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COMICS 101
By Scott Tipton
2003-04-30 - PROTECTING A WORLD THAT HATES AND FEARS THEM: The X-Men
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’re probably aware that X2: X-MEN UNITED will be opening at theatres nationwide in a mere two days. Now, unlike some of my esteemed colleagues here at the Poop, we lowly comics columnists get no love when it comes to review screenings, so I’m as much in the dark about what’s in store for the new X-Men flick as the rest of you.
What I can do, for the benefit of those of you without advance degrees from Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters, is provide a brief rundown of who or what the X-Men are, and perhaps what to expect on the big screen come Friday. So if you skipped out on the first film and are thinking about jumping in now, or if you saw the first one and still don’t really have a handle on America’s favorite mutants, pull up a keyboard and sit down. We’ll have you up to speed in no time.
So who are the X-Men?
The X-Men first appeared in September 1963, in their first issue, X-MEN #1. Yet another creation of Marvel’s Silver-Age team supreme, writer/editor Stan Lee and artist/storyteller Jack Kirby, the X-Men started off with a deceptively simple premise, and one that still holds much significance to this day. Professor Charles Xavier, the most powerful mutant telepath on the planet, has founded Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters, a haven for children who were born just a little different: mutants.
Later defined as homo superior, mutants are those born with extra powers or abilities that normal humans lack. At Xavier’s School, these children can learn to use their powers safely, without fear of persecution from a world that is growing increasingly fearful of mutants. Professor Xavier’s students, having sufficiently mastered their powers, often continue to serve their mentor as members of the “X-Men,” protecting the world against the machinations of other mutants who do not share Xavier’s more enlightened philosophy. Rather than co-existing peacefully with normal humans, these “evil” mutants seek conquest.
Lee’s premise is ingenious on a number of levels. The central theme of the series, young people being ostracized for being different, is a perfect metaphor for the isolation and sense of removal most teens feel going through adolescence. Further, the series’ continuing message of tolerance translates to readers of all races, faiths and orientations. Ironically, the concept of mutants came about because writer Stan Lee was tired of coming up with new origins. In his book SON OF ORIGINS OF MARVEL COMICS, Stan relates how, when he was dreaming up his newest team book, he was having trouble coming up with new and exciting ways for his heroes to gain their superpowers. Utilizing the idea of mutation seemed a great, easy way to get a series going without devoting a lot of time to an origin, and as Lee put it, “whatever power we conceived of could be justified on the basis of its being a mutated trait.” In fact, Stan wanted to title his new book THE MUTANTS, but Marvel’s then-publisher, Martin Goodman, ixnayed the idea, feeling that little kids wouldn’t understand the title. Sent back to the drawing board, Lee reasoned that since mutants are people with something “extra,” these “extra-people” could be dubbed the X-Men.
Partly. Professor Xavier was of course present, as was Scott Summers, a.k.a. Cyclops, and Jean Grey, who was then referred to as Marvel Girl. The other members included Bobby Drake, whose ability to generate and control snow and ice earned him the nickname Iceman, Henry McCoy, referred to as the Beast due to his apelike build and oversized hands and feet, and trust-fund rich boy Warren Worthington III, better known as the Angel, thanks to his enormous feathered wings. Joining the team later were Cyclops’ brother Alex, who could generate concussive bolts of energy as Havok, and his girlfriend Lorna Dane (also known as Polaris), who was able to control the forces of magnetism.
Was the series a big hit like Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four?
At the time, not really. The series suffered through some lackluster art by Werner Roth after Kirby left the book, and although writer Roy Thomas and artist Neal Adams did some outstanding work starting in 1969, it wasn’t enough to save the series, and X-MEN was cancelled with issue #66 in 1970, with reprints continuing to be published for another 25 issues. The characters did remain a presence, appearing here and there as guest-stars in other Marvel books.
In 1974, a suggestion was made by then-Marvel President Al Landau to introduce an international team of super-heroes that could then be sold in various countries. Marvel’s Editor-in-Chief at the time, Roy Thomas, felt this request could serve as an excellent means of reviving the X-Men, and assigned writer Len Wein and artist Dave Cockrum to create the “all-new, all-different” international X-Men. Of course, by the time the book was published, the “international publishing” directive had been abandoned, and many of the characters came from countries that would never have been a viable publishing market for Marvel, but who cared? The X-Men were back and stronger creatively than ever. In GIANT-SIZE X-MEN #1, published May 1975, writer Len Wein and artist Dave Cockrum introduced comics fans to seven new X-Men. Aside from the returning Professor Xavier and Cyclops, there was the Russian Colossus, the Canadian Wolverine, the German Nightcrawler, the Japanese Sunfire, the Irish Banshee, the African Storm and the Native American Thunderbird.
