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1st appearance of X-Men w/ origin; 1st Magneto; Jack Kirby cover & art; COMIC BOOK IMPACT rating of 10 (CBI)
X-Men #1 made comics history with the first appearances of the original
X-Men — including Professor X, Cyclops, Angel, Beast, Iceman, and Marvel Girl, as well as evil mutant Magneto. Stan Lee and
Jack Kirby came up with inspired characters, as well as a high concept that created multiple new teen characters without pesky origin stories. (Stan Lee originally envisioned the comic as
The Mutants , but changed the title to appease publisher Martin Goodman —naming the newly formed group after its founder, Professor Charles Xavier.) A new crew of mutants (including
Wolverine and Marvel Girl's evolution into Phoenix) would revive the title in the ’70s starting with
Giant-Size X-Men #1. This vital debut still introduces many of the core characters that would launch the big-screen superhero trend of the 21st century.
In addition to their own film franchise, the teen outcasts would star in a staggering number of comic spin-offs, plus a variety of live-action TV shows and cartoons. There’s even more interest in the title today as Marvel Studios takes over the beloved characters once owned by 20th Century Fox.
Deadpool & Wolverine went on to become one of 2024's biggest hits, as well as setting a box-office record for any
X-Men movie. Marvel has since announced a new X-Men franchise beginning in the wake of 2027's
Avengers: Secret Wars, further suggesting that the investment value of this perpetually hot issue will only continue to grow.
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