The Uncanny X-Men: Second Genesis

Uncanny X-Men (1963) #94-103

by Chris Claremont, Dave Cockrum, Len Wein

Led by Professor Charles Xavier, the students of the School for Gifted Youngsters are a team of superhuman mutants known as the X-Men. Join them as they fight for a society where all mutants are accepted as equals.

Collects The Uncanny X-Men #94-103

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Marvel, X Men, Comic Book, Graphic Novels Comics, Action

216 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1977

About the author

Chris Claremont is a writer of American comic books, best known for his 16-year (1975-1991) stint on Uncanny X-Men, during which the series became one of the comic book industry's most successful properties.

Claremont has written many stories for other publishers including the Star Trek Debt of Honor graphic novel, his creator-owned Sovereign Seven for DC Comics and Aliens vs Predator for Dark Horse Comics. He also wrote a few issues of the series WildC.A.T.s (volume 1, issues #10-13) at Image Comics, which introduced his creator-owned character, Huntsman.

Outside of comics, Claremont co-wrote the Chronicles of the Shadow War trilogy, Shadow Moon (1995), Shadow Dawn (1996), and Shadow Star (1999), with George Lucas. This trilogy continues the story of Elora Danan from the movie Willow. In the 1980s, he also wrote a science fiction trilogy about female starship pilot Nicole Shea, consisting of First Flight (1987), Grounded! (1991), and Sundowner (1994). Claremont was also a contributor to the Wild Cards anthology series.

Reviews

[Jim Ef · Rating 3 out of 5]

5.2/10

X-Men are in trouble, so Professor X goes all around the world to recruit new members for the team.
The idea and the characters they choose to bring in order to give new life to the franchise are nice, but the execution could be better.

[Jon Arnold · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first issue here is obviously the definition of that much abused word seminal; it’s the beginning of the rise of the X-Men from a cancellation hell to the culture conquering modern force it is today. The first issue details that transition in a ‘Giant Size’ issue, Professor X putting a second team together to rescue his original X-Men. Quite wonderfully, there are a number of unexpected twists and turns to the story and it’s easy to imagine that elements of it were an influence on Lost. It’s a breathless ride with no narrative flab and told in the grandiose style of Marvel built on Stan Lee.

The problem is with the books that follow – you can perhaps make a case for the following couple of issues and the arrival of Phoenix as important to showing the team’s development, but the last couple of issues add very little. Given the almost soap opera nature of Chris Claremont’s X-Men run the ending feels randomly generated, added to give a feeling of value for money. But then this is the great peril of adding a ‘classic’ range – much of what you’ll get is forcing the square peg of ongoing monthly series into the round hole of a coherent, graphic novel length story. So this ends up as much of a strange hybrid as Count Nefaria’s assistants, some fine individual moments but not one which satisfies with a strong ongoing story. The only way you can take this as a remotely coherent piece is in watching the series develop, Claremont seeing what does and doesn’t work (character conflict clearly a strong point, oddly ill-fitting ideas like leprechauns clearly don’t. That said I’d love to see someone reinvent the leprechaun idea Grant Morrison style). Interesting as a snapshot of the start of the modern X-Men universe then, but as storylines in their own right, inessential.

[Dimitris Patriarcheas · Rating 1 out of 5]

Λίγο από όλα, γενικά βεβιασμένη πλοκή που προς το τέλος του τόμου αποκτά κάποιο ενδιαφέρον, αλλά συνολικά άνισο αποτέλεσμα, βέβαια αποτελεί βάση στο ιστορικό των xmen, όποτε για τους πιστούς θα φαντάζει σαν must read, για εμένα είναι όχι.

[Lucas Cazanatto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dúvida entre 3 e 4, vou botar 4 por ser uma forma bem sucedida de introduzir os novos x-men. Começam as primeiras faíscas de interação entre personagens e o primeiro FASTBALL SPECIAL de todos é apresentado.

"Pelo fantasma de Lenin..."

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very impressive start to the regenerated X-Men, giving us a lot of depth to the characters in a short space of time. It does involve some pretty hokey plots e.g. robot duplicates, leprecauns, so doesn't quite earn the 5th star but very close.

[Adam Šilhan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Důstojný začátek Cleremontovy éry. Některé dějové zvraty byly slabší, celkově však povedené.

[Invi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pomalý rozjezd, ale druhá půlka boží! Bohužel čtení kazil velmi amatérský překlad s množstvím chyb a špatným slohem. (Nemluvím o postavách s dialektem). A tak u české verze nemůžu dát 5*.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was alright

[Allan Heron · Rating 4 out of 5]

The classic run which relaunched the X-Men and turned them into Marvel's leading icons still holds up well today.

[GabrielSkywalker · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Icredible Start To Icredible Hereos

[Al Capwned · Rating 3 out of 5]

Giant Size X-Men #1 is pretty cool but the rest is like the usual Marvel tropes and sometimes without making much sense.

[Cj Koutras · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was ok, gave a good starting point for x men
Not my favourite at all, just not a fan of the 60-70 comic book style

[McKenzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Leprechauns

[Myrmidon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Una buona storia con cui Chris Claremont, di fatto, rilancia gli X-Men, introducendo personaggi destinati a divenire iconici come ben pochi.

[Phillip Berrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Should be 3.5 stars, but not 4.

I read these stories in the original comics and they made a lot more impact back then. Overall, I think the introduction of the new team was done a little too quickly (it was done to revive the series and still fit in with the current storyline). Later, when things started to settle down and we started to see more of the background of the new team members it became a lot better, in my opinion.

Not great, but it's good to have.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good introduction to the Claremont era. It establishes the group dynamics pretty well and introduces enough to keep each member interesting. I am still adjusting to the less modern style of comics that read quite a bit slower, but these feel well-paced and enjoyable. It's setting up arcs for the whole run well, and it feels like there's a good amount of enjoyable foreshadowing going on! I'm excited to dive in more!!

[Johnny Andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

A classic tale with rich characters and a whole shake up to the X-Men universe. Tempers and egos flare as the new members must learn to work together.
A really good arc that gives us good banter between wolverine, colossus and banshee as they seem to argue, mainly due to wolverine giving them 'pet' nicknames.
Lots of action, lots of drama it's what you'd expect from the team and more so.

[Bernardo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un estilo muy diferente al moderno; me atreví porque este año volví a conectar con la narrativa gráfica y el amor que en la infancia tenía por los X-Men... y no me ha decepcionado. Eso sí, no es para todo, e incluso argüiría que requiere de un ojo avezado en la lectura de cómics y cierto cariño hacia los personajes para disfrutarse a plenitud.

[Dennis Brock · Rating 2 out of 5]

Don't get me wrong I love the X-Men but comics from this era are just too hokey...This was just ok.

[Bob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gems include "Deadly Genesis!", the death of Thunderbird, the Phoenix Saga, & the debut of Cassidy Keep.