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Generation X (comics)
Encyclopedia
Generation X is a fictional comic book
superhero
team, a spin-off
of the X-Men
franchise published by Marvel Comics
. Created by writer Scott Lobdell
and artist Chris Bachalo
, the team formed during the 1994
"Phalanx Covenant
" storyline, and appeared in their own monthly series in September 1994 with Generation X #1 (November 1994).
Generation X consisted of teenage mutants
designed to reflect the cynicism and complexity of the series' namesake demographic
. Unlike its predecessor the New Mutants
, the team was not mentored by X-Men founder Charles Xavier
at his New York estate
, but by Banshee
and former supervillain
Emma Frost
at a splinter school in western Massachusetts
.
The book's original creators left it in 1997
. The series was cancelled with issue #75 in 2001
.
in upstate New York
or learn from Professor X
avier himself. Instead, they trained at the Massachusetts Academy
, located in Berkshire County
, Massachusetts
, and were mentored by Banshee
, an Irish X-Man who possessed a "sonic scream," and the former villain White Queen
, a sexy, aristocratic telepath
.
Generation X consisted of:
" storyline, a crossover
spanning across every X-Men-related comic book in the summer of 1994
. The Phalanx, an extraterrestrial collective intelligence
attempted to absorb many of Earth's mutants into its matrix and captured many of the young mutants who would make up Generation X as "practice" before moving on to the X-Men.
In September of that year, Generation X #1 was published, establishing the team at Frost's Massachusetts Academy. It also introduced their arch-nemesis Emplate
, a vampire
-like mutant who sucked the bone marrow of young mutants. As the series continued, fans and critics raved about Bachalo's quirky, complex artwork and Lobdell's realistic teenage characters. The series soon became one of the most popular X-Books.
Lobdell and Bachalo departed in 1997
, leaving writer Larry Hama
and artist Terry Dodson
to reveal the long-standing mysteries behind M, Penance and Emplate. Hama revealed that M was in fact an amalgamation of Monet St. Croix's two younger sisters, who could merge as part of their mutant powers (one was autistic, explaining the trances); Emplate was their brother who, after experimenting with black magic, was caught in a strange limbo and needed mutant bone marrow to escape; and Penance was the actual Monet St. Croix, transformed under one of Emplate's spells. All of this was revealed in a surreal, mystic epic in Generation X #35-40 (1997–1998) that was greeted with disapproval by most fans (Lobdell's original plan had involved the twins, but did not include a "real" Monet).
The saga ended with the actual Monet St. Croix taking on the role of M, but fans' reactions did not get much better and sales began to dip. Hama's successor, Jay Faerber
, attempted to revive the title, bringing in a regular human student population at the school and making Emma's sister Adrienne Frost
another headmistress in Generation X #50 (1999
).
In 2000
, writer Warren Ellis
, known for his dark, sarcastic style, was hired to revamp Generation X, as part of the Counter-X rebranding of several second-tier X-titles (the others being X-Force
and X-Man
). Ellis acted as 'plotmaster', while Brian Wood handled the actual scripting chores and later acted as sole writer of the series. Fan response was positive, largely because Ellis and Wood dealt with the teenaged cast without resorting to cliché. However, in early 2001
, Marvel Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada
cancelled Generation X, in addition to five other X-Books, arguing that so many mutant superhero books had become redundant. Also, X-Men writer Grant Morrison
wanted to add a new cast of teenage mutants to the Xavier Institute in New York. In Generation X #75, the team disbanded and the Massachusetts Academy closed.
and Vanisher
. During this time, Jubilee, Husk and M also appeared as part of Banshee's X-Corps
, dubbed "Banshee's Angels". After Banshee was badly injured by Mystique, Paige returned to the X-Men's school in Westchester
. Jubilee and Skin were shown to be living in LA in a story in the anthology series X-Men Unlimited
, sharing an apartment and attempting to adjust to civilian life. They were both, however, attacked by a mutant hate group in 2003 and Skin died after being crucified on the X-Men's front lawn. Writer Chuck Austen
wrote the wrong name on his gravestone. The mistake was corrected in a short story in the anthology series X-Men Unlimited, where Iceman
reminisced their brief friendship.
Chamber had a four-issue mini-series, written by Brian K. Vaughan
, and Jubilee also briefly had her own series, written by Robert Kirkman
. While it was originally intended to be an ongoing series aimed at the teen market, launched as part of Marvel Comics' Tsunami line, it was retroactively dubbed a mini-series and canceled with issue #6, due to disappointing sales.
Chamber later underwent a mission for the X-Men (under the 'guidance' of Wolverine
) to infiltrate Weapon X
and learn the truth about the team. During his time there, Chamber had his face and most of his body restored by Weapon X, as an incentive to join them. He later disappeared with the rest of Weapon X when trying to contact Logan about 'Neverland'.
He subsequently reappeared as an attendee of the Excelsior support group (with his mouth and chest destroyed once more, supposedly in a bar fight) within the Runaways
series, claiming he was "only there for the free pizza", despite once again no longer having a mouth with which to eat. It was revealed (to the reader, not to the rest of Excelsior) that he was merely someone posing as Chamber
.
