Comics X-Men Month at IGN

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Xavier Befriends Magneto Uncanny X-Men #161</B>
Words: Chris Claremont | Pencils: Dave Cockrum

Professor X and Magneto are sworn enemies. What makes their relationship more interesting than your typical comic-book rivalry is that the two are also great friends who respect one another. That relationship was established in Uncanny X-Men #161, a flashback issue that revealed the origins of Xavier and Magneto's friendship.

At a hospital for recovering Holocaust victims in Haifa, Israel, an ambulatory Charles Xavier discusses a potential evolution in man and the world's reaction to such a discovery. The early seeds of the philosophical battle between Professor X and Magneto are sown in a very frank discussion that precludes an encounter with HYDRA. The two essentially come out to one another and while Charles is foolish enough to believe he has discovered a new ally for the future, Magnus knows too well that their lives are taking separate paths.

 

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Colossus Lives Astonishing X-Men #4</B>
Words: Joss Whedon | Pencils: John Cassaday

Kitty Pryde turned her back to her assailants for a brief moment because something was lurking behind her. Rather than facing a new evil, she saw the love of her life, a man she knew to be dead, standing behind her. Shocked and speechless, Kitty stands motionless as Colossus charged his former jailers. As Colossus runs, Kitty phases and he passes right through her. At the end of the fight, Piotr "Peter" Rasputin kneels at Kitty's feet and holds her.

Characters come back from the dead all the time. Returns are so prevalent that it is a common joke amongst comics fans. When Joss Whedon and John Cassaday brought back Colossus, there was a big chance that this return would be simply that - a return. Fortunately the revival of Peter was one of the best in Marvel history. Simple yet powerful, writers should look to this moment as one of the benchmarks for character resurrections.

 

[FieryBalrog]

Colossus's return??

maybe if it was actually used to do something with the character.

 

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Xavier Joins the Brood Uncanny X-Men #167</B>
Words: Chris Claremont | Pencils: Paul Smith

Following an outer space adventure involving the Starjammers, the Shi'ar Empire and the Brood, the X-Men return home knowing their battle is not complete. Before her death, the Brood Queen boasted about a final royal embryo that will threaten the Earth. Turns out there's only one viable option -- Charles Xavier. The X-Men burst into the mansion just in time to witness Xavier, sitting at the top of the stairs, hunch over and transform into a brood. It's one of Uncanny artist Paul Smith's best sequences.

The Shi'ar are able to clone Xavier and in his new body, he in physically capable of walking. But after decades of being confined to a wheelchair, Xavier's subconscious is unable to accept this truth, leaving him confined to his chair until he can overcome his own mental blocks. It may be commonplace to show Xavier as a villain, but when this issue came out, it was legitimately shocking.

 

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Angel Revealed as Death X-Factor #24</B>
Words: Louise Simonson | Pencils: Walt Simonson

During the Mutant Massacre, Warren Worthington's wings were pegged against a wall. The wings had to be amputated to save Warren's life. That may, however, have been his undoing. Facing financial ruin and a world where he's permanently grounded, Warren flew his plane into the side of a mountain, presumably committing suicide.

Angel was not dead. He had, in fact, made a deal with Apocalypse, who promised to give back his wings. His fellow friends in X-Factor met a brand new Warren Worthington in X-Factor #24, when he was revealed to be Death, the leader of Apocalypse's Horsemen. Not only was their friend now fighting for the enemy, he was almost unrecognizable. This new angel had blue skin, razor-sharp metal wings and an anger the team had never seen displayed before. It was a drastic and unexpected change, one that still resonates with Archangel today.

 

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Wolverine Saves Rogue with a Kiss Uncanny X-Men #173</B>
Words: Chris Claremont | Pencils: Paul Smith

Rogue was not accepted when she first joined the X-Men. Not to long ago, it was Rogue who nearly killed a close friend of the X-Men, Ms. Marvel. None gave a chillier reception than Wolverine, who wanted nothing to do with the skunk-haired mutant. Combat can sometimes make for strange bedfellows. Following an attack from the Silver Samurai and Madame Viper, Wolverine needed back-up and Rogue was his only option.

When Viper attempted a last desperate act of revenge against Wolverine's love, Mariko Yashida, Rogue stepped in the way to take the fatal shot. Rogue would have died, but Wolverine spared her, touching her skin and allowing her to absorb his mutant healing factor. From that moment forward, Rogue was an accepted member of the X-Men. Wolverine's gesture is a defining moment for Rogue and created a friendship that would remain strong throughout the remainder of Chris Claremont's run.

