X-Men

Origin

Original Team Roster

Original X-Men vs Magneto

The original team of X-Men was formed by Professor Charles Francis Xavier to fulfill his dream of a peaceful coexistence between humans and mutants. Using his vast telepathic powers and with help from his supercomputer Cerebro, he located five mutants to help him in his prospects by forming the Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters.

Scott "Slim" Summers was the Professor's first student. Gifted and cursed with the ability to open dimensional portals with his eyes that produce a concussive force of destructive energy, he was forced to wear a visor made of ruby quartz to contain his blasts. Because of the look and shape of his visor, he took the code name Cyclops.

Original Brotherhood of Evil Mutants

Robert "Bobby" Drake, a young man from Long Island, New York, was recruited after the sudden onset of his powers incapacitated one of his peers. He was jailed, for 'his own protection' against the angry and confused citizens of his town. Soon afterward, the wall of his cell was blown out and he was approached by Cyclops, who presented him with an offer to join the academy. He was given the name Iceman after his power to manipulate moisture and create ice.

Henry "Hank" McCoy, born in Dunfee, Illinois to Norton and Edna McCoy was a genius with the brutish look. He excelled in athletics due to his physical nature but also studies profusely. When he began to attract animosity for his appearance and mutation, he was approached by Xavier to join his school. Hank took the name "Beast" as his mutation granted him larger hands and feet, much like a gorilla and super strength to match.

Warren Kenneth Worthington III was already a costumed crime fighter in his own right who went by the name "the Avenging Angel." He was born to millionaire parents and was kept in a private school, forced to hide his physical mutation. He was recruited by Professor X and he retained the codename "Angel" due to his large feathery wings.

Jean Grey was already a student (of sorts) of Professor X prior to the formation of the X-Men. After experiencing the death of her best friend, Annie, her telepathic powers were activated, forcing the young mutant to feel and sense her friend's passing. She was coached and helped by the Professor as he locks her powers away to keep her safe. As she develops telekinetic gifts she is invited to the school to become the sole female addition to the team. She takes the name "Marvel Girl."

The students are trained to use their gifts by Professor X who deems them the X-Men due to their extra abilities. The team becomes a tightly knit group, growing up from teenagers and learning to properly use their powers. Their first mission is against the evil mutant, Magneto, who is the self proclaimed "Master of Magnetism." He attacked Cape Citadel and the X-Men prevented any damage or casualties.

During the initial run of X-Men they face Magneto's Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, the teleporting Vanisher, the villainous Factor Three and the alien Lucifer. Early in the series, Professor X is presumed dead and it is learned that he had been replaced, at his request, by the Changeling, a villain who wished to reform his criminal ways. The X-Men are also joined by the mutant Mimic, who has the ability to utilize up to five mutant abilities at a time. Mimic sought out the X-Men in an attempt to make his powers permanent, but was defeated and became an ally for a short time. The team was then joined by two new recruits; Havok, the plasma generating brother of Cyclops; and Polaris, the green haired, magnetism manipulating future confirmed daughter of Magneto. Eventually Beast left the team to pursue scientific endeavors.

Lineups:

Professor X, Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Beast, Iceman and Angel
Professor X, Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Beast, Iceman, Angel, Mimic and Changeling
Professor X, Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Beast, Iceman, Angel, Polaris and Havok
Professor X, Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Iceman, Angel, Polaris and Havok

Creation

The X-Men were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, making their first appearance in X-Men #1 in 1963. Stan Lee created the title 'X-Men' when publisher Martin Goodman turned down the original name ' The Merry Mutants' because he felt that people would not understand what a mutant actually was. Throughout the Marvel Universe, it is believed that the X-Men were named after Professor Xavier, their mentor but it is claimed that they were actually named after the X-Gene, the gene that created mutants.

One of the reasons for creating X-Men was the amount of mail Marvel was getting from the readers demanding a new superhero team because of all the solitary heroes in Marvel roster. Stan Lee wanted the heroes to have similar origin background, and because "I could not get everyone bitten by radioactive spider", Lee came up with the "Homo Superior" concept.

Some have pointed out that it is possible that the team was inspired by DC Comics' Doom Patrol. At the time Marvel was a new force on the comics scene and took a lot of its motivation and inspiration from DC (for instance the Fantastic Four were patterned after the Challengers of the Unknown). The similarities between numerous characters, and especially Professor X to the Chief have led to this speculation.

Team Evolution

The Early Years

The Silver and early Bronze ages of comics published stories more in line with the standard at the time, meaning issues that consisted of self contained stories with little overall development of characters. One of the developments of Marvel is that the company became much more interested in character development, but this change was slow and the early years of the X-Men were marred with the same problems as other comics, if perhaps to a lesser degree.

Late 70's

Deadly Genesis/Giant-sized X-Men

All New All Different

The first big shake-up for the team came when the original team (plus Havok and Polaris, minus Beast) were abducted by the living island of Krakoa. First Professor X sent a brand new team of untried students trained by Moira MacTaggert. This team included Kid Vulcan, Darwin, Sway,and Petra, but they were quickly overtaken by the island. Petra and Sway were killed but Vulcan was left in suspended animation (partially due to Darwin's powers). When Krakoa released Cyclops to bring more mutants to feed on, Professor X gathered several young mutants who already had experience in their powers: Storm, Wolverine, Nightcrawler, Colossus, Thunderbird, Sunfire, and Banshee. Due to Professors X's mental manipulations, Vulcan's team was completely forgotten and Storm's team became known as the X-Men second generation. Following this mission, Marvel Girl, Iceman, Angel, Havok, and Lorna Dane (as well as Sunfire) all left the team allowing the remaining new members and Cyclops to become the new X-Men.

New X-Men

Phoenix Rises

The newly formed team was comprised of diverse but strong personalities, making them very different from the original team. The new team consisted of adults rather than impressionable teenagers, and both Scott and Xavier found it challenging to get the team to work together. On their second mission, the team battled Count Nefaria, and despite earlier warnings, Thunderbird had sacrificed himself for his teammates, and became the first X-Man to die in the line of duty. Subsequent missions had also put the new team against former X-Men members such as Havok and Lorna Dane (now going by the name of Polaris), who were under the influence of Shi’ar agent Eric the Red, and Kierrok and his N’gari. It was during these early periods that readers got their first glimpses of Moira MacTaggert, Black Tom Cassidy, and Lilandra.

During a Christmas trip to New York City, the X-Men and Marvel Girl were attacked by Sentinels, which led to the capture of Jean, Banshee and Wolverine. The remaining X-Men were dispatched to space to save the Starcore space station and their teammates. The team was attacked by Erik the Red, and robot duplicates of the original team along with Havok and Polaris. On the escape back to Earth, the spaceship was badly damaged and could not be piloted through use of auto pilot. After telepathically absorbing the information necessary to pilot the ship from Dr. Peter Corbeau, Marvel Girl volunteered to fly the ship back to Earth. She assumed that by creating a psionic shield of telekinetic energy she would be safe, and simultaneously forced Cyclops to sleep as she flew the ship back to Earth. Unfortunately, her body could not handle the strain and she perished. The ship landed in the Hudson Bay with all the X-Men safe, but they could not find Jean. While searching for Jean, she emerged from the river in a completely different costume and a fiery voice, and declared a new identity as the Phoenix. The team was uneasy but grateful that Jean had survived, but they quickly noticed that her powers were much more than they were before. She easily performs feats that she was never able to as Marvel Girl.

Phoenix Saga

Immediately after, the team (except Scott and Charles who were looking after Jean) battled the Juggernaut and Black Tom Cassidy in Ireland, but before they were defeated, Jean as the Phoenix saved them. The team then faced foes such as Magneto, which saw the division among the team, and each side thought that the other had perished; Moses Magnum, who held Japan hostage and cost Banshee his mutant power; Proteus, the reality warping son of Moira MacTaggart who was killed by the soft hearted Colossus. There was also a mission in the Shi’ar galaxy to defeat the mad Emperor D’Ken. Here, the Phoenix the potential of her power by binding the neutron galaxy inside the M’Kraan Crystal.

Line-up:

Professor X, Kid Vulcan, Darwin, Petra and Sway
Professor X, Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Iceman, Angel, Havok, Polaris, Storm, Wolverine, Colossus, Nightcrawler, Thunderbird, Sunfire and Banshee
Professor X, Cyclops, Storm, Wolverine, Colossus, Nightcrawler, Thunderbird and Banshee
Professor X, Cyclops, Storm, Wolverine, Colossus, Nightcrawler and Banshee
Professor X, Cyclops, Storm, Wolverine, Colossus, Nightcrawler, Banshee and Phoenix
Professor X, Cyclops, Storm, Wolverine, Colossus, Nightcrawler and Phoenix

Early 80’s

Dark Phoenix

In one of the most well-known X-Men stories, Jean Grey began to lose control over her powers and personality. She became much more aggressive in dealing with wrong doers. While saving the mutant Dazzler from a Hellfire Club task force, she completely dismantled a car with ease. During this time, the team had recruited a young mutant from Deerfield, Illinois named Katherine "Kitty" Pride. Kitty along with Storm, Colossus and Wolverine are captured by the Hellfire Club and held hostage but was eventually rescued through the efforts of an escaped Kitty and the remaining X-Men. The members of the Hellfire Club's inner circle witnessed a sample of Phoenix's power and plotted on brain washing her into becoming a member. A former member of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, Mastermind, was primarily responsible for the psychic seduction of Jean Grey. He initiated "time slips" to convince her that she was living in the past as his lover. Jean goes to the club and became fully entranced under Masterminds mind control. The X-Men attempted to intervene, but it only led to their capture with the exception of Wolverine, who makes a famous stand against the club's security and Inner Circle. Jean eventually overpowered Mastermind, and through the powers of the Phoenix, she put his mind in touch with the universe, which essentially overwhelmed his mind into catatonia. Her actions had caused her to become overwhelmed by her own powers, thus transforming her into the Dark Phoenix.

