Amazon.com Book Description (ISBN 078510805X, Paperback)

Professor Charles Xavier knew he needed a way to combat the growing prejudice against mutants. As more and more mutants were identified, so too did the fear of the unknown heighten. Unlike his colleague Magneto, Xavier thought mankind could be taught to embrace the future and he opened a school to train them.

This story recounts that first year as Xavier cajoles and befriends the shy Scott Summers, beautiful Jean Grey, angry Warren Worthington III, confused Bobby Drake and feared Hank McCoy. Before he could make them comfortable enough to begin training them to harness their gifts, Xavier first has to become a part of their lives which puts him and them in danger. The threats come from the schoolyard and from the home and highlight how dangerous it has become to be born with any differences whatsoever.

Along the way, the five students have to find common ground to bond and become first classmates, then friends, and finally, teammates as the X-Men. In this emotionally gripping story, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's creations are seen through a modern-day point of view courtesy of writer Joe Casey (Uncanny X-Men, Superman) and artists Steve Rude (Spider-Man: Lifelines, Nexus), Paul Smith (Uncanny X-Men), and Essad Ribic (Brotherhood).