X Men:Origins

Carey, Mike, et al. X-Men: Origins. New York: Marvel Entertainment, LLC. 2009.
Annotation: A professor must gather a group of “mutants” with extraordinary powers to his school to teach them how to harness these powers for heroic purposes before the government captures them and uses them as weapons.

Justification for nomination: In the realm of science fiction graphic novels, X-Men Origins stands among the best. Not only will teens be able to relate to these characters as they struggle with the fact that they are different and to most people, frightening, the graphics will present an even more fascinating element. With graphics by Mike Mayhew depicting scientific experiments as well as the mutants’ struggle to control their potentially disastrous powers, young science fiction readers will be enthralled. Highly realistic and vivid illustrations enhance the overall appearance of this novel, making it one that will intrigue and stimulate the reader.

The characters are fully developed and each has his or her own story that allows the reader to be drawn into the individual worlds of each mutant as they embark on a quest to discover who they are and the significance of their power. With backstories that include the deaths of loved ones and the everyday challenges of fitting in, this book offers something that all teens can identify with. The story is true to the human condition, reflecting the emotional and ethical complexity that we all experience and which young adults are just beginning to understand and explore.

The pace of this novel, which is divided into portions dedicated to the story of each mutant’s origin, is very rapid, enhanced by the informative and yet perfectly realistic dialogue. The blood-thirsty Sabretooth is just as brilliantly profiled as is the unsure teenager, Jean Gray, who finally comes to realize that she, too, is a “perfectly healthy teenager”. The quest that she and the others begin in this book, like true science fiction and fantasy offerings, is facilitated by someone who will help them to achieve it. Charles Xavier is the professor who helps these lost souls to discover their true worth.

This book offers the sense of wonder that many young adults come to expect in their science fiction novels, and the empowerment that these main characters realize when they understand that they can become heroes is something that will attract and ultimately excite many young readers of science fiction.

Genres: Science-Fiction, Comic & Graphic Novels