5 X-Men we miss

Yes, Amanda Sefton was a member of the Muir Isle X-Men.
Counter Clockwise from left to right: Banshee, Legion, Amanda Sefton, Forge,
Moira MacTaggert, Polaris and Sunder (That's not Strong guy)

Presenting 5 X-Men that we've come to sorely miss in the comic books. 

One of the problems of a major comic-book franchise is that readers tend to gravitate towards the more popular characters: Magneto, Beast, Cyclops, Storm, Rogue, Kitty Pryde and of course Wolverine. By our count there are 173 characters who have worn Xavier's X on their costumes - this includes the non-mutants who have been a part of the team (And Deadpool).

There is simply no way that Marvel can cram all those mutants into one comic book - which is probably why they currently have four X-titles (All New, Extraordinary, Uncanny and the now cancelled '92), two Wolverine comics (All New and Old Man) and three Deadpool comic books. 

Still simply no room for 193 mutants and supporters of the school Xavier built  - and Marvel is not done making more mutant babies. 

So here're are five X-Men that some people might not even remember, who we wish we could still read about today.

MORE AFTER THE JUMP

1) LIFEGUARD: There's an actual webpage out there that describes the abilities of Heather Cameron AKA Lifeguard, as being similar to those of the 2nd team of X-Men's Dawrin (Armando Munoz). We think it should be the other way around since Lifeguard was created by Chris Claremont and Salvador Larroca for  the  X-Treme X-Menin 2001, while Darwin was retconned into the history of the X-Men via X-Men Deadly Genesis in 2006 (He's just more popular because he was in the movies). 

Both Lifeguard and Darwin share the mutant ability to adapt or survive. However Darwin's powers were more reactive than Lifeguard's - who could summon wings if she needed to fly (She did not have to be thrown into the air to grow them). 

Marvel did not bother to pursue the idea that Lifeguard and her brother Slipstream were the children of Deathbird - which would make her royalty to the Shi-ar. The last time we saw her her Shi'ar genome had come to full bear and her natural form was now more that of a golden skinned part bird-of-prey/part human and part Shi-ar.person. Her brother so appalled by her appearance that he took off. She left the X-Men in the company of the Indian (Not American Indian) X-Man Thunderbird, who had developed feelings for her, in a quest to find her brother.

The last time she made an appearance was with Dazzler's street team during the Schism conflict in Utopia. 

Banshee

2) BANSHEE: Sean Cassidy was created for the X-Men all the way back in 1967 by Roy Thomas and Werner Roth. He was killed ten years ago during the X-Men Deadly Genesis storyline by Vulcan - the retconned brother of Cyclops and Havok - when (Not having fully healed enough to have full use of his powers) he tried to stop an X-Men Blackbird from crashing into a airliner filled with passengers.

I'm baaaaccckkkk!!!!

If you've ever played the Marvel Role Playing game in the 80s, then you'd discover that Banshee's sonic scream made him one of the most powerful X-Men ever made. While his scream was nowhere near the level of Black Bolt, it was stronger than any lightning bolt that Storm could throw and on par with a punch from Colossus (Pre Mutant Massacre). And we always thought he looked coo in the yellow-blue-and black of Xavier's school.

Recently Banshee was resurrected with a Death Seed by the Apocalypse twins - yes that's a thing - to serve as a Horseman of Death. Following their defeat he remains a prisoner of the Avengers. Why this has no real impact yet o the X-Men is beyond us. We hope he does return to full duty with the X-Men soon.

3) BLINK: Now that the Marvel Universes have combined, we think it's safe to say that Clarice Ferguson, AKA Blink is the last survivor of the Age of Apocalypse Universe. When she was created by Scott Lobdell ad Joe Madureira for the Uncanny X-Men all the way back in 1994, we immediately saw the appeal: Elfin features, lilac skin, legs that go on forever. What's not to like? Plus she can fight. She was trained by Sabertooth from birth, and was brave enough to go toe-to-toe against Holocaust, the son of Apocalyse himself.

It has been postulated that her unique genetic features - skin and facial markings - actually indicate that Blink is a descendant of Apocalypse.

We were happy when the Utopia New Mutants tracked her down and added her to their roster. Unfortunately, after the series ended and the team was blown to the four winds following the X-Men Schism, Blink disappeared again.

Generation X: Chamber stands alone

4) Chamber: Speaking of descendants of Apocalypse, Jonothon "Jono" Evan Starsmore AKA Chamber was rebuilt by Clan Akkaba into the image of Apocalypse. Created by Scott Lobdell and Chris Bachalo for Generation X back in 1994, Chamber is an omega-level psionic being who destroyed most of his body when his powers first manifested - so technically he's occupying a dead husk. How he survived without half his face, all of his chest and most of his middle to lower organs following his depowering on M-Day, is beyond us. 

Chamber - Age of Apocalypse

Chamber has limited telepathic abilities - which allows him to communicate with people, not read their minds - and manifests his powers through flaming bolts of psionic energy. He is also capable of recreating his body - albeit already missing most of it - should he go overboard. When a fellow member of Generation X, Synch, "synched" to his powers, Synch was able to fly. Chamber, to this day, has not manifested such an ability. - probably due to the fact that he's withdrawn and moody - you'd be too if you were missing half your face and chest. 

Personally we think he should just drop the body.

He was last seen at Wolverine's Jean Grey School for Gifted Youngsters teaching young mutants how to deal with physical change. 

His Age of Apocalypse version fared better than he did. His power only blew a hole in his chest. He has to wear a special containment suit however. How exactly a being of psionic energy was killed is also beyond us.

5) Joanna Cargill - Frenzy: Frenzy was created by Bob Layton and Keith Pollard for X-Factor back in 1986. Frenzy was a long-standing X-Men villain who was super-strong, nigh-indestructible and possessed of a determination and will that screamed "I will kill you or die trying!" She first served with the X-Men when Jean Grey mind-controlled her to become a member of an ad-hoc X-Men team that went to battle Magneto in Genosha. Later on though, following the events of the Dark Reign storyline, she found herself on the island of Utopia where she rallied behind Cyclops in its defense when it was attacked by Nimrods.

After that Legion recreated the world into one where the X-Men never existed. The mutants found themselves in the defense of Fortress X - the last bastion of mutantkind - where Joanna was married to Cyclops (Basilisk). When the 616 universe was restored, Joanna retained the memories of when she was a hero, but also retained the memories of her life with Cyclops. Cyclops unfortunately rejected her and suggested that she have her mind-wiped of the memories.

She refused and demanded to become an X-Man. Rogue took her into her team.

When the Schism happened, Frenzy left with Wolverine to be as far away as she could from Cyclops and Emma Frost.

Frenzy continued to serve as an X-Man with distinction.

But disappeared soon after.

Sad.