CSBG Archive
Top Five Variant Takes on the X-Men
Here are the top five variant takes on the X-Men! Note I don’t mean What If…?s or Alternate Realities, but stuff like X-Men Fairy Tales.
Enjoy!
5. The Manga X-Men
I really was not much of a fan of this manga take on the X-Men, but I can’t think of a more deserving fifth place variant!
4. The Noir X-Men
This Fred Van Lente-penned variant on the X-Men is cute – you have to love the notion of the plot being the murder of Jean Grey! 
3. The Fairy Tale X-Men
This was a strong mini-series filled with good fairy tale takes on the X-Men, and the artwork was stunning all throughout, particularly the Kyle Baker art for the second issue!
2. The X-Babies
The X-Babies are a cute concept, and they also seem to have legs, as the gag is still being used nowadays, two decades or so after they first popped up!
1. Kitty’s Fairy Tale X-Men
One of the most charming issues of Claremont’s X-Men run, this one-off issue by Claremont and the late, great Dave Cockrum was so cool that Cockrum even got to do a Nightcrawler mini-series based on the Bamf! character from Kitty’s fairy tale!
That’s the top five! Agree? Disagree? Let me know!
13 Comments
jazzbo
December 7, 2008 at 1:47 am
Kitty’s Fairy Tale X-Men are good and all, but I don’t see how anyone could pick anything other than the X-Babies as #1. Art Adams drew them for most of their early appearances! That alone should put them in the top spot.
Brian Cronin
December 7, 2008 at 3:04 am
It’s not like Dave Cockrum is some slouch!
manglr
December 7, 2008 at 5:20 am
I think Kitty’s Fairy Tale benefits from the comparative lack of exposure. The X-Babies were cute the first time….and the second time. But went rapidly downhill the more times creators went to that well. I mean, if you want to get right down to it…their are enough iterations of the X-babies to merit their own continuity…which just isn’t right.
I love Kitty’s Fairy Tale as a example of something wonderful that can come from a comic in just one issue out of nowhere. No decompressed storyline…just one and done.
Jace
December 7, 2008 at 6:58 am
I HATE the X-Babies and anything to do with Mojoverse. Always have, always will.
Kitty’s Fairy Tale all the way!
Vincent Paul Bartilucci
December 7, 2008 at 7:23 am
Lord, I hate Kitty’s fairy tale.
Then again, i hate Kitty.
Jordan D. White
December 7, 2008 at 9:21 am
Technically, all of these ARE alternate reality X-Men groups.
Tom Fitzpatrick
December 7, 2008 at 9:21 am
“Lord, I hate Kitty’s fairy tale.
Then again, i hate Kitty.”
Then I guess you must be glad she’s “GONE” from the pages of Astonishing X-men.
Nitz the Bloody
December 7, 2008 at 2:05 pm
Would love to see a new version of Kitty’s Fairy Tale in the context of modern X-Men stories. Telling a happy ending version of the Dark Phoenix Saga to a child is one thing, but I’d love to see, say, a happy fairy tale spin on Planet X…
Ryan
December 7, 2008 at 3:57 pm
Mangaverse?
Come on, with some of today’s most talented writers and artists working on the Age of Apocalypse, how can that incarnation not get a nod?
Ryan
December 7, 2008 at 5:03 pm
erm, read the whole post… nevermind.
Scott MacIver
December 8, 2008 at 8:51 am
The post is kind of vague. What if’s or alternate realities sort of apply to The X-Babies and Kitty’s Fairy Tale team, since they’re not really “616″.
I quite liked the take on the X-Men from 1602.
Blair
December 8, 2008 at 11:18 am
Did anyone actually win one of those Columbia bikes???
Graeme White
December 9, 2008 at 2:30 am
I second 1602.