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X-Men Reading Order

Updated: X-Men Reading Order Guide – Era #1: Original X-Men (The Silver Age)

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The Revised & Expanded X-Men Reading Order Guide – Era #1: Original X-Men 

One of the biggest factors in CK’s popularity exploding in the early 2010’s was the X-Men Reading Order I debuted back in 2012.

It emerged from a moment of frustration, as all of my best projects tend to. This time, my ire was focused on the fact that no one had produced an actually readable chronological guide to reading X-Men. Existing guides were either simply ordered by release date or ridiculously complex lists that broke down every single-panel flashback.

None of them were comprehensive of every book, nor were they appropriate for the Trade Era of collected editions.

Despite being a major feature of CK, I can’t say I’ve ever been proud of the presentation of the Reading Order. A lot of the pages have a certain “git’er’done” quality to them that was a hallmark of CK’s early expansion that I’ve never had the time to improve.

Honestly, they always makes me think of the scrawlings of a Serial Killer, like the notebooks upon notebooks in Se7en. That’s what it looked like to figure out – I had giant rolls of paper unspooled across the floor with scribbles and crossouts and loop-de-loop arrows on them. [Read more…] about Updated: X-Men Reading Order Guide – Era #1: Original X-Men (The Silver Age)

X-Men Reading Order Guide – Era #2: Second Genesis

A reading order for stories starting with Giant-Size X-Men #1 in May 1975 and ending with Uncanny X-Men #142 in February 1981. A part of Crushing Krisis’s Collecting X-Men: A Definitive Guide. Last updated March 2021.

Era #1: Original X-Men  X-Men Reading Order Guide  Era #3: New Mutants

What does Era #2: Second Genesis include?

This era of the X-Men Reading Order is focused on the beginning of the Bronze Age run of X-Men, starting from the introduction of the second generation team in Giant-Size X-Men #1. That includes all of the team’s stories through Dark Phoenix Saga, Kitty Pryde joining the team, and Days of Future Past.Giant Size X-Men (1975) #1

X-titles released in this era:

  • Giant Size X-Men (1975) #1 & Uncanny X-Men (1963) #94-142 – see Uncanny X-Men by Chris Claremont
  • Angel and Iceman in Champions #1-17 and various Champions guest appearances – see The Champions for collection information
  • Captain Britain in Captain Britain, Vol. 1 (1976-77) #1-39, Super Spider-Man and Captain Britain (1977) #231-247, Marvel Team-Up (1972) #65-66 (but not the remainder of his early material – that’s in the next era!) – see Captain Britain for collection information
  • Sabretooth’s debut in Iron Fist #14 and a full-team appearance in #15 – see Iron Fist for collection information

Later X-titles set in this era:

  • Giant Size X-Men (1975) #3-4
  • Back-up stories in Classic X-Men (1986) #1-44
  • Uncanny X-Men: First Class (2009) Giant Size & #1-8

Notes:

  • X-Men (1963) is often colloquially referred to as Uncanny X-Men (1963) even though the title did not officially pick up the “Uncanny” adjective until issue #142. That is my convention on Crushing Comics, as it’s all one volume of the same ongoing series.
  • Each issue of the Classic X-Men (1986) reprint series included a back-up story. While some back-ups corresponded to the issue they reprinted (as with the back-up in Classic X-Men (1986) #3 fitting with UXM #95), many stories are set much earlier or later in continuity. I’ve noted them in their proper reading order here, partially to assist folks who picked up the Classic X-Men omnibus, but from an “ease of reading” standpoint I feel you should read them in batches (which I have also indicated below).
  • I treat any Wolverine story that is after he gains his Adamantium in the Weapon X program but before he joins the team as being effectively a Silver Age story that occurred in parallel to Silver Age X-Men, thus they appear in the prior era of the guide.
  • Beast joined The Avengers with Avengers (1963) #137 and is not tracked as an X-Man in this era, though he does make appearances in UXM.

[Read more…] about X-Men Reading Order Guide – Era #2: Second Genesis

X-Men Reading Order Guide – Era #1: Original X-Men

A reading order for stories starting with X-Men #1 in September 1963 and prior to Giant-Size X-Men #1 in May 1975. A part of Crushing Krisis’s Collecting X-Men: A Definitive Guide. Last updated March 2021.

