Can anybody help with complete X-Men story arcs?i want to read in right order,from frist to the last.

like for excemple http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Batman_comics#Modern_Batman

now i know what are the main story arcs of x men but i don't know in which order i am supposed to read them.

So any kind of help would be useful.

come on people....anyone?

I would really like to help you with this, but you do realize that there are almost 50 years worth of stories, right? and once you get to about the mid 80's, they started adding another title every few years until the end of 90's, at which point they continued to do that, but started changing the titles of the books around?

that said, if you stick with the original title (Uncanny X-men, or the X-men, back in the sixties), it'll get you up to about a year ago. In '91 they started the second official title, simply called X-men, which ran parallel to the first series until 2001, when it's title was changed to New X-men (a title that would be used for a spin off book a few years later, when they retitled the book X-men Legacy and it starts to stray from the main story, so if you're looking for this series, remember that it's from 2001, and by Grant Morrison).

In 2004 they started Whedon & Cassaday's Astonishing X-men, which is a must read, but watch out because there were two mini series' by the same title prior to this.

those three titles would be your core X-men stories to start, and that would get you up until around this past year, when they started canceling/restarting the whole line..

yeah am not asking for specific x-men comic book story arc or uncanny x-men or new x-men.i just need the most important story arcs of X MEN just like i posted from wikipedia of batman story arcs.

and like this :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Publication_history_of_Marvel_Comics_crossover_events

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Publication_history_of_DC_Comics_crossover_events

now i know that comic vine puts key story arcs http://www.comicvine.com/x-men/65-3173/story-arcs/ but i don't know in which order i should to read them

(this is copied from what I told a new reader a few weeks ago:)

Honestly, I would advise starting just after the Dark Phoenix Saga, with the Days of Future Paststoryline. It's only two issues and is pretty easy to find reprinted on it's own. Kitty Pryde has just recently joined the team, and most of the classic characters are still pretty new, but because some of the story is set in the future, we get a good idea of how characters like Kitty herself, the Wolverine and even Magneto are destined to develop over time.

After that, I would advise jumping ahead a little and tracking down God Loves, Man Kills. Between these first two, you should have a pretty good idea of the major themes of the X-men, and remember, almost nobody reads them all in the proper order anyways, and you can always back track once you've got your bearings.

If you want to continue skipping to the major points, I'd advise jumping ahead to the Trial of Magneto(#200) and Duel (#201), and just read strait through until the Mutant Massacre that happens a few years later. After that, you won't be missing anything essential if you skip ahead to Uncanny X-men #300 and roll with that until, say, the early 320's or so.

Now, so far, other than God Loves, Man Kills, I've only been mentioning the original series (or, Uncanny X-men), But around the early 2000's, there was a bit of a new beginning for the X-men with Grant Morrison's New X-men, the first three or four storylines of which are quite refreshing, and pretty easy to find in trades.

Morrison's run is also a great warm up and natural precursor for the almost universally belovedAstonishing X-men , from Josh Whedon and John Cassaday, in 2004. This is classic X-men, and actually what I usually lend to people to show them how good the X-men can be. Actually, if you did just start here, you'd be starting on pretty firm ground.

Sorry, if that's a lot to take in, but I hope it helps.

@dangallant984: any kind of help is great.so thanks.where does house of m goes?

to be honest i have never reade any of x men comic books.i have read wolverine comics and ultimate x-men.

of marvel i have read civil war,planet hulk and world war hulk.and am reading amazing spider-man comics.am not a big fan of marvel.but am giving them a shot.

i have started to read major marvel story arcs from The Korvac Saga and Phoenix Saga and i noticed that almost everywhere there are x-men so i thought i should read them as well

@Kesho_Ronin: heheh, yeah, it's a lot to take in. I'm pretty sure House of M ran parallel to Whedon's Astonishing run, and just a little before the Civil War. honestly, though, the more of them you read, the more you see how everything fits together. It's not all good, but it makes for a very rich tapestry.

@Kesho_Ronin: Nice name...

Let me give it a shot...I'm a thorough person so this will be a long list...

Start with Giant Size X-men 1, then Uncanny X-Men 94-100.

Then the Phoenix saga rolls until 137 as the Dark Phoenix Saga.

Then read days of future past Uncanny 141-142.

