X-Men (film series) films and plot points that are conveniently ignored in later films. He also criticized 20th Century Fox for not mapping out the series from the beginning. Richard George of IGN stated that the success of the first "X-Men" film paved the way for comic-book film adaptations such as the "Spider-Man" series, "Fantastic Four" (2005), "V for Vendetta" and Singer's "Superman Returns". Chris Hewitt of "Empire" magazine called the first "X-Men" film as the "catalyst" for films based on Marvel Comics characters, stating "Singer's 2000 film is the catalyst for everything that's come since, good and bad. Without it, there's no
World War Hulk: X-Men that he endured in interplanetary exile and is humbled. Xavier admits that he wouldn't have agreed to shoot the Hulk into space permanently, but would've sent him there while the Illuminati searched for a cure. Acknowledging this as well as other mistakes that have hurt his X-Men in the past, Xavier surrenders to the Hulk willingly, but the gathered Astonishing X-Men refuse to give him up without a fight. A second fight breaks out with Cyclops, Emma Frost, Wolverine, Beast, Shadowcat, Colossus and Lockheed against the Hulk. Again like in the previous issue Hulk defeats each member of the team.