A mini-series titled Generation M
debuted in November 2005
, focusing on the after-effects from House of M
, in which Scarlet Witch
uses her hex/mutant powers to wish for "no more mutants." The first issue revealed a powerless Chamber (on life-support, due to missing the bottom of his face and most of his chest).
Jubilee was also depowered during the "Decimation" storyline and was shown lamenting her lost powers, but reluctant to ask Wolverine for help, convincing herself that she needed to grow up and handle it herself. Subsequently she was briefly shown in issue #2 of Generation M and later seen in Wolverine: Origins #10. After being injured after a battle with Omega Red
, she was taken away for medical attention by S.H.I.E.L.D.
. She since returned in the second issue of New Warriors (vol. 4), in which she is known as Wondra and uses technology to mimic superpowers, in particular gauntlets which enhance her strength to superhuman levels. Recruited by Night Thrasher
, she has been suspicious of his motivations and his most outspoken critic.
Chamber later showed up in New Excalibur #9 (September 2006
) as a patient at a London Hospital, recounting to a so-called Dr. Hartley the story of how right before his powers burned out on M-Day
they went supernova, once again destroying his face and chest. They are interrupted by Pete Wisdom, who offers Chamber Excalibur's help. As he leaves the two alone for a quick cigarette break, Hartley kidnaps Chamber. Later, Chamber awakes to find himself fully healed, but looking similar to the X-Men
villain Apocalypse
as a side-effect. He finds himself a guest of the new Clan Akkaba, worshippers of Apocalypse who had originally appeared in the Marvel limited series
, X-Men: Apocalypse vs. Dracula
. In fact, Chamber's great-grandfather and Hartley, revealed to be Frederick Slade
from the aforementioned limited series, were the only survivors of the original Clan Akkaba. Slade reveals that they are all descendants of Apocalypse and that Apocalypse's blood healed Chamber, though he no longer has any powers. Chamber tells them he wants nothing to do with them and is allowed to leave. As he walks outside, he meets Excalibur and tells them in no uncertain words that he doesn't want their help or to have anything to do with any X-team.
After investigating the abandoned headquarters of Clan Akkaba, New Excalibur discovers that Chamber was lied to, and that he is indeed still empowered. The consequences of this storyline have yet to be resolved. Recently, he has appeared in New Warriors
, going under the codename "Decibel", with Jubilee referring to him as Jono and sporting the same physical appearance given to him by Clan Akkaba. Like most of the team, his new powers are more technological in nature, and it appears he can form solid energy projections or sonic blasts much like Songbird
or Banshee
. More recently, after the Age of X story line concluded, Chamber was once again depowered, has a gaping hole in his chest, and is under the care of Dr. Kavita Rao
.
M is currently an employee of X-Factor Investigations
, in X-Factor
(vol. 3). She has been an instrumental part of many of their investigations and, along with Strong Guy
, considered the muscle of the group. After being seduced by a dupe of Multiple Man's, she developed a romantic interest in him, but his feelings lay with her teammate Siryn
, which led to friction within the group. She has since made her peace with both Siryn and Madrox.
Penance (now renamed "Hollow") recently appeared in the mini series Loners, where she was held captive by a ring of drug makers in order to harvest her genetics to create MGH. She was subsequently freed by Ricochet
. After a battle with a crazed Phil Urich
, she left, following him.
aired a made-for-television Generation X
movie
, produced by Marvel Entertainment. The film featured Banshee and Emma Frost as the headmasters of Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters and M, Skin, Mondo, Jubilee and two new characters Buff and Refrax as students (Chamber and Husk were not written in because the budget didn't allow for the special effects their powers required). The team battled a mad scientist who used a machine to develop psychic powers. The low-budget film was a ratings failure and many fans were angered at the casting of a white actress (Heather McComb
) to play the Asian character of Jubilee. Plans to develop a syndicated series that would air on the same night as popular sci-fi thriller The X-Files
(making it a bona fide "X" night on Fox) were abandoned.
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
team, a spin-off
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
of the X-Men
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...
franchise published by Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
. Created by writer Scott Lobdell
Scott Lobdell
Scott Lobdell is an American comic book writer.-Early Career:Scott didn't begin to read comics until he was 17 years old, while lying in bed after lung surgery....
and artist Chris Bachalo
Chris Bachalo
Chris Bachalo is an American comic book illustrator known for his quirky, cartoon-like style. He became well known for stints on DC Comics’ Shade, the Changing Man and Neil Gaiman's two Death series...
, the team formed during the 1994
1994 in comics
-Year overall:* Huge changes in the marketplace force many retailers and small publishers out of business...
"Phalanx Covenant
Phalanx Covenant
"The Phalanx Covenant" was a crossover storyline that ran through Marvel Comics' X-Men family of books in September and October 1994. One of its unique aspects was that the X-Men themselves only played a minor role in the story.- Plot :...
" storyline, and appeared in their own monthly series in September 1994 with Generation X #1 (November 1994).