Wolverine and Katherine

After defeating the X-Men and heading to space where she destroyed a star system, Dark Phoenix returned to Earth. The X-Men had allied with the newly deputized Avengers, and Beast confronts Jean in an attempt to calm and help her. The teams are quickly defeated, but Professor X, aided with the help of Jean Grey, defeated the Phoenix persona. Once he won, the X-Men were interrupted by Lilandra and the Shi'ar imperial guard. As empress, Lilandra is bound by Shi'ar laws to kill the Phoenix for the crimes she had committed against their empire, which was the "eating" of a star, and condemning a planetary system in death. The team is transported to the Blue Area of the Moon and Xavier reads Lilandra's mind and invokes Arin'n Haelar, a duel of honor that cannot be denied. The X-Men face off against the Imperial Guard of the Shi'ar. Once the X-Men are defeated, Jean lost control of her powers and personality, and the Dark Phoenix persona arises. Before Lilandra could order the destruction of the solar system to prevent Phoenix from becoming a threat again, Professor X instructed the X-Men to subdue Jean. Once she regained her senses, Jean used a Kree weapon to commit suicide.

Days of Future Past

With the death of Jean Grey, Cyclops left the team and Angel returned. Professor X promoted Storm to team leader and they welcomed Kitty Pride, now codenamed Sprite, onto the team. In an attempt to deter an assassination plot on Senator Kelly by Mystique's Brotherhood of Mutants, Kitty's psyche had switched with that of an alternate time line. In that time line, the world is ruled by Sentinels, and mutants were sent to internment camps and killed. Most of the known X-Men at the time had perished with the exception of Colossus, Storm, Wolverine and Magneto. They were joined with the son of Invisible Woman and Mr Fantastic, Franklin Richards, and the daughter of Cyclops and Jean Grey, Rachel Summers. In order to prevent the apocalyptic future, Kitty traveled back to the past to prevent the death of Senator Kelly. She is successful, however, the alternate time line that she had encountered remained intact.

The Brood

The next few months are tumultuous for the X-Men. Angel leaves again, while Cyclops intermittently returns, Colossus’ sister Illyana is aged to a teenager, Storm is almost turned into a vampire, Arcade attacked the x-men, the mansion is destroyed and Colossus is gravely injured. The X-Men, along with house guest Carol Danvers, traveled to space with the Starjammers and were kidnapped by Lilandra’s sister Deathbird and the terrifying Brood. This lead to Danvers being transformed into the cosmically powered Binary and the X-Men almost being transformed into Brood creatures themselves. The X-Men returned to Earth to destroy the Brood embryo inside Professor X and discover that in their absence, the Professor has gathered a new group of young mutants, the New Mutants. Kitty was briefly demoted to the junior team until she proved herself against a Sidri Hunter on her own.

Morlocks

Callisto and the Morlocks

The X-Men discovered that Angel had been kidnapped by a community of underground dwelling mutants calling themselves Morlocks and led by a fierce woman named Callisto. In a duel to the death, Storm fought Callisto for Angel’s life and the leadership of the Morlocks. Storm won, but spared Callisto’s life and allowed her to lead in her absence and by her rules.

Rogue and Japan

In a shocking change to the team, an unexpected visitor comes to the mansion seeking asylum. Former Brotherhood of Mutants member, Rogue, comes to the Professor seeking help with controlling her power. She isn't accepted into the team right away and must prove herself by saving Lady Mariko, Wolverine's betrothed. During their stay in Japan, Storm spends time with a thief, Yukio, and sees drastic changes to her looks and personality. She adopts a more punk look, cutting her incredibly long hair into a Mohawk and wearing leather and spikes. Combined with her Morlock vest, it is a vast change from her previous looks and temperament. During this time, Storm was rendered powerless by Mystique, who shot her with a gun used to suppress mutant gene's when aiming for her foster daughter, Rogue.

The Summers Family Expands

Scott and Madelyne get married!

Around this same time, Scott married a woman named Madelyne Pryor who was the spitting image of Jean Grey. Soon after on a mission with Alpha Flight against Loki, they discovered that Madelyne was pregnant. This led more and more to her wishing Scott would leave the X-Men.

Shortly after this Rachel Summer, Cyclops’ daughter from Days of Future Past timeline arrived in the present. She became fast enemies with Selene, the new Black Queen of the Hellfire Club and was rescued by Xavier. She joined the X-Men without revealing to Cyclops who she really was. She eventually claimed the power and name of the Phoenix from her mother's holo-empathic crystal.

Unbeknownst to the rest of the X-Men, Professor X’s body wasn’t recovering from a severe beating he had received months earlier by mutant haters. He was slowly on the path to dying and refused to burden his students with it. At this point, he also invited Magneto to stay at the mansion with them as he had begun to repent for his past misdeeds. Also at this time, it was decided that Storm and Cyclops could no longer share the leadership responsibilities and there must be a decision made. They agree to a duel in the Danger Room of which the powerless Storm wins.

Lineups:

Professor X, Cyclops, Storm, Wolverine, Colossus, Nightcrawler, Beast and Angel
Professor X, Storm, Wolverine, Colossus, Nightcrawler, Angel and Sprite
Professor X, Storm, Wolverine, Colossus, Nightcrawler and Sprite
Professor X, Cyclops, Storm, Wolverine, Colossus, Nightcrawler, Shadowcat and Rogue
Professor X, Cyclops, Storm, Wolverine, Colossus, Nightcrawler, Shadowcat, Rogue, Rachel Summers and Magneto

Late 80’s

At the trial of Magneto in France, Fenris, the twin children of Baron Von Strucker attack Magneto as well as Xavier and Gabrielle Haller. They are defeated but Xavier’s body almost gives out. While he is on the verge of death, he asks Magneto to take over the school for him and then he is taken off to space with the Starjammers. In the months that followed, the team fought the Beyonder as part of the Secret Wars II. Rachel was stabbed by Wolverine when she attempted to assassinate Selene. In the resulting battle between the X-Men, the Hellfire Club and Nimrod, Rachel is whisked away to the Body Shoppe unknown to anyone else.

Mutant Massacre

Enter the Marauders

A group of deadly mutant hunters, the Marauders, start to attack and kill off the Morlocks. Meanwhile, a psychic Marauder, Malice possesses Dazzler, while she's playing in Lila Cheney's band after being outed publicly as a mutant. With Storm being the current leader, she is immediately informed of what is happening below. The team heads into the tunnels and Shadowcat and Nightcrawler are seriously injured. Shadowcat is now trapped in a permanent phased state and Nightcrawler is left in a coma. Colossus also loses control and snaps Riptide's neck. The school is turned into a makeshift hospital for the Morlocks and X-Men who are injured. X-Factor and Thor join the X-Men and New Mutants in ridding the tunnels of the Marauders but the entire civilization is nearly wiped out. X-Factor also sees its own tragedy as Angel is mauled by the Marauders and his wings are ripped apart by Blockbuster and only the timely intervention of Thor saves him. The team also welcomes Psylocke who fought Sabretooth to a standstill and protected the injured at the mansion.

Following the Massacre, the team is also joined by Longshot, a refugee from Mojoworld who appeared one day in the Danger Room. They go to one of Lila Cheney's shows to rescue Dazzler from Malice, and she also joins the evolving team. Meanwhile, in New Mexico, Havok is having dreams of going to the mansion and being attacked by the X-Men. He travels to New York and finds the team staying in the Morlock tunnels, and he learns about the Marauders and the massacre. He says that he wants to help and Havok rejoins the X-Men, while back in New Mexico, Polaris is attacked by the Marauders in the desert. She takes them down before revealing that she's been possessed by Malice and will be the Marauders new leader.

During this period Storm and Magneto jointly accept an invitation to join the Hellfire Club to represent the X-Men in the greater scheme. Storm and the team also begin to think that it may be time for the world to think the X-Men are dead. The X-Men receive a distress call from San Francisco from Madelyne Pryor and head to California to rescue her. In San Francisco, they find her being pursued by the Marauders. Havok is horrified to see Polaris leading the evil mutants, but still takes a killing shot at her to stop her from killing Madelyne. At this point the Marauders true leader is revealed to be Mr Sinister and he forced his team to move into the now mostly deserted Morlock tunnels. Madelyne decides to stay with the X-Men since she believes Cyclops to have abandoned her and her son to be missing.

Fall of the Mutants

For more information regarding this arc, see: Fall of the Mutants

While investigating a disturbance at Eagle Plaza, the home of Forge, the X-Men are confronted by Mystique's newly formed Freedom Force. During the battle, both teams see injuries, but the conflict ends when the sky opens and a deadly prophecy from Destiny occurs.

The scene turns to chaos as Dallas is taken by hordes of cavemen and Native Americans. A citadel also appears in the sky covered by an impregnable vortex. With the combined powers of the X-Men, they invade and find the guardian Roma imprisoned by the Cheyenne mystic, Nazé. Joined by a newly repowered Storm and Forge, the team is forced to sacrifice their own lives to defeat Nazé. The event is televised worldwide, so they X-Men are believed dead by both friend and foe. Little does the world know, Roma offers to restore the heroes to life and the team decides to let the world believe them dead.

Outback and Inferno

For more information regarding this arc, see: Outback and Inferno

The X-Men have now gone from outlaws to figures hiding in the shadows. After Roma's gift of rebirth, Storm uses the X-Men's appeared death to their advantage and moves them to an old Reavers base in the Outback of Australia. The team is now free to strike freely at their enemies and soon enough take advantage of their deadly nemeses, the Marauders.

Manipulation by Mr. Sinister and the recent revelation that Jean Grey was indeed alive slowly forced Madelyne Pryor into a psychosis.

