The X-Men debuted in September 1963.
When they began, they were comprised of Angel, Beast, Cyclops, Iceman, and Marvel Girl.
Led by Professor Charles Xavier (Professor X), they were based out of Professor Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters in Westchester County, New York.
To tell the truth, back then I really wasn't that enamored with them. My real interest didnt start till 1969 when Roy Thomas and Neal Adams breathed new life into the book. I still am amazed at Adams artwork on the comic back then.
But of course the X-Men we all know and love today really wasn't kicked off until Len Wein and Dave Cockrum kicked it up a notch, actually a lot of notches, with Giant-Size X-Men #1 in 1975.
This gave us not only members of the old squad, but added Colossus, Nightcrawler, Storm, Thunderbird, Banshee, Sunfire and Wolverine.
Now readers not only got to watch characters develop in storylines because they were different from everyone else, but being from different cultures, they had to contend with being different from each other.
And of course we had the "breakout" star, Wolverine.
No matter what anyone else says, I still say that the team of Chris Claremont and John Byrne gave us the best X-Men stories. Their X-Men are the ones I still hold today as THE X-Men.
There werent tons of mutants all over the world, no one had their own books, Wolverine was still a mystery, there was only one team of mutants.
Of course the X-Men spawned their own succesful movie franchise and opened their world to more than just comic book readers.

I walked into this movie saying to myself "Please don't suck!" and it didn't.
Of course it wasn't the spandex clad heroes I grew up with. But it did feel like the X-Men.
The movie had been bounced around for awhile before finally ending up with director Bryan Singer.
And the cast was almost letter perfect.
Hugh Jackman as Logan / Wolverine, spot on. The only complaint I had was that he was too tall. I know that's minor, nothing really, but in the comics Wolverine is 5'3 and Hugh Jackman is 6' 2½". Like I said, minor point. Jackman quickly became Logan in my eyes.
Patrick Stewart as Professor Charles Xavier...please. Patrick Stewart looks like he was created to be Xavier. Even when he was on Star Trek: The Next Generation I saw it. Of course had the movie been made in the 60s I would have went with Yul Brynner. How cool would that have been?
Ian McKellen as Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto. This one I had a bit of a problem with. Sir Ian McKellen is a fantastic actor, no question. But Magneto? I saw Mags as younger, larger and more physically imposing. I guess from John Byrne's "Darth Magneto" look.
Anna Paquin as Marie / Rogue. Again, a bit of a problem for me. She wasn't the curvy, flirtatious, drop dead (hehehe) gorgeous Southern Belle that the X-Men cartoon gave me as an imprint. I really missed the "Sugah, you look scareder than a long tailed cat in a room full of rockin' chairs" Rogue.
Famke Janssen as Jean Grey, couldn't ask for better. Compasinate but still strong. And lurking inside her is the Dark Phoenix.
James Marsden as Scott Summers / Cyclops. Marsden played Cyclops. Led the team, didnt like Logan, loved Jean, he had it down.
Halle Berry as Ororo Munroe / Storm. Another problem (and yes I really did like the movie). I dont think she was a good choice for the regal Storm. Then again it may be because I'm the one person in the world not floored by Halle Berry.
Rebecca Romijn-Stamos as Mystique. Not the comic book version by a long shot. But I still liked her take on the character. I might have rather seen the one in the comics though.
Shawn Ashmore as Bobby Drake / Iceman. Again altered but still pretty much the same character.

My favorite part of the movie was actually the fight scene near the beginning with Logan and Sabretooth. The snow, the woods, the quiet. I don't know why that part got me like it did but I loved it.

As far as Box Office goes, the movie took in a worldwide total of $296.3 million. And along with Blade, it set the scene for more comic book movies to roll out.

"Okay fellas, we set it up in the first one, lets knock it outta the park."
And to me, they did.
Directed again by Bryan Singer and keeping the original cast, I think they hit their stride here.
Alan Cumming as Kurt Wagner / Nightcrawler...wow. He was the "Fuzzy Blue Elf" brought to life. And watching the beginning, you realize just how dangerous Nightcrawler is in combat. I got new respect for his skills.
Kelly Hu as Yuriko Oyama / Lady Deathstrike. Hot and deadly. Her fight with Logan was fantastic.
Brian Cox as Colonel William Stryker. He really made me hate Stryker. So great job.
And great cameos.....
Colossus, I geeked out seeing the Russian on the screen...pure and simple.
Kitty Pryde, Artie, Jubilee, Siryn just added to the geek out.
The things left out would have elevated the movie even farther to me though.
Sentinels, the Danger Room and Gambit were all cut out.
And this film blew the doors off the original at the box office, pulling in over $407 million worldwide.
And besides all that, this movie got an honor that would make Professor Xavier proud.
The Political Film Society Award for human rights is given out each year to a film that deals with struggle for human rights in both fictional and non-fictional stories and they nominated X2 in the categories of Human Rights and Peace.

The third and final X-Men movie (until they decide to reboot the series that is) was X-Men: The Last Stand.
This one added the inspired casting of Kelsey Grammer as Dr. Hank McCoy / Beast.
I thought that was great.
You also got British "Hard Man"Vinnie Jones as Cain Marko / Juggernaut.
And we also got Ben Foster as Warren Worthington III / Angel.
But alas, no Nightcrawler.
And we did get to see the "Fastball Special".
Despite so-so reactions from critics and even fans, X-Men: The Last Stand pulled in over $459 million worldwide.
I think the movie was good, but it seemed to lack something.
Maybe I just liked X2 so much.

UPDATE:
It looks like now that the X-Men Origins: Magneto film is on the back burner.
Right now they seem to be focusing more on the Wolverine sequel (They learned nothing from Ghost Rider) Deadpool and X-Men: First Class.

Out of all of them X-Men: First Class interests me the most.
I have heard rumors that they want to set it up "Harry Potter" style with the mutants coming in and going to school.
I have even heard that they are looking at casting child actors.
How young will they be?
If pulled off right, First Class could lead to a very successful franchise.
Will they use the original team though like they should?
Or will they add in Wolverine for star power?
The idea of an angsty teenage Wolvie ala Twilight....great, now I'll have nightmares.

Wolverine 2 will reportedly follow the storyline from the Chris Claremont and Frank Miller comic book run.
Maybe 2 will be better that 1.
It could happen.

And after Ryan Reynolds finishes playing Green Lantern, he's looking at Wade Wilson, aka Deadpool.
I have heard rumors that the Deadpool character in the movie may break the fourth wall and actually speak to the audience during the movie kinda like in the comics.
There is also a possibility that Cable may show up in the movie.