Generation X consisted of teenage mutants
Mutant (Marvel Comics)
In comic books published by Marvel Comics, a mutant is an organism who possesses a genetic trait called an X-gene that allows the mutant to naturally develop superhuman powers and abilities...
designed to reflect the cynicism and complexity of the series' namesake demographic
Generation X
Generation X, commonly abbreviated to Gen X, is the generation born after the Western post–World War II baby boom ended. While there is no universally agreed upon time frame, the term generally includes people born from the early 1960's through the early 1980's, usually no later than 1981 or...
. Unlike its predecessor the New Mutants
New Mutants
The New Mutants are a group of teenaged mutant superheroes-in-training published by Marvel Comics. They have been the main characters of three successive comic book series, which were spin-offs of the popular X-Men franchise....
, the team was not mentored by X-Men founder Charles Xavier
Professor X
Professor Charles Francis Xavier, also known as Professor X, is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero known as the leader and founder of the X-Men....
at his New York estate
X-Mansion
In the fictional Marvel Comics universe, the X-Mansion is the common name for Professor Xavier's mansion. It is the base of operations and training site of the X-Men and the location of a school for mutant teenagers, the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning, formerly Xavier's School for Gifted...
, but by Banshee
Banshee (comics)
Banshee is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero who operates as a member of the X-Men. Created by writer Roy Thomas and artist Werner Roth, Banshee first appeared in X-Men #28 ....
and former supervillain
Supervillain
A supervillain or supervillainess is a variant of the villain character type, commonly found in comic books, action movies and science fiction in various media.They are sometimes used as foils to superheroes and other fictional heroes...
Emma Frost
Emma Frost
Emma Grace Frost is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #129 , and was created by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer John Byrne....
at a splinter school in western Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
.
The book's original creators left it in 1997
1997 in comics
-January:*Avengers #3 - Marvel Comics*Captain America #3 - Marvel Comics*Fantastic Four #3 - Marvel Comics*Iron Man #3 - Marvel Comics-February:...
. The series was cancelled with issue #75 in 2001
2001 in comics
-Year overall:* Marvel Comics withdraws from the Comics Code Authority and established its own rating system for its publications.- January :* January 23: Fred Ray, Superman's primary cover artist of the 1940s, passes away at age 80.- September :...
.
The team
Unlike the X-Men and New Mutants, Generation X did not attend Xavier's School for Gifted YoungstersX-Mansion
In the fictional Marvel Comics universe, the X-Mansion is the common name for Professor Xavier's mansion. It is the base of operations and training site of the X-Men and the location of a school for mutant teenagers, the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning, formerly Xavier's School for Gifted...
in upstate New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
or learn from Professor X
Professor X
Professor Charles Francis Xavier, also known as Professor X, is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero known as the leader and founder of the X-Men....
avier himself. Instead, they trained at the Massachusetts Academy
Massachusetts Academy (comics)
The Massachusetts Academy is a fictional prep school in the Marvel Universe. Created by Chris Claremont and Bob McLeod, it first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #151 .-Fictional history:...
, located in Berkshire County
Berkshire County, Massachusetts
Berkshire County is a non-governmental county located on the western edge of the U.S. state of Massachusetts. As of the 2010 census, the population was 131,219. Its largest city and traditional county seat is Pittsfield...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, and were mentored by Banshee
Banshee (comics)
Banshee is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero who operates as a member of the X-Men. Created by writer Roy Thomas and artist Werner Roth, Banshee first appeared in X-Men #28 ....
, an Irish X-Man who possessed a "sonic scream," and the former villain White Queen
Emma Frost
Emma Grace Frost is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #129 , and was created by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer John Byrne....
, a sexy, aristocratic telepath
Telepathy
Telepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
.
Generation X consisted of:
- HuskHusk (comics)Husk is a fictional character from Marvel Comics. Guthrie is a superhero associated with the X-Men.A mutant, Husk has the ability to remove one layer of skin - or "husk" - revealing an epidermis of a different composition beneath...
(Paige Guthrie), who could shed her skin, revealing a different substance each time; she was the younger sister of The New Mutants' CannonballCannonball (comics)Cannonball is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero, associated with the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Bob McLeod, Cannonball first appeared in Marvel Graphic Novel #4: The New Mutants ....
, and elder sister of IcarusIcarus (comics)Icarus , is a fictional character, a mutant superhero appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. He was a member of the student body at the Xavier Institute and a member of the New Mutants training squad....
. - SkinSkin (comics)Skin is a fictional mutant in the Marvel Universe of comics. The character first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #317. -Fictional character biography:...
(Angelo Espinosa), a former reluctant teenage gang member on the streets of Los AngelesLos Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
who possessed six feet of extra skin. He could stretch his extremities, but mostly considered his mutation, which caused him to have sagging gray skin and painful headaches, a curse. - MM (comics)M is a fictional comic book superheroine, a mutant who appears in the X-Men family of books published by Marvel Comics...
(Monet St. Croix), a "perfect" young woman born into a rich family from MonacoMonacoMonaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
who could fly, possessed super strength and had telepathic abilities. Her arrogant manner was an annoyance to her teammates and her habit of going into deep trances or fugue states when deep in thought was a mystery to her teachers. Mysteries surrounding the St. Croix family would play a big part in the series. - JubileeJubilee (comics)Jubilation "Jubilee" Lee is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superheroine associated with the X-Men.A mutant, Jubilee had the superhuman power to generate "fireworks" of explosive plasma. A teenage "mall rat," she was the X-Men's youngest member in the early 1990s, often playing sidekick to...
