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Avengers In Ten Seasons, Season 1: Assemble
The Avengers franchise is what made Marvel Studios the completely dominant force in comic based entertainment. The way they streamlined Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, and other characters into an expansive universe that also includes television shows like Daredevil and Agents Of SHIELD is something that has never been achieved before in motion picture entertainment.
The Avengers continuity, even without including the individual characters is supremely daunting. So, I've put together a chronology of some of the best Avengers related books that are currently or were recently available in collected editions (the recently available are still around for pretty cheap on various online outlets and in bookstores) into ten TV seasons.
​Season 1 isn't just The First Team of Avengers. I'm not a big fan of silver age books, so I want to get at least into the 80s by the end of the first season, so be prepared for a lot of team shake ups pretty quickly, which is actually in the spirit of the Avengers book, whose entire lineup changed three times in the first five issues.
Did the photographer just say 'Cap puts the ass in assemble?'
art by George Perez
​Season 1: Assemble
(showrunner: David Michelinie and Jim Starlin)
Serial 1: Avengers Epic Collection: Always An Avenger
(written by Stan Lee, art by Jack Kirby and Don Heck)
The team forms to fight off the threat of Loki. Then the team nearly breaks up. They go through an assortment of villains and team rosters, as well as crossing over with nearly every other property Marvel had at the time, including The Fantastic Four, The X-Men, and Spider-Man.
Assemble. 2 episodes
Serial 2: Avengers Kree/Skrull War
(written by Roy Thomas, art by Neal Adams, Sal Buscema, and John Buscema)
The Fantastic Four once battled a race of shape-shifting aliens called The Skrulls. When they defeated them, Reed Richards turned three of them into cows. After the Avengers deal with the possible threat of Captain Marvel's race, The Kree, Vision is attacked by the Skrull cows. Featuring The Fantastic Four, Annihilus, and the subject of a certain android Ant-Man created called Ultron gets breached.
The Kree. 1 episode
Skrullelujah. 1 episode
Episode 5: Avengers Celestial Madonna
(written by Roy Thomas and Steve Engleheart, art by Sal Buscema, Dave Cockrum, and Bob Brown)
There's a new star in the sky and it's going to mess up the Avengers, handing them their first of many deaths (not an Avenger most people can name, though). But now time traveling villains, including the rascally Kang have descended on their time to take out The Avengers. Plus, more damned Skrulls, and Vision and The Scarlet Witch get married?
Celestial Madonna. 1 episode
Episode 6: Avengers The Serpent Crown
(written by Steve Engleheart, art by George Perez)
The Avengers battle The Squadron Supreme, some Old West themed Marvel villains and Kang. GO AWAY KANG, YOU'RE TAKING UP A LOT OF SPACE HERE. This is a fun and odd team of Avengers that includes Beast (usually an X-Men) and Patsy Walker, Hellcat.
Crisis On A Different Earth. 1 episode
Episode 7: Iron Man Prelude To Armor Wars, Iron Man Armor Wars
(written by David Michelinie and Bob Layton, art by Mark Bright, Bob Layton, and Barry Windsor-Smith)
Tony Stark thought he'd been keeping a tight wrap on his technology, but when AIM starts crime sprees using Stark Tech, Iron Man decides to go at them full throttle. He even lets Jim Rhodes in on the Iron Man action. Nick Fury, Captain America and a variety of Avengers get in on Stark's quest to take AIM down.
Armor Wars. 1 episode
Episode 8: Iron Man Demon In A Bottle
(written by Dave Michelinie, art by Bob Layton and John Romita JR)
In order to deal with his constant state of stress, Mr. Stark has developed quite the alcohol dependency. Ant-Man, Nick Fury, and a cast of Avengers try and help him with that. But he doesn't need their help. Well, until he might have accidentally killed a UN Ambassador.
Demon In A Bottle. 1 episode
Episode 9: Avengers Vision & The Scarlet Witch A Year In The Life
(written by Steve Engleheart, art by Richard Howell and Al Milgrom)
The Avengers power couple "retires" to New Jersey to start a family. But their own families, including Magneto, Quicksilver, and Ultron are less than supportive, as Quicksilver's own marriage to the Inhumans' Crystal is a huge mess. You know what will solve their problems? Having kids. That certainly isn't going to cause massive problems down the line. Featuring a slew of Avenger and non-Avenger guest stars, and Dr. Strange actually acts as a doctor for once.
