The definitive, chronological, and up-to-date guide on collecting the original Chris Claremont era of X-Men comic books via omnibuses and trade paperback graphic novels. A part of Crushing Krisis’s Collecting X-Men: A Definitive Guide.Last updated April 2016 with titles scheduled for release through December 2016.
Uncanny X-Men #94 – 280: The Claremont Era (1975 – 1991)
X-Men did not officially become Uncanny X-Men until issue #142. However, the cover bore the “Uncanny” adjective starting with #114. Ultimately, many fans and comics resources refer to the entire relaunch from issue #94 forward as Uncanny X-Men – a convention Marvel upholds with the titling of their Marvel Masterworks reprints.
This era is indisputable as the most classic era of X-Men, as well as generally considered as one of the best comic runs of all time. The vast majority of thematic material later expressed in other forms of X-Men media including films, games, and toys originated in this run.
It all begins in 1975 with Len Wein and Dave Cockrum on Giant Size X-Men, which introduced well-known characters such as Wolverine, Storm, Colossus, and Nightcrawler. Chris Claremont took over writing duties just a few issues later. Under his pen, the trio of Wolverine, Storm, and Colossus would persist throughout a historic 16-year run that saw X-Men go from a marginal book returned from cancellation to the most-popular comic in America.
The latter half of Chris Claremont’s landmark run on Uncanny X-Men begins with Storm usurping leadership of the team from Cyclops, who leaves the team for X-Factor. That means none of the original five X-Men star in this period of the book. Storm, Wolverine, and Colossus have seniority, and the team features some lesser-known characters such as Longshot, Dazzler, and original-body Psylocke, while introducing Jubilee, assassin-body Psylocke, and Gambit.
That period bears a distinctly more dark and rebellious tone, with 21 issues passing with no X-Men team in existence! It also introduces the idea of both X-book and Marvel-wide crossovers with Mutant Massacre, Fall of the Mutants, Inferno, and X-Tinction Agenda.
This is Marvel’s most-collected run of comic books, which is both a blessing and a source of great confusion. There are a few specific formats of books that cover large portions of this title, and I’ll cover those first – Essentials, Epics, Masterworks, and Omnibuses.
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- Essentials: Affordable black & white sequential collections
- Epic Collections: Trade paperback gapless collections released in random order
- Marvel Masterworks: Premium-format color sequential collections
- Omnibus & Oversize Hardcovers: Massive, collector-edition tomes with oversize pages
Then, I will break down this era into several periods, including:
- Giant Size & #94-142: The Rise & Fall of Phoenix
- #143-198: The New Mutants
- #199-227: Fall of the Mutants
- #228-269: Through the Siege Perilous
- #265-280 & X-Men #1-3: X-Tinction & Reunification
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X-Men Essentials
Marvel Essentials are phone-book-sized collections of issues printed in black and white on thin paper. They’re a great way to read classic comics on a budget, and to experience the original pencils and inks of revered comic artists!
Giant-Sized & #94-119: Essential X-Men, Vol. 1 (b&w) (ISBN 0785123768)
Also available in a 2008 edition with slightly different cover.
#120-144: Essential X-Men, Vol. 2 (b&w) (ISBN 0785120076)
#145-161: Essential X-Men, Vol. 3 (b&w) (ISBN 0785143661)
Also includes Annuals #3-5. Previously available as ISBN 0785106618.
#162-179: Essential X-Men, Vol. 4 (b&w) (ISBN 0785122958)
Also includes Annual #6 and God Loves, Man Kills.
#180-198: Essential X-Men, Vol. 5 (b&w) (ISBN 0785126929)
Also includes Annuals #7-8.
#199-213: Essential X-Men, Vol. 6 (b&w) (ISBN 078511727X)
Also collects New Mutants Special Edition #1, X-Men Annual #9, X-Factor #9-10, New Mutants #46, Thor #373-374, and Power Pack #27 (effectively, all key Mutant Massacre issues).
#214-228: Essential X-Men, Vol. 7 (b&w) (ISBN 0785120556)
Also collects Annuals #10-11; Fantastic Four Vs. The X-Men #1-4.
#229-243: Essential X-Men, Vol. 8 (b&w) (ISBN 0785127631)
Also collects Annual #12-13 & the core of Inferno in X-Factor #36-39.
#244-264: Essential X-Men, Vol. 9 (b&w) (ISBN 0785130799)
Also collects Annual #13.
#265-272: Essential X-Men, Vol. 10 (b&w) (ISBN 0785163247)
Also collects the entirety of the X-Tinction Agenda & Days of Future Past crossovers: Uncanny X-Men 270-272, Annual 14; Fantastic Four Annual 23; New Mutants 95-97, material from Annual 6; & X-Factor 60-62, material from Annual 5.
