X-Men: Children of the Atom

In 2001, Marvel explored the X-Men's early days with this one-shot special, written and illustrated by Steve Rude. The story focuses on the teenage Iceman and his first encounters with the emerging mutant world, offering a fresh, character-driven perspective on a familiar era. While brief, the issue stands out for Rude's distinctive, clean-lined artwork and its quiet, human-scale take on the X-Men mythos.