What Do The X-Men, Mutants & Their Mythos Mean to YOU as a Fan?!

[CraigTheCylon]

They're a bunch of goofy-dressed whiny bastards that take up too much page-space when I'm looking for scanworthy Domino stuff, mostly.

Other than that? I could probably mouth off something about representation and equality, but seeing as it was the cartoon that brought me into the X-verse to start with, I still firmly believe that the core guiding principle behind this decades-long franchise is Fighting Purple Robots. Endlessly fighting purple robots. Then, now and forever.

[ImprobableQuestion]

I got into X-Men from the prequel movies, and I don't have any particular fondness for the classic 90's series (but that applies to most comics from the Bronze Age back).

To me the X-Men are all of the metaphors, perhaps too many metaphors for anyone else to get in on the act. Racial symbolism, religious alagory, AIDs metaphor, homosexuality analogues, PTSD, puberty, anything under the sun.

I however, like the X-Men for the characters, even if not always for the character interactions. All of them have their senses of humor and personalities that play off of the frankly absurd things that happen to them in great ways. The franchise is especially a haven for female characters. The only male X-Man in my top 10 list is Nightcrawler. And I think that's rather exciting.

[ImprobableQuestion]

Endlessly fighting purple robots. Then, now and forever.

Also this.

[Kuwagaton]

Some years ago I sold a perfect run of the x-books from 174-270, including all associated books, except for Wolverine, which was in trade form. For about $150. I try to escape materialism however I can in life but it was a huge sentimental blow.

The X-Men entered my life when I was 4 and got the Wolverine figure for my birthday. I also remember seeing the arcade game shortly after and wearing that toy mask as a ring.

A little later I saw the cartoon debut on Fox. I became a Cyclops fan right from the intro, immediately understanding his struggle. He's still my favorite, and that's because of Claremont. You think you know the X-Men, then you read his run and get blown away.

I got Mutant genesis a little after starting college and decided to go back to the very beginning, with Classics. Cyclops was even better than I thought, same with all the others. The art was amazing and Claremont was genius. Seriously, read that intro to fall of the mutants with the hawks. Just all day, for 16 years. I love that they actually trained constantly and operated as a family. They were the cornerstone of comic culture but still offbeat and exciting. And they still can be. I'll read X-Men until I literally can't

[DDD]

♥♥♥:
Lots of female characters that are important and interesting
Racial Diversity (even if every character is not necessarily the perfect 100% embodiment of its race or culture or nationality or social cause or whatever)
Brand new characters keep being introduced
Fashion Upgrades!
Convoluted Histories

What is missing:
More Action! >:[
More Jean Grey

[sureshot]

Unlike the other groups they were not afraid to kill a villain if their was no other choice. Avengers and everyone else would try and reason and/or try to capture a villain. X-men would do the same failing that remove the problem. Not that it stops villains at least the popular ones from returning. The whole mutant racism was a draw for me at well at first. Then I became rapidly annoyed with it because after awhile it made no sense in a world populated with so many super powered individuals. As well the X-men imo had more interesting characters.

[NewMutant]

I honestly don't know if I can really describe what X-Men, mutants, and mythos mean to me, but the short answer is a lot.

As a young boy in the 90s in the height of their popularity it was a way of socializing and making friend; everyone was watching The Animated Series, trading cards and pogs, played with their figurines, and if you really were interested read the comics. When I got older most people lost interest and got involved or interested in other things. There was a period where I did too. I would reread stuff I had but never bought new stuff. When the first movie came out it brought me back and I essentially never left.

X-Men is something that I have an "unconditional love" for.

Last year, on the day Days of Futures Past was released (but before I saw it), I got an X-Men tattoo I had been wanting to get for awhile. Some how I knew that I would love that movie in a way I hadn't loved an X-Movie yet and that was the right day to do it.


Later, I contacted artist Bill Walko who did a piece called "Mega Mutant Celebration" which featured nearly ever X-Men character. There were a few changes and additions that I asked him to do for me as a commission of shorts. He did and it is now framed and hanging in my apartment. I frequently find myself getting lost in it. It has nearly all the X-Men, all my favorites; but also shows its history and is laid out in a way that shows themes, symbolize, parallels within the series and concept.


This year I went to convention with the one purpose: to meet Chris Claremont. I brought this piece and had Claremont sign it. I got to meet the legend and found myself actually emotional about it. For some reason I never thought I would have gotten emotional.


The reason I love the X-Men so much is it simply is the greatest story ever told. Is it always good? No. But when it hits, it HITS.

It is a story with purpose. And its premise can go anywhere. It is half soap opera, half action adventure and can be told within any genre. The character work is just as important as the plot. These aren't just heroes saving the world because they have to; they NEED to, WANT to. As the underdogs they take whatever life throws at them and create their own world. It is proactive, diverse, hopeful, it teaches us, and has integrity that other franchises do not.

X-Men has become a constant in my life. I find comfort in that and I am proud of that. I love the X-Men and always will.

[Rochedalaix]

I love the New Mutants they are my childhood friends so I always keep in touch with them when I can.