History: 
X-MEN
Earth-652975
Membership: Colossus, Cyclops, Dazzler, Nightcrawler, Professor X, Storm, Wolverine
Purpose: Protecting a world that hates and fears them
Affiliations: Lockheed, Kitty Pryde
Enemies: Brotherhood of Mutant Terrorists (Blob, Juggernaut, Magneto, Pyro, Toad, White Queen), Living Monolith, Mystique, Nimrod, Reavers, Sentinels, Wendigo
Base of Operations: Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, Westchester County, New York
First Appearance: Pryde of the X-Men cartoon special (September 16, 1989)
History:
(Pryde of the X-Men cartoon special - BTS) - Professor Charles Xavier founded the X-Men, a team of mutants working to achieve his dream of mutant and human coexistence. Xavier recruited Scott Summers to lead the team as Cyclops, other X-Men included the Russian Colossus, singing sensation Dazzler, the German Nightcrawler, African princess Storm and the Canadian Wolverine. The X-Men came to live in the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning, part home and training facility, there the mutants would learn how to fully control their mutant abilities and become stronger as a team under Xavier's watchful eye.
(Pryde of the X-Men cartoon special (fb) - BTS) - When X-Men adversary Magneto learned that the comet Scorpio would pass by Earth he planned to let it impact Earth to wipe out humankind, leaving mutants to rule the planet. To do so Magneto planned to steal the X-Men's mutant-power circuit of Cerebro with whom he could change the comet's course. Magneto send Blob and Pyro to retrieve the comet's coordinates from a space satellite to lure the X-Men away from their mansion.
(Pryde of the X-Men cartoon special) - The X-Men were engaging in a training simulation in the Danger Room when Xavier's newest student, Kitty Pryde arrived to the school. Xavier and Pryde watched safely from the Danger Room Control Center, witnessing how the X-Men trained in a holographic projection simulating the ruins of an ancient Aztec city. When Nightcrawler teleported out of the Danger Room to greet the young girl, Pryde panicked and accidentally phased through the Danger Room control console, disrupting its circuits. This caused Storm's weather-training sequence to spin wildly out of control. With lightning and rain all around her, Kitty was lowered to safety by a large gust of wind and into Colossus' arms.
After introductions were made, an alarm sounded through the Mansion, signaling a mutant alert. Leaving Kitty Pryde and Professor Xavier behind, Cyclops lead the X-Men to board the Blackbird jet and flew to the deep-space observatory to face Blob and Pyro. The duo had taken several hostages and just finished downloading the coordinates when the X-Men arrived. However, Pyro easily created a large wall of fire which allowed Blob and himself to flee away and return to Asteroid M. Storm then used her abilities to douse Pyro's fire to rescue the hostages.
The X-Men subsequently arrived back at the Mansion to discover Kitty Pryde and Professor X had been attacked by Magneto and Juggernaut, who'd successfully stolen the Mutant Power Circuit of the mutant-tracking Cerebro computer. Learning that Magneto planned to use the Circuit to amplify his own magnetic abilities and move the Scorpio comet into the path of Earth, the X-Men set course for Magneto's space-based headquarters, Asteroid M.
(Pryde of the X-Men cartoon special) - Soon the X-Men breached Asteroid M to stop Magneto's plans who ordered his Brotherhood to stop the mutant heroes. During the battle Dazzler fought Pyro, Wolverine faced Toad, Colossus opposed Juggernaut and Cyclops fought the White Queen, leaving Nightcrawler to face Magneto. Seeing the blue X-Man, Magneto reminded him the comet would hit Earth in 3 minutes. But just as Magneto attacked Nightcrawler, Kitty Pryde appeared holding the terrorist off long enough for Nightcrawler to hold on to the power circuit to steer the comet away from Earth. Realizing he was defeated, Magneto fled after which Asteroid M broke apart due to the comet's vicinity. Victorious, the X-Men returned home.
(X-Men Arcade Game) - When Magneto had appeared again, he wielded an army of magnetically-controlled Sentinels with whom he once again aimed to destroy the world. Professor X send his X-Men to stop Magneto from destroying the city while he and Kitty Pryde stayed behind, unbeknownst to them Magneto actually wanted to lure the X-Men away from the school so he could abduct Xavier and Pryde.
(X-Men Arcade Game) - Arriving in the city, the X-Men faced off against Magneto's forces, including Sentinels, Pyro and a mace wielding Blob. Having defeated them, the X-Men received a telepathic warning from Xavier that he and Pryde had been abducted by Magneto and had retreated to Island M, his ocean-based headquarters.
(X-Men Arcade Game) - Making their way to Island M, the X-Men faced seemingly endless waves of enemies, including Sentinels, alligator-men, mutated flower creatures, toxic hornets, sand creatures and even the white-haired Wendigo guarding the entrance to Magneto's base. In the underground passageway the X-Men faced off against Nimrod after which they successfully rescued Kitty Pryde who urged them to rescue the Professor as well. Now making their way even deeper into Magneto's Island M complex, the X-Men were opposed by the White Queen, the Reavers and the unstoppable Juggernaut after which "Professor X" appeared ordering them to follow him to Magneto. Unaware he was impersonated by mutant shapeshifter Mystique, the X-Men followed him only to be dropped near the lava-core of the island. There the X-Men made their way through chambers with Egyptian markings which lead them to face the Living Monolith. Upon defeating him the X-Men received a telepathic message from the real Xavier, informing them Magneto had taken him to his asteroid base, Asteroid M, from where he would attack Earth.