The Inferno Crossover

She became unhinged and captured Jean Grey and her baby Nathan Christopher. In conjunction with the demons of Limbo, New York was turned into a demonic version of itself complete with twisted versions of the X-Men. With the New Mutants combating the demons and sealing Limbo and the combined forces of the X-Men and X-Factor, Madelyne was defeated and the team confronted Sinister. After being blasted by Cyclops' optic blast, he was seemingly killed

After the events in Inferno, the X-Men returned to the Outback. The team slowly began to fall apart as they stayed separated from their friends. Rogue sacrificed herself to the Siege Perilous to save the team from the Nimrod/Mastermold robot, Storm was taken prisoner and de-aged by the Nanny (with the team believing her to be killed by Havok), and Longshot leaves the team to find himself. Wolverine was off on a solo mission with no contact to the team.

After receiving a call from Lorna Dane, the remaining X-Men travel to South America and are then brought to the Savage Land along with Lorna by Savage Land Mutates under the control of Zaladane, who claimed to be Polaris' sister. After Zaladane takes Lorna's magnetic powers from her, she develops new powers that cause her to grow taller, stronger, and become invulnerable. After the battle is done the four X-Men are transported back to the outback by Gateway. The team finally dissolves when Psylocke telepathically influences the remaining members into the Siege Perilous in order to save them from a precognitive vision she had of their deaths by the Reavers. Having been cheated out of their revenge on the X-Men, the Reavers took all their aggression out on Wolverine who returned from his solo mission. He was defeated and crucified by the Reavers and would have died if not for being rescued by Jubilee.

To Save Our Lives...

At this time every member sees a drastic change in their lives. Polaris travels to Muir Island and joins the group there to defend against a Reavers attack. Psylocke emerges in Japan and is transformed into a Japanese ninja sharing her personality with Kwannon, who now inhabits her body. Colossus appears believing himself to be artist Peter Nicholas and begins dating a changed Callisto. Rogue is found in the Savage Land and is cured to help a multiple personality disorder. She joins Magneto, Ka-Zar and Nick Fury for a revolution against the mutates and Zaladane who have ravaged the land. Dazzler emerges briefly only to be found some time later with Longshot fighting against Mojo in the Mojoverse. Storm is de-aged and joined by a thief, Gambit, and the two form an alliance. For a time, there is no established X-Men team, only featured solo adventures of the Outback team and Forge and Banshee's quest to find the missing X-Men.

Line-ups

Storm, Wolverine, Colossus, Nightcrawler, Shadowcat, Rogue, Phoenix II and Magneto
Storm, Wolverine, Rogue, Magneto, Psylocke, Longshot, Dazzler and Havok
Storm, Wolverine, Rogue, Magneto, Psylocke, Longshot, Dazzler, Havok and Madelyne Pryor
Storm, Wolverine, Rogue, Psylocke, Longshot, Dazzler, Havok, Colossus and Madelyne Pryor
Forge, Banshee, Polaris, Siryn, Legion, Amanda Sefton, Sunder, Moira MacTaggert and Multiple Man

Muir Island Saga

For more Information regarding this arc, see: Muir Island Saga

The X-Men are reunited in space and for the first time members like Psylocke, Jubilee and Gambit had met Professor X. The team is assembled by Lila Cheney in order to help Lilandra and the Professor bring order to the empire. Many of the team as well as the royal family had been replaced by War Skrulls. The team prevails and for the first time in years, Professor X joins his students back on Earth.

Muir Island Saga

Meanwhile, Moira MacTaggert had her own band of mutants on Muir Island which included the super strong Morlock, Sunder; the sonic screaming Siryn, Nightcrawler's former girlfriend, the sorceress Amanda Sefton; the Professor's schizophrenic son Legion; Madrox the Multiple Man; as well as former X-Men Banshee, Forge and Polaris. The team had fended off an attack from the Reavers with the help of the Freedom Force with casualties. The team started to take a darker tone, most noticeably in the behavior and dress of Moira MacTaggert. The Shadow King had been influencing the attitudes of everyone on the Island, intending to use Polaris and her new powers to become a physical entity.

The X-Men are transported to the island thanks to Lila again and are met with X-Factor. The battle ends when Professor X confronts the Shadow King on the astral plane. The result is a defeated Shadow King and a crippled Xavier.

Lineups:

Muir Island X-Men

Banshee, Forge, Polaris, Moira MacTaggert, Sunder, Legion, Multiple Man, Amanda Sefton and Siryn

X-Men

Professor X, Storm, Wolverine, Colossus, Psylocke, Rogue, Jubilee and Gambit

X-Factor

Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Iceman, Beast and Archangel

Blue and Gold

Professor X and the X-Men began anew in Westchester, reuniting new members with old. With a membership of sixteen, the X-Men break into two strike forces, the Gold and Blue teams. The teams, led by Cyclops and Storm respectively, combined the classic members with newer X-Men, with Banshee and Forge serving as Mansion staff members and reservists. The teams were as followed:

Blue:

Cyclops, Beast, Wolverine, Rogue, Psylocke, Jubilee and Gambit

Gold:

Storm, Jean Grey, Iceman, Archangel, Colossus and Bishop

X-Cutioner's Song

For more information regarding this arc, see: X-Cutioner's Song

Family Values?

While speaking about equality at a Lila Cheney concert, Xavier was attacked and put into a comatose state, supposedly by Cable, the newest leader of the New Mutants now known as X-Force. While searching for Cable and preserving the Professor's life, Cyclops and Jean Grey are captured by the real attacker, a psionic mutant known as Stryfe. The X-Men join with the new government sponsored version of X-Factor and members of X-Force to clear Cable's name and find the missing X-Men. It is revealed that Stryfe is a clone of Cable and therefore, in a way, a child of Scott and Jean. His rage comes from his supposed abandonment. In order to save the Professor, the team calls upon Apocalypse to counteract the virus making its way through his body. In the end, Stryfe is defeated and the Professor is saved.

Fatal Attractions

For more information regarding this arc, see: Fatal Attractions

Colossus joins Magneto

Even though the X-Men defeated Stryfe, saved the Professor and rescued Jean and Cyclops, Stryfe still managed a victory in form of a legacy. The Legacy Virus was a disease that attacked only mutants and caused their powers to become powerfully out of control to a fatal end. The virus hit close to home with mutants suffering that had close ties to the X-Men like Pyro, Revanche and Colossus' young sister Illyana Rasputin. Illyana, who had been reverted to childhood following the events of the Inferno, was still a latent mutant in her current form and was the first casualty of the virus. It hit Colossus hard as he had just lost both of his parents soon before. The X-Men held a vigil in her honor with all X-Teams in attendance to mourn her death. Wishing to pay his respects and offer asylum to any and all mutants interested, Magneto crashed the funeral in a show of misplaced aggression. He attacked the X-Teams and if not for the intervention of Colossus, would have lost. Colossus then states that he has lost faith in the dreams of other men, namely Xavier, and wishes to make his own path in a new world and joins Magneto in Asteroid M.

The X-Men waste little time putting together a strike force to infiltrate Asteroid M and discover the true intent of Magneto and the Acolytes. The Professor chooses a small team of Quicksilver, Wolverine, Rogue, Gambit, Jean Grey and himself. The mission is successful until confronted by Magneto. In his rage, Magnus attacks the X-Men and makes short work of most of the team. In one of the most shocking moments in comic history, he aggressively fights Wolverine and rips out his adamantium skeleton. The Professor decides that enough is enough and his former friend cannot be saved and wipes his mind. Jean Grey then takes over leadership and forces the team back to the craft while keeping the Professor breathing and Wolverine alive. In the end, Wolverine is left in a feral state with very little active healing ability and unsure of his life and purpose.

With the Acolytes now in a power struggle, Fabian Cortez assumes leadership over Magneto's followers. He kidnaps Magneto's granddaughter and daughter to Quicksilver and the Avenger, Crystal and claims her in the name of Magneto. This enrages the Avengers and the X-Men who join forces to save Luna and take back Genosha. Cortez is defeated and Exodus takes a leadership role with the Acolytes.

Phalanx Covenant

For more information regarding this arc, see: Phalanx Covenant

After recently returning to the mansion, Banshee notices small oddities with the mansion and its inhabitants. He investigates and finds that the X-Men have been replaced by an unworldly batch of beings who are targeting mutants. With Jubilee, Sabretooth and Emma Frost, he escapes to search for the next team of X-Men as noted by Cerebro. Meanwhile, Jean Grey and Cyclops have been on vacation away from the X-Men, saving themselves from imprisonment by the Phalanx. They join with Cable and Wolverine and search for the missing X-Men. Professor X, who had been offsite as well, gathered X-Force, X-Factor and Excalibur together in an old Acolyte base to form a plan. Knowing that the X-Men have been compromised, the other X-Teams split into three strike forces: one to infiltrate the Phalanx with " Douglock", a resurrected Warlock with the memories of Doug Ramsey; one to confront a cluster of the Phalanx serving as the breeding grounds to a new generation of Earth born Phalanx; and one team to stay at the Acolyte base if all else fails. Forge is successful in creating a feedback which disables the birth of the new Phalanx. Douglock and his team stop the heralding beacon from summoning the rest of the Phalanx.

Cyclops team finds and rescues the captured X-Men almost simultaneously and discovers that Cameron Hodge plays a huge role in allowing the Phalanx entry and knowledge of our world. Banshee saves all but one of the new mutants and he and Emma Frost convert the Massachusetts Academy to a school to train the teenage team of Generation X.

Lineups:

X-Men:

Cyclops, Jean Grey, Beast, Wolverine, Storm, Banshee, Rogue, Gambit, Psylocke, Archangel, Bishop, Jubilee and Professor X

X-Factor:

Havok, Polaris, Multiple Man, Strong Guy, Wolfsbane, Forge and Random

Excalibur:

Nightcrawler, Shadowcat, Captain Britain, Meggan, Daytripper, Douglock, Rachel Summers

X-Force:

Cable, Domino, Cannonball, Siryn, Warpath, Shatterstar, Rictor, Boom-Boom, Feral

Generation X:

Banshee, Emma Frost, Jubilee, Synch, Husk, Skin, M, Chamber, Penance

1990's X-Men

90's X-Men

Many X-Overs included:

"The X-Tinction Agenda" The government of Genosha captured mutants and used them as prison labor.

