Philately X: What and who is part of Royal Mail’s tribute to 60 years of ‘X-Men’

The X-Men reach a milestone in 2023. This year marks 60 years since Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s mutants arrived in the pages of Uncanny X-Men #1. 

In X-Men terms, that’s a Diamond Jubilee, and to mark the anniversary, the UK’s Royal Mail is producing a series of stamps paying tribute to Marvel’s children of the atom.  

It’s not the first time the Royal Mail has put its stamp on superheroes. In 2019, the postal service paid tribute to Marvel Comics with stamps featuring Hulk, Doctor Strange, Thor, Black Panther, and Captain Marvel. The British side was kept up by Peggy Carter, Union Jack, and Captain Britain. Unsurprisingly, there was a distinct nod to the climax of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Infinity Saga, with Thanos present and correct too.

Two years later, the DC collection split the stamps in two, honoring Gotham City heroes and villains in individual stamps and the Justice League in a mini sheet.

In 2023, it’s the turn of Xavier’s School for the Gifted, and where would they be without their superpowered enemies?

Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters

The main stamp set pays tribute to the X-Men with action portraits of 12 heroic mutants. Of course, original team members Professor X, Jean Grey, Cyclops, Angel, Iceman, and Beast are there. Joining them are fan favorites Kitty Pryde, Colossus, Jubilee, Rogue, Storm, and Wolverine. The art has been created specially by British artist Mike McKone, who’s worked on  Justice League of America, Teen Titans, Punisher War Zone, and Fantastic Four.

If you’re wondering about the denomination, the 12-set is split into UK First and Second Class stamps. Fittingly, the First Class goes to:

• Wolverine
• JeanGrey
• Iceman
• Storm
• Beast
• Rogue 

The Brotherhood of Evil 

The collection’s second part is a miniature sheet comprising a scene of five legendary and intimidating enemies. The villains Juggernaut, Mystique, and Sabretooth earn stamps perforated into the miniature sheet. It’s a bit unfair to feature Emma Frost in the rogue’s line-up, as startling as she is, but it’s good to see the White Queen, who can transform herself into diamond, taking part in the anniversary. Most of these villains have had good patches, including the mutant you expect to be front and center on the malevolent miniature sheet: Master of Magnetism, Magneto. 

These self-adhesive stamps are all First Class, except Magneto. The Omega-level mutant is a mighty £1.85 value, the mark of a UK stamp designated for 100g letters. The villains are all drawn by Lee Garbett, a British artist whose work has been showcased mainly by DC, including The Outsiders, Batgirl, Final Crisis, and The Return of Bruce Wayne.

All stamps can be picked up individually or as part of mini stamp sets, presentation packs, collector sheets, and some specially produced merchandise.

Stamp sets superior

Royal Mail is offering a range of collectible specials to show off their latest comic book stamps.  These include the option of specially postmarked First Day covers — either a Tallents House hand stamp marking 60 years of the comic book phenomenon or a classic X-logo referencing the Muir of Ord, which inspired Muir Island in X-Men lore.

• First Day Cover
• First Day Cover Miniature Sheet
• First Day Cover Envelope
• Prestige First Day Cover

As you might expect, anyone wanting to secure a First Day cover must get their orders in before the stamps are issued on February 16.

Other sets available to celebrate mutant mail are:

• Mini stamp set
• Stamp pack
• Miniature sheet
• Miniature sheet pack 
• Heroes collectors sheet
• Presentation pack
• Prestige stamp book
• Framed stamp
• Framed collectors sheet
• Framed Wolverine print
• Stamp sheet bundle
• Stamp bundle
• Stamp souvenir (non-personalized First Day cover)
• Stamp sheet souvenir (non-personalized miniature sheet)
• First Class stamps pack
• Second Class stamps pack
• Set of 18 postcards
• Full First Class sheet
• Half First Class sheet
• Full Second Class sheet
• Half Second Class sheet

Wolverine is the only mutant to earn a framed print, showcasing the Canadian antihero’s stamp portrait at 43.5cm square. 

The highest profile collectibles are limited edition — fans will have to be Quicksilver fast to get their hands on these:

• Villains Press Sheet (2000 editions only)
• Prestige Stamp Book (1963)
• Wolverine Fan Sheet (5000)
• Jean Grey Fan Sheet (5000)
• Framed Wolverine Fan Sheet (250)
• Wolverine Stamp Ingot (5000)
• Professor X Stamp Ingot (5000)
• Professor X Medal Cover (5000)
• Magneto Medal Cover (5000)
• Framed stamp set signed by Mike McKone (200 editions)

Our picks from the impressive spread are the fan sheets which replicate classic X-Men covers starring Wolverine and Jean Grey and their respective stamps.

Fans will also struggle to resist the limited-edition magneto Medal Cover which features the villains miniature sheet, a specially designed postmark, and a silver-plated Magneto medal set in a numbered envelope. It’s matched with a Professor X Medal Cover featuring the complete set of X-Men stamps.

Royal Mail’s X-Men stamps will be released on Feb. 16, 2023.