Warning! This article contains spoilers for X-Cellent #1
Marvel Comics’ newest off-shoot X-Men team made its explosive debut in the pages of X-Cellent #1, but while X-Cellent’s adventures take place within the Marvel Universe, it seems like it would feel much more at home in the world of The Boys. The Boys is known for its graphic violence and dark take on superheroes, depicting them as self-centered celebrities with no regard for anyone’s safety and who will satisfy any passing desire no matter how it may impact others. The mutants on two separate teams within the X-Cellent book, including and especially the titular team itself, would be much better suited to exist in The Boys universe along with the dangerously selfish and egotistical celebrity supes The Boys is famous for.
In X-Cellent #1 by Peter Milligan and Michael Allred, the already-established X-Men-adjacent team the X-Statix have an all-new cast of characters who are primarily used to making superhero T.V. shows rather than actually going out and being superheroes. The former leader of the X-Statix, Zeitgeist, somehow came back to life after being killed off during an event known as the ‘Boyz R Us Massacre’ and formed a new team of superhero mutants known as X-Cellent. On the surface, these teams seem harmless enough as they don’t interfere in actual important missions and basically only care about being celebrities. However, once fans take a deeper dive into what goes on beneath the surface, it becomes clear why these X-Men teams belong in The Boys universe.
The issue opens with the new X-Statix team filming an action sequence for a T.V. show. The phoniness of their heroic actions are immediately clear once the director yells "cut" and the heroes start verbally tearing each other down by calling out each other's insecurities and shortcomings while also making it clear that they are only there for fame and money. While the X-Statix are as egotistical as the supes in The Boys, the X-Cellent prove to be just as cruel and heartless. In the X-Cellent’s compound, Zeitgeist has hired a number of scientists to work on a project that involves growing their own mutants. When the scientists admit that the progress is slow on their first attempt at growing a mutant, Zeitgeist uses his acid spit powers to spray the lead scientist in the face then immediately names his replacement. The selfishness and cruelty exhibited by the two X-Men teams in this book prove that they would be right at home alongside The Seven in The Boys.
Not only are the mutants in these off-shoot X-Men teams seemingly pulled straight from The Boys, but the issue itself would be a worthy spin-off addition to the comic series. Other than the overall villainous nature of its super-powered characters, The Boys is also known for the graphic nature of its comic series, and this issue of X-Cellent has a few intense moments. In the opening pages, Zeitgeist’s supposed death is splayed out for fans to see, depicting the hero cut in half with his guts spilling out all over the ground. Skip ahead to the final page and one of the X-Statix’s heroes has a hole shot through his stomach and his entrails are clearly visible as he suffers from the graphically life-threatening wound.
The X-Statix are a group of self-centered heroes whose desire for fame and fortune acts as their only motivation for being superheroes in the first place. While some of the same characteristics are shared by the X-Cellent, they are also immensely cruel and villainous while masquerading as heroes with their leader, Zeitgeist, reminiscent of The Boys’ Homelander in his level of flippant cruelty and overly controlling nature. From the characteristics of the heroes to the graphic elements within the book itself, Marvel’s new X-Men team proves that they belong in The Boys’ universe.