Wednesday, June 1, 2011

[New post] X-Men- Greatest Hits -part one

X-Men- Greatest Hits -part one

dailypop | June 1, 2011 at 9:52 pm | Tags: marvel comics X-Men, X-Men, x-men movies wolverine bryan singer | Categories: X-Men | URL: http://wp.me/p4kUt-2H9

X-Men: First Class, a prequel that promises to reset the fabulous mutant franchise back to the top of the comic book movie superlative list rather than the bottom third, opens this Friday.

X-Men: First Class TV Spot
watch?v=1F2QwfvM-K8

I have been a big fan of the X-Men for ages and am very excited to see the early days of the School for Gifted Youngsters on the big screen (even if they are taking liberties). Early reviews are very positive and I may even try to make a midnight showing if I'm feeling brave or awake enough. In preparation for the big day, I decided to compose a short series of articles spotlighting the best X-Men stories (in my opinion, anyway).

Giant Size X-Men #1

Published May, 1975
By Len Wein and Dave Cockrum

In 1975, the X-Men were not the knock-out hit that they became later on. In fact, the series was on the verge of cancellation. Several attempts were made to fix whatever problems prevented the comic from selling, but nothing seemed to work, not even the excellent contributions made by Arnold Drake, Werner Roth, Roy Thomas, Neil Adams and Jim Steranko. Part of the problem lay in the fact that the X-Men were students living in a school preparing them for adulthood. This demanded that one day the X-Men would no longer be kids and would graduate, moving out into the world as adults. There were some awkward explorations of what this would be like, but in the end it was a dead end. What was needed were new ideas... and a new cast of mutants.

Len Wein had the idea of an international team of mutants, each from a different country, traveling the globe to right wrongs and fight for mutant rights. From Africa was the weather witch called Storm, from Ireland the high-flying Banshee, from Russia the farmhand Colossus, from Germany the demonic yet gentle Nightcrawler, from Canada the Wolverine, from Japan Sunfire and from the Arizona-based Apache reservation Thunderbird. Leading them was the stoic Cyclops who would desperately attempt to take a wild band of strong-willed individuals and transform them into a team.

The designs for all of the characters (except for Wolverine and Banshee) came from Dave Cockrum and bear an uncanny resemblance to his designs from Legion of Superheroes. At the time, Cockrum carried a binder of character designs around with him and many of the characters that failed to find a home at DC Comics became the erstwhile X-Men. While many of these designs changed over the years, they remain the most distinctive and iconic looks for each team member. Whenever I think of Storm, Colossus or Nightcrawler it is Cockrum's designs that spring to mind.

The story of Giant Size X-Men involves a lost expedition to an island in search of a rogue mutant signal. Cyclops led the team of Angel, Marvel Girl, Iceman, Havok, Beast and Polaris to the island yet only he returned, raving and battle-ragged... and not wearing the all-important visor needed to keep his optic blasts in check. As he recounts his experience to the Professor, explaining how the team was overwhelmed by some force that he managed to evade, his powers come back, far stronger than ever. While Scott Summers acclimates to his increased power, Professor Xavier travels the globe in search of new recruits.

The first team of X-Men were all youngsters, afraid of their unique abilities and terrified of being found out. In contrast, the new recruits are adults who seem to have no real difficulty with their identities or abilities... except for Nightcrawler. Branded a demon by the locals, circus acrobat Kurt Wagner is nearly burnt alive by a horde of angry locals. Professor X intercedes and offers Kurt a new lease on life and a place where he can belong.

Kurt's physical differences (blue fur, three fingers on each hand and foot, fangs and a tail) mark him as an outsider - even to his fellow X-Men. It's no secret that Cockrum took to Nightcrawler and counted the 'fuzzy elf' as his favorite. It was Cockrum's idea to make Kurt a fan of Errol Flynn films, for instance, and granted him a puckish sensibility.

In Russia, the gentle giant Piotr Rasputin uses his power to transmute his skin into nigh-invulnerable steel to save his sister Ilyana. On the scene to witness the event is Professor X, who offers to train Piotr in developing this talent. Unsure of what to do, Piotr feels that his ability belongs to the State, but the Professor convinces him that he could do so much good in the wide open world.

Worshiped as a Goddess in the African plains, Ororo Monroe gets taken down a notch by the Professor who forces her to accept that she is no Goddess and she needs guidance. The most adult of all the X-Men, perhaps, it is an act of supreme maturity and responsibility the leads her to follow these words. Ororo could just as easily lived out her life as an idol to the locals. Instead she decided to risk her lives for people she would never know.

Both Banshee and Sunfire were already established in the Marvel Universe, so not much time was devoted to their 'recruitment pitch,' but it is made evident that Banshee is far older than the others, perhaps in his mid-30's. Sunfire is brash and proud, angry that he must take time away from his home in Japan. One almost wonders if the Professor used his mental influence over him.

John Proudstar was aptly named and the biggest challenge for the Professor. Fostering a deep resentment of the 'white man' in general, he was content to just stay out of the affairs of the world. Only by appealing to his pride could Prof. X draw him into the team. Much feistier than Wolverine, Thunderbird challenged every member of authority and was out to prove that he was the best of the new recruits... even if it cost him his life.

Of course the most famous new member of the X-Men was Wolverine, already seen in the pages of the Incredible Hulk when the Canadian government dropped him in a mission to confront the Hulk and Wendigo. The plucky Canadian went on to be a major star in comics and elsewhere, but at first he was a bit redundant as the team already had a rebellious youth. The plan was to make him a mutated animal rather than a mutated human, granting him bizarre facial features (later used on Sabretooth by John Byrne).

The team assembled, their task was not only to rescue the classic crew but also fight their biggest challenge ever, the 'island that walked like a man, Krakoa. This had to be the most bizarre and eye-catching adventure seen in ages. In addition to the new creative team, new look and new characters, the monstrous Krakoa was undoubtedly responsible for making this book a hit.

The issue closed with the old order leaving for new pastures (and in some cases new comics) while the new recruits took over the institute. With a disdainful look over his shoulder, the Angel made his distaste for the messy lot of rebels. They'd never make it as a team, they were too stubborn in their ways. Left to guide them was Cyclops, the orphan with nowhere else to go. The school was no longer a home for students, it was refuge for lost souls and a home for orphans, much like Scott Summers. Many of the people that I met who are fans of the X-Men say that they are attracted to the series not just because it is about outcasts, but due to its depiction of a family for loners. The new team reluctantly bonded over the course of the decade and became more than another superhero team like the Avengers or Fantastic Four, but a family.

Giant Size X-Men is a landmark in many ways, acting as the division between the old and the new. The following month a new writer took over, Chris Claremont, and the rest is history. I still own a condensed paperback version of Giant Size X-Men #1 that I purchased from a drugstore as a kid. It is somehow in remarkable condition and remains one of my favorite comics.

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