 

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The Death of Illyana Uncanny X-Men #303</B>
Words: Scott Lobdell | Pencils: Richard Bennett

With the Legacy Virus sweeping through the mutant population, it was only a matter of time before someone close to the X-Men was affected. Illyana Rasputin, sister of Colossus, was infected and the plague took her life. This devastated the X-Men, but it also drove Colossus to become disillusioned with Charles Xavier's dream and join Magneto prior to a critical battle. The quest for equality and peace had perhaps claimed its youngest victim.

While characters die frequently, the manner in which Illyana's death was treated made it even more memorable. Writer Scott Lobdell wanted the death resonate with readers, so he told the story through the eyes of Jubilee. While the choice might seem odd, Jubilee's relative youth and inexperience with death made her the perfect vehicle for the story. The emotional note was captured beautifully. We empathized with Jubilee, her sadness, and the loss of Illyana. X-Men comics often portray stories about bigotry and hatred well, but rarely feature a death in such a perfect manner and tone.

 

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Destruction of Genosha New X-Men #115</B>
Words: Grant Morrison | Pencils: Frank Quitely

Kicking things off with a bang, New X-Men writer Grant Morrison eradicated an entire nation of mutants. Charles Xavier's wicked twin, Cassandra Nova, unleashed a pair of giant sentinels upon the world. In a flash, Genosha, one of the Marvel universe's mutant population centers, was destroyed. The attack killed 16 million mutants, and made the ruins a chaotic, desperate wasteland. At the time, it was also thought that Nova had managed to destroy Magneto, the X-Men's longtime archenemy.

Prior to its destruction, Genosha had embodied the struggle between humans and mutants. Charles Xavier and his students worked hard to achieve peace not only there, but around the world. The destruction of the nation was a symbolical evisceration of Xavier's dream. The X-Men have failed, but never on such a massive scale. They were not able to prevent the genocide, only watch as the population numbers dropped. This effect on the mutant population is only rivaled by House of M; even then most mutants did not die. Millions in Genosha died. Cassandra Nova had outsmarted the X-Men. Grant Morrison was just getting started.

 

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Kitty, Alone in the Dark Uncanny X-Men #143</B>
Words: Chris Claremont | Pencils: John Byrne

Left alone in the mansion on the holidays, relative X-Men newcomer Kitty Pryde is feeling a bit down. Things get a whole lot worse, however, when a N'garai demon invades the mansion. Kitty, whose only power is the ability to become intangible, must battle this frightening alien alone. At this time in X-History, Kitty has little confidence in herself or her place with the X-Men. She wouldn't consider herself ready for a life or death fight like this. Yet, in the end, it's Kitty's resourcefulness that wins the day.

Great characters have defining moments and this is Kitty's. This is the moment where Kitty truly became an X-Man and also where she won over a majority of her fans. To Marvel's credit, they've never tried to develop Kitty by adding to her powers. She's remained a relatively low-level mutant. But acts like this are what make her one of the greatest X-Men of all time.

 

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Wolverine Escapes Weapon X Marvel Comics Presents #79</B>
Words: Barry Windsor-Smith | Pencils: Barry Windsor-Smith

Wolverine's origins were partly revealed in Barry Windsor-Smith's "Weapon X" storyline. We learned the grizzly details of Wolverine's time at Weapon X, including when he earned his adamantium skeleton. There were many surprising moments in this story arc, but the one that stands out is the moment that the scientists realize Wolverine is no longer in their control.

After another series of tests, Logan is placed back in his room, supposedly docile. But as his handlers turn, his eyes open, his claws pop out and he murders with jailers. No one is safe. From this moment, Wolverine is his own man, though he acts as little more than animal, tearing his way towards freedom. Ironic that he would spend the next few decades trying to retrace his way back to those origins.

 

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Storm Takes Control of the Morlocks Uncanny X-Men #170</B>
Words: Chris Claremont | Pencils: Paul Smith

The Morlocks had captured the X-Men. Callisto, leader of the underground mutant camp, intended to marry Angel. Kitty Pryde was slowly dying, inflicted by a disease caused by one of the Morlock members. When an attempt to escape failed, the only recourse for the team was to attempt a coup of the Morlock leadership. Storm overrides Nightcrawler's initial bid to challenge Callisto in a hand-to-hand duel to the death. Storm, still sick from the same disease killing Kitty, is clearly not the better fighter. Even worse, Ororo Monroe previously said she would never take another person's life. After being cut several times, Storm ensnared Callisto with her cape, and stabbed her enemy in the chest. Having won the fight, and control of the Morlocks, Storm freed her teammates.

