X-Men: Misfits is an OEL Manga and a reimagining of Marvel Comics X-Men. The manga was written by Dave Roman and Raina Telgemeier, featuring art by Anzu. Published in 2009, it is owned by both Del Rey Manga and Marvel. The plot revolves around Kitty Pryde adjusting to her own mutation and new school specifically created for mutants, Xavier's Academy for Gifted Youngsters. But there's a twist- she's the only girl at the school.
Of course, this leads to Kitty being the subject of much male attention, and she struggles to find her place until she is invited to join a group of elite students, the Hellfire Club, and learns to reconcile with her mutation.
The sequel manga was cancelled due to licensing issues.
This manga contains examples of:
- Abled in the Adaptation: Unlike most versions of the character, Professor X's legs work just fine. He gets trapped under rubble during the climax, with the implication that this is what's going to put him in the classic wheelchair.
- Adaptational Dumbass: In the mainline comics Kitty was a Teen Genius, but here she's unable to understand basic geometry, or manage to work her powers properly after weeks of training.
- Adaptational Heroism: Several X-Men foes are presented in a more neutral or heroic light; for example, Magneto is a teacher at Xavier's and serves as a mentor to Kitty.
- Adaptation Personality Change: Several characters here have radically different personalities than they did in the original comics. The most notable change was applied to Bobby Drake/Iceman, who goes from an easy-going goofball to The Stoic.
- Age Lift: Much of the adult X-Men cast is turned into teenagers here.
- All of the Other Reindeer: Kitty was bullied at her old school for being a mutant.
- Ambiguously Gay: Not only could he legitimately pass for a girl, Longshot is only interested in giving Kitty fashion tips, and he dresses in a fur-trimmed zebra-stripe flaring trenchcoat with a leopard-print fedora, as seen here.
- Animal Motif: Unsurprisingly, Kitty Pryde is heavily associated with cats; she has several cat-themed items and is occasionally drawn as a Cat Girl.
- The Beautiful Elite: The Hellfire Club consists of some of the prettiest and most powerful boys at Xavier's.
- Canon Foreigner: Kitty has two sisters in this comic who never appeared in the original comics. Not that it matters much, since they appear for all of one scene.
- Cast Full of Pretty Boys: Every teenage boy seen in the comic is ridiculously pretty, even if they weren't in the original comics.
- Cat Girl: Presumably as a pun on her name, the comic occasionally shows Kitty turning into one when she expresses strong emotions.
- Chickification: Kitty Pryde in canon was a genius and powerful hero in her own right. This version of Kitty acts like your typical shoujo protagonist, and far less badass as a result.
- Crazy Jealous Guy: After they start dating, Pyro becomes jealous whenever Kitty interacts with other boys — which, since there's otherwise nothing but boys in the school, becomes a problem pretty quickly. Hypocritically, he doesn't seem to mind when Havok harasses Kitty, excusing his actions by saying he's only playing around.
- Do Not Call Me "Paul": Magneto and the students of the Hellfire Club prefer to be called by their codenames rather than their real names, and correct anyone who does so.
- Dude Magnet: A lot of the male characters have crushes on Kitty, a side-effect of her being the first female student at Xavier's in years.
- Expy: The comic's version of the Hellfire Club is pretty obviously based on the Ouran High School Host Club.
- Fantastic Racism: Naturally, mutants are discriminated against by humans; Kitty gets bullied for being one at her old school, and the climax happens when the Hellfire Club gets in a fight with some anti-mutant protestors.
- Fire/Ice Duo: Pyro has fire powers, Bobby has ice powers, and they're both interested in Kitty.
- The Ghost: Jean Grey is apparently a teacher at Xavier's, but we never see her outside of a photograph; apparently, she's on leave.
- Love Triangle: Both Pyro and Bobby are interested in Kitty, though we don't learn about the latter's affections towards her until the end of the novel.
- Make Way for the Princess: Gender-flipped; Angel makes his first appearance descending a staircase after Forge tells everyone to clear the floor.
- Mythology Gag: When asked by Magneto if she has a new name for herself yet, Kitty thinks over the list she made — two of them, Ariel and Sprite, were codenames she went by in the comics.
- No Name Given: Gambit makes a few appearances in the comic, but he goes unnamed.
- One-Gender School: Downplayed with Xavier's Academy, before Kitty arrives. But it's not specifically for boys; for no given reason, Kitty just so happens to be the first female mutant to attend in half a decade.
- Power Incontinence:
- Kitty has trouble controlling her powers at first, though she gets a better handle over them when she goes to Xavier's.
- Havok ends up losing control of his powers during the New York trip, sending himself and Professor Xavier to the hospital in the aftermath.
- Race Lift: Quicksilver, normally white in the comics, is depicted with dark skin here.
- Scholarship Student: Kitty ends up getting a scholarship to Xavier's due to her powers, though she's confused as to why since her grades are fairly average.
- Sibling Rivalry: Scott and Havok have a pretty fierce one, with the former's prickly attitude clashing with the latter's more carefree one.
- Toxic Friend Influence: The Hellfire Club serves as one to Kitty, trying to get her to follow their "mutant superiority" attitude and ignore her studies. Eventually she realizes they're bad news and tries to distance herself from them, and ultimately splits off from them entirely after the fight at the park.
- Unwanted Harem: Kitty is overwhelmed by the male attention she receives at Xavier's, often feeling like an exotic pet rather than a person as a result.