Family Matters. 1 episode
Serial 3: Avengers The Legacy Of Thanos
(written by Roger Stern and John Byrne, art by John Buscema and John Byrne)
The new Captain Marvel investigates Thanos's abandoned ship, she gets a bit of a surprise. Nebula plots to destroy The Skrulls, and then sets her sites on Earth. All this while Captain America and the rest of The Avengers battle Terminus in The Savage Land (a terrible place to battle when there are Skrulls around). Plus, The Fantastic Four, Firelord, and The Beyonder.
The Legacy Of Thanos. 2 episodes
Serial 4: Avengers West Coast Vision Quest, Avengers West Coast Darker Than Scarlet
(written by John Byrne, Roy and Dann Thomas, art by John Byrne and Paul Ryan)
It's a little weird that a magical mutant and an android had children together, right? So when a series of nannies mention that occasionally the children just disappear, The West Coast Avengers start to think that something must be up. And what's up is not Wanda's sanity.
Darker Than Scarlet. 2 episodes
Serial 4: The Infinity Gauntlet
(written by Jim Starlin, art by George Perez and Ron Lim)
Thanos takes a play at complete control of The Universe, tracking down all the gems that, when assembled, power The Infinity Gauntlet, and it's up to all of The Avengers and, really, all the Marvel heroes to come together and stop him before he ends all of creation itself.
The Infinity Gauntlet. 2 episodes
Serial 5: Infinity War
(written by Jim Starlin, art by Ron Lim, Tom Raney, Angel Medina, and Shawn McManus)
Adam Warlock may have helped keep Thanos from ascending during Infinity Gauntlet, but what if he's not entirely a hero, himself? His evil half, Magus, surfaces and takes possession of The Gauntlet. Once again, all the Marvel superheroes in the universe have to band together to save the universe from a mad tyrant. And this time, their salvation might be…Thanos?
Infinity War. 3 episodes
Serial 6: Infinity Crusade
(written by Jim Starlin, art by Ron Lim, Tom Raney, Angel Medina, Tom Grindberg, and Kris Renkewitz)
While Infinity War was going on, the evil side of Adam Warlock (Magus) expelled his own good side, creating The Goddess. Her agenda appears to be saving the universe from evil? So why has she assembled an army of Earth's Mightiest Heroes? Thanos, The Silver Surfer, Professor X, and a cabal of heroes left behind must save the universe from…good?
Infinity Crusade. 2 episodes
Season 1 is 20 cosmic episodes
X-Men In Ten Seasons, Season 10: All New X-Men
The X-Men franchise has had a few animated series, and is on their way to a sixth live action movie. But how would you put together a ten season live action show with continuity and including the best stories from the various X-books over the years?
​Here it is, the final season. Will the two units of X-Men be able to resolve their differences and become one happy franchise again? Everything's been cheery since this point, why not, right?
Season 10: All New X-Men
​(Showrunners: Brian Michael Bendis and Jason Aaron)
Episode 1: Avengers X-Sanction
(written by Jeph Loeb, art by Ed Mcguiness)
In order to protect Hope from being killed in the future, Cable is back, and he's here to kill the Avengers.
X-Sanction. 1 episode
Serial 1: Avengers Vs. X-Men
(written by Brian Michael Bendis, Jason Aaron, Ed Brubaker, Matt Fraction, and Jonathan Hickman, art by John Romita JR, Oliver Coipel, Adam Kubert, and Frank Cho)
This is a giant mess to read but it's necessary. The Avengers, thanks to Cable, believe that Hope is going to turn into The Phoenix, so they go to Utopia to contain her, and the X-Men (either faction) aren't happy about it. But as it turns out, The Phoenix may not be targeting Hope, per se. Or is it targeting her in a different way?
AvX. 4 episodes
Serial 2: Wolverine & The X-Men Volumes 5-7
(written by Jason Aaron, art by Nick Bradshaw, Ramon Perez, David Lopez, and Steve Sanders)
Closing off the Hellfire Club saga, we get to see the post AvX Jean Grey school as an idyllic place where almost nobody dies too often.
