Adapting comics to animation is a natural progression, from snapshots telling a narrative to 24 snapshots per second allowing the characters to move in the story. The transition is easy compared to live action adaptations. Character models already exist, though they need to be modified to fit the needs of animation. Likewise, there are already references for the main settings used in the comic from multiple angles. That’s not to say the process doesn’t take work. Animation takes time. However, animation allows for a range of special effects that would cost more in a live action film.

For an example, let’s look at X-Men. The comic was first published in 1963 as X-Men, featuring Professor Charles Xavier and his students, Cyclops (Scott Summers), Marvel Girl (Jean Gray), Angel (Warren Worthington), Beast (Hank McCoy), and Iceman (Bobby Drake). The comic was reprinted from 1970 to 1975, when Giant-Sized X-Men was published. The same year, Chris Clairemont revived the X-Men title, helming the series for sixteen years as writer until 1991. Under Clairemont, the series became Uncanny X-Men, and worked in character conflict with the superhero action, a mutant-powered soap opera.

The X-Men, as mutants, are the outsiders in the Marvel universe. This gives writers room to comment on current discrimination, no matter the victims, with the X-Men as an allusion to the issue, be it race or sexuality. At the same time, superheroics allow readers to escape reality. The X-Men have faced threats to their existance at home, around the world, and in space. Their opponents include human-purists, fellow mutants, an alien television producer, and even themselves.

In 1992, the first regular series starring the team, X-Men: The Animated Series, aired on Fox Kids. The team had shown up in previous animated series, including The Marvel Super Heroes in 1966, Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends 1981-1983 as guest starts, and the pilot Pryde of the X-Men in 1989. X-Men, however, was the first where the team was first and foremost. The lineup at the beginning included Professor X, Wolverine, Beast, Cyclops, Jean Grey, Rogue, Gambit, Morph, and Jubilee. The latter was the audience’s point of view on entering the world of the X-Men, with Jubilee running from Sentinels after she discovers her new powers.

The 1992 series became a highlight of X-Men comics, including spin-offs such as Alpha Flight and X-Factor. The series began with the government-sanctioned mutant-hunting Sentinels, then introduced Magneto and his approach to solving the schism between mutants and humans. Woven into each episode were plot threads leading other major storylines, like Genosha, where mutants wer offered a home but turned into slaves. and the Days of Future Past storyline, introducing Bishop The major X-Men foes made appearances. Along with Magneto, Apocalypse, Mister Sinister, the Shadow King, the Juggernaut, Mojo (the afore-mentioned alien TV producer), and Sauron of the Savage Lands. Villains weren’t the only characters to cross over to animation. Allies of the X-Men also appeared. Lilandra of the Shi’ar Empire; Corsair and the Starjammers, introducing the mess that is the Summers family tree; Alpha Flight; and even Captain America in a flashback episode featuring Wolverine.

Helping to keep the feel of the X-books, Bob Harras, the editor in charge of the related X-Men comics, served as a story advisor. As such, he was in a position to prepare the comics for the Age of Apocalypse crossover as the animated series two-part episode “One Man’s World” was in production. The overall result of the animated series worked as a way for new readers to catch up on X-Men history. Not everything in the series was 100% accurate, but it did give new audience members a good summary of the almost twenty years of X-Men comics.