"The Muir Island Saga" The original X-Factor and Xavier returned to the X-Men to deal with the evil Shadow King.

" X-Cutioner's Song" Cable's clone and arch-enemy Stryfe, framed the X-Force leader for an attempt on Professor X's life. He also captured and tormented Cyclops and Jean Grey, the genetic parents of both Cable and Stryfe, who were revealed to be time-travelers.

" Fatal Attractions" Magneto returned, ripping out Wolverine's adamantium and forcing Xavier to mind wipe him. Continues in " Bloodties" and causes the " Onslaught" X-Over.

" Phalanx Covenant" A collective consciousness infected with the Transmode Virus infiltrated the X-Mansion, kidnapped a small bunch of previously unknown mutants and plotted to eliminate mutant-kind. This crossover results in the teenage mutant group, Generation X.

" Legion Quest" Professor X is killed by his time-traveling son Legion before he had ever formed the X-Men. This causes an alternate reality to unfolded in which Apocalypse rules North America and Magneto leads the X-Men as a resistance force ( Age of Apocalypse).

" Onslaught" Professor X lost control of his powers, producing an evil, near-omnipotent secondary personality called Onslaught, which battled the X-Men, The Avengers, and the Fantastic Four.

" Operation: Zero Tolerance" An anti-mutant army, leading by Bastion, is given government license to hunt down the X-Teams and other mutants.

2000's X-men

Grant Morrison revamped the X-Men with his New X-Men run. This was the core X-men book. There weren't any X-Overs in this time. The major story-lines are "E for Extinction", "Riot at Xavier's", "Assault on Weapon Plus", "Planet X" and "Here Comes Tomorrow".
After New X-Men, Joss Whedon's Astonishing X-Men became the flagship X-title. It lasted only four story arcs: "Gifted", "Dangerous", "Torn" and "Unstoppable".

" House of M": after creating an alternate reality, where the mutants are the dominant race, the Scarlet Witch shut off the X-gene in almost the entire mutant population. Wolverine got his memories back.

" Decimation": the decimation of the mutant race after the events of "House of M".

" Messiah CompleX": the first mutant birth after "House of M". Different parties fight over the baby.

" Divided We Stand": the X-Men is disbanded after the events of Messiah Complex.

" Manifest Destiny": the mutants find a new home in San Franciso.

Pre-Schism Teams

The current X-Men and related teams are:

Uncanny X-Men: Cyclops, Emma Frost, Namor, Magneto, etc.

X-Men: Legacy: Rogue, Magneto, Gambit, Frenzy, Students, etc.

Uncanny X-Force: Archangel, Wolverine, Psylocke, Fantomex, Deadpool

New Mutants: Cannonball, Dani Moonstar, Sunspot, Karma, Magik, Magma, Warlock, Cypher

X-Club: Doctor Nemesis, Box, Dr. Kavita Rao

X-Factor: Madrox, Strong Guy, Banshee, Layla Miller, M, Rictor, Longshot, Wolfsbane, Shatterstar

Astonishing X-Men: Cyclops, Emma Frost, Armor, Wolverine, Storm, Colossus, Kitty Pryde

Post-Schism Utopia Team

Extinction Team ( Uncanny X-Men): Cyclops, Storm, Emma Frost, Magneto, Namor, Colossus, Hope Summers, Danger, & Magik

Science Team ( X-Club): Dr. Nemesis, Kavita Rao, Madison Jeffries, & Danger

Security Recon ( X-Men): Storm, Psylocke, Domino, Warpath, Jubilee

Street Team: Dazzler, Boom Boom, Lifeguard

Clean-Up ( New Mutants): Dani Moonstar, Cypher, Magma, Sunspot, X-Man & Warlock

Gen Hope: Hope Summers, Pixie, Zero, Primal, Transonic & Velocidad

Recruits: Prodigy, Stepford Cuckoos, Crosta, Dust, Loa, No-Girl & Surge

Major Storylines

Original X-Men Spin-Off

X-Men: First Class Vol. 1

The original X-Men team; Cyclops, Iceman, Marvel Girl, Beast and Angel, face off new nemesis and team-up with other super heroes. They face off a living plant in Greenland, they enter the mind of Professor Xavier, team-up with Dr. Strange, Thor and Gorilla Man The team also deal with Skrulls, the Lizard and work love problems with Angel and the Scarlet Witch.

X-Men: First Class Special

In this one issue Iceman and Beast try to recruit a museum "statue". The team listens to bad poems and we figure out that Jean had a pet dragon.

X-Men: First Class Vol. 2

A new series goes on with Jean having some girl bonding with the Invisible Girl. Have the team isolated in Island X where Mastermind tricks them to stay there. The team takes some vacations. They face off the Hulk and lose their powers during a Sentinel attack. Later because of a Catalyst they over power and defeat the Sentinels. Later then the X-Men see their future selves and how they could end up. Showing Iceman as a huge monster, Beast is a beast and Jean is a Phoenix. Later the Scarlet Witch is auditioned to be a SHIELD agent and then turns them down. After a mission everybody gets sick except for Cyclops so he has to deal with a maniac and death. The team later teams-up with the Continueteens and defeat Mysterio. The Team then gets a sudden change in members since Angel finds a civilization where he's accepted no matter how he looked while looking for his aunt. While Angel was enjoying being accepted the X-Men get an android as a 5th member of the X-Men, but it turned out that he ended up being consumed by lava because he wanted to look human but couldn't although Jean saved his brain. Back home the team talked on how they missed Angel.

Alternate Realities

Age of Apocalypse

Earth-295: Age of Apocalypse

After Legion killed his own father Xavier, the X-Men of the Age of Apocalypse reality was led by Magneto. They fight against Apocalypse´s hordes of evil soldiers. There were two teams, Astonishing and Amazing, and members included Rogue, Blink, Iceman, Sabretooth, Morph, Banshee, Storm, Dazzler, Exodus, Nightcrawler, Quicksilver, Sunfire and Wild Child. They are more violent and, in some occasions, could use fatal actions.

When the X-Men found Bishop and learned about the main reality, Magneto created and make alliances with parallel groups of mutants and heroes to finally destroy Apocalypse. X-Calibre: Nightcrawler goes through Infernal Gallop to find Destiny, in order to verifies Bishop´s story. Gambit and the Xternas: They should steal M´kraan Crystal in Shi´ar Empire. Generation Next: Led by Colossus and Shadowcat, they must rescue Illyana, Colossus sister and the last time travel mutant.

Ultimate X-Men

Professor Xavier starts an X-Men team which includes Cyclops, Marvel Girl (Jean Grey), Storm, Beast and Colossus. Later while fighting Sentinels the team recruited Iceman. The Brotherhood of Mutants sent a spy to infiltrate the X-Men group to kill Professor X. They sent Wolverine. Magneto, The Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, Toad, Multiple Man, the Blob and Mastermind form the Brotherhood and they had kidnapped the President´s daughter. The X-Men saved her and in the last moment Wolverine had a change of heart and instead of killing Xavier he tried to kill Magneto, while he sent Sentinels to kill humans. In the end Xavier killed Magneto with the help of Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch.

Xavier then started helping Wolverine to find out where were the people who gave him the metal implants. Weapon X did all the implants and they found it. Then the X-Men were abducted by Weapon X and were tortured and they even made Beast blue.

Ultimate Alpha Flight arrived and seemingly kill Iceman and now the X-Men face these strange super powered team. Beast puts Iceman back together but Alpha Flight arrive to take Northstar, something that Colossus isn't very happy about. Alpha Flight was under the influence of a power enhancing drug called Banshee. Taking Northstar had Colossus so mad Dazzler, Nightcrawler, Rouge and him went after Alpha Flight. Cyclops went along to prevent anything stupid from happening. The Acolytes appeared into the picture and caused the death of Northstar. Colossus and the rest of the people who went along went under Banshee drug and enhanced their powers. Dazzler could maneuver her powers to create anything, Rouge could keep the power she absorbed, Nightcrawler could go to greater lengths, Colossus became stronger, and Cyclops could control his eye beams and fly.

Jean Grey had taken it into her own hands to lead the X-Men and she was driving them around pretty hard. Nightcrawler contacted her saying that they needed help from themselves because they were addicted to the power enhancer. Wolverine had figured out that he was positive to have been dosed with Banshee so he went to Peter Parker for help to sort things out. Kitty and Peter were dealing with Banshee addicts themselves when Wolverine arrived. Peter explained that he was positive because he was Banshee the drug was made by taking properties of him. The X-Men went after the addicted X-Men and fought it off. Jean went off for a moment while she talked to her father as Phoenix when then she fell unconscious. Logan blamed Colossus for it so he took his heart out for it.

Both X-Men embark on a flight until Phoenix stops it all. Everyone cools down for the exception of Cyclops that flies to the moon. During the fight Wolverine looses a leg to Colossus. Phoenix show to Colossus that Northstar is okay except that he is paralyzed from the waist down. Colossus and Wolverine are fixed up by Jean after that and then Jean heads to the moon. Wolverine using some of the Banshee Colossus bought he tracked it down to Muir Island blaming Xavier for it. Jean talked to Scott and after that he said he wanted to keep the power the Banshee started wearing off so she put his glasses back on. The Prof. was who created Banshee from Wolverine along with Magneto but Moira distributed it. She fought Wolverine with her "Screaming" powers. In the end Wolverine destroyed the whole facility. Quicksilver then arrived an told Moira that Magneto had newer plans for the near future.

20 Years into the future a new X-Men team that consisted of Captain America, Wolverine, Shadowcat, Rogue and a male Phoenix wanted to prevent the events of Ultimatum so they traveled back in time to stop it.