(Jubilation Lee), a Chinese-American "mall rat" who could produce explosive energy. Jubilee had been a junior member of the X-Men in the early 1990s. - Chamber (Jonothon "Jono" Starsmore), a British mutant who produced huge blasts of energy from his upper chest. When his powers first manifested, they destroyed the lower half of his face and chest, leaving him with only his limited telepathic powers with which to communicate, and releasing him from any necessity to eat, drink, or breathe. Because of this, he is characteristically sullen and bitter.
- SynchSynch (comics)Synch is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics mutant superhero. Created by Scott Lobdell, he first appeared in X-Men #36, September, 1994.-Fictional character biography:...
(Everett Thomas), an African-American teenager, known for his pleasant, supportive temperament, who could copy the powers of other mutants/superhumans within close, physical proximity. - Penance, a silent, childlike and mysterious mutant who possessed diamond hard, red skin and razor-sharp claws. Penance appeared mysteriously at the Massachusetts Academy and at first, little was known about her. According to the Generation X Ashcan, the writers originally intended her to be a girl named Yvette from Yugoslavia. A hint of this can be seen when her mind is read by Emma Frost, revealing Eastern European tanks on the march in her memories. This background was later changed by the following creative team.
- MondoMondo (comics)Mondo is the name of two fictional comic book characters that have appeared in the Marvel Comics series Generation X. The first Mondo was a superhero later revealed to be a clone of the supervillain Mondo, who appeared years later. The first Mondo's first appearance was in Generation X...
, a laidback Samoan mutant who could take on the texture of objects he touched. Mondo was apparently killed in Generation X #25 (1997). It was later revealed that the Mondo who died was a clone and the real Mondo appeared two years after the clone's death.
The series
Many members of Generation X debuted during the "Phalanx CovenantPhalanx Covenant
"The Phalanx Covenant" was a crossover storyline that ran through Marvel Comics' X-Men family of books in September and October 1994. One of its unique aspects was that the X-Men themselves only played a minor role in the story.- Plot :...
" storyline, a crossover
Fictional crossover
A fictional crossover is the placement of two or more otherwise discrete fictional characters, settings, or universes into the context of a single story. They can arise from legal agreements between the relevant copyright holders, or because of unauthorized efforts by fans, or even amid common...
spanning across every X-Men-related comic book in the summer of 1994
1994 in comics
-Year overall:* Huge changes in the marketplace force many retailers and small publishers out of business...
. The Phalanx, an extraterrestrial collective intelligence
Collective intelligence
Collective intelligence is a shared or group intelligence that emerges from the collaboration and competition of many individuals and appears in consensus decision making in bacteria, animals, humans and computer networks....
attempted to absorb many of Earth's mutants into its matrix and captured many of the young mutants who would make up Generation X as "practice" before moving on to the X-Men.
In September of that year, Generation X #1 was published, establishing the team at Frost's Massachusetts Academy. It also introduced their arch-nemesis Emplate
Emplate
Emplate is a fictional character, a mutant supervillain appearing in the Marvel Comics universe. He first appeared in Generation X #1, and was created by Scott Lobdell and Chris Bachalo. Emplate would serve as one of the major antagonists to the Generation X comic book series during its...
, a vampire
Vampire
Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person...
-like mutant who sucked the bone marrow of young mutants. As the series continued, fans and critics raved about Bachalo's quirky, complex artwork and Lobdell's realistic teenage characters. The series soon became one of the most popular X-Books.
Lobdell and Bachalo departed in 1997
1997 in comics
-January:*Avengers #3 - Marvel Comics*Captain America #3 - Marvel Comics*Fantastic Four #3 - Marvel Comics*Iron Man #3 - Marvel Comics-February:...
, leaving writer Larry Hama
Larry Hama
Larry Hama is an American comic book writer, artist, actor and musician who has worked in the fields of entertainment and publishing since the 1960s....
and artist Terry Dodson
Terry Dodson
Terrence "Terry" Dodson is an American comic book artist and penciller. He is best known for his work on titles such as Harley Quinn, Trouble, Marvel Knights Spider-Man, Wonder Woman and Uncanny X-Men...
to reveal the long-standing mysteries behind M, Penance and Emplate. Hama revealed that M was in fact an amalgamation of Monet St. Croix's two younger sisters, who could merge as part of their mutant powers (one was autistic, explaining the trances); Emplate was their brother who, after experimenting with black magic, was caught in a strange limbo and needed mutant bone marrow to escape; and Penance was the actual Monet St. Croix, transformed under one of Emplate's spells. All of this was revealed in a surreal, mystic epic in Generation X #35-40 (1997–1998) that was greeted with disapproval by most fans (Lobdell's original plan had involved the twins, but did not include a "real" Monet).
