Click Here If You Want to Know What X-Books to Pick Up

[Jota]

I currently subscribe to about 10 Marvel books, a few of which ship more than once a month. I have always been interested in the X-Men and I know a decent amount about them, but I haven't really ever read the books. I am thinking of dropping some other books and subbing to All New X-Men and Uncanny X-Men. Do you think that this would be a good place to start? Also, is Wolverine a big player in either book? Let me know your opinions please. Thanks!

Don't do it!

[Dr. Cheesesteak]

Don't do it!

I'd second this.

Unless you prefer wordy and juvenile dialog. And prefer a writer who hasn't read a single X-story in his life and just writes characters how he thinks they would act. And prefer a time travel story that destroys all sense of metaphysical and consequential logic. If you like those things, then this book is for you! (side note - it does have some really nice art...)

[Lintlicker]

Hey All, two part question coming up...

I have never read any X-Men but am familiar with a few of the main characters from what I remember from watching the cartoons as a kid and the hollywood movies. I'd like to read some cool backstories and I'd also like to read some ongoings (and know what's going on). I've heard that the two best ongoing X-Books right now are:
- Wolverine & The X-Men
- Uncanny X-Force

I tried reading the thread "Click Here If You Are New to the X-Men and Want to Know What Books to Pick Up" but it din't seem definitive to me... there were some recommendations to read Claremont's work for proper backstory etc but that's like hundreds of issues! That thread also recommends reading all of Morrison's work too. I'm also interested in reading Whedon's run as I've read that is supposed to be really cool.

Question part 1: should I read all the Claremont stuff then all the Morrison stuff then all the Whedon stuff and then move on to the trades (and finally ongoing singles) of the two ongoings mentioned above? OR is it fine to start with the two ongoings mentioned and read the Claremont/Morrison/Whedon stuff as and when I have additional time & dollars?

Question part 2: if reading the backstory stuff mentioned in question part 1, what are the best collected editions to do so? Seems like the Essential titles are black and white which is a shame and the omnibus is hard to find under two hundred bucks... thoughts?

Thanks!!
Lint'

[mrjustice]

Hi Lint,

As I have been reading X-men books for a year now, and have got myself up to speed, I thought I would share with you what I read.

First of all, unfortunately, Uncanny X Force has now finished with what was probably one the best X men based runs of recent times (my opinion). The series is being re-booted in the new year with a new team and new writers and artists, we'll have to wait and see if its any good! Wolverine and the X men is a cool book, but All New X Men is the way to go for something new to read.

Secondly, get a marvel digital comics online subscription. It costs $9.99 a month and you get thousands of comics to read, most of which are complete runs and classic story lines. I blasted through years worth of X-men and spent about $20.00 compared to the hundreds of dollars that you are likely going to spend on trade paperbacks and omnibuses.

Thirdly, here is the list of what I read to get me up to speed with X-men:

- New X men by Grant Morrison - Complete run
- Astonishing X Men by Joss Whedon - Complete Run
- House of M by Brian Bendis - Limited Series (and significant event for the current status quo of the x men)
- Messiah Complex (Various writers) - X Men Crossover Event
- Messiah War (Various Writers) - Cable and X-Force crossover
- Second Coming (Various writers) - X men Crossover event
- Schism by Jason Aaron - Limited Series

This will lead you in to either Uncanny X men (starting from issue 1) by Kieron Gillen or wolverine and the x men by Jason Aaron, and will eventually lead into Avengers vs X men which is the most recent event.

As far as back stories and classic X men go, you can flip back through them at a later date, as trying to read through the entire back story of the x men will take to long. Essential Claremont stories such as Dark Phoenix Saga, Mutant Massacre, Days of Future past, and God Loves, Man Kills are worth reading, but are not essential to understand what is happening now.

Lastly, try not to worry too much about continuity and understanding everything, I didn't and I'm currently really enjoying me some X-books. I would strongly recommend reading the titles i mentioned earlier, as they are extremely rewarding.

Hope this helps, and happy reading!

[Porcupeth]

Hi guys, i'm new

I've been getting All New X-men and enjoy it. I'm wondering if i should get Uncanny X-men once it starts getting out in February. Questions:

All New X-men has been bi-weekly. In february there is only one issue of it; in March, there are two again. This means that, with the exception of February, it'll stay as biweekly right?
There are two Uncanny X-men issues in February, but only one in March. This means that it'll be a monthy book correct? So basically..after February, it'll be two ANXM and one UNXM per month right?

[Dark-Flux]

It could be that itll alternate. Ie feb is 1 ANXM/ 2UXM, March is 2ANXM/1UXM then April back to 1ANXM/2UXM etc.