#273-280: Essential X-Men, Vol. 11 (b&w) (ISBN 078516684X)
Collects Uncanny X-Men (1963) 273-280, X-Men Annual (1970) 15, X-Factor (1986) 69-70, X-Men (1991) 1-3; material from X-Factor Annual 6, New Mutants Annual 7.
Epic Collections
Marvel Epic collections give you quality reprints on a budget, featuring hundreds of pages of full color comics on matte paper stock. The series is being released out-of-order, so you never know which volume will come next!
Unlike X-Men Essentials and Masterworks, The X-Men Epic collections continue their numbering from the four volumes that cover the classic 1963 X-Men series.
#94-110: Volume 5: Second Genesis
Collects Giant-Size X-Men (1975) #1, X-Men (1963) #94- 110, Marvel Team-Up (1972) #53 & 69-70 & Annual (1976) 1, Iron Fist (1975) #14-15, and material from Foom (1973) #10
#111-188: Volumes 6-11 have yet to be announced
#189-198: Volume 12: The Gift
Also collects X-Men and Alpha Flight (1985) #1-2 and the previously uncollected Nightcrawler (1985) #1-4
#199-280: Volumes 13 and up have yet to be announced
Marvel Masterworks
Marvel Masterworks editions are high quality, full color reproductions of original issues. The volumes were originally released as hardcovers, with many now out of print.
The same print sequence of books is now being released as paperbacks through the end of 2014, at which point the paperback line was ceased. If you decide to buy hardcovers, the newest editions are 2003 or newer, with silver dustjackets.
Giant-Sized & #94-100: The Uncanny X-Men: Vol. 1
hardcover 
(ISBN 0785111921) / paperback (ISBN 0785137025)
#101-110: The Uncanny X-Men: Vol. 2
hardcover (ISBN 078511193X) / paperback (ISBN 0785137041)
#111-121: The Uncanny X-Men: Vol. 3
hardcover (ISBN 0785111948) / paperback (ISBN 0785145702)
#122-131 & Annual #3: The Uncanny X-Men: Vol. 4
hardcover (ISBN 0785131965 & 0785116303) / paperback (ISBN 0785158693)
#132-140 & Annual #4: The Uncanny X-Men: Vol. 5
hardcover (ISBN 0785116982)/ paperback (ISBN 0785158723)
Also collects Bizarre Adventures #27 & Phoenix: The Untold Story
#141-150: The Uncanny X-Men: Vol. 6 (ISBN 0785130136)
#151-159 & Annual 5: The Uncanny X-Men: Vol. 7 (ISBN 0785135138)
Also collects Rogue’s first appearance in Avengers Annual 10. Both the X-Men and Avengers annuals fit chronologically at the beginning of this volume.
#160-167 & Annual 6: The Uncanny X-Men: Vol. 8 (ISBN 0785158707)
The annual comes at the end of this run. Also collects Special Edition X-Men 1 and Marvel Treasury Edition #26-27.
#168-175 & Annual 7: The Uncanny X-Men: Vol. 9 (ISBN 0785191542)
This is one of the largest MMW volumes of all time, also collecting the famous God Loves, Man Kills AKA Marvel Graphic Novel (1982) 5 and the landmark Wolverine (1982) mini-series #1-4. Annual 7 occurs during #175.
#176-188: The Uncanny X-Men: Vol. 10 (ISBN 978-1-302-90360-2)
Also includes Magik #1-4 and material from Marvel Fanfare #40.
#189-280 & Annual 8-14: Not yet collected as Masterworks.
Omnibus & Oversize Hardcovers
Omnibus editions are deluxe, oversized, hardcover reprints in full color with dust jackets. They’re the most high-end reprint offering from Marvel at the moment – although, they’re a little unwieldy to hold on your lap!
Uncanny X-Men is the series most-covered by oversized releases out of every series Marvel has ever released. These books retail for $100 or more, but you should be able to find them only for $65 or less when they are newly printed. Watch out – when they go out of print the price leaps dramatically!
Giant-Sized, #94-131, & Annual 3: Uncanny X-Men Omnibus Oversize Hardcover
The link above is for a 2013 sewn-binding 3rd printing with thinner paper. Note that there were two prior printings of this Omnibus – a 1st printing with a glued binding, and a 2nd printing with a sewn binding (ISBN 0785121013). In this instance, the 2nd printing is more desirable – it has heavier paper than the 3rd printing and the binding is sturdier and easier to open than the 1st.
