The original X-Men animated series was widely praised for how it translated the hit comics for Saturday morning animation. Many classic storylines, such as the Dark Phoenix Saga, were directly adapted for the small screen. X-Men ’97 continues this tradition, with the first half of Season 1 having referenced a number of beloved stories. In most cases, however, the new cartoons take those stories in different directions.
The Trial of Magneto (Uncanny X-Men #200)
Written by Chris Claremont, with art by John Romita Jr., the Trial of Magneto was a landmark comic for many reasons. Beyond being the 200th issue of the original X-Men series, it also marked Magneto’s first attempt to become a hero, after going on trial for crimes against humanity. The first two episodes of X-Men ’97 reference this story, though the timing of events is somewhat different.
In the comics, Professor X suffered a heart attack during a terrorist assault on the trial. Before being spirited away to the Shi’ar home-world for treatment, he asked Magneto to look after his students. The animated series brings about the same ends, but with Xavier’s request to Magneto being made formally in his will before Magneto’s trial. (The Last Will and Testament of Charles Xavier is also the name of a 2012 X-Men event.)
Lifedeath (Uncanny X-Men #185-186)
Episode 2 of X-Men ’97 Season 1 ended with Storm sacrificing herself to save Magneto from a power neutralizer. This left Ororo Monroe without the ability to control the weather. The same thing happened in Uncanny X-Men #185. However, in the comics, Storm sacrificed herself to save Rogue rather than Magneto. Also, the gunman in the comics was Henry Gyrich, rather than the Mutant-hating assassin dubbed X-Cutioner.
Episode 4 of X-Men ’97 Season 1 directly adapts Lifedeath, the story of Uncanny X-Men #186. This comic found Forge caring for a tormented Storm, while trying to build a device to restore her powers. In both adaptations, Forge did this because of his guilt regarding his role in Storm being depowered. In the comics, he built the power neutralizing pistol while working for Henry Gyrich. Conversely, in the cartoon, the X-Cutioner’s depowering gun was based on Forge’s technology.
Magneto/Rogue Romance (Uncanny X-Men #269, 274)
One of the more stunning subplots of X-Men ’97 was the revelation that Rogue and Magneto had a previously undisclosed romantic relationship. This was briefly teased during the Uncanny X-Men run of Chris Claremont and Jim Lee, when a depowered Rogue was stranded in the Savage Land. She and Magneto enjoyed a brief flirtation, but nothing came of it in the main timeline. However, the two became a couple in the Age of Apocalypse reality, where Magneto’s powers allowed him to touch Rogue without issue.
The flashbacks detailing Rogue and Magneto’s relationship in X-Men ’97 reveal that their romance occurred before Rogue joined the X-Men. In the comics, Rogue had been an X-Man for several years before she was stranded in the Savage Land. However, her shredded, punk outfit in the animated flashback is clearly based on her jungle queen costume from the comics.
Inferno (Uncanny X-Men #239-243)
While the Inferno event touched the entire Marvel Universe in 1988-1989, it was largely spread across the X-Men titles. One of it’s major subplots centered around Madelyne Pryor and her transformation into the Goblin Queen. Episode 3 of X-Men ’97 presents an abbreviated version of the Inferno storyline.
However, the animated Madelyne is presented in a much more sympathetic light, and is not goaded into turning on the X-Men by literal demons. The same is true of Cyclops, who is more conflicted about his relationships with Jean Grey, and her clone, Madelyne. In the comics, Scott Summers abandoned Madelyne, and their son, to rejoin Jean on a new team, X-Factor.
The Crunch Conundrum (Wolverine #51-53)
The “Motendo” half of X-Men ’97’s fourth episode paid homage to X-Men’s influence on ’90s video games. However, it also referenced “The Crunch Conundrum” storyline from the Wolverine solo comic. This story found Wolverine and Jubilee fighting against Mojo, and a corrupted version of Jubilee from the future named Abcissa. In the cartoon, Abcissa is a simulation of Jubilee, who aged to adulthood fighting through Mojo’s virtual reality games.
New X-Men 2001 (New X-Men #114-156)
Written by Grant Morrison, with art by Frank Quitely, the 2001 New X-Men series redefined the team. Morrison reimagined Mutants as a minority group, with their own art, music, and subculture. The image of the new Mutant homeland of Genosha in X-Men ’97 episode 5 draws heavily from Morrison’s ideas and Quitely’s visuals for a Mutant society.
There are other nods to New X-Men in X-Men ’97 episode 5. The scene in which Jean Grey uncovers a psychic tryst between Cyclops and Madelyne Pryor mirrors a scene from New X-Men #138. (In the comic, however, Cyclops was fooling around with Emma Frost, who was pretending to be Jean.) Also, the destruction of Genosha in X-Men ’97 resembles the “E Is for Extinction” arc which kicked off this New X-Men run.
House of X and Powers of X
Episode 5 of X-Men ’97 also draws heavily from Jonathan Hickman and the House of X era of X-Men. Hickman transformed the sentient island of Krakoa into a new Mutant homeland, although the cartoon’s Genosha resembles it. The attack on the party celebrating Genosha’s acceptance into the United Nations also resembles the Orchis assault on the 2023 Hellfire Gala.
Mutant Massacre (Uncanny X-Men #210-213)
The 1980’s Mutant Massacre storyline found the Morlocks (i.e. Mutants who lived in Manhattan’s sewers who could not pass for human) slaughtered by the evil Mutant supervillain team known as the Marauders. Years later, it was revealed that Gambit acted as the Marauders guide years before he joined the X-Men. There is some irony then that in X-Men ’97, it is Gambit who saves the Morlocks from the Tri-Sentinel, in an aversion of the comic book storyline.
New episodes of X-Men ’97 premiere on Wednesdays on Disney Plus through May 15.