At this point you can start skipping around a bit but I recommend the following key issues

Uncanny 168 (Intro Maddie Pryor)

Uncanny 169-170 (Intro Morlocks)

Read Avengers Annual 10 then Uncanny 171 (Intro Rogue)

Then read Uncanny 185-186 then you can skip til Uncanny 198-200 (AWESOME storm story and a turning point for the character as a whole)

Read The GN God Loves Man Kills and the New Mutants

Read X-Men Alpha Flight 1+2

then Uncanny X-men Annual 9 and The New Mutants Special Edition.

Then Uncanny Annual 10 New Mutants Annual 2 and the Longshot Mini-Series.

Read Avengers 263 and Fantastic Four 286 then X-Factor 1-6

Read X-Factor 9-11, Uncanny 210-213, Thor 373-374

Read X-Factor 15, 19, 23-26

Read Excalibur Special 1 and issues 1-9

Read New Mutants 59-61

Read Uncanny 220-227 skip 228 and start with 229.

Read X-Factor 33,34

Read Uncanny 235-238

Read Uncanny 239-243, X-Factor 36-39 and New Mutants 70-73.

Read Uncanny 244,246-247, 251-252

Read Uncanny 257-258,266-271 X-Factor 60-62 New Mutants 87, 95-97

Read New Mutants 98-100 and X-Force 1

Read X-Factor 65-68

Read Uncanny 278-283, X-Factor 69-70 and X-Men 1-3,8

Read Uncanny 287-288

Read Uncanny X-Men 294-297, X-Factor 84-86, X-Force 16-18 and X-Men 14-16

Read Excalibur 71, Uncanny X-Men 301-304, Wolverine 75, X-Factor 92, X-Force 25, X-Men 25

Read Cable 20, Uncanny 319-321, X-Factor 109, X-Men 40-41

X-Man #1-4, X-Calibre #1-4, Generation Next #1-4, Astonishing X-Men #1-4, Weapon X 1-4, Factor X 1-4, Gambit & the X-Ternals 1-4, Amazing X-Men 1-4, X-Men Chronicles 1-2

Age of Apocalypse: The Chosen, Blink 1-4, Exiles 60-61, Tales of the Age of Apocalypse 1-2, X-Man -1, X-Man Annual ‘96, X-Men Age of Apocalypse One-Shot, X-Men Age of Apocalypse 1-6, X-Men Alpha, X-Men Omega, X-Universe 1-2

Then finally X-Men Prime. That should get you from '75 to the end of the golden age of X-Men in the 90's. If you want more let me know...

Why don't you google it?? You will probably yield similar results as your search for the Batman stories.

There is a ton of them....you have to be specific if you are just looking for arcs...because there is hundreds, ones that don't even feature the X-Men but will spotlight X-related characters like Freedom Force....or are you just looking for yearly X-overs??

@chasereis: this is great.thanks.i will send you pm if i need some help.

@cattlebattle: yeah i googled it and i only got this that was useful http://marvel.wikia.com/X-Men_Reading_Order

@Kesho_Ronin said:

@cattlebattle: yeah i googled it and i only got this that was useful http://marvel.wikia.com/X-Men_Reading_Order

What are you looking for though?? All story arcs or X-overs...or both?? Uncannyx-men.net is the greatest X-Men site ever and has a page specifically for what you are asking....I don't know if they have the order though

@cattlebattle: not all story arcs just the major ones

@Kesho_Ronin

I pulled this off the comicvine X-men team page. It looks like it's in pretty good chronological order.

Major Storylines

• The Dark Phoenix Saga
• Days of Future Past
• God Loves, Man Kills
• Mutant Massacre
• Fall of the Mutants
• Inferno
• Days of Future Present
• X-Tinction Agenda
• Muir Island Saga
• X-Cutioner Song
• Fatal Attractions
• Phalanx Covenant
• Age of Apocalypse
• Legion Quest
• Onslaught
• Children of the Atom
• Operation: Zero Tolerance
• The Twelve
• Dream's End
• Eve of Destruction
• E is for Extinction
• Riot at Xavier's
• Assault on Weapon Plus
• Planet X
• Here Comes Tomorrow
• Gifted
• House of M
• Decimation
• Unstoppable
• Deadly Genesis
• Rise and Fall of the Shi'ar Empire
• Endangered Species
• Messiah Complex
• Divided We Stand
• Manifest Destiny
• X-Infernus
• Messiah War
• Utopia
• Nation X
• Necrosha
• Second Coming
• Curse of the Mutants
• The Five Lights
• Age of X
• Schism
• Regenesis

@cyberchop979: I saw that I just didn't like it. Too many key issues missing...