Reed and Sue were going to go on a date when the future X-Men arrived trying to kill Reed. Reed not having any internal organs couldn't be killed so they kidnapped him. The rest of the Fantastic Four went to the present X-Men for help. Reed discovered that the future male Phoenix was actually his son Franklin Richards. Then future Wolverine attempted to kill Phoenix. Then the rest of the future X-Men discovered that future Wolverine was actually a Sentinel from the future. By the time the FF and present X-Men got there many Wolverine Sentinels had been destroyed had killed Rouge and had taken Reed into the future. Captain America was dying and Jean unmasked him revealing he was actually Scott. He told the group that himself, Jean and the original Cap had been stripped away of their powers so he took over as Captain America after Steve Rogers aged 100 years, then he died. In the future Iceman was captured by the Sentinels and Reed escaped his cell when he followed a trail of fire. Thinking it to be Johnny he then saw the future Fantastic Four: Invisible Woman, Iron Thing, Namor and Firestar.

The future X-Men, or what was left of them told the present X-Men and FF that the reason that they needed to stop it all was because the new ruler was getting rid of mutants. That new ruler was Sue. Future Sue convinced present Reed to fix a machine that would strip away people of their powers just like Cyclops´s Reed gave to her request while the present X-Men, present FF, and future X-men went into the future to find out what was going on. Ben and Firestar found out that both of them in the future were in love and Iceman found himself being killed by Namor. Sue met Nihil again then just to find out that he was actually future Reed. Future Phoenix turned everyone in to his mother. Reed then took away future Sue´s powers since clearly she had gone crazy because of her brother´s death. Everyone let the future hero´s free from a prison in the Negative Zone Sue had made to maintain the super powered heroes. The present FF and X-Men went back to their own time and Sue and Reed left to be alone. Sue told Reed she was worried that would eventually happen to them, but Reed assured that it would not. Sue left and then from a drawer Reed took out a ring, sure that, that future would not happen.

In Ultimate X-Men #100 we find that The Academy of Tomorrow has been attacked by Madrox on behalf of Magneto. There are several multiples of Madrox with bombs strapped to their chest and when the Cyclops, Iceman and Rogue arrive the school is in flames and Northstar and Polaris are shown as dead. It is assumed that anyone inside has perished.

Nocturne's Home Reality

Nocturne's Reality X-Men

In Nocturne's home reality, Wolverine killed Professor Xavier in a berserker rage and became paralyzed when he died. Wolverine became the new leader of the X-Men team which consisted of Nightcrawler who was field commander, Nocturne, Kitty Pryde, Armageddon, Plague who was a embodiment of the Legacy Virus and the Phoenix Force who inhabited Colossus' dead body.

X-Men 2099

The X-Men of 2099 were Cerebra, Krystalin, Desert Ghost, Meanstreak, Bloodhawk, La Lunatica, Skullfire, Metalhead, Sham, Junkpile and Serpentina.

Main article: X-Men 2099.

Earth X

The X-Men on Earth X were led by Cyclops, just calling himself Mr. S. Members were Dogface, Tower, Double-Header, Charmer and Mermaid.

Mutant X

The X-Men in the Mutant X reality was led by Magneto. Members were Mystique, Nightcrawler, Polaris, Quicksilver, Rogue and Cerebro.

The Original Line-up was Beast ( Brute), Angel ( Fallen), Jean Grey, Havok and Iceman.

Former members included Bloodstorm, Shadowcat and Colossus.

Here Comes Tomorrow

The X-Men of the Here Comes Tomorrow reality was lead by Cassandra Nova. Members were Wolverine, Beak ( Tito Bohusk), Tom Skylark and Rover, E.V.A. and Martha Johanson.

Earth-1815

In this reality, where the Exiles were sent on their first mission, Professor X was evil and intended to kill all humans. He lead the X-Men, and members included: Juggernaut, Chamber, Domino, Human Torch and Spider-Woman ( Jessica Drew).

X-Men NOIR:

In this reality (set in the 1930's), the X-Men are a gang of sociopaths (instead of mutants) who were led by the now incarcerated physicist Professor Charles Xavier. Professor Xavier believes sociopath is the next step in human evolution. The X-Men are framed for killing their own member Jean Grey by way of three cuts over the back and face. Leader of the police force known as " The Brotherhood" named Magnus is put in charge of the investigation. As the search for the X-Men continues more and more of them are found dead. When a member of the city's police tracks down the X-Men's new leader Scott Summers and is informed that someone is setting them up. When he tells them to go to the police Scott responds. "We're the X-Men, and no one is on our side". Meanwhile a mysterious man in a bright red cape is investigating the crimes himself. After Warren Worthington is thrown from a roof top and Hank McCoy is shot and killed in a run in with The Brotherhood, Magnus orders the Brotherhood to take down Sebastian Shaw (a powerful mob boss) and his Hellfire Club. Magnus believes with the X-Men out of his way and the Hellfire club killed off, the city will be "his". He meets with Anne-Marie Rankin to learn the whereabouts of the last few X-Men but she kills him instead. The caped figure later realizes that Jean Grey is not dead. What happened was that she killed Anne-Marie Rankin and took her place, because she wanted to avoid being studied by Xavier or exploited by Magnus. She then says she knows that the caped figure cannot kill her and pulls a gun on him but he then reveals that he is the twin brother of who she thinks he is and then pushes her off the roof causing them both to fall to their death. His twin, accompanied by Scott finds their bodies and says that he lost him years ago by what he had become. He recants about how when he and his brother both worked at a prison they started the whole cape thing because it made the inmates think he was in two places at the same time (making it seem like he has super powers). They meet up with Logan and sail off together.

Egg's Men

In the Showcase No. 65, It's revealed on Earth-Twelve the X-Men exist as the Egg's Men. Led by Dean Egghead, the Egg's Men were evolutionary throwbacks.

The Cancerverse

The Ex-Men of The Cancerverse

In The Cancerverse, the "Ex-Men" are an army of grotesque and feral bio-weapons who gestate inside large tumor-like eggs that are being grown within the bodies of gargantuan bio-organic warships.

The Ex-Men were first seen when one of the warships began birthing millions of eggs into the debris field composed of dead ships and interstellar flotsam from other realities and future timelines and began to hatch from the eggs.

With the aid of Talon from The Fraternity of Raptors, Ch'od, Raza and a handful Imperial Guardsmen tried fending the abominations off until Quasar ( Wendell Vaughn) and Oracle could successfully warn the Shi'ar Empire of the coming darkness.

But just when all hope of defeating the creatures and their warships seemed lost, Gladiator ditched a Galactic Council Meeting and arrived at the debris field to help turn the tides in favor of The Imperial Guard Fault Exploration Team by focusing on destroying the warships while the others deal with The Ex-Men.

Other Media

Television

The X-Men made their first animated appearance on the 1960s The Marvel Superheroes. This was a television series with all the original X-Men line-up (Angel, Beast, Cyclops, Jean Grey, and the Iceman ). Originally, Grantray-Lawrence Animation wanted to make a Fantastic Four cartoon but Hannah Barabara got the rights to it, so they substituted them with the X-Men. The X-Men made their appearance in the Sub-Mariner episode " Doctor Doom's Day". Strangely enough, they were never actually referred to as the X-Men. They were, instead, referred to as the Allies for Peace, however the characters all went by their names from the comics and had their original designs from the comics as well. Magneto also made a guest appearance on Hannah Barabara's Fantastic Four Cartoon. Reed Richards bamboozles him by using a wooden gun and when Magneto tries to manipulate he cannot and thinks powers have faded.

Having two members of the X-Men (Iceman and Firestar) as regulars on the show it only makes

Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends

sense that the X-Men guest-starred in quite a few episodes of Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, starting with a flashback in "The Origin of Iceman". Appearing in this episode are the original X-Men (Angel, Beast, Cyclops, Jean Grey, and the Iceman) and Professor Xavier. The X-Men's next appearance in this show was in the episode "A Firestar is Born", including appearances from Professor X, Cyclops, Angel, Wolverine, Storm, and even Juggernaut (plus Magneto and a Sentinel in cameo appearances).

In 1989, Marvel Productions made a pilot episode for a potential X-Men series. The pilot was entitled Pryde of the X-Men. It followed Kitty Pryde joining up with the X-Men. This series featured Professor Xavier, Cyclops, Storm, Colossus, Nightcrawler and Wolverine. It also had several members of the brotherhood including Magneto, Toad, Juggernaut, Pyro, The White Queen and many others for the X-men to fight. The series was never picked up.

X-Men: The Animated Series premiered in 1992 with its unfinished pilot Night of the

X-Men: The Animated Series

Sentinels Part 1. It was run on Fox's Saturday morning line up. Its team regular roster was made up of Professor Xavier, Cyclops, Jean Grey, Rogue, Gambit, Wolverine, Storm, and Beast. The show did feature other X-men as well, such as Colossus, Nightcrawler, Forge, Havok, Polaris, Cannonball, Banshee, Iceman, Angel, Longshot, Cable, Bishop and an original character named Morph (who would later be introduced in the comic universe in the Exiles comics). The show was immensely popular and lasted 5 seasons. When it aired in Japan it got an entirely new opening complete with animeesque animation and j-pop lyrics. The rest of the show was basically the same. The series also spawned it's own comic spin-off which was entitled X-Men: Adventures. This series lasted 15 issues and then was cancelled. The TV series also earned #13 in IGN's top 100 animated series, surpassing shows such as Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Avatar: The Last Air Bender.

The WB tried it's own X-Men show in 2003. It was called X-Men: Evolution. Its original team roster consisted of: Professor Xavier, Cyclops, Jean Grey, Wolverine, and Storm. They are joined by Nightcrawler, Shadow Cat, Spyke, Rogue, and Beast.

The show lasted 4 seasons before it was cancelled. This show also inspired a comic book spin-off but it was cancelled after 9 issues due to low sales.

Currently Nickelodeon is running their X-Men animated series, Wolverine and the X-Men. The show revolves around Wolverine taking over as leader of the X-Men when Charles Xaiver goes missing. The series has been canceled due to financial issues.

Currently Wolverine appears in the kid friendly show Super Hero Squad, other X-Men have made an appearance and played supporting roles, including Storm and Iceman.

The X-Men will also appear in the 12-episode anime series. In the series, the X-Men were sent to Japan and save Armor from the U-Men, a human cult who harvests mutant organs to gain superhuman abilities.

