First appearing in 1963 The Uncanny XMen had a rough start lasting until 1970 when the comic book was canceled due to low sales. Following a relaunch in 1975 however it found new popularity thanks to intricate scripting by Chris Claremont and the artwork of John Byrne. Within a few years The Uncanny XMen was one of Marvel Comicsamprsquo bestselling series and over the decades it became one of the most successful and popular franchises in comic book history. Spinoff titles miniseries multimedia adaptations and a massively expanded cast of characters followed. One of the reasons for the success of XMen is its powerful ampldquomutant metaphoramprdquo which enhances the stories with cultural significance and the exploration of themes such as societal prejudice and discrimination.In XMen and the Mutant Metaphor Race and Gender in the Comic Books Joseph J. Darowski thoroughly analyzes The Uncanny XMen providing its historical background and dividing the longrunning series into distinct eras. Each chapter examines the creators and general plot lines followed by a closer analysis of the principal characters and key stories. The final chapter explores the literal use of race and gender rather than the metaphorical or thematic ways such issues have been addressed. This analysis includes insights gained from interviews with several comic book creators and dozens of illustrations from the comic book series. Of particular significance are statistics that track the race and gender of every XMen hero villain and supporting character. By delving into the historical background of the series and closely examining characters and stories XMen and the Mutant Metaphor illuminates an important popular culture phenomenon.