Summary
ALF’sparodies of theX-Menare as over-the-top as the sitcom ever got; to this day, they remain as absurdly hilarious as they were at the time of their release. Along with its cult-favorite TV run in the late 1980s, NBC’sALFhad an ongoing comic series, released by Marvel Comics – something that gave its creative team the perfect opportunity to parody the publisher’s most famous franchise.
ALF#22 and #44 – written by Michael Gallagher, with art by Dave Manak – featured the series’extensiveX-Menparodies, each of which poked fun at Marvel’s mutants, at the peak of the franchise’s ascent to the top of Marvel’s depth chart under the auspices oflegendary writer Chris Claremont.
ALF’ssend-ups of the iconic ‘80sX-rosterare a frenetic mix of food-based puns, and comedically out-of-left-field free association.As intentionally silly as the jokes may have been, they also displayed the creative teams’ keen insight intoX-Menlore at the time.
ALForiginally aired on NBC for four seasons, from the fall of 1986 through early 1990. Marvel’sALFcomic series began publication in 1988 during the TV show’s run, and continued until February 1992 – meaning it outlasted the show, something the comic made frequent references to during its later issues.
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ALF Comics' X-Men Parodies Are Absurd – And That Makes Them Memorable
ALF#22 – Written By Micheal Gallagher; Art By Dave Manak; Ink By Marie Severin
The series’X-Menparodies are wild flights of fantasy, reimagining the franchise’s most famous mutants in a gleefully childish way.
Fans ofALFwill recognize the series' humor in the comic book version, except with the dial on absurdity cranked past eleven and then broken off. This was, of course, the benefit of transposingALFfrom television to comics; though conceived of in, and designed for, the TV medium, the confines of a sitcom set, and ALF’s nature as a puppet, necessarily limited the kind of stories the series could tell. Marvel’s ongoingALFseries, naturally, took advantage of the comic medium’s lack of restraints.
The series’X-Menparodies are wild flights of fantasy, reimagining the franchise’s most famous mutants in a gleefully childish way.ALF#22, first introduced to “Magmeato,” a Magneto-analogue who, as astute readers can likely infer, controls meat, rather than metal. The eponymous extraterrestrial then encounters “Professor Xylophone” and his “Uncanned X-Men.” Following the narrative rule of escalation – as important in comedy as in drama –each twist on a familiarX-Mencharacter is more ridiculous than the last.However, at the same time, the issue, and its sequelALF#44, feel very grounded in the formula ofX-Menstorytelling.
The team of parodies introduced are: Psych Major, a goof on Cyclops; Brogue, a Melmacian-version of Rogue, with some Banshee mixed in; Michigan Wolverine, perhaps the most blatantly silly; Hagen-Dazzler, perhaps the funniest of the food puns, precisely because it is a bit of a stretch; and Molossus,ALF’sequivalent of Piotor Rasputin.
As a humor-driven comic,ALFpacks a lot of jokes into a tight space; especially with direct references like itsX-homages, each panel overflows with visual and narrative references. Just as with the TV series,ALFcomics relied heavily on cultural reference points for its jokes. ParodyingX-Menwas a great way to do this more extensively than the television show was able, while also acknowledging the comic medium – and poking fun at another one of the series' publisher’s titles, something very apropos for ALF.
The “Uncanned X-Melmen” Were ALF Comics' Greatest Riff
ALF #44 – Written By Micheal Gallagher; Art By Dave Manak; Ink By Marie Severin
Anyone seeking a nostalgic glimpse into the landscape of late 1980s comics…will find a lot to enjoy upon revisiting Marvel’sALFseries, but itsX-Menparodies are without a doubt its greatest contribution to pop culture.
While theX-Menparody inALF#22 comprised just one of the issue’s several segments,ALF#44 returned to the concept for a full issue, offering further chapters in the tale of the “Uncanned X-Melmen.“The series' creative team extended their riff on Marvel’s mutants by adding characters like “Emma Defrost,” and “Nightcaller,” while lampooning theiconicDark Phoenix Sagaby recasting her as “Dark Kleenex.” As on-the-nose as the joke might feel, this was always part ofALF’scharm, and as it did consistently throughout its run theALFcomic series playfully elaborated on that tendency.
Anyone seeking a nostalgic glimpse into the landscape of late 1980s comics – and of course, fans ofALF’sTV run – will find a lot to enjoy upon revisiting Marvel’sALFseries, but itsX-Menparodies are without a doubt its greatest contribution to pop culture. The stories which hewed closer to the sitcom are an amusing window into the era, but there is something that elevates its take on theX-franchise.ALF’ssilly renderings of the ‘80sX-Menwere a reaction to the success of Marvel’s mutants, which grew steadily throughout the decade.
Starting in the 1970s, Marvel’s roster ofX-Menwriters salvaged what was an almost forgotten property from the previous decade, over time revitalizing it and turning it into the company’s most successful title. The publication of theALFcomic series coincided with thecontinued upward trajectory ofX-Men; the creative decision to offer an extended goof on the franchise makes it clear how ubiquitous theX-roster would have been in comic fans’ minds at the time. It also strongly indicates that the creative team behindALFwereX-Menfans themselves.
ALF’s X-Parodies Showcased Deep Knowledge Of The Franchise’s ’80s Lore
And Love For The Comic Medium
For modern readers,ALFand the series’X-Menparodies are a fascinating throwback to an iconic era in comic book, and pop culture, history.
There are, of course, just as many parodies born of affection as there are thosethat stem from derision. Which motivation underlies a particular parody is usually evident in how it treats its source material. In the case ofALF’sX-Menparodies, it seems clear that writer Michael Gallagher and artist David Manak were enthusiastic fans of what Chris Claremont and Marvel’s otherX-writers were doing in their work. The jokes inALF#22 and #44 are products of authors deeply familiar with the era’s contemporaryX-Menlore.
Of course,ALFwas a Marvel title, meaning the publisher would not have allowed an unwarranted, meanspirited attack on its top franchise, especially not from a comedy series, one which skewed toward a younger audience. Nevertheless, it is important to note thatALF’s X-Menparodies were crafted with affection.The parodies were specifically designed to offer benignly irreverent jokes in the patented vein ofALF, something at which they roundly succeeded. Beyond that, they were intended to bring further attention to theX-franchise, an intention that likely also paid some dividends.
It is fascinating, for instance, to consider the possibility of at least a fewALFreaders, during its original run, actually discoveringX-Menthrough the series' parodies. While that may only be conjecture, it speaks to the broader idea that fandom can arise from unexpected vectors –from a kid readingALF, to a teenager obsessed withX-Men. For modern readers,ALFand the series’X-Menparodies are a fascinating throwback to aniconic era in comic book, and pop culture, history.
X-Men
The X-Men franchise, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, centers on mutants with extraordinary abilities. Led by the powerful telepath Professor Charles Xavier, they battle discrimination and villainous mutants threatening humanity. The series explores themes of diversity and acceptance through a blend of action, drama, and complex characters, spanning comics, animated series, and blockbuster films.