Films

20th Century Fox has the rights to the X-Men film franchise has created three X-Men films and a Wolverine spin-off film. Fox planned to do a Magneto film in 2010, but due to Wolverine Origins they have taken a different route and X-Men: First Class is in production and set to hit theaters in July 2011. There have also been rumors of an X-Men 4, Deadpool, and a New Mutants film. The films are loosely based on stories told in the comic books, and often focus on the same issues. Many fans call it the FOX-men Universe or fauX-men.

The first X-Men movie, released in 2000, introduced the main lineup of characters to be used through the trilogy. This included Wolverine, Rogue, Professor X, Storm, Cyclops, and Jean Grey. The main premise was the mutant registration act. Magneto and his brotherhood (Mystique, Sabretooth, and Toad) attempted to create a machine to turn normal humans into mutants.

X2 was released in 2003. The movie introduced several new characters to the film franchise, including Nightcrawler. It also expands on the back story of several younger mutants introduced here and in the first movie. The movie is centered around William Stryker's goal to destroy all mutants. The X-Men are forced to work together with their enemies in order to stop a worldwide genocide. This move also explores Wolverine's roots, seeing his return to the Weapon X base and facing off against a Stryker-controlled Lady Deathstrike.

The X-Men team in The Last Stand

X-Men 3: The Last Stand was released in 2006, following a major change in the creative team behind the films. The younger mutants begin to take a more central role in this film, as a love triangle is developed between Iceman, Shadowcat, and Rogue. This film also introduces the rest of the original X-Men lineup: Beast and Angel. It addresses many of the key character's origin stories, including Jean Grey. This film draws heavily on the "mutant cure" stories from the comics, while threading in a Dark Phoenix-like story.

In 2009 the first solo spin-off movie, X-Men Origins: Wolverine was released, it focused on Wolverine's origin story from childhood through his adamantium infusion. The plot is based on William Stryker's goal of creating the perfect weapon, Deadpool/Weapon XI, to hunt and destroy mutants. Gambit makes his first movie appearance, and Cyclops is shown in his youth. Versions of Silver fox and Emma Frost are also included. Other members of the Weapon X program, such as Blob, Agent Zero, and Sabretooth, are depicted in the film.

X-Men: First Class, The fifth film in the series, released in 2011, is a prequel to the first three movies. It is set during the 1960’s and focuses on the relationship between a young Charles (Professor X) and Eric (Magneto), as well as the early days of the first X-Men team.

Video games

Early X-Men games

The first X-Men video game was released by Josh Toevs and LJN for the NES and was called The Uncanny X-Men. That same year (1989) a computer game was also released called X-Men: Madness in Murderworld.

Konami also created an X-Men arcade game in 1992, which featured six playable X-Men characters: Colossus, Cyclops, Dazzler, Nightcrawler, Storm, and Wolverine.

X-Men games co-starring Spider-Man

In 1992, the X-Men teamed up with Spider-Man for Spider-Man/X-Men: Arcade's Revenge for every major system of the time.

The X-Men made a few appearances in Spider-Man 2: Enter Electro. Professor X ( Daran Norris) and Rogue ( Jennifer Hale) run a Danger Room simulation for the player to train in. Beast ( Dee Bradley Baker) appears in the first level to demonstrate the controller functions to the player.

Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo's X-Men games

In the 1990s, Sega released two popular X-Men video games for its Sega Genesis; X-Men and X-Men 2: Clone Wars.

Wolverine starred in a solo game in 1994 for both the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis called, Wolverine: Adamantium Rage.

In 1994, the X-Men got their own game for the Super Nintendo called X-Men: Mutant Apocalypse.

Fighting games

The X-Men also starred in many 2-D fighting games such as 1994's X-Men: Children of the Atom ( Capcom), 1996's X-Men vs. Street Fighter and 2000's X-Men: Mutant Academy. The characters also appeared in the Marvel vs. Capcom series.

There was also a 3-D fighting-game called X-Men: Next Dimension. The most recent in the series are the role-playing video games X-Men Legends (2004) and its 2005 sequel X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse.

Magneto, Storm and Wolverine also appear in Electronic Arts' 3-D fighting game Marvel Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfects.

Film-based games

To coincide with the release of the third film, Activision has released X-Men: The Official Game which filled in gaps between X2: X-Men United and X-Men: The Last Stand, such as explaining Nightcrawler's absence from the third film.

Marvel: Ultimate Alliance

Deadpool, Iceman, Storm, and Wolverine are playable in the major Marvel video game, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance. Colossus is playable on the Xbox 360, Wii and PS3 versions of the game, and Jean Grey is playable on the GBA version. Cyclops, Jean Grey, Nightcrawler, Professor X, and Psylocke appear as NPC's on all versions while Beast, Forge, Karma and Dr. Moira MacTaggert were mentioned by different characters. In addition, during a cut-scene, Beast, Colossus, Cyclops, Gambit, Magneto, Professor Xavier, Psylocke, and Shadowcat were seen defeated by Doctor Doom alongside the Hulk. Xbox 360 owners were later able to download eight new playable characters for the game, including X-Men heroes and villains: Cyclops, Magneto, Nightcrawler, and Sabretooth.

In Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2, Wolverine, Deadpool, Iceman, Storm, Gambit, and Jean Grey are featured as playable characters while Cyclops and Psylocke are exclusive to PS2, PSP and Wii and Colossus appears as an NPC. In the briefing that follows the Wakanda incident, Captain America and Iron Man mention that the other X-Men members have been absorbed into The Fold. Psylocke, Cable, Magneto and Juggernaut were later added as downloadable characters for Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2.

X-Men Destiny

A host of new and old X-Men characters are set to appear in this game due for release in fall 2011. Character's confirmed so far include Cyclops, Emma Frost, Northstar, Iceman, Nightcrawler, Surge, Pixie etc. In the game player's will choose one of three ready made character along with one of the three core powers which include Density Control, Energy Projection or Shadow Matter. In the game the player's will choose the fate of their chosen character which will decide whether they fight with the X-Men or the Brotherhood of mutants. Other X-Men villains will appear in the game including Magneto, Quicksliver, Toad etc and the Purifiers.

Novels

Five Decades of X-Men

This collection of stories celebrates five decades of X-Men adventures. An all-star cast of X-Men super-villains are set against a backdrop of some of the most important events in X-Men history.

Written By: Various, Anthology
Publisher: Ibooks (April, 2003)
ISBN-10: 0743475011
ISBN-13: 978-0743475013

Star Trek: The Next Generation / X-Men: Planet X

On the planet Xhaldia, ordinary men and women are mutating into bizarre creatures with extraordinary powers. But is this a momentous evolutionary leap or an unparalleled catastrophe? The very fabric of Xhaldian society is threatened as fear and prejudice divide the transformed from their own kin.

Dispatched to cope with the growing crisis, Captain Picard and the crew of the Starship Enterprise receive some unexpected visitors from another reality -- in the form of the group of mutant heroes known as the uncanny X-Men®. Storm, leader of the X-Men, offers their help in resolving a situation that is agonizingly similar to the human/mutant conflicts of their own time and space.

But when hostile aliens appear in orbit around Xhaldia to try and abduct the transformed for use as a superpowered force in an attack on the Federation, even the combined forces of the crew of Starfleet and the X-Men may be unable to prevent an inferno of death and destruction.

Starfleet's finest crew and Earth's greatest mutant heroes will need all their powers and abilities to save the Xhaldian people and stop a deadly threat to the Federation.

Written By: Michael Jan Friedman
Publisher: Pocket Books (May, 1998)
ISBN-10: 0671019163
ISBN-13: 978-0671019167

The Ultimate X-Men

This gripping new anthology has over a dozen original tales starring the top-selling mutant heroes, the Uncanny X-Men, dealing with their greatest foes, as well as the day-to-day trials of being mutants -- trying to protect the world they've sworn to protect, a world that hates them for what they are!

From Eluki bes Shahar's story of the X-Men's fight against a mutant who can alter reality to Dave Smeds's look at what would have happened if the X-Men never were, from Ashley McConnell's chronicle of Wolverine's trek across the frozen tundra to Dean Wesley Smith's tale of Gambit in his hometown of New Orleans, and much more -- these are spectacular new tales of mutant adventures!

Each tale has a new illustration by a top X-Men artist from old favorites to today's hottest talents!

Written By: Various, Anthology
Publisher: Berkley (October, 1996)
ISBN-10: 1572972173
ISBN-13: 978-1572972179

X-Men

It's the movie event of the year--and the action-packed book you've been waiting for.

Outcasts from society, the X-MEN are genetic mutants, born with superhuman powers, who harness their special abilities for the greater good. But the human race they fight to protect rejects and fears--even hates--them.

Not all mutants seek to protect mankind. One terrorist group--led by the supremely powerful Magneto--seeks to strike first. Battling against prejudice and agents of intolerance, the X-MEN must establish a peaceful coexistence between mutant and mankind or they will surely perish...

Written By: Kristine Kathryn Rusch & Dean Wesley Smith
Publisher: Del Rey (June, 2000)
ISBN-10: 0345440951
ISBN-13: 978-0345440952

X-Men 2

They live among us, each possessing special superhuman abilities—sometimes a blessing, sometimes a curse. Mutants. Since the discovery of their existence, they have been regarded with fear, suspicion, and often hatred. Across the planet, the debate rages: Are mutants the next link in the evolutionary chain or simply a new species of humanity, fighting for their share of the world?

Either way, one fact remains: Sharing the world has never been humanity’s defining trait.

There are two sects of mutants: One aims to coexist peacefully with a world that despises them; the other group strikes at intolerance with a relentless, often murderous force. But now there is a new insidious enemy, and no one will be safe....

Written By: Chris Claremont
Publisher: Del Rey (March, 2003)
ISBN-10: 0345461967
ISBN-13: 978-0345461964

X-Men & Spider-Man: Time's Arrow Book 1 - The Past

The all-new team-up trilogy.
Spiderman: Marvel's most popular hero.
X-Men: Marvel's most popular super-team.