My question: could anybody rec a good recent jump on point for WXM? I read the first few but dropped due to costs and am now looking to get back in.

[Lintlicker]

Hi Lint,

As I have been reading X-men books for a year now, and have got myself up to speed, I thought I would share with you what I read.

First of all, unfortunately, Uncanny X Force has now finished with what was probably one the best X men based runs of recent times (my opinion). The series is being re-booted in the new year with a new team and new writers and artists, we'll have to wait and see if its any good! Wolverine and the X men is a cool book, but All New X Men is the way to go for something new to read.

Secondly, get a marvel digital comics online subscription. It costs $9.99 a month and you get thousands of comics to read, most of which are complete runs and classic story lines. I blasted through years worth of X-men and spent about $20.00 compared to the hundreds of dollars that you are likely going to spend on trade paperbacks and omnibuses.

Thirdly, here is the list of what I read to get me up to speed with X-men:

- New X men by Grant Morrison - Complete run
- Astonishing X Men by Joss Whedon - Complete Run
- House of M by Brian Bendis - Limited Series (and significant event for the current status quo of the x men)
- Messiah Complex (Various writers) - X Men Crossover Event
- Messiah War (Various Writers) - Cable and X-Force crossover
- Second Coming (Various writers) - X men Crossover event
- Schism by Jason Aaron - Limited Series

This will lead you in to either Uncanny X men (starting from issue 1) by Kieron Gillen or wolverine and the x men by Jason Aaron, and will eventually lead into Avengers vs X men which is the most recent event.

As far as back stories and classic X men go, you can flip back through them at a later date, as trying to read through the entire back story of the x men will take to long. Essential Claremont stories such as Dark Phoenix Saga, Mutant Massacre, Days of Future past, and God Loves, Man Kills are worth reading, but are not essential to understand what is happening now.

Lastly, try not to worry too much about continuity and understanding everything, I didn't and I'm currently really enjoying me some X-books. I would strongly recommend reading the titles i mentioned earlier, as they are extremely rewarding.

Hope this helps, and happy reading!

Thanks man! I just subscribed on my iPad and read the first x-men (1963) I think I read somewhere to read at least the first 64 of,those and then jump to Claremont and then Whedon&morrison.

Cheers!

[Healios]

My girlfriend approached me recently and told me that she really loves the X-Men and, knowing I love comics, told me she wants to try to get into some comics. She also said she doesn't wanna pick up in the middle of a story, she wants to start from the very beginning of one. I have the first 4 issues of All New Xmen that I thought she could could maybe read. What other stories could I get for her that could help her get into comics?

[Personamanx]

If you want something continuity light you could try getting some of the "X-Men: First Class" trades.

[Dark-Flux]

Whedons Astonishing X-Men or Ultimate X-Men would be a good way to go imo.

[Personamanx]

Whedons Astonishing X-Men or Ultimate X-Men would be a good way to go imo.

This too, but really I would ease her in with Trade Paperbacks and what not before getting her to try any current issues.

[Home made ectoplasm]

X men season one!

[airdreams]

Whedon's Astonishing X-Men for sure.

[Coolhandlocke]

First post, long time X-Men fan here. I've been into comics on and off since the early 80s when my uncle introduced me to the Uncanny X-Men. Was a HUGE fan of the 80s and early 90s stuff, basically everything before Image came along and the whole multiple covers things started. I blew a lot of cash in those days and like a lot of people I bought the wrong books as far as the collectible side of things goes, and unfortunately lost most of my X-men books to my little brothers, trades, and time.

I'm finally getting back into comics, getting some of my old books back, and needless to say a lot has changed. Going to start picking up some Uncanny issues, probably start around 150-250 or so as that was the main time I read them and it seems to be a good price range to jump back in at from the years I grew up reading them.

Few quick questions...

Noticed my favorite price guide went the way of the wooden nickel... anything else out there aside from Feebay for pricing? Loved picking up the old Wizards and Toy mags as I'm a magazine reader, just curious about other options if there are any.

I'm going to subscribe to a few titles and was wondering how heavyink was or if anyone uses them? They seem to have a good mix of what I'm looking for between Marvel & Image so I was thinking about checking them out. I would much rather deal with my LCS, but there's only one that's close and they sell books on the side... mainly novelties and anime stuff. Still a few "cool" shops around just nothing close enough unfortunately.


Thanks in advance, look forward to hearing some thoughts...

[graffiX]

Also I wouldn't recommend ebay to buy back issues. Mycomicshop.com is a great place to rebuild your collection. And the prices are pretty reasonable as well.