8. They Have Fun
So many X-Men stories are rather self-serious, despite the absurdity of the main premise. This run deals with some very complex and important issues, but it does so with a sense of fun. A lot of this can be attributed to two characters, Kitty Pryde and Nightcrawler. Kitty was only a child of thirteen when she joined the X-Men. As such, she still played like a child; she tried making her own costumes, which were ridiculous. She attempted to flirt with Colossus, who she had a crush on. Her playful nature was somewhat infectious to the other members of the team. Nightcrawler, in contrast to his demonic appearance, is a very playful character; he often tickles his team-mates, or plays other tricks on them. He is a romantic and embraces the idea of being a hero like those of legend. During this run, the X-Men were more than just a group of mutants, of students or even of battle comrades; they were a family, and like all good families they spent time having fun.