X-Men: Dark Phoenix Saga Omnibus (2018 oversize hardc0ver)
A comprehensive collection of all of the issues directly pertaining to Jean Grey’s transition from Phoenix to Dark Phoenix, all in one book! Collects Uncanny X-Men #97-105, 107-108, & 125-138; Phoenix: The Untold Story #1; and material from Classic X-Men #6, 8, 13, 18, 24, & 43; Bizarre Adventures #27, and What If? (1977) #27
#129-137: Contained in X-Men: The Dark Phoenix Saga. This early oversize collection has been made obsolete by the omnibuses that bookend it; it is listed with story collections in the Phoenix era, below
#132-153 & Annuals 4-5: Uncanny X-Men Omnibus, Vol. 2 Oversize Hardcover
Collects X-Men #132-141 & Annuals 4-5, Uncanny X-Men #142-153, Avengers Annual 10, Marvel Fanfare #1-4, Marvel Treasury Edition #26-27, Marvel Team-Up #100, Bizarre Adventures #27, & Phoenix: The Untold Story #1. Note that the addition of the X-Men stories in Marvel Fanfare and Marvel Team-Up differentiates this from the same sequence of issues collected in MMW editions. Reprinted in 2016.
X-Men Classic Omnibus
Collects backup Stories and expanded story pages from Classic X-Men #1-44 (which reprinted Giant-Sized X-Men (1975) and (Uncanny) X-Men (1963) #94-138), plus material from Marvel Fanfare (1982) #60.
#141-142: Contained in X-Men: Days of Future Past. Listed below at Annual 14, which is the unique hole in X-Men chronology that it fills.
#154-175 & Annuals 6-7: Uncanny X-Men Omnibus, Vol. 3 Oversize Hardcover
Collects Uncanny X-Men #154-175 and Annuals 6-7, God Loves, Man Kills AKA Marvel Graphic Novel (1982) 5, Wolverine (1982) #1-4, Special Edition X-Men (1983) 1, and Magic (1983) #1-4. Note that the inclusion of the Magik limited series (which integrates quite tightly/specifically with the issues of that time) differentiates this from the same sequence of issues collected in MMW editions.
#176-198 & Annuals 8: Not yet collected in oversize format. Secret Wars occurs during #180-181.
Annual #9: X-Men: Asgardian Wars Oversized Hardcover (ISBN 0785141480)
Collects X-Men and Alpha Flight #1-2, New Mutants Special Edition, and X-Men Annual #9. This falls before #199.
#199-201: Not collected in this format.
#196, #202-203: Secret Wars II Omnibus Oversized Hardcover (ISBN 0785131116)
The truly massive collection of the second Secret Wars Maxi-Series incidentally collects some issues of Uncanny X-Men. Includes Secret Wars II #1-9; New Mutants #30 & #36-37; Captain America #308; Uncanny X-Men #196 & #202-203; Iron Man #197; Fantastic Four#282, #285, #288 & #316-319; Web of Spider-Man #6; Amazing Spider-Man #268 & #273-274; Daredevil #223; Incredible Hulk #312; Avengers#260-261 & #265-266; Dazzler #40; Alpha Flight #28; Thing #30; Doctor Strange #74; Cloak & Dagger #4; Power Pack #18; Thor #363; Power Man & Iron First #121; Peter Parker, Spectacular Spider-Man #111; Defenders #152; Deadpool Team-Up #1; and Quasar #8.
#204-209: Not collected in this format
#210-214: X-Men: Mutant Massacre Oversized Hardcover (ISBN 0785102248)
Not a true “Marvel Omnibus” – it’s not quite long enough for a $99 price tag. However, it’s printed at that size and quality. Collects Uncanny X-Men #210-214, X-Factor #9-11, New Mutants #46, Thor #373-374, Daredevil #238, and Power Pack #27. I have verified personally that this includes #214, even though not all online listings include it.
#215-219 & Annuals 10-11: Not collected in this format
#220-227: X-Men: The Fall of the Mutants Oversized Hardcover (ISBN 0785108254)
Collects the entire Fall of the Mutants storyline in one massive tome: New Mutants (1983) #55-61, Uncanny X-Men #220-227, X-Factor (1986) #18-26, Captain America (1968) #339, Daredevil (1964) #252, Fantastic Four (1961) #312, Incredible Hulk (1968) #336-337 & 340, Power Pack (1984) #35.
#228-238: X-Men: Inferno Prologue Oversized Hardcover (ISBN 0785192735)
Collects the disparate stories from Uncanny X-Men (1981) #228-238 and Annual 12; X-Factor (1986) #27-32 & Annual 3; New Mutants (1983) #62-70 and Annual 4; and material from Marvel Age Annual 4 and Marvel Fanfare #40.
