The definitive issue-by-issue comic book collecting guide and trade reading order for Marvel’s Silver Age X-Men and X-Men Hidden Years comic books in omnibus, hardcover, and trade paperback collections. Part of Crushing Krisis’s Crushing Comics. Last updated February 2023 with titles scheduled for release through July 2023.
The Silver Age X-Men
The X-Men debuted in 1963 under the pen of the father of the Silver Age Marvel Universe, Stan Lee, and his frequent collaborator, Jack Kirby.
X-Men (1963) is one of the most important key issues of the Silver Age because the team debuted fully formed with a complete cast of Professor Xavier, Cyclops, Marvel Girl AKA Jean Grey, Angel, Iceman, Beast – and, their signature foe, Magneto!
The “Original Five” were lead by Professor Xavier against foes like Magneto and his Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, Namor, Unus The Untouchable, The Blob, Juggernaut, the original Sentinels, and many other classic X-Men enemies that are recalled to this day. Issue #4 introduced Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, who would soon migrate to the Avengers to become a part of “Caps Kooky Quartet” along with a third reformed villain, Hawkeye.
The original run of X-Men lasted from issue #1 in September 1963 through issue #66 in March 1970. From there, the title continued exclusively as a bi-monthly reprint book from issues #67-93, republishing prior issues with new cover illustrations.
Those five ears ended in 1975 with the publication of Giant Size X-Men and the relaunch of the title with a new cast in issue #94.
Though no new X-Men material was published from 1970 to 1974, the team was still active at the margins of the Marvel Universe – as seen in occasional guest appearances. That has led this period to be dubbed “The Hidden Years” by both Marvel and fans. Those “Hidden Years” contain contemporaneous Silver and Bronze Age material from the period, as well as later-inserted material.
Since all of that material features the assembled Silver Age team, it is also covered by this guide – distinguished as “Silver & Bronze Hiatus Appearances” and “Modern Age Hidden Years.”
(Making things even more confusing, the “Modern Age Hidden Years” should generally be read first – since it does not include the fuzzy version of Beast!)
Because this era is covered comprehensively by multiple formats, I have not listed the full breadth of single issues collected by story or single issue – there’s no reason to collect this run in that fashion. However, I have included some key issues below to help orient you to major moments in the Silver Age run.
If you want a reading order of every X-Men comic and character in that period (including guest appearances, flashbacks, and retcon stories), see The Definitive X-Men Reading Order, Era #1: Original X-Men.
A note on the title of this series: The official publication name of this title was “X-Men” through the Silver Age and beyond. The title was not formally changed to “Uncanny X-Men” until the indicia of issue #142. However, Marvel routinely refers to the entirety of this 1963 – 2010 volume as “Uncanny X-Men,” as on this Marvel Unlimited entry for issue #1. As a result, my convention on Crushing Comics is to always refer to the entire series as “Uncanny X-Men,” even prior to the indicia change.
- Collecting Silver Age X-Men – Uncanny X-Men (1963) #1-93 & The Hidden Years
- Omnibus – premium oversize hardcovers
- Marvel Masterworks – premium color hardcovers with carefully-restored linework
- Mighty Marvel Masterworks – affordable color paperback reprint
- Epic Collections – comprehensive color paperback collections of an entire title or character
- Marvel Essentials – black and white newsprint collections.
- Key Issues – Notable issues in the run of Silver Age X-Men
Want to read these stories right now in digital format on Marvel Unlimited? See Uncanny X-Men (1963) and X-Men: The Hidden Years (1999)

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Silver Age X-Men in Marvel 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! This line was discontinued, but not before it completely covered this era of X-Men.
Each volume went through multiple printings with different cover dress.
This series continued without collecting any Hidden Years or Hiatus material other than what is included below.
Essential Classic X-Men, Vol. 1
(1999 b&w paperback, ISBN 9780785107309 / 2002 b&w paperback, ISBN 978-0785109914 / 2010 b&w paperback, ISBN 978-0785109914)
Collects Uncanny X-Men (1963) #1-24
Essential Classic X-Men, Vol. 2
(2006 b&w paperback, ISBN 978-0785121169)
Collects Uncanny X-men (1963) #25-53 and Avengers (1963) #53.
Essential Classic X-Men Vol. 3
(2009 b&w paperback, ISBN 978-0785130604)
Collects Uncanny X-Men #54-66 (and covers from #67-80) Amazing Adventures (1972) #11-17; Marvel Team-Up (1972) #4; and Incredible Hulk (1968) #150 and #161.
Key Issues & Stories
X-Men: Season One told a modernized version of roughly the first eight issues of X-Men. It is available as a hardcover OGN and as reprinted in 2018 as Uncanny Origins.
Click to expand a list of key issues.
Continue to The Guide to Uncanny X-Men by Chris Claremont (#94 – 280)
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