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X-Men

Earth’s mightiest team

X-Men

FACTFILE

MEMBERS AND POWERS PROFESSOR X (Charles Xavier) Tełepathy

CYCLOPS (Scott Summers) Optic power beams PHOENiX (Mar^i Gih I. Jean Grey) Telopathy. telekinesis ARCHANGEL (Angel. Warren Wórthington III)

Wings enabling fiight BEAST (Henry McCoy) Superhuman strength and agiUty ICEMAN (Bobby Drakę) Generates intense cdd COLOSSUS (Poler Rasputin) Tums to “organie Steel" NIGHTCRAWLER (Kurt Wagner) Teleportation

ROGUE (Real name unrovealed) Absorbs memories and abilittes SHADOWCAT (Kitty Pryde) “Phases" through solid objects STORM (Ororo Munroe)

Controls weather WOLVERINE (Logan) Adamantium skeieton and claws BASE The Xavier Institute. Salem Center, New York State FIRST APPEARANCE X-Mon »i (Septomber 1963)

ALLIES Tł-« Nhw Mutants. Excalbur, X-Foctor. Generation X. tho Fantastic F<xr. tt*e Avongors. Sokfer-Mwi. Doctor Strange

FOES Magnoto. tho Juggemait. Iho Sentinris. ApocafflJSO. Koster SWsJw. Myshc*ift. Brotf wrłwod Oł Mutants, the MsWto Club. tho Brood

Professor X tramu tws X-Mon and tho team aro confronted wlth archonemy Magneto.

ESSENTIAL STORYUNES

•    Giant-Sizo X Men «1

a«ries Xavior lomis a new mtomatkxai team ot X-Mwv

•    Tho Uncanny X-Mon *129-137

*Tho Da»k Phoenbc Saga'- Mm X-Mcn try to step tho mad Pltoemx (Jean Groy) from wreakmg havtx: through tho cosmos and sove tter from insanity.

•    Tho Uncanny X-Mon $141-142

*03ys ot Futurę Past': prosom <tay X-Mon try to prevent a tutire Arrtenca njłOd by Sentrełs.

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The X-Mcn are a team of superhuman mutants that was founded by Professor Charles Xavier (Professor X), who is not only a mutant himself, but is also one of the worlds leading authorities on mutation. In founding the X-Men, Xavier had two principal purposes. First, he sought to find young mutants and to train them in utilizing their superhuman powers. Second. Xavier intended the X-Men to serve as a combat team to defend “ordinary” humans against attack by other mutants. Furthcr, Xavier recognizcs that “normal” humans tend to fear and distrust the mutants who are appearing in their midst, and that therefore mutants often sufFer pcrsecution.

XAVI ER’S DREAM

In founding the X-Men, Xavier creatcd a comniunity of mutants living togetłier on his estate. Xavicr is a visionary who hopes to help bring about peaccful coexistence between mutants and the rest of the human race.

The X-Men are dedicated to this goal. which they cali “Xaviers dream." Xavier has cxplained that he named the team “X-Mcn” after the “cxtra” powers that his mutant students possess. (Of coursc,"X" is also the first letter ofXavier’s last name.)

As a young man. Xavier batdcd another mutant telepatii. Ainah) Farouk. alias the Shadow King. in ligypt. This encounter madc him aware of the need to protcct humanity from nialevolcnt mutants.

Road to Recovery

Xavier subseijuently lost the usc of his legs in a clasli with an alien who called • himself Lucifer. Decply depressed.

Xavier led a reclusivc cxistence at his family mansion.

Howevcr, he hegan treating a ten-year-old girl named Jean Grey whose mutant powers had cmerged prcmaturely.

Ycars later. the Nil initiated an invcstigation of mutants. headed by agent Fred Duncan. Xavier met

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tho X Mon we twserf m Owies XaworS Wostchoslor J^yOoonty mansion.

with Duncan and T Yolunteered to locatc young mutants and train them in managing their potentially dangerous abilities. Duncan agreed to the plan and plcdged to keep Xaviers work with mutants secret. Xavier soon reeruited five adolesceut mutants to his school. giving each of them codenames: Cyci i >ps.

j Jean Orfy). Ali fivc were enrolled ■■ at Professor V    Xavier s School

Most of the X-Men became trapped on the island of Krakoa. which proved to be a gigantic mutant organism. Xavier then reeruited a new team of X-Mcn from varióus countries.The new members included the Banshll, from Ircland; Cotossus, from Russia: Nici itćrawilr. from Germany; Storm, from atorial Africa: Suni irf.

new <ntełnoiKxwl team ol X*Men after ifuł immonse mutant Krakoa the Ltang htord captised ttie onginal taar

for GiftedYoungsters. a private school based in Xaviers mansion, in the town of Salem Center in New York City s Westchcstcr C.ounty.

I liere Xavier educatcd them in comemional academic subjeets. whilc secrctly teachring them how to utilizc their mutant abilities.

The next member of the X-Men. who served only briefly, was the Mimic. who was not a mutant but had the ability to imitate mutant pow ers. During a period when Xavier was in seclusion, he was impersonated by the Chanc.fi ing, a shapeshifting mutant who died heroically. The mutants I Iavok and Lorna I )anc. later known as Polar is,joincd the team subsecjuently.    yŹ ecju;

front Japan;THUNDERBiRi>. a Nacive American; and Woivfri.nl. from Canada.

Led by Cyclops. the new reeruits reseued the X-Men from Krakoa. After their return, the senior X-Men lcft the team. cxcept tor Cyclops. who remained as deputy leader. Sunhre quit. and Thunderbird was killcd during the new X-Men s second mission.

Ovcr suhsecjnent years, many other members

havejoined the X-Men. including Kitty Prydf. alias Shadowcat: Rogue; Rachel Summi-rs. known both as the second Phoeni* and the eurrent Marvcl Girl; Psylocki : the jf)A//i.FK; and LONGSIIÓT. During a temporary reformation. even the X-Mens archfoe Macnkto even joined the team.

After forming their own group, X-I^:a< :ior. the fivc founding X-Men returned to their original team. Xaviers school was renamed the Xavier institute. Further new members included Fokgf. Jlbilee, Gambit, Bisi iop, Rwano ii:. Cannonuall. Joseph (a clone of Magneto),

Dr. Cccilia Reyes.

- iMarków and Mam.011 OM Storni organi/ed .1

short-lieed spinotf team e.illcci the X-Treme X-Mcii. whu h :ne!uded.

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Open Secret

Rccent new X-Men members have included CABI F, CllAMIIFR, HUSK.

Nor i hstar, Stacy X. the traitor Xorn, and former X-Mcn foes Emma Frosi (The White Quccn).and the Jucc.frnaltt. Ever sińce Charles Xavicrs evtl twin sistcr Cassandra Nora exposcd him as a mutant, the Xavier been known to the generał public as the basc of the X-Men.

The Institute has considerably inereased its student body. and senior X-Mcn act as tcachers. The Institute and the X-Men also now opcnly work on behalf of mutant riglus. PS

Among tho X-Men‘s advorsar Sabratooth (lott. tłgtitofl Wotv nsect-łta ulen BrcoJ (Battiin

Bnked to tho mtnd of a teiepath, such as Xavior or Jean Grey. through a headset. Xavier utUzod an earfy version of Cerebro. caBed Cybemo. to tocate \ Scott Summers, who became Cyclops. On combming with the Sentnel Bastion's nanotechnology. Cerebro became sentient. tt posed a menace untri Xavier destroyed it. Since then Xavier has created an advancod verston. caBed Cerebra.