X-Men

In 1963, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby revolutionized superhero teams with the creation of the X-Men. The X-Men are a subspecies of humans with extraordinary abilities, chosen as teenagers to attend Charles Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters. Xavier aims to guide these young mutants, providing them with a moral compass and the training needed to control their powers, in hopes of countering the threat posed by evil mutants, collectively known as the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants.

In X-Men #1, we meet the original team: Scott Summers (Cyclops), who can shoot uncontrollable laser beams from his eyes; Jean Grey (Marvel Girl), who has telekinesis; Warren Worthington III (Angel), who can fly with his wings; Bobby Drake (Iceman), who can create ice; and Hank McCoy (Beast), who possesses super strength and agility.

The team, while still in training, faces some of the most iconic villains in the X-Men universe, including Magneto, the Blob, Quicksilver, the Scarlet Witch, Juggernaut, and the Sentinels. Along the way, they are joined by future X-Men like Banshee, Sunfire, and Havoc.

Despite early struggles with sales in the late ’60s, the series was revived with Giant-Size X-Men #1 in 1975. Writer Len Wein and artist Dave Cockrum introduced a new, diverse team of experienced mutants, including Cyclops, Colossus, Nightcrawler, Storm, Banshee, Thunderbird, Sunfire, and Wolverine. This new lineup hailed from various countries and backgrounds, adding a rich cultural and philosophical diversity to the team.

This reboot became a massive phenomenon, prompting numerous spin-offs and adaptations in comics and cinema. The series continued with issue #94, featuring a critically acclaimed run by writer Chris Claremont and artist John Byrne, highlighted by the iconic “Dark Phoenix Saga.”

Giant-Size X-Men #1 marked the beginning of this new era, cementing the X-Men’s legacy as one of the most influential superhero teams in history.