The X-Men debuted in 1963 in the pages of The X-Men #1, but the comic did not sell well and was eventually cancelled in 1970. Author Len Wein and illustrator Dave Cockrum revived the series in 1975 by creating a new team of colorful and complex heroes. This new team was then continued by author Chris Claremont, who cemented the X-Men’s popularity as one of Marvel’s most important superhero teams.
I am reading through Chris Claremont’s run in X-Men, starting with the collection Essential X-Men vol. 1. This collection includes Giant-Size X-Men #1 (the Len Wein revival) as well as subsequent issues by Claremont, X-Men #94-119. You can find a used copy of this collection or read the issues online with Marvel Unlimited.
Review
These stories have everything from magical worlds & evil demons to epic space battles & sci-fi robot doppelgängers. It’s a staple of the X-Men franchise. Interestingly, the social commentary that defined the first X-Men issues is largely missing from these stories. The conflict between humans and mutants is reduced to an arc with a villain who recreated the sentinels.
Instead of the outward issues the original X-Men stories dealt with, Claremont and friends decide to write tales that focus inward. We see a lot of the dynamics of the new X-Men, a group of mutants from all over the world, with different personalities and goals, who struggle to work as one team. Throughout 27 issues, we see Cyclops try to unite the group. We see Storm try to adapt to Western customs. We see Colossus try to fit in and earn his stay in the group, while missing his country and family. We see Nightcrawler use humor to mask the pain of being looked at like he’s a monster. We see the Wolverine deal with being a loner within a group. I could go on, but essentially, every main and supporting character has a complex background that is explored through the lens of X-Men adventures.
While these issues are old, and I find some of the dialogue to be campy; they are incredibly enjoyable to read. The success of the X-Men largely depends on these issues by Chris Claremont.
Score: 9/10
Uncanny X-Men is a long-form soap opera that dives deep into character studies and relationships. With classic X-Men action and colorful heroes, the only thing keeping it from a perfect score is the 1970’s dialogue, which some may find dated and extensive.
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