@chasereis: whoa, I have to say, other than refering to the 90's as the golden age, I am genuinely impressed.

but you forgot Uncanny X-men Annual #11, so I'm gonna have to give you a B.

@cyberchop979: and you forgot The Trial of Magneto.

@cattlebattle: I think they do but you have to dig it out of there somewhere. It was just easier for me to go off memory.

@chasereis: I agree. But in terms of main story arcs, the list is put together rather nicely.

@chasereis said:

@cattlebattle: I think they do but you have to dig it out of there somewhere. It was just easier for me to go off memory.

You remembered all that??? Damn, you must be half robot, lol

@dangallant984: Not my list, It's comicvine's. I just copy and pasted.

Also, Its not really a story arc, its one issue.

Uncanny X-men #200 is a great story, not an arc.

@cyberchop979: hahaha! I'm just pulling your chain, old boy!

and you're right, I just consider it a pretty key story to the whole X-men thing.

@dangallant984: No sir I did not forget maggie's trial. Uncanny issue 200 was the end of the trial and the time in which he "inherited" the New Mutants and the School. I was on the fence about Annual 11, while it was a fantastical story and the battle between Horde and Wolvie was epic. It was one of wolvie's finest hours to be certain, I was just not sure if it was as relevant as say the Reavers vs Jubilee conflict...

@dangallant984: Lol, you are also correct sir! The trial resulted in Mag's becoming the New Mutants new headmaster. You are right in considering it an essential read.

@cattlebattle: Thanks I think...

@cyberchop979: I know I wasnt saying anything bad about it or your selection in the least. I just preferred to do it myself. As far as the "arc" thing actually I consider them one giant story arc. The X-men in the eighties and early nineties weren't so compartmentalized back then as they are now for that new reader jump on sh!te and PLEASE dont start me on the new reader jump on point crap...feeling nauseous just thinking about it. lol.

@dangallant984: Oh and I was trying to say the 90's were the END of the golden age. Personally the golden age of X-Men ended in X-men issue 3 in 1991 to me.

@cyberchop979: What ever happened to Fenris I wonder, so many good B list villians back then that just...disappeared.

@chasereis: yeah, I guess I think of it more as an essential Wolverine story, and only more so because it so clearly defines the character's role on the team; he's not really a good leader, and as a teacher, his major lesson seems to be "kid, you don't wanna be anything like me", but he sees it as his responsibility to be their protector. I think that's why I always thought he was a good fit to take over the school. @chasereis said:

@dangallant984: Oh and I was trying to say the 90's were the END of the golden age. Personally the golden age of X-Men ended in X-men issue 3 in 1991 to me.

haha! I can dig that.

@cyberchop979: for me it's where it gets really good, well, maybe a few issues before that, but this one is key. It also begins what I consider to be the end of the golden age: from, say, Duel (in the next issue), to about the end of the Mutant Massacre.

Then it's left to Storm,Wolverine and Rogue to rebuild the team (a theme that would reoccur a few times) oh, and Psylocke, the only member of the replacement (or outback) X-men that I actually liked. That said, Uncanny X-men Annual #11, coincidentally, serves quite well as a fun epilogue to what was (at the time) this very dark era for the X-men.

then, eh, wake me up when get to Genosha, or better yet, the Muir Island Saga.

@dangallant984: It was a very dark time wasn't it? Especially in contrast to the "bright and cheery" X-Factor wasn't it? I loved that man...digressing.

I remember when the Annuals were the big yearly thing to look for. Seeing Art Adams on the Uncanny issues was epic. I LOVE PSYLOCKE! One of newer X-Men that I truly adore Asian or not. In New Mutants Annual 2 she was just delicate, feminine and just regal and the thing with Cypher? He was the mutant I could relate to the most honestly and then they carried it over into X-Men Annual 10, I thought finally! Good guy finishing first! Would love to see that story resurrected. Cypher x Psylocke FTW, playa.