(X-Men Arcade Game) - Following Xavier's orders, the X-Men followed a giant Sentinel into space to locate Asteroid M. The X-Men once more engaged Magneto's gauntlet of villains. Having defeated Mystique, the X-Men freed the real Professor X after which they finally faced off against Magneto himself. The X-Men returned to Earth victorious just as Asteroid M was destroyed, always vigilant should Magneto and his evil mutants return to threaten mankind again.
Comments: Created by Larry Parr and Marvel Productions (see Appearances list for full list of artists involved).
Pryde of the X-Men was Marvel's first and failed attempt at creating an actual X-Men animation series. The project started in 1987 with Marvel Productions President Margaret Loesch deciding to invest $300,000 in a pilot episode she could pitch to TV executives in hopes of convincing them there was merit in an X-Men cartoon series. The result was Pryde of the X-Men, which failed to get picked up by any of the networks at the time. In their book X-Men the art and making of the animated series writers Eric and Julia Lewald blame this commercial flop on too many corporate "cooks" spoiling the proverbial broth with notes and suggestions the creative team had to incorporate. They list examples like: "Crocodile Dundee is popular - let's make Wolverine Australian!" "Let's put twenty extra Marvel characters in it so we can sell toys!". As a result, Pryde of the X-Men didn't work, both as a story and a showcase for a series despite having faithful character design and sharp animation. In 1992, Margaret Loesch, now head of children's programming at FOX, pitched the idea for X-Men again along with members of the original creative team. The result was X-Men: The Animated Series which went on for five seasons and delivered definite proof that the X-Men would work as an animated series.
The Pryde of the X-Men was adapted into a comic book in December 1990, using stills from the cartoon, called the X-Men Animation Special GN (adapted by Danny Fingeroth and edited by Bob Budiansky). Quite a bit of dialogue was altered in this special, including the name of the Brotherhood calling them the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants instead of Brotherhood of Mutant Terrorist in the cartoon. While some dialogue is different, the overall story and plot are exactly the same.
Pryde of the X-Men takes place on Earth-652975 and their storyline continued in the X-Men Arcade Game. Although its the only example we know of from any Marvel animated series we've seen this same principle applied between movies and games. For example Ang Lee's 2003 Hulk movie and game.
Profile by MarvellousLuke
CLARIFICATIONS:
the X-Men have no known connections to
The X-Men's main source of transportation, the Blackbird was a large airplane located in an aircraft hangar beneath the grounds of the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning.
--Pryde of the X-Men cartoon special, X-Men Arcade Game
mutant-power circuit of Cerebro
The mutant-power circuit was part of Professor X's Cerebro-device to search the world for mutants. At one point, Magneto and his Brotherhood invaded the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning to steal the mutant-power circuit and placed it on top of his magnetron in Asteroid M to pull the comet Scorpio to collide with Earth. The combined efforts of Kitty Pryde and the X-Men defeated the Brotherhood and regained the mutant-power circuit.
--Pryde of the X-Men cartoon special
The Danger Room was created by Professor X to train his X-Men to improve their mutant skills by engaging in simulated combat provided by a combination of holograms and robotics.
--Pryde of the X-Men cartoon special
Xavier Institute for Higher Learning
The Xavier Institute for Higher Learning was the home of Professor X and the X-Men, part home and training facility. The Xavier Institute came under attack by Magneto and his Brotherhood when they came looking for the mutant-power circuit of Cerebro.
--Pryde of the X-Men cartoon special, X-Men Arcade Game
images: (without ads)
Pryde of the X-Men cartoon special (main image)
Pryde of the X-Men cartoon special (team in the blackbird)
Pryde of the X-Men cartoon special (happy Nightcrawler survived)
X-Men Arcade Game (arcade game)
Pryde of the X-Men cartoon special (Blackbird)
Pryde of the X-Men cartoon special (mutant-power circuit of Cerebro)
Pryde of the X-Men cartoon special (Danger Room, outside and inside)
Pryde of the X-Men cartoon special (Xavier's)
Appearances:
Pryde of the X-Men cartoon special (September 16, 1989) - Larry Parr (writer, story editor), Russ Heath, Carol Lundberg (models), E.R. Cruz (background layouts), Will Meugniot, Larry Houston, Rick Hoberg (story editors, storyboard editors), Neal Warner, Rudy Cataldi, Tom Ray, Eileen Dunn, Charlie Downs, Margaret Nichols, Stan Phillips (animation directors)
X-Men Arcade Game (1992) - K. Hattori, Captain Oe (visual design), Y. Asano (design works), Lee (chief producer, director)
First Posted: 05/22/2022
Last Updated: 03/19/2023
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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