This is the Uncanny X-Men campaign box. For some reason it is billed as “special,” but I couldn’t tell you why. I would also like to open it up to the floor for explanations as to why there is an atomic bomb going off in the background. (I know the X-Men videogame Children of the Atom, and the 1953 sci-fi novel of the same name that prefigured Marvel’s mutants, but I don’t recall a clear connection between the X-Men and atomic weapons).  

Anyway. There are two main books here. The first is the roster, which gives you playable stats for the roughly 7 million X-characters (the box includes an amusing poster illustrating the major members of the various X-groups to help you keep them all straight). The second book is a sourcebook. Most of it is given over to the lengthy history of the mutants and their various factions. The real meat are the details on locations like the X-mansion, Madripoor and other X-locales from the comics. I am a sucker for maps.

The final book is a ridiculous adventure that pits the heroes against such terrifying villains as Arcade and Mandrill and culminates in a basketball game. I kid you not. One of the poster maps is a giant high school basketball court.

Side note: I really miss punk rock Storm.