Description
Book SynopsisFirst appearing in 1963, The Uncanny X-Men had a rough start, lasting until 1970 when the comic book was canceled due to low sales. Following a relaunch in 1975, however, it found new popularity thanks to intricate scripting by Chris Claremont and the artwork of John Byrne. Within a few years, The Uncanny X-Men was one of Marvel Comics' best-selling series and over the decades it became one of the most successful and popular franchises in comic book history. Spin-off titles, mini-series, multimedia adaptations, and a massively expanded cast of characters followed. One of the reasons for the success of X-Men is its powerful mutant metaphor, which enhances the stories with cultural significance and the exploration of themes such as societal prejudice and discrimination. In X-Men and the Mutant Metaphor: Race and Gender in the Comic Books, Joseph J. Darowski thoroughly analyzes The Uncanny X-Men, providing its historical background and dividing the long-running series into distinct eras
Trade ReviewThe versatility of X-Men and the Mutant Metaphor lends itself to several research and classroom purposes. For one, it can be useful for anyone researching some of the major comic artists and writers (e.g., Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Claremont, John Byrne, Jim Lee) who labored on the series. Its accessibility lends itself to both high school and college classrooms and libraries.... Even for those less interested in representations of race and gender, X-Men and the Mutant Metaphor can make an excellent resource for X-Men history. Perhaps most critically, a book like this points to one of the key features of comics with a longevity like Uncanny X-Men: one can chart the changes in societal views of woman and minorities over an extended period of time. * Journal of American Culture *
Table of ContentsIntroduction Chapter 1: Understanding the X-Men Chapter 2: Intriguing Concept, Uneven Execution: The X-Men #1 (Sep. 1963) – X-Men #66(Mar. 1970) Chapter 3 Relaunching and Reimagining: Giant-Size X-Men #1 (May 1975) - The Uncanny X-Men #166 (Feb. 1983) Chapter 4: Adding Depth and Exploring Prejudice: The Uncanny X-Men #167 (Mar. 1983) – The Uncanny X-Men #280 (Sep. 1991) Chapter 5: Broadening the Mutant Metaphor: The Uncanny X-Men #281 (Oct. 1991) – The Uncanny X-Men #393 (Jun. 2001) Chapter 6: Reestablishing the Metaphor: The Uncanny X-Men #394 (Jul. 2001) – The Uncanny X-Men #500 (Sep. 2008) Chapter 7: By the Numbers Conclusion Appendix A Appendix B Works Cited Index About the Author