Prior to this brutal fight, Storm had never been portrayed in this manner. It solidified her status as the leader of the X-Men in Cyclops' absence, and showed her to be a formidable fighter without her powers. The X-Men, both the team and the series, needed a strong secondary field commander. After her fight with Callisto, there was no question Storm was a perfect fit. The fight also showed Storm's strength as a person. She had vowed to never take a life, but was willing to cross that line to save Kitty and the lives of the other X-Men. Storm was willing to stand against seemingly unbeatable odds for her teammates.

 

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Humanity Has Hope X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills</B>
Words: Chris Claremont | Pencils: Brent Anderson

A metaphor for race relations, God Loves, Man Kills is considered one of Chris Claremont's best X-Men stories. Reverend William Stryker is a zealot who believes mutants are evil. When his son was born with an obvious mutation, Stryker went nuts. He murdered his newborn son and killed his wife for spawning such a creature. He goes so far as to kidnap Professor X in an insane plan to kill every mutant on Earth. He is stopped, not by the X-Men or Magneto's Brotherhood, but by his own security guard.

After attempting to kill Kitty Pryde, the security guard finally realizes that mutants are not a threat simply for being mutants. He shoots Stryker, putting an end to the madness. So often it is up to the X-Men to prove that man and mutant can live in peace. In this rare instance, we see that humans can still overcome their own bigotry and accept the differences in others.

 

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Wolverine Faces Hellfire Uncanny X-Men #133</B>
Words: Chris Claremont | Pencils: John Byrne

We all know that Wolverine's the best at what he does, but before this issue, no one knew Logan could be a true badass. Coming before the miniseries that would truly define his character, Wolverine's assault on the Hellfire Club gave notice that this was one Canadian you did not want to f--- with. At the end of UXM #132, the X-Men have been thoroughly thrashed, with Wolverine presumed dead. As we see in the final panel of the issue, Logan's alive and ready for payback.

The X-Men's lone hope, Wolverine tears through the HFC's guards, determined to put a claw on those responsible for turning Jean against the X-Men. Though, ultimately, he is swarmed and defeated at the end of the issue, Wolverine gave notice that he was going to be a major player in the X-Universe from then on.

 

[usagicassidy]

Colossus's return??

maybe if it was actually used to do something with the character.

I definitely agree with that one. I think that all three (not counting the Eric the Red thing) of the things they mentioned that didn't make it were all more defining than his return.

 

[Valechan]

We all know how this list is gonna end...

 

[Cyclops]

Yes, yes, let the list fuel your rage! Let the opinions of someone you don't know anger you and irritate you, and let yourself lie about them not angering you, even though we all know that they do!! Everything is going according to plan...

Bwahahahahaha!!!

 

[Valechan]

That was scary... Anyway, the angrier I get, the stronger I get

 

[Kmack]

I bet anything Wolverine takes the #1 spot.

Im suprised to see Emma & Psylocke so low...

I'm outraged to see Psylocke so low!


She's my favorite

 

[Cyclops]

That was scary... Anyway, the angrier I get, the stronger I get

Which just isn't saying much.

 

[FieryBalrog]

We all know how this list is gonna end...

Storm changes her 'do? Ororo hooks up with T'Challa?

 

[Specter313]

Magneto Rips Apocalypse a New One X-Men Omega</B>
Words: Scott Lobdell & Mark Waid | Pencils: Roger Cruz

The unthinkable had happened. Charles Xavier was dead; Magneto led a rag-tag group of X-Men, fighting the unbeatable Apocalypse. The massive event was incredibly bleak and no one thought it possible that Apocalypse could actually be beaten. The X-Men had a plan, however, and they struggled to see it executed to restore the world that Bishop claimed had existed. X-Men: Omega begins with a beaten Magneto being held by Holocaust in front of an arrogant Apocalypse. Though Apocalypse believes he has crushed the rebellion by capturing its leader, the X-Men secretly enter his base. Chaos breaks out as the X-Men attempt to overthrow the tyrant. Shadowcat, Colossus, Jean Grey, Havok and Cyclops all die in the ensuing battle. Meanwhile Apocalypse and Magneto engage in what is sure to be a final fight. Magneto is beaten again, seemingly worn out from his prior torture, however he manages to concentrate enough to pull off one final, desperate move. Unleashing massive amounts of energy and fueled by his hatred of En Sabah Nur, the Master of Magnetism shears the dictator in half.

Aside from the "Holy S---!" moment of Apocalypse being torn in half, the mere fact that Magneto actually succeeded was absolutely incredible. Heroes were dying left and right, Magneto had previously been captured and tortured, and millions were being destroyed by a bombing that was growing closer. Apocalypse seemed unbeatable and insurmountable. Once Apocalypse had fallen and the bombs destroyed Magneto and his X-Men, things were clearer. Magneto gave his life so that there was a chance Charles Xavier might live. Readers would have never thought that possible prior to the Age of Apocalypse.