The series resumed publication where the last had left off, with number 94. After only two issues, Wein left the series when he was promoted to Editor-in-Chief, turning over the scripting to newcomer Chris Claremont, who would go on to write the series for 17 years, an astounding achievement in comics. It was in Claremont’s hands that the series really coalesced into what most people think of when you say “X-Men”: subplotting that would carry storylines through years of advancement, an ever-shifting and evolving cast of characters, a willingness to tell big stories and break many of the conventions of Marvel’s comics up to that point (such as killing off main characters, or portraying heroes who weren’t always entirely heroic), and most important, an emphasis on character. Sure, what the X-Men did made them interesting to read about, but it was who they were that kept you coming back.
Which members of the X-Men appear in the movie?
First off, let’s briefly cover the returning characters we’ll be seeing in X2. Bear in mind that the following descriptions refer strictly to the comic-book versions of the characters (although the film versions, by and large, are extremely faithful translations).
Professor X: Created by Lee and Kirby, Charles Xavier is the founder of Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters, and leader of the X-Men. Xavier is considered the most powerful mutant mind on the planet, with the ability to read minds, communicate telepathically with others, even control people’s minds outright. Xavier also created Cerebro, a device which amplifies his powers and allows him to pinpoint the locations of mutants across the globe. Xavier’s dream is of a day when humans and mutants can co-exist openly and peacefully, a dream which sets him directly at odds with...
Magneto: Another Lee/Kirby creation, Magneto is the leader of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, the X-Men’s opposite number. Where Xavier seeks peaceful coexistence, Magneto is determined that only through conquest of the human race can mutants live safely and without fear. A survivor of the Nazi concentration camps, Magneto is determined that mutants never face a similar fate. With the ability to control magnetism and other electromagnetic forces, Magneto is tremendously powerful.
Jean Grey: Professor Xavier’s first student, Jean Grey is a powerful telepath and telekinetic. Jean first went by the codename Marvel Girl, then gained almost limitless powers on a mission in space and re-christened herself Phoenix. The climax to this storyline, “The Dark Phoenix Saga,” is probably the best adventure of everything that was great about the X-Men. Written by Chris Claremont and drawn by John Byrne, if I could only have one X-Men story, this would be it. It’s available in trade paperback; do yourself a favor and go get it.
Cyclops: The field leader of the X-Men, Scott Summers’ power is much more a curse than a blessing. His eyes continually emit devastating force beams, which can be only halted by closing his eyes, or by the ruby quartz lenses in his visor or glasses. Not only must Cyclops live with the fact that he could kill a man by merely looking at him, but also that he can never look his loved ones in the eyes. Cyclops has long been romantically involved with Jean Grey, despite Jean’s strong attraction to…
Wolverine: Probably the single most influential character to emerge from the X-Men comics. Originally created by Len Wein and then truly fleshed out and characterized by Chris Claremont, Wolverine (otherwise known only as Logan, even to himself) is a lethal killing machine barely held in check by Logan’s determination to preserve his humanity. On occasion, when pushed too far, Logan’s resolve slips, and he gives way to a berserker rage, usually resulting in a high body count. In addition to highly acute senses of hearing and smell, and claws that extend and retract through the backs of his hands, Wolverine possesses the ability to heal from almost any injury or wound at an insanely accelerated rate. This healing ability allowed Wolverine to survive the process which bonded the unbreakable metal adamantium to his skeleton and claws. With unbreakable bones and his remarkable healing factor, Wolverine is, in his own words, practically unkillable.
Storm: Born Ororo Munroe, Storm was orphaned in Cairo at an early age and lived on the streets before returning to her mother’s ancestral home on the Serengeti Plains, where she was worshiped as a goddess due to her mutant ability to control the weather. In her early years with the team, Ororo was the naïve innocent, completely unfamiliar with Western culture.
