles Morales,that he also wrote.This was one of the few crossovers between theMarvel Universeand theUltimate Marveluniverse; Bendis preferred to write them sparingly.All-New X-Menhas a vol. 2 in 2015, byDennis HopelessandMark Bagley.The comic was cancelled after the end of theInhumans vs. X-Mencrossover, and the team was now published in theX-Men Bluecomic. The teenager Jean also got a solo series after the end ofResurrXion,by Hopeless and Victor Ibanez, that explored her relation with thePhoenix Force.The teenager Cyclops joins theChampions,a comic book focused on teenager heroes but unrelated to the X-Men mythos.They guest-starred in theVenomcomic, in the "Poison-X" arc. The story took the villains from theVenomversearc and led to theVenomizedcrossover.The team were featured in theExterminationcrossover, where they went back to their original timeline.
• Ruins– Although the actual X-Men don't appear, alternate versions of its members and villains are shown to have suffered under horrific circumstances. Charles Xavier is a tyrannicalPresident of the United States,Jean Grey is aprostitute,Magneto and Mystique die, Wolverine suffers from poisoning from his adamantium skeleton, Emma Frost heads the Church of the Next Generation and forces children of her followers to undergo surgery, Cyclops as well as Nightcrawler and Kitty Pryde are imprisoned at a Texas jail and Sabretooth is part of a fascist cannibalistic militia based in Oklahoma alongside Bucky Barnes and Jack Monroe.
• Ultimate X-Men– Set in the reimaginedUltimate Marveluniverse. The X-Men are younger, wear black and gold uniforms and supernatural/cosmic elements are downplayed. Additionally Colossus is gay unlike his main universe counterpart, Magneto is not a Holocaust survivor and is more villainous, mutants were created by the Super-Soldier Serum, Cable is Wolverine and Kitty Pryde/Shadowcat dated Spider-Man.
• Ultimate Universe- Set in Earth-6160, a world preceded byalternative historythanks to the interference of theMaker.Mutants are seen as mysterious and a fringe presence to the world at large, a scattered, suppressed and unrecognized minority without central leaders due to the absence of Magneto and Professor X. A group of young outcast students led byArmorforms the X-Men to combat a cult of Homo Superior covertly researching their powers and believing themselves to be superior to the human race.
• X-Men Forever– An alternate continuity diverging fromX-Men,vol. 2 #3, continuing as though writer Chris Claremont had never left writing the series.
• X-Men Noir– Set in the 1930s, with the X-Men as a mysterious criminal gang and the Brotherhood as a secret society of corrupt cops.
• X-Men: The End– A possible ending to the X-Men's early 2005 status quo.
• X-Men '92– Follows "Secret Wars", the X-Men of the 1992 TV Series, received their own comic book series.

In other media

Main article:X-Men in other media

The X-Men team has featured in multiple forms of media including the20th Century Foxlive-action film series,multiple animated shows,live-action shows,multiple video games,numerousnovels,motion comics,soundtracks,action figures,andclothing.

See also

• List of Marvel Comics superhero debuts
• Doom Patrol,a similar team of super-powered misfits appearing in comics published byDC Comics
• Harbingers/Psiots,another group of superpowered outcasts appearing in comics published byValiant Comics

References

Bibliography

• Deman, J. Andrew (2023).The Claremont Run: Subverting Gender in the X-Men.University of Texas Press. ISBN 978-1-4773-3075-3.

Further reading

• Fecteau, Lydia (July 12, 2004)."Mutant and Cyborg Images of the Disabled Body in the Landscape of Science Fiction".Archived fromthe original(DOC)on September 30, 2005.RetrievedSeptember 29,2005.
• Morrison, Grant(August 10, 2000)."The Geek Shall Inherit the Earth".The Evening Standard.Archived fromthe originalon February 19, 2006.RetrievedSeptember 29,2005.
• Weinstein, Simcha(2006).Up, Up, and Oy Vey: How Jewish History, Culture and Values Shaped the Comic Book Superhero.Baltimore: Leviathan.Note: Contains a chapter on the X-Men, with special emphasis on Jewish characters Magneto and Shadowcat.
• Montgomery, Mitch (October 21, 2006)."X-traordinary People: Mary Tyler Moore and the Mutants Explore Pop Psychology".Silver Bullet Comics.Archived fromthe originalon October 26, 2006.

External links

• Official website
• X-MenatMarvel
• X-Menat the Comic Book DB (archived fromthe original)
• X-Menat theGrand Comics Database