The saga ended with the actual Monet St. Croix taking on the role of M, but fans' reactions did not get much better and sales began to dip. Hama's successor, Jay Faerber
Jay Faerber
Jay Faerber is an American comic book and television writer. Faerber is known for his work on Generation X and New Warriors for Marvel Comics, and The Titans and Connor: Spotlight for DC Comics. He later wrote his own creator-owned titles for Image Comics, including Noble Causes, Dynamo 5 and Near...
, attempted to revive the title, bringing in a regular human student population at the school and making Emma's sister Adrienne Frost
Adrienne Frost
Adrienne Frost is a fictional character of the Marvel Universe, the older sister of Emma Frost and Cordelia Frost. Not much is known about her. She first appeared in Generation X #48 . The issue was scripted by Jay Faerber and drawn by Terry Dodson.-Early years:Adrienne was the first child born to...
another headmistress in Generation X #50 (1999
1999 in comics
-February:* February 3: Pioneering editor Vin Sullivan dies at age 87.* February 26: John L. Goldwater, co-founder of Archie Comics, dies at age 82.-March:* Incredible Hulk is canceled by Marvel with issue #474.-May:...
).
In 2000
2000 in comics
-February:*Strange Adventures vol. 2, #4, final issue cover-dated February - January :* January 5: Goseki Kojima, co-creator of Lone Wolf and Cub, dies at age 71.* January 6: Mad magazine fixture Don Martin dies at age 68....
, writer Warren Ellis
Warren Ellis
Warren Girard Ellis is an English author of comics, novels, and television, who is well-known for sociocultural commentary, both through his online presence and through his writing, which covers transhumanist themes...
, known for his dark, sarcastic style, was hired to revamp Generation X, as part of the Counter-X rebranding of several second-tier X-titles (the others being X-Force
X-Force
X-Force is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero team, one of several spin-offs of the popular X-Men franchise. Conceived by writer/illustrator Rob Liefeld, the team was formed in New Mutants, vol. 1 #100 and soon afterwards was featured in its own series.The group was a new incarnation of the 1980s...
and X-Man
Nate Grey
Nathaniel "Nate" Grey is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, in particular those related to the X-Men franchise...
). Ellis acted as 'plotmaster', while Brian Wood handled the actual scripting chores and later acted as sole writer of the series. Fan response was positive, largely because Ellis and Wood dealt with the teenaged cast without resorting to cliché. However, in early 2001
2001 in comics
-Year overall:* Marvel Comics withdraws from the Comics Code Authority and established its own rating system for its publications.- January :* January 23: Fred Ray, Superman's primary cover artist of the 1940s, passes away at age 80.- September :...
, Marvel Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada
Joe Quesada
Joseph "Joe" Quesada is an American comic book editor, writer and artist. He became known in the 1990s for his work on various Valiant Comics books, such as Ninjak and Solar, Man of the Atom...
cancelled Generation X, in addition to five other X-Books, arguing that so many mutant superhero books had become redundant. Also, X-Men writer Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison is a Scottish comic book writer, playwright and occultist. He is known for his nonlinear narratives and counter-cultural leanings, as well as his successful runs on titles like Animal Man, Doom Patrol, JLA, The Invisibles, New X-Men, Fantastic Four, All-Star Superman, and...
wanted to add a new cast of teenage mutants to the Xavier Institute in New York. In Generation X #75, the team disbanded and the Massachusetts Academy closed.
After the series
Since the end of Generation X, Chamber and Husk each have had a brief stint in the main Uncanny X-Men title as members of the X-Men team. After a reluctant recruitment into the team, Chamber was an active part of the team in battles with long-time X-Men villains MystiqueMystique (comics)
Mystique is a fictional character associated with the Marvel Comics' franchise X-Men. Originally created by artist David Cockrum and writer Chris Claremont, she first appeared in Ms...
and Vanisher
Vanisher
The Vanisher is a fictional character, a mutant supervillain of the Marvel Universe, and an opponent of the X-Men. The Vanisher is one of the X-Men's oldest enemies having first appeared in X-Men #2...
. During this time, Jubilee, Husk and M also appeared as part of Banshee's X-Corps
X-Corps
The X-Corps is a fictional team created by Marvel Comics. Whether they were good or bad was left up to debate, even within the X-Men, but the team acted as a mutant police force created by former X-Man Banshee, in Uncanny X-Men #401...
, dubbed "Banshee's Angels". After Banshee was badly injured by Mystique, Paige returned to the X-Men's school in Westchester
Westchester County, New York
Westchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Westchester covers an area of and has a population of 949,113 according to the 2010 Census, residing in 45 municipalities...
. Jubilee and Skin were shown to be living in LA in a story in the anthology series X-Men Unlimited
X-Men Unlimited
-Volume 1:The purpose of this title was to run stories that fit between the main X-Men comics. The stories included all characters from the X-titles, and the issues were collections of short stories...
, sharing an apartment and attempting to adjust to civilian life. They were both, however, attacked by a mutant hate group in 2003 and Skin died after being crucified on the X-Men's front lawn. Writer Chuck Austen
Chuck Austen
Chuck Austen is an American comic book writer/artist, TV writer and animator. In the comics industry, he is known for his work on War Machine, Elektra, Action Comics, and the X-Men franchise, and in television, he is known for co-creating the aniamted TV series Tripping the Rift.-Early life:Austen...
wrote the wrong name on his gravestone. The mistake was corrected in a short story in the anthology series X-Men Unlimited, where Iceman
Iceman (comics)
Iceman is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero, a member of the X-Men. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writer Jack Kirby, he first appeared in X-Men vol. 1 #1, ....
reminisced their brief friendship.