 

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Angel Crucified X-Factor #10</B>
Words: Louise Simonson | Pencils: Walter Simonson

Mutants -- both good and bad -- could die. That was no surprise. Chris Claremont had been killing off heroes and villains for some time on Uncanny X-Men. But no one thought full-scale slaughter would ever hit the pages of Marvel Comics. That is until the "Mutant Massacre" one of the first X-Men crossovers. The Marauders, led by such lovely gents as Scalphunter and Sabretooth, decided to start killing Morlocks. It's a horrifying series of events that lead to one of the most shocking moments in X-Men history.

Though no longer an official X-Man, Angel still believes in Xavier's dream. Attempting to save a young mutant names Artie, Angel is captured by the Marauders. Harpoon crucifies Angel, an event traumatic enough to later force the amputation of Warren Worthington's wings. The Mutant Massacre was a signal to a new age of villainy in the X-Men universe and Angel's crucifixion was proof of the heightened level of mutant-on-mutant aggression.

 

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Jean and Scott get Married X-Men #30</B>
Words: Fabian Nicieza | Pencils: Andy Kubert

Scott Summers and Jean Grey had been an item for over two decades. Their relationship had survived death, rebirth and numerous assaults and trials. After what seemed like an eternity for fans, Cyclops and Marvel Girl were finally wed. The ceremonial issue was a classic, featuring small moments by all characters, including Wolverine, who had recently been devastated by Magneto (who, at the time of the wedding, lay in a coma). Unlike so many other weddings, this one went off without a problem, and Jean and Scott were married in front of their friends and family. Two of the most touching moments came when Jean Grey-Summers asked to dance with Xavier, lifting him into the air to celebrate with the man who took care of her for so many years. Finally, the issue ends with Scott Summers saying goodbye to his mentor and father-figure, thanking Xavier for giving him hope.

It seems like so many moments in X-Men history are marked by devastation and death, but this is a moment of absolute happiness. There are no villains to fight, no obstacles to overcome, just the sheer pleasure of seeing one of comics' most enduring (and troubled) couples finally get married. For longtime X-Men fans this was a watershed moment. For newer fans, this issue is unique in its unbridled bliss. The X-Men have always been both a family and a community, and no issue has captured those aspects better than this issue.

 

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Colossus Kills Proteus Uncanny X-Men #128</B>
Words: Chris Claremont | Pencils: John Byrne

Proteus is one of those rare cases where a mutant may be better off dead than allowed to live free. That's the choice the X-Men were forced to make when Proteus, Moira McTaggert's son, escaped from his containment field. Proteus never had the chance at a normal life and grew up knowing only his prison walls. He was not a happy mutant and sought revenge on those who wronged him and humanity as a whole. His powers were so great that he was actually burning through his own body. His only hope of survival was to possess human hosts.

With reality-warping powers to go along with his ability to possess others, Proteus was the most potent mutant the X-Men had yet faced. It was because of his incredible and uncontrollable powers that the X-Men feared they would be forced to kill Proteus. And, in fact, that became their only choice. Colossus, in human form, managed to get close to Proteus. He then transformed into the one thing that could harm Proteus in his pure psionic form -- metal. With a powerful punch, Colossus destroyed Proteus, saving the world.

 

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Magneto Removes Wolverine's Adamantium X-Men #25</B>
Words: Fabian Nicieza | Pencils: Andy Kubert

The fight began like any other. Magneto had hit the Earth with an E.M.P., causing vast amounts of damage and killing thousands. Charles Xavier assembled a team of X-Men and led them to Avalon, Magneto's orbiting city. The battle was fast - Gambit and Quicksilver were among the many injured. Magneto was not holding back this time, determined to see his vision through. Despite his inherent vulnerability to Magneto, Wolverine flung himself at the Master of Magnetism. Wolverine's claws find their mark, severely wounding his enemy. Magneto is not down for the count however, and lifts Wolverine up in the air. To the horror of the X-Men, Magneto proceeds to tear the adamantium metal from Wolverine's bones, virtually shredding him in the process. The fight does not end there, but Wolverine's life is changed drastically for some time to come.

This event was absolutely shocking for any number of reasons, but the biggest being that the fall of Wolverine was likely Magneto's biggest act. Prior to this, Magneto had always fought the X-Men in what could best be called "honorable battles." With this act, Magneto crossed a line that he had previously only bestowed upon humans. Wolverine, the most popular X-Man of all time, had just been destroyed by one of the greatest villains in Marvel history. Everyone knew that Wolverine was incredibly vulnerable to Magneto, but no one saw this coming. No matter what Magneto manages to do now, he will always be remembered for this moment.