Annual 12: Evolutionary War Omnibus Oversized Hardcover (ISBN 0785155473)
Presents the Marvel-wide Evolutionary war event in chronological order, including X-Factor Annual #3, Punisher Annual #1, Silver Surfer Annual #1, New Mutants Annual#4, Amazing Spider-Man Annual #22, Fantastic Four Annual #21, Uncanny X-Men Annual #12, Web of Spider-Man Annual #4, West Coast Avengers Annual #3, Spectacular Spider-Man Annual #8, and Avengers Annual #17.
#235-238: X-Men: X-Tinction Agenda Oversized Hardcover (IBSN 0785155317)
Collects this introduction to Genosha, as well as the complete X-Tinction Agenda crossover (see below for full collection details).
#239-243: X-Men: Inferno Oversized Hardcover (ISBN 0785137777)
Not officially an Omnibus, but just about the right size! Collects the entire Inferno crossover: X-Factor #33-40, X-Terminators #1-4, Uncanny X-Men #239-243, New Mutants #71-73, and X-Factor Annual #4.
X-Men: Inferno Crossovers Oversized Hardcover (ISBN 0785146717)
A companion Inferno tome that collects the tie-in issues from through-out the Marvel Universe. Collects Power Pack (1984) #40 & #42-44, Avengers (1963) #298-300, Fantastic Four (1961) #322-324, Amazing Spider-Man (1962) #311-313, Spectacular Spider-Man (1976) #146-148, Web of Spider-Man #47-48, Daredevil (1964) #262-263 &265, Excalibur (1988) #6-7, and Cloak & Dagger (1988) #4.
Annual 13: Atlantis Attacks Omnibus Oversized Hardcover (ISBN 0785144922)
Presents the Marvel-wide Atlantis Attacks event in chronological order, which includes excerpting back-up stories into their own separate sequence. Collects Silver Surfer Annual #2, Iron Man Annual #10, Marvel Comics Presents #26, Uncanny X-Men Annual #13, Amazing Spider-Man Annual #23, Punisher Annual #2, Spectacular Spider-Man Annual #9, Daredevil Annual #4, Avengers Annual #18, New Mutants #76, Annual #5, X-Factor Annual #4, Web of Spider-Man Annual #5, Avengers West Coast #56, Annual #4, Thor Annual #14, and Fantastic Four Annual #22.
#244-269: X-Men by Chris Claremont and Jim Lee Omnibus – Volume 1 Oversized Hardcover (ISBN 0785158227)
Also collects Annual #13 and X-Men Classic #39.
#256-258: Acts of Vengeance Crossovers Omnibus Oversized Hardcover (ISBN 0785144889)
Collects the disconnected Acts of Vengeance storyline, which featured villains crossing over from other books. Psylocke’s story in X-men featured The Mandarin. Collects Fantastic Four #334-336; Wolverine (1988) #19-20; Dr. Strange (1988) #11-13; Incredible Hulk #363; Punisher #28-29; Punisher War Journal #12-13; Marc Spector: Moon Knight #8-10; Daredevil #275-276; Power Pack #53; Alpha Flight (1983) #79-80; New Mutants #84-86; Uncanny X-Men #256-258; X-Factor #49-50; Web of Spider-Man #64-65; and the Damage Control mini-series. A main Acts of Vengeance book collects additional issues, though none are from X-series.
Annual 14: X-Men: Days of Future Past Oversize Hardcover (ISBN 0785184422)
Collects the original Days of Future Past story in X-Men #141 and Uncanny X-Men #142; the Days of Future Present 1990 crossover from New Mutants Annual 6, X-Factor Annual 5, Uncanny X-Men Annual 14, and Fantastic Four Annual 23; and Excalibur’s foray into Ahab’s future from #52 and 66-67; plus Wolverine: Days of Future Past and Hulk Broken Worlds #2.
#270-272: X-Men: X-Tinction Agenda Oversized Hardcover (IBSN 0785155317)
Collects Uncanny X-Men #235-238 and #270-272, New Mutants #95-97, and X-Factor #60-62.
#273-280 & X-Men #1-3: X-Men by Claremont / Lee Omnibus, Vol. 2 Oversized Hardcover (ISBN 0785159053)
An utterly classic collection of the stories wrapping up Chris Claremont’s era of scripting Uncanny and leading up to the launch of X-Men, Vol. 2. Includes Uncanny X-Men 273-280; X-Factor (1986) 63-70; X-Men (1991) 1-9 & 10-11 (A-stories only); & Ghost Rider 26-27.