Era #0: Before X-Men  X-Men Reading Order Guide  Era #2: Second Genesis

What does Era #1: Original X-Men include?

This era of the X-Men Reading Order is focused on Silver Age X-Men. That includes all of their original Silver Age stories from Uncanny X-Men (1963) #1-66, their “gap years” of guest appearances prior to Giant-Size X-Men in 1975, and stories later inserted into the period (like Emma Frost and X-Men: The Hidden Years).Uncanny X-Men (1963) #1

X-titles released in this era:

Later X-titles set in this era:

Notes:

  • X-Men (1963) is often colloquially referred to as Uncanny X-Men (1963) even though the title did not officially pick up the “Uncanny” adjective until issue #142. That is my convention on Crushing Comics, as it’s all one volume of the same ongoing series.
  • I treat any Wolverine story that is after he gains his Adamantium in the Weapon X program as being effectively a Silver Age story that occurred in parallel to Silver Age X-Men, thus they appear in this era of the guide.
  • However, I do not cover every Wolverine story in the X-Men Reading Order – only the major ones! See Guide to Wolverine for a reading order of every Wolverine appearance.

[Read more…] about X-Men Reading Order Guide – Era #1: Original X-Men

X-Men Reading Order Guide – Era #5: X-Tinction

A reading order for stories starting from Uncanny X-Men #244 in May 1989 and ending with Uncanny X-Men #280 in September 1991, plus New Mutants, X-Factor, Excalibur, Wolverine, & more. A part of Crushing Krisis’s Collecting X-Men: A Definitive Guide. Last updated March 2021.

Era #3: New Mutants  X-Men Reading Order Guide  Era #5: X-Tinction

What does Era #5: X-Tinction include?

This era of the reading order focuses on a period where all of the X-Men teams are unravelling, and ends with each title in the franchise refocused for their sales dominance of the early 90s.

We begin this era with a flash of hope after a difficult run for the main X-Men team, who had been presumed dead to the world (including their many former teammates) since Fall of the Mutants.

The X-Men reconciled with X-Factor at the end of “Inferno,” with everyone happy to learn their friends were alive – including the revelation of Jean’s resurrection! Meanwhile, the New Mutants were rattled to find their friend Illyana reduced to childhood and Excalibur had barely agreed to become a team.

However, just a few issues later, the X-Men would be disbanded after a brutal fight with Master Mold, X-Factor would be stuck off the planet, New Mutants would see a key member perish, and Excalibur would be stranded across multiple dimensions!

In Uncanny X-Men, this leads to an unusual 18-month period where there was no X-Men team in the flagship X-Men title. Stories alternated between Wolverine’s adventures with Jubilee and glimpses at the scattered team, many of whom had no memories of their prior lives.

Meanwhile, Moira MacTaggert began to assemble a new team of mutants on Muir Island with the corrupting influence of the Shadow King looming over her. Wolverine and Jubilee collect Betsy Braddock, now in Kwannon’s body, while a mysteriously de-aged Storm meets Gambit, and Rogue is stranded in the Savage Land (where Magneto lurked, after abandoning the New Mutants in the wake of Inferno).

At the same time, Wolverine’s solo title delved into his long-hinted mysterious past. Despite many indications that Logan had lead a long and secret life prior to his joining the X-Men, up to this point there had been few concrete connections to it shown on the page. Claremont, Peter David, and finally long-time scripter Larry Hama teased both Logan’s connection to Sabretooth and fleshed out his connections in the Madripoor underworld, buiding up to the bombshell “Weapon X” flashback story in Marvel Comics Presents #72-84.

Chris Claremont began to reassemble the X-Men starting with “X-Tinction Agenda” in Uncanny X-Men #270. This crossover through all three main team titles served to further disband the classic New Mutants cast – which had just lost Dani to her other life as a Valkyrie but gained the paramilitary Cable as their new leader.

New Mutants runs for just three more issues after the end of “X-Tinction Agenda,” adding Shatterstar and Warpath to the team and seeing Deadpool’s debut. These are widely acknowledged (and collected) as a prelude to X-Force. The New Mutants were already dead and gone.

