The progression of X-Men comics throughout the 1990’s is fascinating, rife with major events, star-making turns from creative talent, and more crossovers than you can shake a longbox at. The decade quickly builds to the best-selling comic book of all time, X-Men #1 by Chris Claremont and Jim Lee, before transitioning into a new phase that will build to linewide events like Age of Apocalypse and Onslaught.
Below you’ll find a complete guide to the X-Men universe of the 1990’s. I’ve noted Comic Book Herald’s favorite reads by placing the CBH logo next to the series title.
Related Reading Orders:
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The Chris Claremont Era Concludes – With Jim Lee!
For the full road that gets the X-Men to this point, I recommend checking out the Chris Claremont Era X-Men reading order.
Excalibur Epic Collection: Girl’s School from Heck
Collects: Excalibur (1988) 31-41, Weird War III, The Possession, Air Apparent; Sensational She-Hulk 26; Material From Marvel Comics Presents (1988) 75
X-Men Milestones: X-Tinction Agenda
Collects: Uncanny X-Men (1981) 235-238, 270-272; New Mutants (1983) 95-97; X-Factor (1986) 60-62
X-Tinction Agenda Reading Order:
- Uncanny X-Men #270
- X-Factor #60
- New Mutants #95
- Uncanny X-Men #271
- X-Factor #61
- New Mutants #96
- Uncanny X-Men #272
- X-Factor #62
- New Mutants #97
X-Men Epic Collection: Mutant Genesis
Collects: X-Men Annual (1970) 15, X-Factor (1986) 65-70, Uncanny X-Men (1981) 278-280, X-Men (1991) 1-3; Material From New Mutants Annual 7, X-Factor Annual 6
The era of “Mutant Genesis” includes the “Muir Island Saga” which crosses over in the following order:
- Uncanny X-Men #278
- Uncanny X-Men #279
- X-Factor #69
- Uncanny X-Men #280
- X-Factor #70
From there you should progress to X-Men #1 to #3, the swan song of Claremont and Lee, and the best selling comic of all time!
After the Mutant Genesis!
X-Force #1 to #15: All new series launch with Rob Liefeld and Fabian Nicieza at the helm.
X-Factor Epic Collection: All-New, All-Different X-Factor
Collects: X-Factor (1986) 71-83, Annual 7; Incredible Hulk (1968) 390-392
Excalibur Visionaries: Alan Davis Vol. 1
Collects: Excalibur (1988) #42-50
Worth calling out here that the “Mutant Genesis 2.0
Collects: Uncanny X-Men #281 to #293, X-Men #8
Following X-Men #8, there’s a short Ghost Rider crossover:
- Ghost Rider #26
- X-Men #9
- Ghost Rider #27
- X-Men #10 to #13
X-Force Epic Collection: X-Cutioner’s Song
Collects: Cable: Blood & Metal 1-2, Uncanny X-Men (1981) 294-296, X-Factor (1986) 84-86, X-Men (1991) 14-16, X-Force (1991) 16-19, Stryfe’s Strike File 1, New Warriors (1990) 31
X-Cutioner’s Song Reading Order:
- Cable: Blood & Metal #1 to #2
- Uncanny X-Men #294
- X-Factor #84
- X-Men #14
- X-Force #16
- Uncanny X-Men #295
- X-Factor #85
- X-Men #15
- X-Force #17
- Uncanny X-Men #296
- X-Factor #86
- X-Men #16
- X-Force #18
- Uncanny X-Men #297
Collects: X-Men (1991) 17-24, X-Men: Survival Guide To The Mansion, Material From Marvel Swimsuit Special 2
Collects: X-Men (1991) 17-24, X-Men Annual (1992) 1-2, Uncanny X-Men Annual (1992) 16, X-Men: Survival Guide To The Mansion; Material From X-Factor Annual 7, X-Force Annual (1992) 1
X-Factor Epic Collection: X-Aminations
Collects: X-Factor (1986) 84-100, Annual 8
Excalibur Visionaries: Alan Davis – Volume 2
Collects: Excalibur (1988) #51-58 And The Excalibur: Xx Crossing One-Shot
Excalibur Visionaries – Alan Davis Volume 3
Collects: Excalibur (1988) #59-67
Fatal Attractions!
Collects: Uncanny X-Men (1981) 298-300, 303-304, 315; X-Factor (1986) 92; X-Force (1991) 25; X-Men Unlimited (1993) 2; X-Men (1991) 25
X-Men Milestones: Fatal Attractions
Collects: Uncanny X-Men 298-300, 303-304, 315; X-Factor (1986) 92; X-Force (1991) 25; X-Men Unlimited (1993) 2; X-Men (1991) 25; Wolverine (1988) 75; Excalibur (1988) 71
Fatal Attractions Reading Order:
- Uncanny X-Men #298 to #303
- X-Factor (1986) #92
- X-Force (1991) #25
- Uncanny X-Men #304
- X-Men Unlimited (1993) #2
- X-Men (1991) #25
- Wolverine (1988) #75
- Excalibur (1988) #71
Collects: Avengers (1963) #368-369, X-Men (1991) #26, Avengers West Coast #101, Uncanny X-Men (1963) #307 And Black Knight: Exodus
Bloodties Reading Order:
- Avengers #368
- X-Men #26
- West Coast Avengers #101
- Uncanny X-Men #307
- Avengers #369
- Black Knight: Exodus
X-Men: The Wedding of Cyclops & Phoenix
Collects: X-Men (1991) 26-35, Avengers (1963) 368-369, Avengers West Coast 101, Uncanny X-Men (1981) 307-310, Cable (1993) 6-8, X-Men Unlimited (1993) 3, Uncanny X-Men Annual (1992) 18, X-Men: The Wedding Album, What If? (1989) 60, Adventures Of Cyclops And Phoenix 1-4, Material From Marvel Valentine Special
Note that the mega “Wedding of Cyke and Jean” collection doubles up on the “Bloodties” crossover. I’d also hold off on “Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix” until later in the guide.