Oh come on now, you had to have liked that last Shi'ar if for nothing else to see Wolvie and Remy in school uniforms. Come on....

Thanks alot guys.with this information that you all gave me can help start my collection of x men

@chasereis: I get why people like that story, I mean, there hadn't actually been a proper team for quite a while at that point, so it was nice to see it coming back together, and the uniforms really helped get that across. I've just never been a fan of the X-men in space. Well, I liked Whedon & Cassaday's Unstoppable storyline, but to me that's more the exception that proves the rule.

@dangallant984: I can give you that one. It is always hit or miss with space stories... Brood story was good, Shi'ar vs phoenix was good, the whole emperor vulcan thing sucked and don't start me on the Shi'ar wiping out the entire grey family line. What the hell was that?

@chasereis: yeah, I dunno. The X-men, as a concept, just has so much going for it already that it always seems too contrived or over the top when they start going into outer space. Part of me likes that that's part of the lore, but I almost never like it when they actually go there. If the X-men never go into space again, or have to fight aliens or whatever, that would be fine by me.

@dangallant984: Wouldnt hurt my feelings either and to your point it does seem artificial like Batman in space. However I do like certain elements that have placed well like Lilandra in 80's was a good way for Professor X to leave for a while. Shi'ar technology in the 90's was good thing while Lobdell, Seagle and Kelly weren't screwing it up.

@chasereis: and, hell, I do love me some Lockheed.

But, in the main, yeah, I would leave the cosmic stuff for the Avengers or the FF; the X-men have more than enough going for them already.

@dangallant984: Hells Yea. Lockheed ftw, pimpin. Actually I love how it tends to connect Magik, Cypher, Shadowcat and Lockheed together. Oh btw. Since you seem tenured like myself, I would like your impression on the "Asgard Vs X-men" sagas...Personally I LOVED them. Seeing Rogue kiss Jean Paul was worth the 1.50 cover.

@Mr Marvel82: This seemed a more appropriate venue to discuss my favorite stories. I love the more classic story lines in the eighties the best and I recommend reading the entire 1-64 run of X-Factor if you want a glimpse at the REAL O5 written by a real writer. Sure they were some filler issues to be certain but overall...wow. Oh and don't forget to read Avengers 263 then Fantastic Four 286 before that if you choose to do it. I basically enjoy the vast majority of the X-Titles during Bob Harras tenure but to be specific...

Uncanny X-Men: one the big three. Was my second favorite book, never missed an issue. I used to love reading Annuals in the 80's.

New Mutants: second of the big three. Was third favorite mostly because it was inconsistently written and drawn. Great cast, great concept that was often poor executed. And they fucking killed Cypher. Died before the fucking internet came around. WTF.

X-Factor: third of the three and my personal favorite. Louise Simonson and Walt Simonson made some of the most memorable stories.

One of the top ones in my book was the Advent of Apocalypse in Fall Of The Mutants (issues 24-26). X-Factor Vs The Horsemen at the battle of Manhattan was freaking Epic. It also made Archangel from Angel's remnants. While I had no real issue with Angel himself, I actually liked him. He was never really notable even in Uncanny or the Defenders until he was given his "upgrade", and he needed an "edge" that was made painfully apparent in his battle with Blockbuster. Anyway this series was so well written and dynamic, but there had been a huge back story building since issue 6 really. Beast was a particularly good character in this one. Due to his "incident" in Amazing Adventures 11 and the events of X-Factor Issues 2-3, 19 he was TRULY a hero through and through in this. Iceman was a particularly important piece. Scott really shined brightly here as the leader he was meant to be. Jean was the anchor / center of the team and you had the sense she brought a sensitivity that was able to help Warren in this troubling time. Finally Warren, the star of the show almost, really broke out of the doldrums of bad writing stigma here. (This is a good example of what SHOULD have happened with Jean). Warren so angry at the world for the loss he experienced in Issue 16, and changed by Apocalypse was such a "good" villain. Wow and it took 24-25 to wrap and even had a exposition issue in 26 with humans praising them for saving them! Forward momentum with Scott and Jean! The sad lamentation of Beast's loss!

