Is X-Men First Class canon?

[NK1988]

It was in one of the old CBRs interviews when Jeff Parker was writing the book. I don't know if CBR has backed up a lot of the information when they upgraded their forums

UXM is canon
https://www.cbr.com/wc-scott-gray-on...n-first-class/

Wolverine First Class. That series takes place from between UXM #138 (Just before Wolverine changed to the brown and yellow costume and when Kitty Pryde joins the X-Men) to before the X-Men were kidnapped by the Brood and taken into space (About UXM #161


Jeff Parker has said its not canon and that was one of the reasons Marvel made the subsequent ones canon.

Out of first class the only issue that was considered canon was the Agent of Atlas one

https://www.chronologyproject.com/ph...pic.php?t=8253

Thats what I can dig up with search strings but I definitely remember an old CBR interview with Jeff Parker frustrated with fans who said they wouldn't read rhe book cause it wasn't canon

Wolverine First Class is canon

https://www.cbr.com/x-position-first-class/

I was thinking of reding Wolverine First Class for some more insights into "Mentorverine." Then this thread comes up and I get worried. But you have assuaged my worries, thank you.

Something long time X-fans have told me is that the "School" part of the Xavier School was in name only; we are never shown this in older comics. It wouldn't be until the 2000s we get it and from what I've glanced at from Wolverine First Class, it gives us some of that, too. Just Kitty at school being, well, a schoolkid. I love that.

[H-E-D]

There’s an editor’s note in the back of the first issue that essentially says “this is intended to be canon”, for what it’s worth.

IMG_5418.jpg
(CBR probably isn’t going to make that legible though lol)

Regardless, I think it should be canon because it’s actually some of the best X-Men comics out there. Does it line up 100% with the original Silver Age stuff. Nope. But for the last 35 years we’ve been getting X-stories that active contradict each other at time of publishing. I’m more than willing to sacrifice whatever purity of continuity the 60s had in order to get better comics in the story conversation.

[shooshoomanjoe]

I read all of them and it's in my head canon, regardless if it's official or not. Very fun stories to read.

[bat39]

Nothing really contradicts it, and they are really fun so I count it as canon.

Yeah. These are pretty light, episodic tales set during an era of relatively light stories and minimal serialization so I don't think 'canon' becomes too much of an issue either way. They also have the advantage of not being 'rewrites' or 'updates' of Silver Age X-men stories, unlike the Marvel Age Spider-Man and FF series which also came out around the same time.

There’s an editor’s note in the back of the first issue that essentially says “this is intended to be canon”, for what it’s worth.

IMG_5418.jpg
(CBR probably isn’t going to make that legible though lol)

Regardless, I think it should be canon because it’s actually some of the best X-Men comics out there. Does it line up 100% with the original Silver Age stuff. Nope. But for the last 35 years we’ve been getting X-stories that active contradict each other at time of publishing. I’m more than willing to sacrifice whatever purity of continuity the 60s had in order to get better comics in the story conversation.

Amen to that!

Honestly, a lot of the Silver Age stuff anyway doesn't line up with most of the X-men mythos that was later established - Cerebro as a mutant-tracking device in Xavier's desk that anyone can use, Magneto as an unrepentant 'evil' mutant with no connection to Xavier, Jean as a new student with no past connection to Xavier, Xavier 'training' Jean to develop telepathy, the X-men being hailed as heroes by the authorities and not much anti-mutant hysteria, Xavier developing powers only because his parents worked with radiation, Beast's early characterization etc. So if we're talking continuity, then frankly something like First Class should take precedence over the actual Silver Age comics (particular since, unlike Spider-Man and FF, 60's X-men wasn't exactly some golden age for the characters but a rough draft of the franchise at best in hindsight).

[Hakka84]

Agreeing with all of you.
The only issue of First Class that has conflicting canon is the Angel & Iceman solo in which Warren or Bobby mention Wolverine going to Japan for spring breaks (as if he were a student). But the costumes are clearly set in the First Class era, so the presence of Wolverine would make no sense.
Other than that, there's nothing that really conflicts with canon.