Uncanny X-Men #94-142: The Rise & Fall of Phoenix (1975 – 1981)
New writer Chris Claremont began sowing the seeds of the Dark Phoenix story in issue #99, which would bear fruit as one of comic’s most classic storylines more than three years later! His period with penciler John Byrne and inker Terry Austin includes some of the most indelible X-Men stories and images, still referenced to this day.
This run has the core team of the surviving Giant Size quartet of Wolverine, Storm, Colossus, and Nightcrawler, plus Cyclops and Jean (as Phoenix). Moira McTaggert, Banshee, Dazzler, Kitty Pryde, and then-villain White Queen also make appearances.
as collected by single issue or storyline…
Giant Size X-Men & #129: X-Men: We Are The X-Men (ISBN 0785149147)
Collects significant joining issues, including#1 (original team), Giant-Size X-Men #1 (Second Genesis), 129 (Kitty Pryde), 171 (Rogue), 200 (Magneto), 213 (Psylocke), 267 (Gambit), 287 (Bishop), New X-Men (2001) #116 (Emma Frost), and Free Comic Book Day: X-Men 2008 (Pixie).
#94-110: Epic Collection: Second Genesis (Epic Vol. 5)
Collects Giant-Size X-Men (1975) #1, X-Men (1963) #94- 110, Marvel Team-Up (1972) #53 & 69-70 & Annual (1976) 1, Iron Fist (1975) #14-15, and material from Foom (1973) #10
#109, 120-121, 139-140: X-Men/Alpha Flight
Collects X-Men/Alpha Flight (1985) #1-2, X-Men/Alpha Flight (1998) #12, and Uncanny X-Men #109, 120-121, & 139-140. Previously issued as a Marvel Premiere Hardcover.
#125-128: X-Men: Proteus Hardcover (Marvel Premiere Classic) (ISBN 0785137688)
Also collects back-up stories from Classic X-Men #32-33, #36.
#129-137: X-Men: The Dark Phoenix Saga (ISBN 0785122133)
This TPB not only presents the entire classic saga, but collects the first appearances of Kitty Pryde, Dazzler, White Queen, and the Hellfire Club along the way. Worth every penny! There have been several printings of this through 2006 with slightly different covers, but the same contents. Reprinted in 2019 as X-Men Milestones: Dark Phoenix Saga
#129-137: The Dark Phoenix Saga Oversized Hardcover (ISBN 9780785149132)
This deluxe hardcover also collects back-up Classic X-Men #43, Bizarre Adventures #27, Phoenix: The Untold Story, and What If? #27. Fans commonly say it includes too much filler for its hefty price, and it is not up to the production standards of the omnis. If you want a more affortable Hardcover of the saga, check oout MMW #5 (above) or hold out for the second Omnibus. Also available as a TPB with the same expanded contents.
#138-143, Annual 4: X-Men: Days of Future Past (ISBN 0785164537)
It’s easier to simply pick this up as a part of MMW #6, above. Previously out of print as ISBN 0785115609
#139-140: In X-Men/Alpha Flight, above.
#141-142: X-Men: Days of Future Past Oversized Hardcover (ISBN 0785184422)
Collects the original Days of Future Past story in X-Men #141 and Uncanny X-Men #142; the Days of Future Present 1990 crossover from New Mutants Annual 6, X-Factor Annual 5, Uncanny X-Men Annual 14, and Fantastic Four Annual 23; and Excalibur’s foray into Ahab’s future from #52 and 66-67; plus Wolverine: Days of Future Past and Hulk Broken Worlds #2.
Uncanny X-Men #143 – 198: The New Mutants (1981 – 1985)
This era of Uncanny X-Men was penned entirely by Chris Claremont, with significant runs from artists Dave Cockrum, Paul Smith, and John Romita, Jr.
In the period after the Dark Phoenix Saga, Cyclops as the only original X-Man left on the team. It adds Shadowcat and, later, Rogue (in issue #171) to the roster. Angel is a member briefly at the beginning of this era, while Forge and Rachel Summers begin to appear late in the run.
At this point X-Men was well-established and widely-read enough that it had been spun off to a single companion book, New Mutants, as of issue #167. The main book didn’t cross over too heavily to the second book, so this represents the remainder of being able to read Uncanny as a “standalone” X-Men series.
#143-163, Annual 5-6: Not collected as single issues
#158: Captain Marvel vs. Rogue
Collects Avengers Annual (1967) 10; Uncanny X-Men (1981) #158, 171, 269; Ms. Marvel (2006) 9-10; X-Men Legacy (2008) #269-270; Captain Marvel (2019) #4-5; and material from Marvel Super-Heroes (1990) #11
#164: Captain Marvel: The Many Lives of Carol Danvers
Collects Marvel Super-Heroes (1967) #13; Ms. Marvel (1977) #1 & 19; Avengers (1963) #183-184; Uncanny X-Men (1963) #164; Logan: Shadow Society (1996) 1; Avengers (1998) #4; Iron Man (1998) #85; Ms. Marvel (2006) #32-33; Captain Marvel (2012) #1
#165-167: Not collected as single issues
X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills Hardcover (ISBN 0785127615)
This 1982 standalone graphic novel corresponds closely to the film X2, released twenty years later! Also available as a hardcover.