It all came to a climax in pair of stories. First, in X-Factor’s “Endgame,” Apocalypse takes a keen interest in Nathan Christopher Summers. Then, “The Muir Island Saga” brings together the remaining X-Men left unfound during “X-Tinction Agenda.” That set up a massive combined squad of primary X-Men for their face-off against Magneto at the beginning of the next Era, as well as an all-new X-Factor team.

Flagship X-Series in this era:

Ongoing X-titles released in this era (listed in order of age of series):

Limited Series released in this era (listed in alphabetical order):

  • Havok & Wolverine: Meltdown (1988) #1-4

Later X-titles set in this era:

  • X-Men: True Friends (1999) #1-3
  • Clandestine (2008) #1-5

Notes:

  • This era includes the events Atlantis Attacks, Acts of Vengeance, Days of Future Present, X-Tinction Agenda, Muir Island Saga, & Kings of Pain.
  • Wolverine’s legendary “Weapon X” story from Marvel Comics Presents (1988) #72-84 was published in this era, but it appears in Era 1 per its chronological placement.
  • The late 80s and early 90s was one of the most intertwined era of X-Men, including many instances where you need to switch back and forth between single issues! I have tried to vastly simplify that without creating too many spoilers.

[Read more…] about X-Men Reading Order Guide – Era #5: X-Tinction

X-Men Reading Order Guide – Era #3: The New Mutants

A reading order for stories starting from Uncanny X-Men #143 in March 1981 and ending with Uncanny X-Men #200 in December 1985. A part of Crushing Krisis’s Collecting X-Men: A Definitive Guide. Last updated October 2018.

Era #2: Second Genesis  X-Men Reading Order Guide  Era #4: X-Factor

What does Era #3: The New Mutants include?

This era of the X-Men Reading Order is focused on the widening of the X-Men’s world beyond the Second Genesis characters from Giant Size X-Men.

It includes Kitty Pryde and Rogue as active team members, X-Men beginning to make wider guest appearances, the spawning of a second ongoing title with New Mutants, the first spin-off books in the form of New Mutants and limited series like Wolverine and Magik. It ends with the X-Men’s popularity exploding and on the verge of Jean Grey’s return and the launch of a third ongoing title, X-Factor.Rogue joins the team in Uncanny X-Men (1963) #171

I’ve always had a hard time deciding where this era ends. While the poetic Uncanny X-Men #198 feels like a natural stopping point prior to Magneto’s trial, the bigger break comes with issue #200.

In that blockbuster issue Cyclops and Maddie are about to have a baby, Magneto is on trial, and a near-death Professor Xavier is whisked into space by Corsair and Lilandra. That sets up the epic fight over the team’s leadership in issue #201 to kick off the next era, “X-Factor.”

Flagship X-Series in this era:

Ongoing X-titles released in this era:

  • Alpha Flight (1983) #1-28 – see Alpha Flight
  • Dazzler (1981) #1-40 – see Dazzler
  • Defenders (1972) #103-124 – see Defenders
  • New Defenders (1983) #125-150 – see Defenders
  • New Mutants (1983) #1-35, Annual 1, & Special Edition – see New & Young X-Men
  • Captain Britain in: (see Captain Britain & Excalibur)
    • Hulk Comic (1979) #1 & 3-46 and Incredible Hulk Weekly (1980) #47-55 & #57-63
    • Marvel Super-Heroes (1979) #377-388
    • Daredevils [Marvel UK] (1981) #1-11
    • Mighty World Of Marvel, Vol. 2 (1983) #7-16
    • Captain Britain, Vol. 2 [Marvel UK] (1985) #1-14

Limited Series released in this era:

Later X-titles set in this era:

  • New Mutants: Truth Or Death (1997) #1-3 – see New & Young X-Men
  • Weapon X: First Class (2009) #1-3 – see Wolverine
  • Wolverine: First Class (2008) #1-21 – see Wolverine
  • X-Men & Alpha Flight (1998) #1-2 – see Alpha Flight
  • X-Men Gold (2014) One-Shot
  • X-Men Unlimited (1993) #39 & X-Men Unlimited, Vol. 2 (2004) #11 – see X-Men Ongoing Series

Notes:

  • There is very little guidance on where to place Alpha Flight, Captain Britain, and Dazzler amidst the stories of this era. I did a lot of reading, research, and going with my gut to fit them into a reading order.

[Read more…] about X-Men Reading Order Guide – Era #3: The New Mutants