22/09/2024
10 interesting facts about the X-Men:
First Appearance: The X-Men debuted in The X-Men #1 in 1963, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.
Original Line-Up: The original team included Cyclops, Marvel Girl (Jean Grey), Iceman, Beast, and Angel, all led by Professor Charles Xavier.
Mutants: The X-Men are mutants, humans born with an X-gene that grants them superhuman abilities, often manifesting during puberty.
Professor X and Magneto: Charles Xavier (Professor X) and Erik Lehnsherr (Magneto) represent opposing philosophies, often compared to Martin Luther King Jr. (peaceful coexistence) and Malcolm X (militant defense), regarding the future of mutantkind.
Wolverine: Arguably the most popular X-Man, Wolverine (Logan) was not part of the original team. He first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #180 in 1974 and later joined the X-Men in Giant-Size X-Men #1 (1975).
Diverse Characters: The "All-New, All-Different" X-Men introduced in 1975 featured an international roster, including characters from Canada (Wolverine), Kenya (Storm), Germany (Nightcrawler), Japan (Sunfire), and Russia (Colossus).
Days of Future Past: One of the most famous X-Men storylines, Days of Future Past (1981), deals with time travel and a dystopian future where mutants are hunted by giant robots called Sentinels.
X-Men: The Animated Series: In the 1990s, X-Men: The Animated Series became a cultural phenomenon, introducing a new generation to the characters and storylines, solidifying the team’s popularity.
Dark Phoenix Saga: Jean Grey's transformation into the Dark Phoenix in the late 1970s is one of the most iconic and tragic stories in X-Men lore, as she grapples with her immense cosmic power and eventual corruption.
Live-Action Films: The X-Men film franchise began in 2000, with Hugh Jackman’s portrayal of Wolverine becoming legendary. The success of X-Men helped launch the modern era of superhero movies.