Anyway how I judge a book is one two things 1. did I get emotionally involved / invested? 2. Am I going to actually re-read it? If it passes my two point inspection then its a good story.

@chasereis said:

@dangallant984: Hells Yea. Lockheed ftw, pimpin. Actually I love how it tends to connect Magik, Cypher, Shadowcat and Lockheed together. Oh btw. Since you seem tenured like myself, I would like your impression on the "Asgard Vs X-men" sagas...Personally I LOVED them. Seeing Rogue kiss Jean Paul was worth the 1.50 cover.

@Mr Marvel82: This seemed a more appropriate venue to discuss my favorite stories. I love the more classic story lines in the eighties the best and I recommend reading the entire 1-64 run of X-Factor if you want a glimpse at the REAL O5 written by a real writer. Sure they were some filler issues to be certain but overall...wow. Oh and don't forget to read Avengers 263 then Fantastic Four 286 before that if you choose to do it. I basically enjoy the vast majority of the X-Titles during Bob Harras tenure but to be specific...

Uncanny X-Men: one the big three. Was my second favorite book, never missed an issue. I used to love reading Annuals in the 80's.

New Mutants: second of the big three. Was third favorite mostly because it was inconsistently written and drawn. Great cast, great concept that was often poor executed. And they fucking killed Cypher. Died before the fucking internet came around. WTF.

X-Factor: third of the three and my personal favorite. Louise Simonson and Walt Simonson made some of the most memorable stories.

One of the top ones in my book was the Advent of Apocalypse in Fall Of The Mutants (issues 24-26). X-Factor Vs The Horsemen at the battle of Manhattan was freaking Epic. It also made Archangel from Angel's remnants. While I had no real issue with Angel himself, I actually liked him. He was never really notable even in Uncanny or the Defenders until he was given his "upgrade", and he needed an "edge" that was made painfully apparent in his battle with Blockbuster. Anyway this series was so well written and dynamic, but there had been a huge back story building since issue 6 really. Beast was a particularly good character in this one. Due to his "incident" in Amazing Adventures 11 and the events of X-Factor Issues 2-3, 19 he was TRULY a hero through and through in this. Iceman was a particularly important piece. Scott really shined brightly here as the leader he was meant to be. Jean was the anchor / center of the team and you had the sense she brought a sensitivity that was able to help Warren in this troubling time. Finally Warren, the star of the show almost, really broke out of the doldrums of bad writing stigma here. (This is a good example of what SHOULD have happened with Jean). Warren so angry at the world for the loss he experienced in Issue 16, and changed by Apocalypse was such a "good" villain. Wow and it took 24-25 to wrap and even had a exposition issue in 26 with humans praising them for saving them! Forward momentum with Scott and Jean! The sad lamentation of Beast's loss!

Anyway how I judge a book is one two things 1. did I get emotionally involved / invested? 2. Am I going to actually re-read it? If it passes my two point inspection then its a good story.

I'll admit, I have very few issues of X-Factor. I've only read synopses online... I'll have to see if the graphic novels are available on amazon! Otherwise, I'll take a visit to my local shop and see what's in stock in the back issues section. Thanks for the recommendation.

I'm most likely not going to check out New Mutants... I never gave this cast, nor Generation X's cast, a shot. I'm not sure why really, but Skids, Boom Boom, Canonball and the like, never got my attention.

I have, however, become partial of some of the newer class of X-Students though, like the Stepford Cuckoos, Quentin Quire, Edie, Broo, Julian "Hellion" Keller... I'd like to see them get a little more shine. Wolverine and the X-men doesn't seem to do it for me.

@Mr Marvel82: I don't really blame you there, I mean on the new mutants. Since you bring it up I was actually a fan of the very short lived X-Terminators mini. Mostly becuase of Whiz-Kid. I can share in your assessment of those characters from X-Force and of Generation X as well (except Jubes). Reason why I say X-Force is becuase basically Liefeld trashed the whole team at one point, mostly due to Cable being a cable. The New Mutants I that I refer to are basically the original set. Mirage, Wolfsbane, Sunspot, Magma, Magik, Cypher, Warlock, Karma and lastly Cannonball. Personally I am in the same boat as you with Cannonball. I would challenge you though to read X-Force 19. Cannonball's finest moment I think.