Where fiction meets truth: the enduring legacy of the "X-Men". This is a collection of essays from the writers, artists and critics of the comics world, tracing the evolution, metaphors and message of the legendary X-Men empire. "The X-Men" are one of the all-time success stories of the superhero comics universe. Rivalled only by Superman and Spiderman in terms of longevity, variety and universal appeal, they have graced the pages of countless comics and been brought to life in two animated television series and three blockbuster movies. So what is the enduring appeal of the mutants? Their powers? Their costumes? The cool claws that shoot out of Wolverine's knuckles when he gets angry? All of these things equate to shortterm popularity. Like all truly great superheroes, the X-Men have much, much more. It is the astonishing complexity of the X-Men universe - the way in which it captures and enlarges upon virtually every human more - that sets it apart from regular costume comic fodder. Massive themes of racism, evil, human greed, intolerance and redemption run through its core. The politics of mutants versus humans and mutants versus mutants draws clear and lasting parallels with the real-world issues of intolerance, militant global policing and factional infighting we see every time we turn on the news. Spawned by the Cold War, informed by the Holocaust and offering a clear vision of disastrous possibilities for a third worldwide conflict, the X-Men universe is visionary allegory at its best. "The Unauthorized X-Men" explores the reality of the comics from a host of fascinating angles.