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Generation X is a fictional comic book superhero team, a spin-off of the X-Men franchise published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Scott Lobdell and artist Chris Bachalo, the team formed during the 1994 "Phalanx Covenant" storyline, and appeared in their own monthly series in September 1994 with Generation X #1 (November 1994).
Generation X consisted of teenage mutants designed to reflect the cynicism and complexity of the series' namesake demographic. Unlike its predecessor the New Mutants, the team was not mentored by X-Men founder Charles Xavier at his New York estate, but by Banshee and former supervillain Emma Frost at a splinter school in western Massachusetts.
The book's original creators left it in 1997. The series was cancelled with issue #75 in 2001.
Unlike the X-Men and New Mutants, Generation X did not attend Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters in upstate New York or learn from Professor Xavier himself. Instead, they trained at the Massachusetts Academy, located in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, and were mentored by Banshee, an Irish X-Man who possessed a "sonic scream," and the former villain White Queen, an aristocratic telepath.
Generation X consisted of:
Chamber (Jonothon "Jono" Starsmore), a British mutant who produced huge blasts of energy from his upper chest. When his powers first manifested, they destroyed the lower half of his face and chest, leaving him with only his limited telepathic powers with which to communicate, and releasing him from any necessity to eat, drink, or breathe. Because of this, he is characteristically sullen and bitter.
Gaia, formerly the otherworldly Guardian of the Citadel of the Universal Amalgamator, which could potentially be misused to combine all sentient consciousnesses into a single entity. She was freed by Synch and eventually joined the team, but soon left to explore this world.
Husk (Paige Guthrie), a Kentucky coal miner's daughter who could shed her skin, revealing a different substance each time. She is the younger sister of The New Mutants' Cannonball, and elder sister of Icarus.
Jubilee (Jubilation Lee), a Chinese-American "mall rat" from Beverly Hills, California who could produce explosive energy. Jubilee had been a junior member of the X-Men in the early 1990s, and joined Generation X to learn more about her powers.
M (Monet St. Croix), a "perfect" young woman born into a rich family from Monaco who could fly, possessed super strength and had telepathic abilities. Her arrogant manner was an annoyance to her teammates and her habit of going into deep trances or fugue states when deep in thought was a mystery to her teachers. Mysteries surrounding the St. Croix family would play a big part in the series.
Mondo, a cheerful, laidback Samoan mutant who could take on the texture of objects he touched. Mondo eventually betrayed the team and was apparently killed by Bastion, but it was later revealed that this was a clone. The real Mondo appeared two years later, but as a villain teamed with Juggernaut and Black Tom Cassidy.
Penance, a silent, childlike and mysterious mutant who possessed diamond hard, red skin and razor-sharp claws. Penance appeared mysteriously at the Massachusetts Academy and at first, little was known about her. According to the Generation X Ashcan, the writers originally intended her to be a girl named Yvette from Yugoslavia. A hint of this can be seen when her mind is read by Emma Frost, revealing Eastern European tanks on the march in her memories. This background was later changed by the following creative team.
Skin (Angelo Espinosa), a former reluctant teenage gang member on the streets of East Los Angeles who possessed six feet of extra skin. He could stretch his extremities, but mostly considered his mutation, which caused him to have sagging gray skin and painful headaches, a curse.
Synch (Everett Thomas), an African-American teenager from St. Louis, known for his pleasant, supportive temperament, who could copy the powers of other mutants/superhumans within close, physical proximity. | |