Rogue: Much like Cyclops, Rogue is cursed by her mutant powers, completely unable to live a normal life. With just the slightest skin-to-skin contact with another person, Rogue absorbs all of that person’s memories and abilities, leaving the person out cold until the transfer wears off. In addition, should Rogue remain in contact with the person for too long, there’s a chance the transfer could become permanent, as it did early in Rogue’s career, when she was still a member of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants and permanently absorbed the powers and consciousness of the superhero Ms. Marvel, leaving her with the power of flight, bulletproof skin, super-strength, and a tortured, guilt-ridden psyche. Rogue was originally recruited into the Brotherhood by ...
Mystique: The leader of the second version of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, the blue-skinned Mystique is a shapechanger, with the ability to alter her form at will. However, Mystique cannot duplicate the powers or abilities of those she imitates, only their appearance. Mystique raised Rogue after Rogue ran away from home when her powers manifested, and she considers Rogue her daughter.
Along with all of the returning characters, X2 will introduce a whole mess of new mutants to moviegoers worldwide. While I have no idea how they’ll translate to film, or if they’ll be in the movie a little or a lot, here’s enough of a who’s who that you’ll at least be able to spot them on screen:
Nightcrawler: Born with blue fur, yellow eyes, opposable toes and a prehensile tail, Kurt Wagner would never have found acceptance in the human world, were it not for the fact that he was raised in the one place he could fit in: performing with a traveling circus in Europe, where his demonic appearance was presumed to be “all part of the act.” In addition to his superhuman agility and superior acrobatic skills, Nightcrawler is able to teleport, instantaneously moving from place to place up to a distance of three miles, accompanied by a puff of brimstone-smelling smoke and the familiar “bamf” sound. Rather than being ashamed or fearful about his appearance, the deeply religious Nightcrawler refuses to hide who he is, and sees himself as a devil-may-care swashbuckler.
Iceman: The aforementioned Bobby Drake was one of Professor Xavier’s first class of students, and has remained with the team off and on throughout the course of the series, although less consistently than any of the other early members. Iceman enshrounds himself with a thin layer of ice, both to conceal his identity and to serve as protective armor. It was recently discovered that Drake cannot only generate and control ice and snow, but can actually transmute his entire body into ice.
Pyro: A relatively minor character in the X-Men comics, Pyro is a member of Mystique’s version of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, and can mentally control flame. However, he can’t generate it from thin air, and wears a flamethrower device on his back to provide the raw material necessary for him to utilize his powers.
Lady Deathstrike: The daughter of a Japanese scientist, Yuriko Oyama was convinced that her father’s work was stolen and used in the creation of Wolverine’s adamantium skeleton. Determined to kill Wolverine and reclaim her father’s work (that is, Wolverine’s bones – yikes!), Yuriko undergoes a similar procedure, lacing her bones with adamantium and replacing her fingers with extending adamantium claws, becoming a cyborg in the process.
Colossus: Peter Rasputin was another of Charles Xavier’s second class of students, recruited from a collective farm in Siberia. The young Russian agreed to attend Xavier’s School to learn more about his mutant ability, the power to transform his body into living organic steel. When in his armored form, Colossus is practically invulnerable, and can lift over 100 tons, making him by far the most physically powerful member of the X-Men. Colossus’ tough exterior belies a gentle soul, who would rather be farming or painting. Colossus had a lengthy romantic attachment to...
Kitty Pryde: Young Katherine “Kitty” Pryde came to Xavier’s School from Chicago, hoping to learn how to better control her mutant ability of “phasing,” or passing through solid objects. Kitty swiftly mastered her powers and earned a place on the team, under the codenames of “Sprite,” “Ariel” and “Shadowcat.” A gifted dancer, scientific prodigy and natural leader, Kitty has for all intents and purposes grown up at Xavier’s School. On an adventure in outer space with the X-Men, Kitty was “adopted” by a stowaway, a 12-inch-tall miniature dragon she dubbed “Lockheed.” Lockheed can fly and breathe flame, and is fiercely protective of Kitty.
So there you have it. The cast of X2, as conceived by X-Men creators Lee, Kirby, Wein and Claremont. Looks like the filmmakers have some big shoes to fill. Will they pull it off? We’ll all find out this weekend…
Scott Tipton’s mutant power is apparently the retention of countless otherwise useless facts about all things comics; not exactly enough for a scholarship to Xavier’s School. Take advantage of his misfortune by sending your questions to stipton99x@comics101.com.
