Co-creators : Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
X-Men, a team of mutants with superpowers, was created during the 1960s and didn’t idealize the traditional DC comics with impenetrable superhumans. Instead every gifted member of the X-Men team also held a curse from his/her power. At the same time, the X-Men had to keep their secret from the rest of society due to discrimination and fear. Under Charles Xavier, the leader, they battled against other mutants as they strived to co-exist with humans.
Charles Xavier: Injured due to an encounter with the extraterrestrial Lucifer, Charles Xavier is limited due to his legs. At the same time, the man has incredible telekinetic and telepathic powers. He uses his power to find mutants and to give them a sanctuary in his school for gifted students.
Scott Summers: Also known as Cyclops, he was found by Xavier and became the first member of the X-Men. He was forced to prematurely use his powers due to a heavy impact to his head and can no longer control the optic energy blasts from his eyes. To control it, he uses a visor which shoots his energy blasts when he touches a button on either side of his temple.
Robert Drake: The Iceman, as the youngest member of the
X-Men he sought refuge from a mob after exposing his powers to save his
girlfriend. He has the ability to lower his body temperature to freeze the
water around him. After attending Xavier’s school, he learned how to make his
entire body to make himself appear transparent.
Warren Worthington III: He called himself Angel due to his large feather wings that grew from his shoulder blade. With the ability to fly, he served as a superhero, under the code name the Avenging Angel, before becoming the third member of the X-Men.
Hank McCoy: The Beast has an incredible intellect but has many beast like characteristics especially his incredible agility and the acrobatics. He can’t hind his abilities from the rest of the human civilization and sought refuge with Xavier.
Jean Grey: Was the fifth member of the team and also the first one to girl to join the team. She possesses many of the same powers as Xavier and eventually becomes the Phoenix. Beginning her training with Xavier when her powers were awakened after her friend was killed by a car. It was years later that she became the last original member under the code name Marvel Girl.
Main Villian:
Eric Lieberman: Called himself Magneto due to his ability to control magnetic fields. His past plays an influential role in his involvement with the other mutants in society. Himself, a Holocaust survivor, he has always been fearful of humans and being left out of society.
X-Men has been interpreted as a representation of the civil rights movement. Stan Lee, during an interview, admitted to creating the comic based on fear and prejudice. Creating during the 1960s, X-Men easily represents two influential civil rights leaders, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. Magneto serves as a representation of Malcolm X due to his violent methods of living along with humans. In order to do so, he tries to conform the rest of the human civilization by turning them into mutants. Professor Xavier carries many of the same methods and ideals as Martin Luther King Jr. Xavier wants to coexist with the humans as equals.
X-Men has also represented the Holocaust. In the future, Magneto’s greatest fear turns out to be true. With the death of a senator, the government and the America placed all the mutants in a concentration camp. The creators sent a warning to the rest of the country, not to exclude people who are different due to fear.
