From: CXMP@MUSICA.MCGILL.CA (CXMP000)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.comics.xbooks
Subject: FAQ: X-Men History
Date: 4 Jan 93 02:36:26 GMT
Organization: McGill University


                            X-Men History
                      Martin Phipps      Writer

Version 4  These events are fictional.  If you see any similarity
between the characters in this article with any people living or dead
then you should seek professional help.  This article may be sold
subject to the condition that you can find someone who will buy it.
Typed in Canada.

Introduction
      The following is a summary of twenty-nine years of the X-Men.  It
is *not* intended to be complete.  Rather, it is intended to serve the
following purposes:
      1) To bring new readers up to date,
      2) To answer their trivial questions and
      3) To help them to better appreciate back issues and reprints.
I have decided that purpose #1 will be the means by which this article
will be judged a success or not.
      If you have any questions, please email me.  If I can't answer
your question then I'll post it on the net.  (This will avoid having the
same questions posted twice.)
      If you have any complaints, please email me.  Please keep in mind
that your favourite X-Men storyline may have had little or no effect on
current continuity and thus needn't be mentioned here.
      If you want a copy of "The X-Men Files" by
albert@crick.bcm.tmc.edu, you can email me.  You can also find them at
darwin.cc.nd.edu in the directory /pub/comics by anonymous ftp.