Written By: Tom Defalco
Publisher: Berkey (July, 1998)
ISBN-10: 0425164527
ISBN-13: 978-0425164525

X-Men & Spider-Man: Time's Arrow Book 2 - The Present

The X-Men and Spider-Man must join forces to stop destroying the multiverse in an adventure through the past, present, and future. Dinosaurs, knights, gunslingers, World War II heroes, old-friends-turned-enemies, and future versions of themselves await them...

Written By: Tom Defalco
Publisher: Berkley (August, 1998)
ISBN-10: 0425164152
ISBN-13: 978-0425164150

X-Men & Spider-Man: Time's Arrow Book 3 - The Future

Kang's machinations have led to timelines collapsing at a great rate--the X-Men and Spider-Man must take the battle to the Conqueror if they are to keep him from becoming the master of time. But in order to find Kang, they must face alternate futures that may be more than they can bear.

Written By: Tom Defalco
Publisher: Berkley (September, 1998)
ISBN-10: 0425165000
ISBN-13: 978-0425165003

X-Men & The Avengers: Gamma Quest Book 1 - Lost and Found

Marvel's greatest super-teams in an all-new trilogy!

The X-Men-- mutant protectors of a world that fears and hates them. The Avengers-- Earth's mightiest heroes, the greatest super-team ever assembled. When the Scarlet Witch of the Avengers and Rogue of the X-Men all disappear under mysterious circumstances, each team's search leads them to more questions than answers.

When the X-Men appear to attack a high-security government installation, the Avengers must track down the mutants, and learn the truth behind the abductions before it's too late!

Written By: Greg Cox
Publisher: Berkley (July, 1999)
ISBN-10: 0425169731
ISBN-13: 978-0425169735

X-Men & The Avengers: Gamma Quest Book 2 - Search and Rescue

The X-Men--mutant protectors of a world that fears and hates them. The Avengers--Earth's mightiest heroes, the greatest super-team ever assembled. Now they must put aside their differences and join forces against the Leader, the gamma-powered evil genius who has already abducted one Avenger and two X-Men as part of his latest plan--with the fate of the entire globe at stake!

Written By: Greg Cox
Publisher: Berkley (August, 1999)
ISBN-10: 0425169898
ISBN-13: 978-0425169896

X-Men & The Avengers: Gamma Quest Book 3 - Friend or Foe?

The X-Men--mutant protectors of a world that fears and hates them. The Avengers--Earth's mightiest heroes, the greatest super-team ever assembled. Now they must put aside their differences and join forces against the Leader, the gamma-powered evil genius who has already abducted one Avenger and two X-Men as part of his latest plan--with the fate of the entire globe at stake!

Written By: Greg Cox
Publisher: Berkley (June, 2000)
ISBN-10: 0425170381
ISBN-13: 978-0425170380

X-Men: Codename Wolverine

Wolverine. Sabretooth. Silver Fox. Wraith. Maverick. Together, they were Team X, the best covert-ops team NATO had to offer. But a mission to retrieve a disk from a pair of Soviet agents proved to be more trouble than they bargained for. A Soviet agent codenamed the Black Widow, a mutant Interpol agent named Sean Cassidy, and shape-changing freelance spy Mystique were all after the disk as well. Years later, Wolverine is a valued member of the uncanny X-Men. The Black Widow is now a respected American super hero. Cassidy is mentor to the next generation of young mutants. Mystique and Sabretooth are reluctant members of X-Factor, the government strike force. Wraith is still a covert-ops agent. Silver Fox is dead, and Maverick is dying of the Legacy Virus. Each of them is kidnapped, one by one--starting with Sabretooth, by far the deadliest member of the former Team X. Wolverine must uncover the terrible secret from that old mission--a secret that has remained hidden for years, and could spell death for all of them!

Written By: Christopher Golden
Publisher: Berkley (May, 2000)
ISBN-10: 0425171116
ISBN-13: 978-0425171110

X-Men: Dark Mirror

Jean Grey and her teammates-Cyclops, Wolverine, Rogue, and Nightcrawler--awaken as prisoners, stripped of their mutant powers, with their minds held hostage in the bodies of others, and must risk everything to stop the dark forces that are conspiring to destroy all mutants.

Written By: Marjorie M. Liu
Publisher: Pocket Star (December, 2005)
ISBN-10: 141651063X
ISBN-13: 978-1416510635

X-Men: Empire's End

A cosmic adventure with the fate of the galaxy at stake! Shi'ar scientists have learned of a creature that devours galaxies and is heading towards Shi'ar space. Beset by panicked people and several assassination attempts, Empress Lilandra must call upon the X-Men for their assistance--for the galaxy eater will target Earth next.

But the price for stopping the creature may be higher than the X-Men expect. They must use a device that increases their powers a thousand-fold to drive the creature back. A process that could destroy them...or make them insane with power!

Written By: Diane Duane
Publisher: Berkley (September, 1998)
ISBN-10: 0425164489
ISBN-13: 978-0425164488

X-Men: Law of the Jungle

One of the X-Men's oldest, deadliest foes, the energy-stealing creature known as Sauron, has returned to menace the Savage Land--the prehistoric jungle hidden in the Antarctic. At the behest of their old ally Ka-Zar, the Savage Land's protector, Wolverine, Storm, the Beast, Iceman, Psylocke, Cannonball, and Archangel have come to help stop Sauron's latest reign of terror. But this is not the same Sauron the X-Men have defeated in the past. Gone is the overconfident, boasting monster, and in his place is a cunning, careful, deadly foe who may be too much for even the X-Men to handle!

Written By: Dave Smeds
Publisher: Berkley (March, 1998)
ISBN-10: 0425164861
ISBN-13: 978-0425164860

X-Men Legends

Over a dozen original tales that span the career of the Uncanny X-Men, from the team's early days as teen heroes to the present -- spotlighting Wolverine, Rogue, Gambit, and all your favorite mutants.

Written By: Various, Anthology
Publisher: Berkley (June, 2000)
ISBN-10: 0425170829
ISBN-13: 978-0425170823

X-Men: Mutant Empire Book 1 - Siege

They live as outcasts, hated and feared by the very humanity they protect. They are mutants, born with strange and wonderful powers that set them apart from the rest of the human race. Under the tutelage of Professor Charles Xavier, they are more than mutants. They are - the X-Men.

Magneto, the X-Men's oldest, deadliest for, has taken over a top secret government installation that houses the Sentinels, powerful mutant-hunting robots. The X-Men must fight to keep this deadly technology out of Magneto's hands. But the Acolytes, Magneto's fanatical mutant followers, stand between the X-Men and victory -- a victory quickly slipping away. For a more ruthless enemy, the U.S. government, holds the X-Men responsible for the installation's takeover!

This electrifying new novel by acclaimed author Christopher Golden is the ultimate adventure that no X-fan should be without!

An all-new original novel with illustrations by popular X-artists Rick Leonardi and Ron Lim!

Written By: Christopher Golden
Publisher: Berkley (May, 1996)
ISBN-10: 1572971142
ISBN-13: 978-1572971141

X-Men: Mutant Empire Book 2 - Sanctuary

They live as outcasts, hated and feared by the very humanity they protect. They are mutants, born with strange and wonderful powers that set them apart from the rest of the human race. Under the tutelage of Professor Charles Xavier, they are more than mutants. They are-- the X-Men.

Magneto, the X-Men's oldest, deadliest foe, has taken over the entire island of Manhattan and declared it a haven for mutants. Ruled by Magneto and his Acolytes, enforced by reprogrammed Sentinels-- giant, powerful robots -- this is the first step to Magneto's ultimate goal of world domination: the Mutant Empire.

Now only the X-Men stand between Magneto and that goal. But the road to victory will not be an easy one, as half the X-Men are trapped in space-- and mutants from all over the world are flocking to Manhattan and taking Magneto's side against the X-Men!

This electrifying new novel by acclaimed author Christopher Golden is the ultimate adventure that no X-fan should be without!

An all-new original novel with illustrations by popular X-artists Rick Leonardi!

Written By: Christopher Golden
Publisher: Berkley (November, 1996)
ISBN-10: 1572971800
ISBN-13: 978-1572971806

X-Men: Mutant Empire Book 3 - Salvation

Facing the loss of half their comrades with Magneto's latest successes in his creation of the Mutant Empire, the remaining X-Men are forced to team up with the U.S. government in an effort to reprogram the Sentinels.

Written By: Christopher Golden

Publisher: Berkley (May, 1997)

ISBN-10: 1572972475

ISBN-13: 978-1572972476

X-Men: Prisoner X

UltraMax is the new orbiting prison for ultraviolent offenders. When the X-Men learn that their former teammate Longshot is among the prisoners, Rogue goes undercover to try to liberate him. Soon, the X-Men discover UltraMax's deadly secret--its mastermind is Mojo, the insane other-dimensional villain whose idea of entertainment is both visionary and deadly. Trapped behind prison walls with no escape, the X-Men face their most terrifying threat ever.

Written By: Ann Nocenti
Publisher: Berkley (May, 1998)
ISBN-10: 0425164934
ISBN-13: 978-0425164938

X-Men: Shadows of the Past

Published to coincide with the release of a major film starring the X-Men, this novel sees Professor X sending the heroes to hidden Quistillian facilities to recover alien technology, and foil a Quistillian invasion.

Written By: Michael Jan Friedman
Publisher: Ibooks (June, 2000)
ISBN-10: 0743400186
ISBN-13: 978-0743400183

X-Men: Smoke and Mirrors

When research uncovers a way to reverse the genetic mutation responsible for mutant powers, the government tries to use the procedure to eliminate the X-Men, who soon discover that the procedure's true source is their enemy, Sinister.

Written By: Eluki Bes Shahar
Publisher: Berkey (September, 1997)
ISBN-10: 1572972912
ISBN-13: 978-1572972919

X-Men: Soul Killer

The demon lord Belasco plans to use Rogue to bring the evil Elder Gods to Earth. The X-Men and their sister team Excalibur must stop him before Rogue's very soul is destroyed. Their unexpected--and untrusted--ally is the lord of all vampires: Dracula! And the Count always has a more sinister agenda up his sleeve.