Chamber had a four-issue mini-series, written by Brian K. Vaughan
Brian K. Vaughan
Brian Keller Vaughan is an American comic book and television writer. He is best known for the comic book series Y: The Last Man, Ex Machina, Runaways, and Pride of Baghdad, and was one of the principal writers of the television series Lost, during seasons three through five...
, and Jubilee also briefly had her own series, written by Robert Kirkman
Robert Kirkman
Robert Kirkman is an American comic book writer best known for his work on The Walking Dead and Invincible for Image Comics, and Ultimate X-Men and Marvel Zombies for Marvel Comics. He has also collaborated with Image Comics co-founder Todd McFarlane on the series Haunt...
. While it was originally intended to be an ongoing series aimed at the teen market, launched as part of Marvel Comics' Tsunami line, it was retroactively dubbed a mini-series and canceled with issue #6, due to disappointing sales.
Chamber later underwent a mission for the X-Men (under the 'guidance' of Wolverine
Wolverine (comics)
Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
) to infiltrate Weapon X
Weapon X
Weapon X is a fictional clandestine government genetic research facility project in the Marvel Universe conducted by the Canadian Government's Department K, which turns willing and unwilling beings into living weapons. The project often captures mutants and experiments on them to enhance their...
and learn the truth about the team. During his time there, Chamber had his face and most of his body restored by Weapon X, as an incentive to join them. He later disappeared with the rest of Weapon X when trying to contact Logan about 'Neverland'.
He subsequently reappeared as an attendee of the Excelsior support group (with his mouth and chest destroyed once more, supposedly in a bar fight) within the Runaways
Runaways (comics)
Runaways is a comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The series features a group of teenagers who discover that their parents are part of an evil crime group called the Pride. Created by Brian K. Vaughan and Adrian Alphona, the series debuted in April of 2003 as part of Marvel Comics'...
series, claiming he was "only there for the free pizza", despite once again no longer having a mouth with which to eat. It was revealed (to the reader, not to the rest of Excelsior) that he was merely someone posing as Chamber
Geoffrey Wilder
Geoffrey Wilder was a fictional super villain in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. Geoffrey led the Pride, the super villain crime ring of Los Angeles. He was the father of former Runaway Alex Wilder.-Fictional character biography:...
.
A mini-series titled Generation M
Generation M (comics)
Generation M is a five-issue mini-series written by Paul Jenkins and pencilled by Ramon Bachs, starting in January 2006.- Basic plot :The story focuses on Sally Floyd, a reporter for the fictional newspaper The Alternative, after the events of M-Day, when the Scarlet Witch used her powers to cause...
debuted in November 2005
2005 in comics
- January :* January 3: Will Eisner, creator of The Spirit, dies at age 87.-April:*April 13:**DC Comics announces the discontinuation of its Humanoids and 2000 A.D. titles....
, focusing on the after-effects from House of M
House of M
House of M is an eight-issue comic book limited series and crossover storyline published by Marvel Comics in 2005. Written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Olivier Coipel, its first issue debuted in June 2005 as a follow-up to the events of the Planet X and Avengers Disassembled...
, in which Scarlet Witch
Scarlet Witch
The Scarlet Witch is a fictional comic book character that appears in books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in X-Men #4 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby...
uses her hex/mutant powers to wish for "no more mutants." The first issue revealed a powerless Chamber (on life-support, due to missing the bottom of his face and most of his chest).
Jubilee was also depowered during the "Decimation" storyline and was shown lamenting her lost powers, but reluctant to ask Wolverine for help, convincing herself that she needed to grow up and handle it herself. Subsequently she was briefly shown in issue #2 of Generation M and later seen in Wolverine: Origins #10. After being injured after a battle with Omega Red
Omega Red
Omega Red is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in X-Men #4 , and was created by Jim Lee...
, she was taken away for medical attention by S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage and a secret military law-enforcement agency in the Marvel Comics Universe. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in Strange Tales #135 , it often deals with superhuman threats....
. She since returned in the second issue of New Warriors (vol. 4), in which she is known as Wondra and uses technology to mimic superpowers, in particular gauntlets which enhance her strength to superhuman levels. Recruited by Night Thrasher
Night Thrasher
Night Thrasher is a fictional character, a superhero published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared in Thor #411 , and was created by Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz.-Publication history:...
, she has been suspicious of his motivations and his most outspoken critic.
Chamber later showed up in New Excalibur #9 (September 2006
2006 in comics
-January:*January 1, 2006: Newsweek offer a look back at 2005 through editorial cartoons. *January 2, 2006: The Cincinnati Enquirer cartoonist Jim Borgman starts a blog to detail his creative process...
