Cyclops<X-men>

The X-Men have been around for quite some time. They made their pulp debut with a five-hero lineup in 1963. In a nutshell, their story goes like this: X-Men are mutant beings classified as "homo superior," the next stage in human evolution. As such, they've all got nifty powers: Some of them can fly, some are gifted with telepathy, physical agility and strength, deadly rays and so on. But there's a government crackdown on mutants, led by the McCarthy-esque Sen. Robert Kelly, so all such creatures are forced into seclusion. Two "mutant activists" are working to end this persecution, albeit with radically different approaches. Prof. Charles Xavier (aka Professor X), founder of the X-Men, trains supermutants to harness their powers for the benefit of all mankind, even those who fear and hate them. Meanwhile, Xavier's arch-nemesis, Magneto, has trained his own band of mutants (you guessed it, evil ones) and wants to overthrow the government and the world (violently, of course!). Over the past 27 years, more than 300 characters have populated the X-Men comic books and their offshoots (X-Factor, X-Force, Generation X, etc.). The supergroup's roster has changed repeatedly, they have moved from place to place, the authorities have chased them, and some of them have died. But the premise has remained essentially unchanged: The X-Men aren't aliens from other planets (like Superman) or irradiated scientists (like the Incredible Hulk), they're freaks of nature who struggle with the responsibility of their powers. When the X-Men walk down a public street, people run away in fear, yet these heroes fight to protect a world that misunderstands them. These aren't your run-of-the-mill do-gooders.