#168-176: X-Men: From The Ashes (ISBN 0871356155)
An early collected edition from 1997.
#171: X-Men: We Are The X-Men (ISBN 0785149147)
Collects significant joining issues, including#1 (original team), Giant-Size X-Men #1 (Second Genesis), 129 (Kitty Pryde), 171 (Rogue), 200 (Magneto), 213 (Psylocke), 267 (Gambit), 287 (Bishop), New X-Men (2001) #116 (Emma Frost), and Free Comic Book Day: X-Men 2008 (Pixie). Also in Captain Marvel vs. Rogue, above
#172-173: Wolverine (ISBN 0785137245)
A TPB that collects Wolverine, Vol. 1 #1-4 plus the contemporaneous Uncanny X-Men #172-173.
#174-185, Annual 7: Not collected as single issues.
Secret Wars occurs at #180-181, and features the majority of the team. Those issues arecollected with the Secret Wars box set. See Marvel Events: Secret Wars for more information.
#186: Lifedeath Hardcover (ISBN 0785155244)
Essentially a best-of Barry Windsor Smith collection, this hardcover collects the disparate Uncanny X-Men issues #53, #186, #198, #205 and #214.
#187-188: Not collected
#189-198 & Annual 8: X-Men Epic Collection: The Gift (Epic Vol. 12)
Also collects X-Men and Alpha Flight (1985) #1-2 and the previously uncollected Nightcrawler (1985) #1-4
#196: Also in Secret Wars II, below.
#198: Also in Lifedeath, above.
Uncanny X-Men #199 – 227: Fall of the Mutants
Begins in November 1985, concurrent with the release of New Mutants #33 and a few months prior to X-Factor #1 (the impetus for which is Storm’s defeat of Cyclops in issue #201).
In this sequence of issues the team loses Cyclops, acquires new members, endures the Mutant Massacre in the Morlock tunnels, and ultimately gets labeled as terrorists for blowing up a federal building. The team is anchored by Storm, Wolverine, Rogue, and Colossus, with the additions of Psylocke, Dazzler, and Longshot.
as collected by single issue or storyline…
Annual #9: X-Men: Asgardian Wars
Collects the entire Asgardian Wars crossover: X-Men and Alpha Flight #1-2, New Mutants Special Edition, and X-Men Annual #9. This falls before #199.
#199-209 & Annual 10: Uncanny X-Men: Ghosts (ISBN 078518449X)
#200, 213: X-Men: We Are The X-Men (ISBN 0785149147)
Collects significant joining issues, including#1 (original team), Giant-Size X-Men #1 (Second Genesis), 129 (Kitty Pryde), 171 (Rogue), 200 (Magneto), 213 (Psylocke), 267 (Gambit), 287 (Bishop), New X-Men (2001) #116 (Emma Frost), and Free Comic Book Day: X-Men 2008 (Pixie).
Annuals 10 & 12: X-Men Legends Volume 3: Arthur Adams (ISBN 0785110496)
Collects a number of Arthur Adams illustrated comics – Web of Spider-Man Annual #2, Cloak and Dagger #9, Fantastic Four (1st series) #347-349, New Mutants Special Edition #1, Uncanny X-Men Annuals #10 and #12, X-Factor (1st series) #41-42, and possibly Uncanny X-Men Annual #9. The annuals are also collected in X-Babies Classic TPB.
#210-214: X-Men: Mutant Massacre (ISBN 0785102248)
Collects Uncanny X-Men (1963) #210-214, X-Factor (1986) #9-11, New Mutants (1983) #46, Thor #373-374, Power Pack (1984) #27, Daredevil #238. Reprinted as X-Men Milestones: Mutant Massacre (2019 paperback, ISBN 9781302918538). A 2001 paperback version omitted UXM #214 and Daredevil #238.
#213, 215, Annual 11: X-Men: Old Soldiers
Also collects New Mutants Annuals 2-3
#216-219: Not collected in paperback, except for #214 in Lifedeath (above). Annual 11 can be read after issue #219.
#220-227: Fall of the Mutants, Vol. 1
Collects Uncanny X-Men (1963) #220-227, Incredible Hulk (1968) #340, and New Mutants (1983) #55-61. Volume 2 collects non-Uncanny issues.