) as a patient at a London Hospital, recounting to a so-called Dr. Hartley the story of how right before his powers burned out on M-Day
Decimation (comics)
Decimation is the late 2005 Marvel Comics storyline spinning off from the House of M limited series. It focuses on the ramifications of the Scarlet Witch stripping nearly all of the mutant population of their powers, thereby reducing a society of millions to one of scant hundreds.This event, which...
they went supernova, once again destroying his face and chest. They are interrupted by Pete Wisdom, who offers Chamber Excalibur's help. As he leaves the two alone for a quick cigarette break, Hartley kidnaps Chamber. Later, Chamber awakes to find himself fully healed, but looking similar to the X-Men
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...
villain Apocalypse
Apocalypse (comics)
Apocalypse is a fictional character who is an ancient mutant that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in X-Factor #5 , created by writer Louise Simonson and designed by artist Walter Simonson...
as a side-effect. He finds himself a guest of the new Clan Akkaba, worshippers of Apocalypse who had originally appeared in the Marvel limited series
Limited series
A limited series is a comic book series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....
, X-Men: Apocalypse vs. Dracula
X-Men: Apocalypse vs. Dracula
X-Men: Apocalypse vs. Dracula was a four-issue comic book limited series published in 2006 by Marvel Comics. The series was written by Frank Tieri and drawn by Clayton Henry.-Plot summary:...
. In fact, Chamber's great-grandfather and Hartley, revealed to be Frederick Slade
Frederick Slade
Frederick Slade is a fictional character and mutant in the Marvel Comics universe. His first appearance was in X-Men: Apocalypse vs. Dracula #2.-The Fittest:...
from the aforementioned limited series, were the only survivors of the original Clan Akkaba. Slade reveals that they are all descendants of Apocalypse and that Apocalypse's blood healed Chamber, though he no longer has any powers. Chamber tells them he wants nothing to do with them and is allowed to leave. As he walks outside, he meets Excalibur and tells them in no uncertain words that he doesn't want their help or to have anything to do with any X-team.
After investigating the abandoned headquarters of Clan Akkaba, New Excalibur discovers that Chamber was lied to, and that he is indeed still empowered. The consequences of this storyline have yet to be resolved. Recently, he has appeared in New Warriors
New Warriors
The New Warriors is a Marvel Comics superhero team, traditionally consisting of young adult heroes. They first appeared in The Mighty Thor #411 .-General publication history:...
, going under the codename "Decibel", with Jubilee referring to him as Jono and sporting the same physical appearance given to him by Clan Akkaba. Like most of the team, his new powers are more technological in nature, and it appears he can form solid energy projections or sonic blasts much like Songbird
Songbird (comics)
Songbird , formerly known as Screaming Mimi, is a fictional character, a superheroine and former supervillainess in the Marvel Comics Universe.-Publication history:...
or Banshee
Banshee (comics)
Banshee is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero who operates as a member of the X-Men. Created by writer Roy Thomas and artist Werner Roth, Banshee first appeared in X-Men #28 ....
. More recently, after the Age of X story line concluded, Chamber was once again depowered, has a gaping hole in his chest, and is under the care of Dr. Kavita Rao
Kavita Rao
Dr. Kavita "Vita" Rao is a fictional character, a geneticist in the Marvel Comics universe of the X-Men. She first appeared and featured prominently in the first story arc of the monthly series Astonishing X-Men in 2004.-Hope:Dr...
.
M is currently an employee of X-Factor Investigations
X-Factor Investigations
X-Factor Investigations is a fictional detective agency created by writer Peter David for the Marvel Comics comic book series X-Factor . The agency first appears under the name XXX Investigations in the first issue of the Marvel Comics limited series Madrox #1...
, in X-Factor
X-Factor (comics)
X-Factor is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. It is a spin-off of the popular X-Men franchise, featuring characters from X-Men stories. The series has been relaunched several times with different team rosters, most recently as X-Factor Investigations.X-Factor launched in...
(vol. 3). She has been an instrumental part of many of their investigations and, along with Strong Guy
Strong Guy
Strong Guy is the alias of Guido Carosella, a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. He was created by Chris Claremont and Bill Sienkiewicz in New Mutants volume 1 #29 , and was reinvented as Strong Guy by Peter David and Larry Stroman in X-Factor #71 .-Early life:Born in Rhinebeck,...
, considered the muscle of the group. After being seduced by a dupe of Multiple Man's, she developed a romantic interest in him, but his feelings lay with her teammate Siryn
Siryn
Theresa Maeve Rourke Cassidy is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, usually those belonging to the X-Men family of titles...
, which led to friction within the group. She has since made her peace with both Siryn and Madrox.
Penance (now renamed "Hollow") recently appeared in the mini series Loners, where she was held captive by a ring of drug makers in order to harvest her genetics to create MGH. She was subsequently freed by Ricochet
Ricochet
A ricochet is a rebound, bounce or skip off a surface, particularly in the case of a projectile. The possibility of ricochet is one of the reasons for the common firearms safety rule "Never shoot at a flat, hard surface."-Variables:...
. After a battle with a crazed Phil Urich
Phil Urich
Philip Benjamin "Phil" Urich is a Marvel Comics character whose first appearance was in Web of Spider-Man #125. He once was the second person to use the Green Goblin identity as a superhero instead of a supervillain...
