Silver Age X-Men - Collecting Guide and Reading Order for Uncanny X-Men (1963)

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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Collecting Silver Age X-Men – Uncanny X-Men (1963) #1-93

Silver Age X-Men in Omnibus

Omniubus 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!

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!

Silver Age

The X-Men Omnibus, Vol. 1
(2009 oversize hardcover, ISBN 978-0785129585 / 2022 oversize hardcover, ISBN 978-130293289 / digital)
Collects Uncanny X-Men (1963) #1-31

The X-Men Omnibus, Vol. 2
(2011 oversize hardcover, ISBN 978-0785153078 / 2022 oversize hardcover, ISBN 978-1302933739 / digital)
Collects Uncanny X-Men (1963) #32-66 (& covers from issues #67-93). Also colelcts Avengers (1963) #53, KaZar #2-3, and Marvel Tales #30.

Modern Age Hidden Years

X-Men: The Hidden Years
(2023 oversize hardcover, ISBN 978-1302950217)
Collects X-Men: The Hidden Years (1999) #1-22, Fantastic Four (1961) #102-104, and material from X-Men (1991) #94 and Amazing Adult Fantasy (1961) #14 (and perhaps from Yellow Claw #2?)

Silver & Bronze Age Hiatus Appearances

Not collected comprehensively in this format. This omnibus could include: Click to expand a list of content.

Silver Age X-Men in 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 was 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 dust jackets.

Since the Modern Age Hidden Years tories were published in the 1990s, they are not presently eligible to be collected in the Masterworks format.

Silver Age

Vol. 1 (2002 hardcover, ISBN 978-0785108450/ 2009 paperback, 978-0785136989 / 2015 hardcover, 978-0785191384 / digital)
Collects Uncanny X-Men (1963) #1-10

Vol. 2 (2003 hardcover, ISBN 978-0785109839 / 2009 paperback, ISBN 978-0785137009 / digital)
Collects Uncanny X-Men (1963) #11-21

Vol. 3 (2003 hardcover , ISBN 978-0785112693 / 2009 paperback, ISBN 978-0785137009) / digital)
Collects Uncanny X-Men (1963) #22-31

Vol. 4 (2004 hardcover, ISBN 978-0785116073 / 2011 paperback, ISBN 978-0785150725 / digital)
Collects Uncanny X-Men (1963) #32-42

Vol. 5 (2005 hardcover, ISBN 978-0785117872 / 2013 paperback, ISBN 978-0785159094 / digital)
Collects Uncanny X-Men (1963) #43-53, Ka-Zar #2-3 and Marvel Tales #30

Vol. 6 (2006 hardcover, ISBN 978-0785120568 / 2014 paperback, ISBN 978-0785188377 / digital)
Collects Uncanny X-Men (1963) #54-66

Silver & Bronze Age Hiatus Appearances

Vol. 7 (2008 hardcover, ISBN 978-0785130482 / digital)
Includes only covers of Uncanny X-Men (1963) #67-80, as they were reprint issues with new covers. Primarily collects Amazing Adventures (1970) #11-17 (transformation of The Beast), Incredible Hulk (1968) #150 and 161, Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #92, and Marvel Team-Up (1972) #4.

Vol. 8
(2010 hardcover, ISBN 978-0785142225 / digital)
Includes only covers of Uncanny X-Men (1963) #81-93, as they were reprint issues with new covers. Primarily collects Avengers #110-111, Incredible Hulk #172 and #180-181 (debut of Wolverine), Captain America #172-175, Marvel Team-Up #23 and 38, Defenders #15-16, and Giant-Size Fantastic Four #4.

Silver Age X-Men in Mighty Marvel Masterworks paperbacks

Since the Modern Age Hidden years stories were published in the 1990s, they are not presently eligible to be collected in the Masterworks format. However, see the Epic Collections section, below, for paperback collection options.

Silver Age

Vol. 1: The Strangest Super-Heroes of All (2021 paperback, ISBN 978-1302929800 / digital)
Collects Uncanny X-Men (1963) #1-10

Vol. 2: Where Walks The Juggernaut (2022 paperback, ISBN 978-1302946197 / digital)
Collects Uncanny X-Men (1963) #11-19. I have personally confirmed this issue range; it is different than the original Masterwork Vol. 1

Vol. 3: Divided We Fall (2023 paperback, ISBN 978-1302949013 / digital TBA)
Contents not yet confirmed, but likely to be #11-31.

Silver & Bronze Age Hiatus Appearances

Not yet collected comprehensively in this format.

Silver Age X-Men in Marvel 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 all of the other collections of this classic portion of X-Men, this sequence of volume numbers continues to the Uncanny era.

Silver Age

Epic Collection, Vol 1: Children of the Atom
(2015 paperback, ISBN 978-0785189046 / 2019 paperback, ISBN 978-1302924171 / digital)
Collects Uncanny X-Men (1963) #1-23.

Epic Collection, Vol. 2: Lonely Are The Hunted
(2016 paperback, ISBN 978-0785195832 / digital)
Collects Uncanny X-Men (1963) #24-45, as well as Avengers (1963) #53 (but not #45, as some solicits say) and material from Not Brand Echh (1967) #4 and 8.

Epic Collect, Vol. 3: The Sentinels Live
(2018 paperback, ISBN 978-1302912758 / 2021 paperback, ISBN 978-1302928513 / digital)
Collects Uncanny X-Men (1963) #44-66, as well as material from Ka-Zar (1970) #2-3 and Marvel Tales (1966) 30

Modern Age Hidden Years

Savage Hulk (2014) #1-4 – See Guide to Hulk for collection information. This modern story stars the entire team and extends the Hulk tale from Uncanny X-Men (1963) #66.

X-Men: The Hidden Years, Vol. 1 (2012 paperback, ISBN 978-0785159698 / digital)
Collects X-Men: The Hidden Years (1999) #1-12 and material from X-Men (1991) #94

X-Men: The Hidden years, Vol. 2 (2012 paperback, ISBN 978-0785160557 / digital)
Collects X-Men: The Hidden Years (1999) #13-22, Magneto story from Fantastic Four (1961) #102-104, and background material from Yellow Claw #2 and Amazing Adult Fantasy #14.

Silver & Bronze Age Hiatus Appearance

Epic Collection, Vol. 4: It’s Always Darkest Before The Dawn
(2019 paperback, 978-1302916039) (2023 paperback, ISBN 978-1302950347 / digital)
Collects the covers of Uncanny X-Men (1963) #67-93 & Annuals 1-2. This listed issue range is a polite lie meant to help fans understand where this volume fits in, as these were reprint issues and only their covers were new material. Other than 29 covers, this collects Amazing Adventures (1970) #11-17 (transformation of The Beast), Incredible Hulk (1968) #150 and 161, Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #92, Marvel Team-Up (1972) #4, Avengers (1963) #110-111 (Magneto vs. Avengers), Incredible Hulk (1968) #172 and #180-181 (debut of Wolverine), Captain America (1968) #172-175 (Cyclops and Jean in the original Secret Empire), Marvel Team-Up (1972) #23 (but not #38!), Defenders (1972) #15-16 (Magneto’s infamous de-aging), and Giant-Size Fantastic Four (1974) #4 (the debut of Jamie Madrox, The Multiple Man)

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.