Hellfire. 3 episodes
Episode 9: X-Men Primer
(written by Brian Wood, art by Oliver Coipel and David Lopez)
Vampire Jubilee is back. With a baby. Storm forms an all female X-team to protect it from….everything.
Primer. 1 episode
Serial 3: All New X-Men Yesterday's X-Men, Uncanny X-Men Revolution, All New X-Men Here To Stay, All New X-Men Out Of Their Depth, Uncanny X-Men Broken
(written by Brian Michael Bendis, art by Stuart Immomen, Chris Bachalo. David Marquez, David Lafuente, and Frazer Irving)
Beast goes back in time and retrieves the original X-Men team, hoping past Cyclops can bring current Cyclops back from the dark place he's been in since AvX. Unfortunately, he doesn't seem to be able to send the team back. Time. Line. Problems.
All New X-Men. 4 episodes
Serial 4: X-Men Battle Of The Atom
(written by Brian Michael Bendis, Brian Wood, and Jason Aaron, art by Chris Bachalo, Stuart Immonen, Frank Cho, David Lopez, Giuseppe Camuncoli, and Esad Ribic)
X-Men from the future show up to warn what will happen if the X-Men from the past aren't returned to their timeline
Battle Of The Atom. 2 episodes
Episode 16: Guardians Of The Galaxy All New X-Men Trial Of Jean Grey
(written by Brian Michael Bendis, art by Stuart Immonen and Sara Pichelli)
Remember when Jean Grey used to be The Phoenix? The Sh'iar do. They show up to put Jean Grey on trial for the crimes of…the Jean Grey that's been dead for five seasons. The Guardians Of The Galaxy might be able to help with that.
Trial. 1 episode
Serial 5: Wolverine The Death Of Wolverine, All New X-Men All Different, All New X-Men One Down, Uncanny X-Men The Omega Mutant, Uncanny X-Men Revolution
(many writers, many artists)
The final serial takes us all the way up to Secret Wars, which ends this timeline. It includes a fond farewell to one of everyone's favorite Canadian metal salesmen.
End Of Days. 4 episodes
​Season 10 is 20 episodes.
The X-Men In Ten Seasons, Season 6: Astonishing
​After all the problems at the school last season, Professor X hands the reigns of the school to a new generation. We also see a new class of students. Isn't change wonderful? And by the end of this season, mutants will finally get everything they ever wanted. I'm sure it will be permanent.
Logan explores his sensitive side.
Art by John Cassaday
Season Six: Astonishing
(Showrunners: Joss Whedon and Brian Michael Bendis)
Serial 1: Astonishing X-Men By Joss Whedon & John Cassady Ultimate Collections Vol 1 & 2
(written by Joss Whedon, art by John Cassaday)
Joss Whedon was supposed to take over the X-Men directly after Grant Morrison but things didn't go as planned. That's ok, though, his run with John Cassady is one of the finest X-arcs there is. Headmasters Emma Frost and Cyclops welcome Kitty Pride to the school and then shenanigans occur. Wonderful shenanigans. Many of them in space. Just read the whole run all the way through. It's totally worth it.
Gifted & Dangerous. 6 episodes
Episode 7: X-Factor Madrox Multiple Choice
(written by Peter David, art by Pablo Raimondi)
After that fun but long serial, let's step in and visit Multiple Man. This spectacular noir miniseries delves further into Jamie Madrox's power. A man who can duplicate himself a large but finite amount of times learns some interesting skills. In this series he acts a detective for hire, teaming up with some of his old friends from the 90s X-Factor team.
Multiple Choice. 1 episode
Serial 2: New X-Men Academy X Vol 1 Choosing Sides, Wolverine Enemy Of The State, New X-Men Academy X Volume 3 X-Posed
(written by Nunzio DeFilippis, Christina Weir, and Mark Millar, art by Randy Green, Staz Johnson, Michael Ryan, Rick Ketcham, and John Romita Jr)
I avoided the classic New Mutant series because one can only read so much Claremont before one starts carving cuneiform on their arms and narrating their lives unnecessarily. "Now I am going the bathroom because that is a biological function humans have. Now I am flushing the toilet because human waste is gross and indoor plumbing, which was invented in…" you get the idea. But this adventure introduces us to a new generation of students (with some that were introduced during Morrison's run) who have a much smaller scale story but with more serious consequences than the original New Mutants.
