‘X-Men ’97’ is nostalgic and compelling, but its superpower is its inclusivity

When it comes to the animated incarnations of the X-Men, such as the new series currently streaming on Disney+, some things never change.

About 30 years ago, when I was a comic book-obsessed kid, I loathed the choir rehearsals that took place during the same time as the beloved X-cartoon. I learned how to record episodes on the VCR at a relatively young age because I didn’t want to miss the exploits of Wolverine, Gambit, Storm, and an assortment of mutants.

I found myself in the midst of responsibility once again when the first two episodes of “X-Men ’97” became available for streaming early morning March 20. My younger son woke up at 3 a.m. with a touch of restlessness. Apparently he’s an X-Men fan as well. I was tempted to watch the first two episodes with him, but I chose to employ my superpower – my patented football cradle and rock, which induces sleep in toddlers.

Some hours later, I finally got a chance to sit down in front of one of my favorite pop franchises. The iconic intro, long a fan favorite because of its audio and visual richness, remained potent in light of a slight remastering. This is an enduring theme with “X-Men” – its ability to invoke nostalgia while maintaining modernity. It does so because it is unapologetically “woke.”

That word is the bane of some folks’ existence, but how else should we describe this team and Charles Xavier’s dream? The fact that “X-Men” has never shied away from controversy is only part of its compelling tale. The series has always been aware of societal issues and challenges, whether it’s addressing various forms of extremism or conveying differences in a humane way. This is part of the genius of Chris Claremont, the famed writer who imprinted his political and social consciousness onto the X-books from 1975 to 1991. 

Morph, a shapeshifter whose disappearance dramatically affected the events of the original animated series, was presented to a new audience as nonbinary. An initial backlash was quickly snuffed out by Larry Houston, the producer and director of the original series.

“For me, the word ‘nonbinary’ is the same as the word ‘shapeshifter,’” Mr. Houston, a Black pioneering animator, told Variety. “Every character that can change from one gender to another, or from human to animal, that’s just another word for ‘shapeshifter’ for me.”

Picking up after the events of Xavier’s presumed assassination, the X-Men find themselves the target of the violent efforts of an extremist group, the Friends of Humanity. The nuances of language have not escaped X-writers, as the battle took place at a venue formerly known as the “Hip Skate Party,” with a few of the letters emboldened to spell “HATE PARTY.” The conflict takes place over the course of two episodes, with the latter show introducing a familiar antagonist: Magneto.

The ideological conflict between Xavier and Magneto has often been distilled down to one similar to that of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, with Xavier being a pacifist and Magneto being aggressive and dictatorial. Critical analysis of the two Civil Rights Movement icons shows the mutuality of their goals, and so it goes with the two X-leaders. Claremont’s “Trial of Magneto” comic book informs a good portion of the second episode.

In many ways, it is the discussion between coexistence and separatism. Recent comics have engaged the discussion further, with Xavier and Magneto agreeing to create a separate Utopia for mutants, with varying effects. The tenuous nature of “human and mutant” relations is a clear comparison to racial and social conflicts in America, which again, keep the series relevant.

Besides his sociological grasp, another Claremont staple is how he allows the environment and the characters to grow and adapt, through joy and suffering. There are instances throughout the first two episodes that feature Cyclops and Storm not just as leaders but also as fighters with complete control of their abilities. Speaking of Cyclops, he and longtime love Jean Grey are expecting a child – resulting in questions about their commitment to the team versus to each other. It is not the least bit melodramatic, but a real-life situation that helps the traditional comic book characters come to life.

Ultimately, “X-Men ’97” is a blast from the past that resonates in this time. There have been other various efforts to engage members of Generation X and millennials that seem lazy and uninspired. This is not the case with this series. My only gripe with the show is actually with Disney+, which has the audacity to present the option of a “Skip Intro” button during the opening credits. 

Why in the world would you want to do that? We older folks are trying to slow time down, not speed it up.