- X-Men #27
- X-Men Unlimited #3
- Uncanny X-Men #308
- X-Men #28
- Uncanny X-Men #309
- X-Men #29
- Uncanny X-Men Annual #18
- X-Men the Wedding Album
- Uncanny X-Men #310
- X-Men #30
- What If? #60
X-Men Milestones: Phalanx Covenant
Collects: Uncanny X-Men (1981) 305-306, 312-313, 316-317; Excalibur (1988) 78-80, 82; X-Men (1991) 36-37; X-Factor (1986) 106; X-Force (1991) 38; Wolverine (1988) 85; Cable (1993) 16
- Uncanny X-Men #305 to #306
- Uncanny X-Men #312 to #313
- Excalibur #78 to #80
- Uncanny X-Men #316
- X-Men #36
- Uncanny X-Men #317
- X-Men #37
- X-Factor #106
- X-Force #38
- Excalibur #82
- Wolverine #85
- Cable #16
X-Men: Generation X Classic, Vol. 1
Collects: Uncanny X-Men #316-318, X-Men #36-37, Generation X #1-4, Generation X Ashcan Edition
Excalibur Visionaries: Warren Ellis Vol. 1
Collects: Excalibur (1988) #83-90 And Material From X-Men Prime
Collects: Uncanny X-Men (1981) 318-321, X-Men (1991) 38-41, X-Men Unlimited (1993) 4-7, X-Men Annual (1992) 3, X-Factor (1986) 107-109, Cable (1993) 20
The Age of Apocalypse
Issues: Check out the Comic Book Herald reading order!
Excalibur Visionaries: Warren Ellis Vol. 2
Collects: Excalibur (1988) #91-95, X-Man #12 And Starjammers (1995) #1-4
Generation X Classic – Volume 2
Collects: Generation X 5-11, Generation X Annual ’95, Generation X San Diego Preview
X-Men vs. Onslaught
Issues: Check out the complete Comic Book Herald reading order.
Collects: Uncanny X-Men (1981) 338-340, Annual ’96-97; X-Men (1991) 58-61, Annual ’97; X-Men Unlimited (1993) 12-14, X-Factor (1986) 130
Excalibur Visionaries: Warren Ellis Vol. 3
Collects: Excalibur (1988) #96-103 And Pryde And Wisdom #1-3
The Adventures of Cyclops & Phoenix
Collects: Adventures Of Cyclops & Phoenix 1-4, Askani’Son 1-4, X-Men: Phoenix 1-3, X-Men: Books Of Askani, Material From Marvel Valentine Special
Collects: Uncanny X-Men (1981) 341-350, X-Men (1991) 62-64, Uncanny X-Men -1, X-Men -1
X-Men Operation Zero Tolerance
X-Men: Operation Zero Tolerance
Collects: Generation X 26-31, X-Force 67-70, X-Men 65-70, Uncanny X-Men 346, Wolverine 115-118, Cable 45-47, X-Man 30
Operation Zero Tolerance reading order!
- Generation X #26
- Generation X #27
- X-Force #67
- Generation X #28
- X-Men #65
- Uncanny X-Men #346
- Generation X #29
- X-Men #66
- Wolverine #115
- Cable #45
- Cable #46
- Cable #47
- X-Force #69
- Wolverine #116
- Generation X #30
- Generation X #31
- X-Men #67
- X-Men #68
- X-Man #30
- X-Men #69
- Wolverine #117
- Wolverine #118
- X-Force #70
- X-Men #70
X-Men: Gambit: The Complete Collection Vol. 1
Collects: Gambit (1999) 1/2, 1-11; Gambit Annual ’99; Marvel Authentix: Gambit 1; Material From X-Men Unlimited (1993) 18
X-Men – The End of the 90’s!
X-Men: The Hunt for Professor X
Collects: Uncanny X-Men (1981) 360-365; X-Men (1991) 80-84, 1/2; X-Men Unlimited (1993) 22
The Hunt for Professor X reading order!
- Uncanny X-Men #360
- X-Men #80
- X-Men #1/2
- Uncanny X-Men #361
- X-Men #81
- X-Men Unlimited #22
- X-Men #82
- Uncanny X-Men #363
- X-Men #83
- Uncanny X-Men #364
- X-Men #84
- Uncanny X-Men #365
Collects: X-Men (1991) 85-91, Annual 1999; X-Men: The Magneto War 1; Uncanny X-Men #366-371; X-Men Unlimited (1993) 23; Magneto Rex 1-3; Material From X-Men Unlimited (1993) 24
The Magneto War reading order!
- X-Men: The Magneto War #1
- Uncanny X-Men #366
- X-Men #86
- Uncanny X-Men #367
- X-Men #87
- Magneto Rex #1 to #3
- Uncanny X-Men #368
- X-Men #88
- Uncanny X-Men #369
- X-Men #89
- Uncanny X-Men #370
- X-Men #90
Collects: Uncanny X-Men #372-375, X-Men (1991) #92-95, Astonishing X-Men (1999) #1-3
Next: X-Men in the 2000’s!
You put so much effort into the ’80’s/Claremont guide, and yet there’s SO much missing from this? Where’s the Gambit solo? The Sabretooth solo? You’re missing a lot from the ones you have, including Cable. The 80s was easy: UXM and New Mutants, annuals each year, with some X-Factor. 90s is like the most confusing time based on all the series they churned out.
Love what you do, but maybe revisit this?
This is not helpful as a reading order – merely seems to list collected editions available.