      The X-Men first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #1 (originally X-Men #1)
The group consisted of Angel, Beast, Cyclops, Iceman and Jean Grey.
Their first battle was against Magneto.
      Magneto returned in UX #4 as the leader of the Brotherhood of Evil
Mutants, a group including Mastermind, the Toad, Quicksilver and the
Scarlet Witch.
      The X-Men met the Avengers in UX #9 (This story took place
between Avengers #'s 10 and 11.), the Fantastic Four in FF #28 and
Spiderman in UX #35.
      The X-Men graduated from Professor Xavier's school in UX #39.
Professor Xavier was believed to be dead in UX #42.  He returned in
UX #66.  (The X-Men appeared in Avengers #53.)
      UX #'s 67-93 were reprints.  During this period, X-Men made
appearances in Amazing Adventures #11-17, Hulk #150, Marvel Team Up #4,
Avengers #110-111, Hulk #172, Captain America #172-175 and MTU #23.  The
transformation of the Beast occurred in Amazing Adventures #11 (The
Beast appeared normal during X-Factor #3-31 thanks to Dr. Maddicks). The
regression of Magneto to childhood occurred in Defenders #15-16, a story
which also featured the Blob, Lorelei, Mastermind, Unus and Professor X.
      Giant Size X-Men #1 introduced introduced the New X-Men: Banshee,
Colossus, Nightcrawler, Storm, Sunfire, Thunderbird and Wolverine.
Thunderbird died in UX #95 during a battle with Count Nafaria.
(Beast joined the Avengers in Avengers #137.  Nightcrawler appeared in
Spiderman #161.)
      UX #96-108 featured the villainy of the Sentinels, the Juggernaut,
Black Tom Cassidy, Magneto and Lilandra's brother D'Ken.  Meanwhile, in
Champions #5, Angel inherited his parents' fortune.  He used the money
to form the Champions, a group consisting of himself, Iceman, the Black
Widow and Hercules.  Johnny Blaze had joined by #7, Darkstar by #11.
Champions #11-13 was a crossover with MTU #55 due to the appearance of
the Stranger in both stories.  The Champions made guest appearances in
Avengers #163, Supervillain Team Up #14 and Iron Man Annual #4.
Champions #17 was the last issue.  The breakup of the Champions was
explained in the first part of the two part Angel/Iceman appearance in
Spectacular Spiderman #17-18.  Their next appearance was Hulk Annual #7.
(The Phoenix first appeared in UX #101.  The X-Men costarred in
MTU Annual #1 and made a cameo appearance in MTU #53.)
      UX #110-112 had the X-Men captured by Magneto in his subvolcanic
lair.  "Jean Grey"'s use of the Phoenix force caused systems all over
the complex to run wild.  She and the Beast managed to escape the
resulting devastation and believed the X-Men to be dead.  The X-Men
were in the Savage Land in UX #113-117, Japan in UX #118-119 (guest
starring Sunfire) and Canada during UX #120-121, the first appearance of
Alpha Flight as a team (Guardian appeared in UX #109).  Banshee lost his
powers in UX #119.  (This storyline followed and preceeded X-Men
appearances in Iron Fist #15 and Power Man/Iron Fist #57.  Havok
returned in MTU #74-75).
      The X-Men were reunited in UX #125-128, the "Proteus Saga", a
story featuring Havok, Polaris and Madrox ("Le plus que ca change, le
plus que ca reste la meme").  This story was also a prologue to the
"Dark Phoenix Saga" which climaxed with the death of "Jean Grey" in
UX #137.  (Kitty Pryde (Shadowcat) was introduced in UX #129.  Dazzler
was featured in UX #130-131.)
      It was Jim Shooter who decided that "Jean Grey" had to die as
punishment for the crime of the D'Barian genocide in UX #135.  UX #137
had to be rewritten and was delayed as a result.
      The "Days of Future Past" story in UX #141-142 introduced both
Rachel Summers and the third incarnation of the Brotherhood of Evil
Mutants, namely Mystique, Avalanche, the Blob, Destiny and Pyro.  Their
next appearance was in Avengers Annual #10, the first appearance of
Rogue.
      The X-Men then had guest appearances in Rom #17-18, Spiderwoman
#37-38 and MTU #117-118 and a starring role in Marvel Fanfare #1-4.
UX #154-166 featured the villainy of Deathbird and the Brood, the net
result being Lilandra being overthrown by Deathbird.  The X-Men met the
New Mutants in UX #167.  Madelyne Pryor was introduced in UX #168.
She and Scott (Cyclops) married in UX #175.  (Rogue joined in UX #171
after making appearances in UX #158, Rom #31-32 and Dazzler #'s 22-24
and 26-28).
     The New Mutants originally consisted of Canonball, Karma, Mirage,
Sunspot and Wolfsbane.  The origin of Magma was played out in NM #7-12.
Magik was introduced in NM #14, the Hellions in #16-17.
     Rachel Summers was reintroduced in NM #18, Forge was introduced in
UX #184 as was the neutralizer gun that stripped Storm of her powers in
UX #185, we learn of Madelyne's pregnancy in X-Men/Alpha Flight #1,
Rachel assumed the power of the Phoenix in UX #199 and our heroes went
to Asgard in New Mutants Special #1 and UX Annual #9.
      The twins Andrea and Andreas Strucker appeared for the first time
as Fenris in UX #200.  They appeared at the trial of Magneto at the
World Court in France in an attempt to assassinate him.  Professor X was
injured in the attack and Lilandra arrived with the Starjammers in
answer of his need.  Magneto, saddened by Professor X's ailing health,
promised to give his dream a chance.  Meanwhile, Nathan Summers was
born.  (Magneto's change of heart dates back to UX #150 in which he has
a debate with Cyclops.)
      In FF #286, it was revealed that Jean Grey was not Phoenix and
that Jean Grey was still alive.  The news provoked Scott (Cyclops) to
leave Madelyne with no explanation.  The Original X-Men were thus
reunited in X-Factor #1.  Jean Grey was horrified to learn that Magneto
and the New X-Men were working together.  She insisted that Magneto was
necessarily using mind control on them and that there would be no grand
reunion between the two teams.
      Psylocke joined the X-Men in NM Annual #2, Longshot in UX Annual
#10.  The "Mutant Massacre" (UX #210-213, X-Factor #9-11, NM #46,
Thor #373-374, Power Pack #27 and Daredevil #238) featured both teams of
X-Men, Thor and Daredevil in separate battles against Mister Sinister's
Marauders and ended with Rachel, Shadowcat, Nightcrawler, Colossus and
Angel all seriously wounded.  The former left the X-Men, three of whom
eventually forming Excalibur.  The latter chose suicide in a plane crash
over life without wings.  Dazzler joined the X-Men in UX #214, Havok in
UX #219.  Karma and Magma both left the New Mutants during this period.
      Angel returned in X-Factor #24 as Death, one of Apocalypse's four
Horsemen.  Colossus and Storm, her powers restored, rejoined the X-Men
in UX #'s 225 and 226, respectively, only to die with the other X-Men
and Madelyne Pryor in issue #227 in a willing sacrifice to close a
gateway to a daemonic dimension.  They were all resurrected by Roma,
daughter of Merlin, who would then send them to Australia where they
would overpower the Reavers and form an alliance with the teleporter
known as Gateway.  This period in X-Men history is known as "The Fall of
the Mutants".
      "Inferno" (UX #240-242, X-Factor #36-38, NM #71-73 and Excalibur
#6-7) featured the two groups of X-Men reunited for the first time in
battle against N'Astirh, Madelyne and Mr. Sinister.  It ended with
Magik missing, the X-Mansion destroyed, N'Astirh and Madelyne dead and
the New Mutants joining Boom Boom, Rictor, Rusty and Skids under the
care of the Original X-Men.  Banshee's powers returned in Marvel Comics
Presents #24.
      NM #79-87 had the New Mutants (with the exception of Rusty and
Skids) in Asgard.  In the end, Mirage decided to stay in Asgard.  New
Mutants #87 also featured the first appearance of Cable.
      UX #246-251 recounted how Rogue, Longshot, Storm, Colossus,
Dazzler, Havok and Psylocke each, in turn, vanished from the pages of
UX.  Storm returned in UX #253, Psylocke in #255, Colossus and Dazzler
in #259, Rogue in #269 and Havok in #270.  Gambit was introduced in
UX #266.
      The "X-Tinction Agenda" (UX #270-272, X-Factor #60-62 and NM
#95-97 featured our heroes invading a small country off the coast of
Africa, namely Genosha (introduced in UX #235-238).
      New Mutants #97-99 introduced Domino, Feral and Shatterstar.
Professor Xavier returned and, coincidentally, Magneto ended his
association with the X-Men in UX #275.  Nathan Summers was sent to the
future in X-Factor #68 after being kidnapped by Apocalypse in X-Factor
#66.
      The original X-Factor series ended with a bang in X-Factor #69 as
Muir Island was destroyed in a battle against the Shadow King.  The
"Muir Island Saga" began in UX #278-279 and concluded in UX #280.
      The current teams were established in X-Men #1 and X-Factor #71.
Bishop was introduced in UX #282.  Sunfire guest starred in UX #284-286,
Dazzler and Longshot in X-Men #10-11.
      The "X-Cutioner's Song" (UX #294-296, X-Factor #84-86,
X-Men #14-16 and X-Force #16-18) had Stryfe shooting Professor Xavier
and having Scott (Cyclops) and Jean kidnapped.  Cable learned he was
Nathan Summers, having returned from the future in pursuit of Stryfe.

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