“Mystique” collection features “X-Men First Class” character, spy elements

The X-Men go back to the 1960s — the decade they were invented — with “X-Men: First Class,” the latest film from director Matthew Vaughn (“Stardust.”)

“The best way of describing it is X-Men meets Bond, with a little bit of Thirteen Days thrown in for good measure,” Vaughn told Entertainment Weekly. “It’s set in the ’60s, and I basically molded a young Magneto on a young Sean Connery. He’s the ultimate spy — imagine Bond, but with superpowers.”

To follow up on the theme of mutants as spies, and get deeper into one of the film’s characters, Marvel is releasing two collections of its popular “Mystique” character this summer. Played by Jennifer Lawrence in the film, Mystique is a beautiful blue mutant who can shape-shift, making her a near-perfect spy.

Brian K. Vaughan (“Y: The Last Man,” “Lost”) explored the concept of Mystique working as a secret agent for

Vaughan approached Mystique not as a villain, but as a conflicted potential hero, pursuing what she sees as civil rights for the mutant race. With fast-paced espionage, “Mystique” should appeal to viewers who like the James Bond elements of “X-Men: First Class.”