name written on 1st page
Jack Kirby cover/art; origin and 1st app. X-Men; 1st app. Magneto; Comic Book Impact rating of 10 (CBI)
Stan Lee once explained that his original title for this series was "The Mutants" but publisher Martin Goodman didn't like the sound of it. Lee, in a stroke of genius, named the newly formed group after its founder, Professor X, and thus the X-Men were born. They were a motley band of outcasts, hated and feared by the human world. The title was almost canceled due to lagging sales but was reborn with a new cast of characters in the 70s which went on to make them a perennial favorite ever since. Everybody can relate to what it is like being an outsider, and that is what draws us to the X-Men. With a staggering number of comic spin-offs, blockbuster movies, and a variety of TV shows and cartoons, the popularity of this first issue has proven to be a strong investment in the marketplace.




Artist Information

Jack Kirby is called 'The King of Comics' for a reason, during his career that spanned six decades he gave us many of the most iconic characters the medium would ever see. From his introduction of Captain America at the height of World War II it was clear he wasn't your ordinary comics artist. But it was his creative explosion at Marvel Comics in the 1960's that cemented his legacy, over a short period of time Kirby would give us The Fantastic Four, Iron Man, The Hulk, The X-Men, Thor, Ant-Man and Nick Fury just to name a few. Kirby would then go to DC and create his Fourth World, introducing Darkseid, Mister Miracle, The New Gods and a host of cosmic supporting players. Long live The King.