X-Men: Evolution, Volume 1

X-Men: Evolution

by Devin Grayson

Presents a collection of comics featuring the exploits of Storm, Wolverine, Magneto, and Professor Xavier.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Marvel, X Men, Science Fiction, Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics

96 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2002

About the author

Devin Grayson is an avid gamer, former acting student, and enthusiastic reader fortunate enough to have turned a lifelong obsession with fictional characters into a dynamic writing career. She has a B.A. from Bard College, where she studied creative writing with novelist Mona Simpson. Best known for her work on the Batman titles for DC Comics, Devin has been a regular writer on Catwoman, Nightwing, and The Titans, and contributed to the award-winning No Man’s Land story arc. With the publication of Batman: Gotham Knights in March of 2000, she became the first (and, sadly, only as of 2020) female to create, launch and write an ongoing Batman title.

Additional career highlights include the launch of the critically acclaimed series Omni for Humanoids, Doctor Strange: The Fate of Dreams, an original novel featuring Marvel’s Sorcerer Supreme, and USER—a highly personal three-part, creator-owned miniseries about gender identity and online role-playing, originally published by Vertigo and newly available as a collected edition hardcover through Image. Devin is also the creator of Yelena Belova, a Marvel character staring in the upcoming MCU Black Widow movie (played by Florence Pugh), Damien Darhk, a DC character now appearing regularly in CW’s Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow (played by Neal McDonough), and Catalina Flores, a DC character recently featured as the super-villain Tarantula in The Lego Batman Movie.

Frequently cited for compelling character development and nuanced exploration of complex themes, Devin’s work has been showcased in mainstream media such as USA Today and Working Woman as well as in alternative press such as The Village Voice, The Advocate, and Curve magazine. Over the years, she has written in several different media and genres, from comic books and novels to video game scripts and short essays. She is currently working on an original graphic novel for Berger Books.

Devin lives in Northern California with her husband, step-son, devoted Early Alert Canines Diabetic Alert Dog, and somewhat less devoted cat. Openly bisexual, she is a passionate advocate for the GLBTQ community, as well as being a committed environmentalist, and a public speaker for T1 Diabetes awareness and Diabetic Alert Dogs. She is always happy to take on a new challenge, especially if it involves making some new fictional friends.

Reviews

[Aurora · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first comic I ever remember reading. I ordered it through Scholastic Books and was sooo excited to get it. This was perhaps the 4th grade. It was originally published in 2003, when I was 10, so I could've got it around then.
This comic holds a special place in my heart, for which I give it 5 stars. It introduced me to comics/graphic novels (before then I was a novel-only kind of girl), and kickstarted my love for the x-men. Though this book touches on several main xmen figures, it's Kurt Wagners, aka Nightcrawler, whose story never left my mind. He's tortured by his blue skin, his tail, his 3 fingers, and how it sets him even more a part from his mutant peers. At public school, he uses a special device to appear white. If that all seems like a heavy subject to tackle in such a short time, it is. Yet I've never forgotten this story and perhaps, as a young back girl, I connected with it in ways I couldn't understand at the time.
Nightcrawler remains my favorite X-men (besides Storm), and it's criminal he's never truly gotten his day in court.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was dissapointed by this. I used to love the TV show when I was a kid but this graphic novel version doesn't live up to the show. It feels like it takes snippets from various episodes and tries to make a book out if it but there's no overarching narrative. It feels too piecemeal.
The change to a different style of animation for the last 'episode' of the book was also jarring.

The edition that I read also had a misprint early on, the word bubbles from one page were re-printed again several pages later in a completely different scene with different characters. Obviously, this isn't the fault of the author/ illustrator, it's a printing error but it was still annoying.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

X-Men: Evolution is one of my favorite cartoons, so I was excited to read this series. Thankfully these weren't repeats but complementary arcs instead.
The stories were cute but nothing ground-breaking. Even a casual fan could predict them. And the art was just ok. But the snappy dialogue and cute moments made this an entertaining read for me.


Issue 1: Professor X and Magneto are frenemies. Mystique skulks in the shadows in cahoots with Magneto. Professor X recruits Storm and amnesiac Wolverine, both of whom make an impression. The Institute is founded.
Issue 2: Features the Institute's first recruit - an optimistic Cyclops. My favorite version of Scott Summers. His interactions with Xavier and Wolverine are adorable.
Issue 3: Introducing over-powered and out-of-control Jean. Lovestruck Scott is adorable. Professor X's reaction is hilarious. Storm advises Jean on control. Scott and Jean team up to save their fellow passengers and Toad, who seems suicidal. I'm interested in how they treat this much darker storyline, which wasn't in the show. Also, Wolverine thinks Jean is beautiful and special when he first meets her, so I hope they are not doing the cannon love triangle.
Issue 4: Set after Kurt, Kitty, Evan and Rogue join the Institute, a look at Kurt's struggle with his appearance. Kurt and Kitty are friendship goals and Rogue's snark is on point.

[Kaotic · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Evolution series alqays bothered me because I get tired of them trying to make the characters "relatable" by putting them in high school. it doesn't work.

If a character is good then it will work on it's own.
The art also bothered me some.

We do get to see Nightcrawlers butt tho, so that's nice.

[Graham Barrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a kid, X-Men Evolution was my entry into the Marvel universe and superheroes. This comic is a fun spinoff of the show, explaining how Professor X of this universe founded the school.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

fun little nostalgic read, but nothing special. used to love this show as a kid

[Stacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the series (loved it, really - Rogue as a Goth, hee hee!), but rarely did I ever catch more than two back-to-back eps, so I couldn't really follow. I was going through my library co-op's holdings on "graphic novels" and this came up. It's good. It's just as good as watching the cartoon, I think. Plus, just watch the first meeting of Scott and Jean. You will laugh, I promise.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was devastated when the television series ended. Thankfully, I found these books which help alleviate some of the pain until the shock wore off and I could find a new addiction. They aren't "cannon" to the television series, but they have much the same feel.

[Kirsten · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is an entertaining read appropriate for the middle school set, but it's pretty much completely fluffy. Still, nice to have some X-Men comics I have no worries about giving to elementary and middle school kids.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute. It compliments the cartoon nicely.

[Prakash G · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story is yet to start right?

[Shawna Browning · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was super fun and I loved it.