Written By: Richard Lee Byers
Publisher: Berkley (February, 1999)
ISBN-10: 0425167372
ISBN-13: 978-0425167373

X-Men: The Chaos Engine Book One - Doctor Doom

The first of a trilogy featuring the X-Men, who discover that Earth is now ruled by the most powerful super-villain of all time, Doctor Doom. The mutant superheroes face their greatest challenge and to make matters worse, standing between them and victory is Magneto, Master of Magnetism.

Written By: Steven A. Roman
Publisher: Ibooks (August, 2001)
ISBN-10: 0743434838
ISBN-13: 978-0743434836

X-Men: The Chaos Engine Book Two - Magneto

One week: That was all the time given to the X-Men to correct a universe-threatening flaw after Roma, Supreme Guardian of the Omniverse, discovered that unknown forces had severely altered the structure of the heroes' home dimension. It hadn't taken them long to track down the source of the disruption: the tyrannical Doctor Doom, in possession of the Cosmic Cube -- a device that allows its owner to twist reality and create their personal vision of a perfect world.

The X-Men failed in their mission, though, and now the Cosmic Cube is in the hands of their longtime enemy Magneto, the Master of Magnetism. Like his former friend Professor Xavier, Magneto has a dream for all mutant-kind -- but his is of a day when Homo Superior freely walk the Earth, not as equals to the human race, but as their masters.

Now that day has come, and the only hope the world has to survive the mutant overlord's reign is in the hands of Professor Xavier and the one X-Man not affected by the reality-changing powers of the Cube: Betsy Braddock -- the ninja-trained telekinetic known as Psylocke.

But unknown to any of the players in this cosmic chess match there is one final participant waiting in the wings, and he is about to make his first move....

Written By: Steven A. Roman
Publisher: Ibooks (January, 2002)
ISBN-10: 0743400232
ISBN-13: 978-0743400237

X-Men: The Chaos Engine Book Three - Red Skull

With time running out, the X-Men must make one final desperate attempt to destroy the 'Chaos Engine' and restore order to the cosmos before their entire reality is wiped from existence by an all powerful alien race. First it was Doctor Doom. Then, Magneto. Two men with a common dream: to become absolute master of the Earth. Through the use of the Cosmic Cube - a device whose reality-bending powers allow its possessor to create their own version of a perfect world - they were each able to bring their dreams to life, if only for a short time. Fortunately, the group of mutant Super Heroes called the X-Men were able to shatter those dreams before they destroyed the planet. But now the Cube has fallen into the hands of the infamous Red Skull, whose twisted philosophies are a reflection of those once voiced by the madman who created him during the darkest days of World War II. And unlike his villainous predecessors, the Skull is in complete control of the Chaos energies generated by the Cube - for the people of the world, there will be no awakening from this living nightmare. In order to save the world from Armageddon, one of the X-Men must be willing to risk his, or her, life - an action that will create lasting repercussions not only for the team of uncanny mutants, but for the very fabric of reality itself.

Written By: Steven A. Roman
Publisher: Ibooks (December, 2002)
ISBN-10: 0743452801
ISBN-13: 978-0743452809

X-Men: The Chaos Engine Trilogy

A collection of all three Chaos Engine novels.

Written By: Steven A. Roman
Publisher: BP Books (2003)
ISBN-10: 0739432273
ISBN-13: 978-0739432273

X-Men: The Jewels of Cyttorak

Juggernaut is on a rampage! Since bonding with the ruby of Cyttorak, Cain Marko became the unstoppable force known as the Juggernaut-and one of the X-Men's most vicious foes! But an archeological dig reveals a fragment of the one thing that might be able to stop the Juggernaut: an emerald from the same lost city of Cyttorak. Now a ruthless billionaire named Service intends to gather all the fragments of the emerald, which will grant him absolute power-unless the X-Men stop him. If that wasn't bad enough, each use of the emerald causes the Juggernaut pain...and he won't stand for it!

Written By: Dean Wesley Smith
Publisher: Berkley (December, 1997)
ISBN-10: 1572973293
ISBN-13: 978-1572973299

X-Men: The Last Stand

TAKE A STAND.

The world has acquired a lethal new weapon against X-gene mutants, whose superhuman powers separate them–for better, for worse, forever–from ordinary mortals. Now, for the first time, mutants have a choice: retain their godlike abilities, though their powers may isolate and alienate them, or surrender them and become human. The mutant antibody is called a cure, but its invention may trigger a struggle that destroys every living soul on Earth.

As Magneto declares all-out war against humanity and its dreaded cure, the U.S. president mobilizes the military. But it is Charles Xavier and the X-Men who truly must brace for the ultimate battle, for they alone are powerful enough to determine the outcome.

Lessons of the past are useless in the coming life-and-death conflict, as new players–mutants possessing unprecedented, unearthly skills– take center stage. With so many joining forces with Magneto’s evil Brotherhood, the X-Men will face their ultimate test against an enemy whose forces far outnumber their own.

Now, as the world trembles, the Phoenix slowly rises...

Written By: Chris Claremont
Publisher: Del Rey (May, 2006)
ISBN-10: 0345492110
ISBN-13: 978-0345492111

X-Men: The Legacy Quest Trilogy Book One

When the X-Men's friend, Moira McTaggart - the only human who is infected with the Legacy Virus - is captured by Shaw's men, the X-Men embark on a mission to rescue their friend and break forever the power of the Hellfire Club. This title is the first in a trilogy.

Written By: Steven Lyons
Publisher: Ibooks (June, 2002)
ISBN-10: 074344468X
ISBN-13: 978-0743444682

X-Men: The Legacy Quest Trilogy Book Two

The stakes in the quest to find a cure for the Legacy Virus epidemic that is devastating mutants everywhere on earth have been frighteningly raised. A cure exists, but Selene, the dread Black Queen of the Hellfire Club is the only one who has it.

Written By: Steve Lyons
Publisher: Ibooks (July, 2002)
ISBN-10: 0743452437
ISBN-13: 978-0743452434

X-Men: The Legacy Quest Trilogy Book Three

The dramatic conclusion of a trilogy starring the X-Men, the most popular super hero team in the world. Magneto - the X-Men's arch enemy and mankind's greatest foe, has dramtically raised the stakes in the life and death struggle to find a cure for the mutant-killing Legacy Virus. Magneto has created a vast arsenal of Legacy Virus bombs that he's having his cohorts plant around the world. When he detonates the bombs, all of humanity will be quickly infected and soon die unless they receive the cure, a cure that only he has! The X-Men must stop Magneto before he can activate his insane plan. But with Magneto the acknowledged legitimate ruler of the island nation Genosha, stopping him will not only be difficult...it may be impossible! Meanwhile, Sebastian Shaw, the Black King of the Hellfire Club and an embittered, now cast-aside pawn in Magneto's mad scheme, is forming a terrible plan of revenge.

Written By: Steve Lyons
Publisher: Ibooks (October, 2002)
ISBN-10: 0743452666
ISBN-13: 978-0743452663

X-Men: The Legacy Quest Trilogy Omnibus

The stunning X-Men trilogy in one giant volume.

Hank McCoy -the X-Men's Beast- has been working to find a cure for the deadly Legacy Virus that has been sweeping through the world's mutant population. In his quest to find a cure, he and Moira McTaggart, the only human infected by the Legacy Virus, become pawns of Selene, the Black Queen of the New York branch of the Hellfire Club, and Sebastian Shaw, the Hellfire Club's Black King, in their own quest to possess and control the potential cure for the virus.

Despite the X-Men's best efforts to prevent that outcome, things go from bad to worse-- and then mankind's greatest enemy, Magneto, enters the fray and reveals an even more terrifying plot.

Written By: Steve Lyons
Publisher: Ibooks (November, 2004)
ISBN-10: 0743493400
ISBN-13: 978-0743493406

X-Men: The Return

An alien race known only as the Kh'thon appears in the skies over Earth, claiming that they are the former occupants and rightful owners of the planet. Their ships are manned by baseline Homo sapiens, supposedly descendants of the early hominids who served the Kh'thon on Earth, countless millennia ago. The will of the Kh'thon is enforced by the Exemplar, humans augmented with a dizzying array of powers, each of them the match of any one of the X-Men. The Kh'thon claim to be responsible for the presence of the x-gene in human DNA, included so that they could breed whatever traits or abilities they required of their servants. No one is sure whether to believe the aliens' claims or not, but given the amount of firepower at their disposal, it hardly matters one way or the other. It is up to the X-Men, working in uneasy collaboration with Royal Marine Colonel Alysande Stuart, to find a way to repel the Kh'thon invasion of Earth, before terrestrial humans and mutants alike are enslaved by alien masters.

Written By: Chris Roberson
Publisher: Pocket Star (April, 2007)
ISBN-10: 1416510753
ISBN-13: 978-1416510758

X-Men: Watcher On the Walls

For years, many have believed that the rise of superpowered mutants represents a threat to the survival of ordinary humans. The uncanny X-Men have dedicated their lives to proving that peaceful coexistence is possible. When a refugee spacecraft crashes on Earth, hounded by a warship bent on its destruction, the X-Men race to the rescue -- only to learn that it carries beings of an entirely different order whose very existence may jeopardize life as we know it.

Now, facing a direct threat to all life on Earth, the X-Men grapple with an impossible moral dilemma -- to defend the aliens whose only crime is being born different... or to embrace the methods of those who have long condemned mutantkind, joining forces with their own greatest persecutors to go hunt down their common enemy and end the evolutionary menace, once and for all.

Written By: Christopher L. Bennett
Publisher:Pocket Star (April, 2006)
ISBN-10: 1416510672
ISBN-13: 978-1416510673

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Team Name:	X-Men
Publisher:	Marvel
1st Appearance:	X-Men #1
Appears in:	6266 issues
Disbanded in:	Click to search...

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