#225-227: X-Men Milestones: Fall of the Mutants
Collects only the issues originally bannered as “The Fall of the Mutants” on their covers – Uncanny X-Men (1963) #225-227, X-Factor (1986) #24-26, and New Mutants (1983) #59-61. Previously collected in a 2002 paperback version.
Also, three “X-Men vs.” mini-series fit into the time between Mutant Massacre and Fall of the Mutants. They are Mephisto Vs…, X-Men vs. Fantastic Four, and X-Men vs. Avengers – each available in hardcover. The final pair are also collected together in one trade paperback, and the FF story is in Marvel Universe by Chris Claremont Omnibus Hardcover. For more exact continuity placement, see X-Men Reading Order: X-Factor.
Uncanny X-Men #228-264: Through The Siege Perilous
Begins in April 1988, concurrent with New Mutants #62 and X-Factor #28. Excalibur #1 starts around issue #235, with Wolverine’s regular series beginning as of issue #237.
After being labeled as fugitives by the government the X-Men relocate to the Australian outback and are rendered invisible to electronic surveillance equipment.
The unraveling of the team continues until it is effectively disbanded by issue #251, leaving Wolverine crucified, Psylocke in a new body, Polaris possessed, and Storm completely MIA.
Issue #248 features the X-Men debut of Jim Lee, who would not only transform the way each character looked, but would also ultimately lead to the addition of the adjectiveless X-title and the departure of Chris Claremont.
as collected by single issue or storyline…
#228-231: Not collected in paperback
#232-234: X-Men Vs. the Brood – Day of Wrath
A 1997 collection. Also collects X-Men/Brood: Day of Wrath #1-3.
#235-238: X-Men: X-Tinction Agenda TPB
Collects Uncanny X-Men #235-238 and #270-272, New Mutants #95-97, and X-Factor #60-62.
Annual 12: Not collected in paperback, except Annual 12 in Art Adams (above)
#239-243: X-Men: Inferno (ISBN 0785102221)
Collects the entire Inferno crossover: X-Factor #33-40, X-Terminators #1-4, Uncanny X-Men #239-243, New Mutants #71-73, and X-Factor Annual #4.
#239-240: X-Men: Inferno, Vol. 1
Collects Power Pack (1984) #40, 42-43; X-Factor (1986) #33-36; X-Terminators #1-4; Uncanny X-Men #239-240; and New Mutants (1983) #71-72
#241-243: X-Men: Inferno, Vol. 2
This pads itself out with issues that were not contained in the Inferno Omnibus: Collects Uncanny X-Men #241-243, Excalibur #6-7, X-Factor #37-40, New Mutants #73 (but not material fromX-Factor Annual #4), Cloak & Dagger #4 and Power Pack #44.
X-Men: Inferno Crossovers TPB
Avengers #298-300, Fantastic Four #322-324, Amazing Spider-Man #311-313, Spectacular Spider-Man #146-148, Web of Spider-Man #47-48, Daredevil #262-263 & 265
#244-247, Annual 13: Not collected in paperback
#248, #256-258, #268-269, & #273-277: X-Men Visionaries: Jim Lee (ISBN 0785109218)
Also collects Classic X-Men #39 back-up story.
#249-255: Not collected in paperback
#256-258: Psylocke (ISBN 0785144397)
Collects Psylocke’s 2010 mini-series along with these three issues introducing her Asian assassin persona.
#256-258: X-Men: Mutations(ISBN 0785101977)
Collects the reintroductions of Psylocke along with older “mutations” of Beast and Archangel, from Amazing Adventures #11 & 17 and X-Factor #15, 24-25, respectively.
#259-264: Not collected in paperback
Annual #14: X-Men: Days of Future Present (ISBN 0871357399)
Collects Uncanny X-Men Annual #14, X-Factor Annual #5, New Mutants Annual #6, and Fantastic Four Annual #23. Follows #267 in continuity.
Uncanny X-Men #265-280 & X-Men #1-3: X-Tinction & Reunification
Begins in November 1990 with the X-Tinction Agenda crossover, continuing in New Mutants #95 and X-Factor #60. Elsewhere, it is parallel to Excalibur #31 and Wolverine #33.
This final era of Claremont’s run begins with one of his last major acts of creation – the debut of Gambit, as he rescues an adolescent Storm from The Nanny. That’s followed by a pair of prohibitive classic single issues – #268, featuring a WWII team up of Captain America, Black Widow, and Wolverine, and #269, featuring the reappearance of Rogue as she fights for her life against the specter of her absorbed Carol Danvers personality.