, she left, following him.
List of titles
- Generation X Collector's Preview (October 1994, Marvel Comics)
- Generation X #−1 & 1–75 (July 1997 & November 1994 – June 2001, Marvel Comics)
- Generation X Annual 1995–1997, 1999 (September 1995 – November 1999, Marvel Comics)
- Generation X/Dracula Annual 1998 (October 1998, Marvel Comics)
- Generation X 1/2 (July 1998, Marvel Comics & Wizard Magazine)
- Generation X San Diego Comic Con 1/2 (July 1994, Marvel Comics, Overstreet)
- Generation X Holiday Special (February 1998, Marvel Comics)
- Generation X Underground Special (May 1998, Marvel Comics)
Significant stories
- Gen¹³/Generation X (July 1997, Image Comics) – Generation X has a crossoverIntercompany crossoverIn comic books, an intercompany crossover is a comic or series of comics where characters published by one company meet those published by another...
with Image ComicsImage ComicsImage Comics is a United States comic book publisher. It was founded in 1992 by high-profile illustrators as a venue where creators could publish their material without giving up the copyrights to the characters they created, as creator-owned properties. It was immediately successful, and remains...
' Gen¹³Gen¹³Gen¹³ is a fictional superhero team and comic book series originally written by Jim Lee and Brandon Choi and illustrated by J. Scott Campbell. It was originally published by Image Comics under the banner Wildstorm, which went on to become an imprint for DC Comics, who continued publishing the Gen¹³...
. - Generation X/Gen¹³ (December 1997, Marvel Comics) – Generation X meets Gen¹³ a second time.
- Marvel Team-UpMarvel Team-UpMarvel Team-Up is the name of several American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The series featured two or more Marvel characters in one story...
#1 (September 1997, Marvel Comics) – Generation X teams up with Spider-ManSpider-ManSpider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
.
Collected editions
- The Origin of Generation X (1999, Marvel Comics, ISBN 0-7851-0216-7) – collecting their first appearances in the Phalanx Covenant storyline.
- Counter-X 2 (2008, Marvel Comics, ISBN 0-7851-3305-4) – Collects Generation X #63–70.
- Generation X Classic (Dec 2010, Marvel Comics ISBN 978-0-7851-4967-5) – Collects Generation X #1–4, Uncanny X-Men #316–318, X-Men #36–37)
The TV film
In February 1996, the Fox NetworkFox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
aired a made-for-television Generation X
Generation X (film)
Generation X is a made-for-TV film which aired on FOX on February 20, 1996. It is based on the Marvel Comics series Generation X. It was produced by New World Entertainment and Marvel Entertainment.-Cast:-Plot:...
movie
Television movie
A television film is a feature film that is a television program produced for and originally distributed by a television network, in contrast to...
, produced by Marvel Entertainment. The film featured Banshee and Emma Frost as the headmasters of Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters and M, Skin, Mondo, Jubilee and two new characters Buff and Refrax as students (Chamber and Husk were not written in because the budget didn't allow for the special effects their powers required). The team battled a mad scientist who used a machine to develop psychic powers. The low-budget film was a ratings failure and many fans were angered at the casting of a white actress (Heather McComb
Heather McComb
Heather McComb is an American actress.McComb started acting at age 2 in a commercial for Publisher's Clearing House. When she appeared in the telefilm Generation X in 1996, she became the first actress to portray the X-Men character of Jubilee on screen...
) to play the Asian character of Jubilee. Plans to develop a syndicated series that would air on the same night as popular sci-fi thriller The X-Files
The X-Files
The X-Files is an American science fiction television series and a part of The X-Files franchise, created by screenwriter Chris Carter. The program originally aired from to . The show was a hit for the Fox network, and its characters and slogans became popular culture touchstones in the 1990s...
(making it a bona fide "X" night on Fox) were abandoned.
Novels
- Generation X (1997, Berkley) by Scott Lobdell and Elliot S! MagginElliot S! MagginElliot S. Maggin, also spelled Elliot S! Maggin , is an American writer of comic books, film, television and novels. He was a main writer for DC Comics during the Bronze and early Modern ages of comics in the 1970s and 1980s...
, illustrated by Tom GrummettTom GrummettThomas "Tom" Grummett is a Canadian comic book artist and penciller. He is best known for his work as penciller on titles such as The New Titans, The Adventures of Superman, Superboy, Power Company, Robin, New Thunderbolts and Heroes.During his run on The Adventures of Superman, Grummett and...
and Doug Hazlewood (ISBN 1-57297-223-8) - Generation X: Crossroads (1998, Berkley) by J. Steven YorkJ. Steven YorkJ. Steven York is an American science fiction and fantasy writer.York was born in rural southeast Alabama and from childhood showed a strong interest in science fiction, fantasy and space exploration...
(ISBN 0-425-16631-7) - Generation X: Genogoths (2000, Berkley) by J. Steven York, illustrated by Mark BuckinghamMark BuckinghamMark Buckingham is a British comic book artist. He is better known for his work on Marvelman and Fables.-Biography:Born as Mark John Buckingham May 23, 1966 in Clevedon, United Kingdom...
(ISBN 0-425-17143-4)