X-Men: First Class (comics)


X-Men: First Class is a comic book series published by Marvel Comics starring the original X-Men.

Publication history

The original series was an eight-issue limited series. It began in September 2006 and ended in April 2007. It was written by Jeff Parker and penciled by Roger Cruz. It was followed by a special issue in May 2007 and a monthly series that premiered in June 2007 with the same creative team.
Many of the series' stories are done in single issues, some are two-parters and multiple issue arcs. The original team of X-Men are wearing new costumes in the series. The series guest-stars many other characters, such as the Lizard, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, Man-Thing, Gorilla-Man, Doctor Strange, Invisible Woman, and Thor.
The series has spawned a few spin-offs, titles including the ongoing series Wolverine: First Class, and the miniseries Weapon X: First Class.
The ongoing series lasted sixteen issues and it was followed by Giant-Size X-Men: First Class special issue. Starting February 2009, a four-issue miniseries titled X-Men: First Class Finals encompasses volume 3. This ends with the team going on to the Krakoa island mission.
A new volume called Uncanny X-Men: First Class premiered in an August 2009 one-shot Uncanny X-Men: First Class Giant-Sized and concentrated on the team first introduced originally back in Giant-Sized X-Men #1.

Creative teams

Publications

  • X-Men: First Class
  • X-Men: First Class Special
  • X-Men: First Class #1-16
  • Giant Size X-Men: First Class #1
  • X-Men: First Class Finals #1-4
  • "Class Portraits" one-shots
  • * Magneto Vol. 2 #1
  • * Marvel Girl #1
  • * Cyclops Vol. 2 #1
  • * Iceman and Angel #1
  • Giant Size Uncanny X-Men: First Class #1
  • Uncanny X-Men: First Class #1-8
  • Wolverine: First Class #1-21
  • Weapon X: First Class #1-3

Collected editions

The stories have been collected into trade paperbacks:
TitleMaterial collectedPagesISBN
Tomorrow's BrightestX-Men: First Class vol. 1 #1-8184
Mutant MayhemX-Men: First Class vol. 2 #1-5 and Special152
Band of BrothersX-Men: First Class vol. 2 #6-10192
The Wonder YearsX-Men: First Class vol. 2 #11-16 and Giant-Size X-Men: First Class #1168
FinalsX-Men: First Class Finals #1-4 and Giant-Size X-Men vol. 1 #1136
Class PortraitsCyclops #1, Iceman & Angel #1, Magneto #1 and Marvel Girl #1144
Hated And FearedGiant-Size Uncanny X-Men: First Class and Uncanny X-Men: First Class #1-4136
Knights Of HykonUncanny X-Men: First Class #5-8136
The RookieWolverine: First Class #1-4, and Incredible Hulk #181120
To Russia, With LoveWolverine: First Class #5-8, Uncanny X-Men #139-140 and Wolverine & Power Pack #1160
Wolverine-By-NightWolverine: First Class #9-12 and Wolverine & Power Pack #2120
Ninjas, Gods And DivasWolverine: First Class #13-16, and X-Men/Power Pack #1120
Class ActionsWolverine: First Class #17-21120
Wolverine: Tales of Weapon XWolverine: First Class #1-2, Weapon X: First Class #1-3 and Wolverine & Power Pack #2.176

Film

The 2011 film X-Men: First Class acts as a prequel to the X-Men film trilogy. Though it shares the same title as the comic series, the plots share almost no resemblance.
Producer Simon Kinberg read the comics and suggested studio 20th Century Fox to adapt it. However, Kinberg did not want to follow the comic too much, as he felt "it was not fresh enough in terms of storytelling", considering them too similar to Twilight and John Hughes movies, and also because the producers wanted an adaptation that would introduce new, hitherto unexplored X-Men characters.