Raven Darkholme, aka Mystique, is one of the most popular X-Men villains (and part time ally!). While she was a strong supporting character throughout the 1980s and 1990’s, the character’s prominent standing as Magneto’s right-hand in the film franchise led to a surge of newfound attention.
Mystique is uniquely tied to the X-Men universe, with deep connections to Rogue, Wolverine, Nightcrawler, Sabretooth, and Professor Xavier. Her shifting allegiances mirror her own shape-shifting abilities as one of the most elusive characters in superhero comics.
Below you’ll find a complete guide to Marvel Comics starring Mystique, from her supporting roles to her on solo ongoing series. My picks for favorites in the guide are noted with the Comic Book Herald logo next to the book title.
Related Reading Orders:
Mystique Comics
Origins in Ms. Marvel
Ms. Marvel Epic Collection: The Woman Who Fell to Earth
Collects: Ms. Marvel (1977) 15-24, Marvel Two-In-One (1974) 51, Marvel Super-Heroes (1990) 10-11, Avengers (1963) 200, Annual (1967) 10 And Material From Avengers (1963) 197-199 And Marvel Fanfare (1982) 24
Issues #16 through #18 detail Mystique’s origin, in the iconcic confrontation between her, Rogue, and Carol Danvers, aka Ms. Marvel.
Uncanny X-Men Masterworks Vol. 6
Collects: Uncanny X-Men #141-150
Perhaps Mystique’s most notorious story, as documented on X-Men the Animated Series, as she attempts to lead a Brotherhood assasination of Senator Robert Kelly in Uncanny X-Men #141 to #142.
Mystique and the Brotherhood
Uncanny X-Men Masterworks Vol. 7
Collects: Uncanny X-Men #151-159, Avengers Annual #10, X-Men Annual #5
Really once Claremont’s run writing X-Men hits 1983 and 1984, Mystique and her new brotherhood of evil mutants (soon to be Freedom Force) are recurring baddies. Uncanny X-Men #158 here marks the return of Mystique and Rogue.
Uncanny X-Men Masterworks Vol. 9
Collects: Uncanny X-Men (1981) #168-175, X-Men Annual (1970) #7, Marvel Graphic Novel (1982) #5, Wolverine (1982) #1-4
Uncanny X-Men Masterworks Vol. 10
Collects: Uncanny X-Men (1981) #176-188, Magik (1983) #1-4, Material From Marvel Fanfare (1982) #40
X-Factor Epic Collection: Genesis & Apocalypse
Collects: X-Factor #8 To #9
Mystique’s freedom force takes on the new X-Factor.
X-Men: Fall of the Mutants Vol. 1
Collects: Uncanny X-Men (1963) #220-227, Hulk (1968) #340, New Mutants (1983) #55-61
Uncanny X-Men — X-Factor Reborn
Collects: Uncanny X-Men #254 To #255
Mystique in the 90’s
Collects: Sabretooth: Death Hunt #1 To #4
Collects: Uncanny X-Men #289 To #290
Collects: X-Factor #108 To #109
Collects: Uncanny X-Men 320-321, X-Men 40-41, Cable 20, X-Men Alpha, Amazing X-Men 1-4, Astonishing X-Men 1-4, Factor X 1-4, Gambit & The X-Ternals 1-4, Generation Next 1-4, Weapon X 1-4, X-Calibre 1-4, X-Man 1-4, X-Men Omega, Age Of Apocalypse: The Chosen, X-Men Ashcan 2
You can find a full reading order using Comic Book Herald’s Age of Apocalypse guide.
Collects: X-Men #93 To #94
Collects: Uncanny X-Men #388, Cable #87, Bishop The Last X-Man #16, Uncanny X-Men #389, X-Men #108
Solo Mystique and the 2000’s
Mystique by Brian K. Vaughan Ultimate Collection
Collects: Mystique (2003) #1-13
Mystique By Sean McKeever Ultimate Collection
Collects: Mystique (2003) #14-24
Collects: House Of M #1-8
House of M: World of M, Featuring Wolverine
Collects: Wolverine #33-35, Black Panther #7, Captain America #10 & Pulse #10
Collects: X-Men (2004) #171-174
Collects: X-Men #182- 187
Collects: X-Men #188-199 & Annual #1
Messiah Complex Through Marvel Now!
Collects: X-Men: Messiah Complex One-Shot, Uncanny X-Men (1963) #492-494, New X-Men (2004) #44-46, X-Men (2004) #205-207, X-Factor (2005) #25-27
Collects: Wolverine (2003) #62-65
Collects: X-Men Legacy #219-225
Collects: Wolverine: Manifest Destiny #1-4, X-Men Manifest Destiny: Nightcrawler #1 And X-Men: Manifest Destiny: Iceman, Nightcrawler, Boom-Boom & Avalanche
Collects: Dark X-Men (2009) #1-5
Wolverine Goes to Hell Omnibus
Collects: Astonishing Spider-Man & Wolverine 1-6; Wolverine (2010) 1-20, 5.1, 300-304; X-Men: Schism 1-5
Collects: Wolverine #300-304
Uncanny X-Force Vol. 6: Final Execution Book One
Collects: Uncanny X-Force #25-29
Uncanny X-Force Vol. 7: Final Execution Book Two
Collects: Uncanny X-Force (2010) #30-35
All-New X-Men Vol. 2: Here To Stay
Collects: All-New X-Men #6-10
Collects: X-Men: Battle Of The Atom #1-2, All-New X-Men #16-17, X-Men (2013) #5-6, Uncanny X-Men (2013) #12-13 And Wolverine & The X-Men #36-37
Mystique Comics After 2015
Collects: Astonishing X-Men (2004) #57-59, 62-68
Astonishing X-Men by Charles Soule Vol. 1: Life of X
Collects: Astonishing X-Men (2017) #1-6
Soule run
Astonishing X-Men by Charles Soule Vol. 2: A Man Called X
Collects: Astonishing X-Men (2017) #7-12
Collects: X-Men: Black – Mystique (2018) #1
Latest Additions:
Uncanny X-Men: Wolverine & Cyclops Vol. 2
Collects: Uncanny X-Men (2018) #17 to #22
Age of X-Man: The Amazing Nightcrawler
Collects: Age of X-Man: The Amazing Nightcrawler #1 to #5
Wolverine: Black, White & Blood
Collects: Wolverine: Black, White & Blood (2020) #1 to #4
Collects: X-Men (2019) #16 to #20
Collects: Inferno (2021) #1 to #4
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