The X-Tinction Agenda brings all of the X-characters back together in a single location along with their colleagues in New Mutants and X-Factor. It marks the first time that more than two X-books held a direct, sequential cross-over with each other where every issue was essential to the continuing story.
Some would argue this was the beginning of a dark, overly-commercialized age for comics in the 1990s.
On the plus side, the crossover effectively reformed the team in the short term with a remarkable cast of heavy-hitters like Storm, Gambit, Wolverine, and Psylocke. It also sets up a massive restructuring that would see the transformation of New Mutants to X-Force and the introduction of an all-new X-Factor – plus, the launch of the adjectiveless X-Men title in 1991.
This brief span marks the end of Chris Claremont’s unprecedented run on Uncanny X-Men (he stuck around for the first three issues of X-Men, Vol. 2). It’s some of Jim Lee’s most remarkable X-book art, including his 1991 reimaginings of everyone’s costumes that would carry through to many forms of 90s media.
as collected by single issue or storyline…
#265-267: X-Men: Gambit Classic, Vol. 1 (ISBN 0785137297)
Also collects the later Gambit miniseries.
#266-267: X-Men Origins: Gambit
Collects X-Men: Origins: Gambit, Uncanny X-Men #266-277, X-Men (1991) #33, Gambit (1999) #25, and material from Nation X #2.
#267: X-Men: We Are The X-Men (ISBN 0785149147)
Collects significant joining issues, including#1 (original team), Giant-Size X-Men #1 (Second Genesis), 129 (Kitty Pryde), 171 (Rogue), 200 (Magneto), 213 (Psylocke), 267 (Gambit), 287 (Bishop), New X-Men (2001) #116 (Emma Frost), and Free Comic Book Day: X-Men 2008 (Pixie).
#267: X-Men: We Are The X-Men (ISBN 0785149147)
Collects significant joining issues, including#1 (original team), Giant-Size X-Men #1 (Second Genesis), 129 (Kitty Pryde), 171 (Rogue), 200 (Magneto), 213 (Psylocke), 267 (Gambit), 287 (Bishop), New X-Men (2001) #116 (Emma Frost), and Free Comic Book Day: X-Men 2008 (Pixie).
#268-269 & 273-274: X-Men Executions, Vol. 1 (ISBN 0752201611)
Contents verified by reader Stephen – thank you! A very out-of-print UK collection, though you can sometimes find it on eBay (esp. UK!) for a good price.
#269: Captain Marvel vs. Rogue
Collects Avengers Annual (1967) 10; Uncanny X-Men (1981) #158, 171, 269; Ms. Marvel (2006) 9-10; X-Men Legacy (2008) #269-270; Captain Marvel (2019) #4-5; and material from Marvel Super-Heroes (1990) #11
#270-272: #235-238: X-Men: X-Tinction Agenda TPB
Collects Uncanny X-Men #235-238 and #270-272, New Mutants #95-97, and X-Factor #60-62. Also collected in a previous X-Tinction Agenda TPB edition with New Mutants #95-97, and X-Factor #60-62.
#273-277: X-Men: Crossroads (ISBN 0785106626)
An older collection. #273-274 are also collected in Jim Lee Visionaries and Executions, Vol. 2 (both above).
#275-277: X-Men Executions, Vol. 2 (ISBN 0752201174)
Contents verified by reader Stephen – thank you! A very out-of-print UK collection, though you can sometimes find it on eBay (esp. UK!) for a good price.
Annual 15: Kings of Pain: New Warriors Classic, Vol. 2 (ISBN 0785142630)
Weirdly, this X-centric annuals crossover is contained in a New Warriors volume collecting New Warriors (1990) #7-10, Annual #1; New Mutants Annual #7, Uncanny X-Men Annual #15, and X-Factor Annual #6. Occurs around #274.
Infinity Gauntlet: See Marvel Universe Events. This occurs before #278 for the X-Men. No X-Men title ties in directly with Infinity Gauntlet
#278-280: Muir Island Saga
Not collected in paperback. Crosses over with X-Factor #69-70.
X-Men #1-3: See X-Men, Vol. 2 for the many ways these final Claremont issues have been collected.
Continue to Uncanny X-Men #281-350.
There is a new Mutant Massacre Omnibus which has the following:
COLLECTING: UNCANNY X-MEN (1981) #210-219; X-MEN ANNUAL (1970) #11; X-FACTOR (1986) #9-17, X-FACTOR ANNUAL #2; NEW MUTANTS (1983) #46; THOR (1966) #373-374, #377-378; POWER PACK (1984) #27; DAREDEVIL (1964) #238; FANTASTIC FOUR VS. THE X-MEN #1-4; X-MEN VS. THE AVENGERS #1-4
That should probably replace your current suggestion