I know I said there wouldn't be any Wolverine but there is one Really Important storyline for all of the X- books. Enemy Of The State shows what happens when everyone's favorite walking cutlery is brainwashed into being evil. Characters die and stuff. And the repercussions are felt in the next Academy X book.
Choosing Sides. 4 episodes
Episode 11: X-23 Target X
(written by Craig Kyle and Christoper Yost, art by Mike Choi)
We check back in with X-23 to see what happens when Captain America tries to help Stabby Jr. Also, Stabby Jr. meets Stabby Sr. as X-23 goes claws-to-claws with Wolverine.
Target X. 1 episode
Serial 3: Excalibur Forging The Sword, Excalibur Saturday Night Fever, House Of M Prelude: Excalibur
(written by Chris Claremont, art by Aaron Lopestri)
This period of X-Men comics was mainly written by Chuck Austen and Peter Milligan, and almost none of it is worth reading, but Chris Claremont picked up his old Excalibur title and helped set up this season's huge event. In this series we see Professor X, Magneto, and some lesser known X-characters try and rebuild Genosha from the destruction in season five. But does Magneto have another motivation for being there? One that, maybe, isn't even evil? Also, a bunch of X-Corps offices are attacked around the globe. Plus Genoshan humans are jerks, and Doctor Strange steps in to help fix The Wanda problem.
Unfixable. 2 episodes
Serial 4: House Of M
(written by Brian Michael Bendis, art by Olive Coipel)
But Doctor Strange fails, and thus House Of M. The Scarlet Witch alters all of reality so that every mutant gets everything they ever wanted. But that just isn't enough for the greedy mutants, and their utopia, like everything else the X-men touch, falls apart.
House Of M. 2 episodes
Serial 5: Decimation The Day After, Decimation The 198
(written by Chris Claremont, Peter Milligan, and David Hine, art by Salvador Larroca, Randy Green, Jim Muniz, and Kevin Conrad)
Three words from The Scarlet With in House Of M undid a whole mess of Morrison's X-Men idea, and now there are only 198 Mutants left in the world. In this serial we see how the mutants' lives are changed now that there aren't so many of them. Featuring a ton of sentinels.
Decimation . 2 episodes
Serial 6: New X-Men Childhood's End Volumes 1-3
(written by Craig Kyle & Christopher Yost, art by Mark Brooks and Paco Medina)
But what about all those kids we met at the beginning of the season? In Childhood's End we see how those kids live and die in the post-House of M world. Many are depowered and all of them are in serious risk of being killed. Plus, X-23 joins the Academy, and The New Avengers stop by to help the surviving mutants battle Nimrod.
Childhood's End. 2 episodes
Season 6 is 20 episodes
Interseason Special: X-Factor The Longest Night
(written by Peter David, art by Ryan Sook and Dennis Calero)
Picking up after House of M and Multiple Choice, Madrox's detective agency goes from being in the thriving "Mutant Town" section of New York City to a city of depressed depowered mutants. The detectives need to solve a series of mutant related problems and do their best to handle the consequences when some of Jamie's multiples go rogue. No, they don't speak with a Southern accent and leech your powers.
The X-Men In Ten Seasons, Season 3: Onslaught
Season two focused on Mr. Sinister and The Marauders and the dissolution of the team that came together in the first season. Well season three returns us to Xavier's school, introduces us to The Legacy Virus, and gives us a new big bad who is so bad, he gets the whole season named after him.
Onslaught and Dr Doom art by Skottie Young
Season Three: Onslaught
(showrunners: Scott Lobdell and Fabian Nicieza)
​Serial 1 & 2: X-Men Mutant Genesis.
(written by Chris Claremont, Scott Lobdell, and Jim Lee, art by Jim Lee)
See how the new teams come together, learn uncomfortable truths about the X-Men's relationship with Magneto. See Rogue and Gambit mercilessly flirt. Delve into Wolverine's backstory as Omega Red shows up. Oh yea, and Jubilee's around. Must be the 90s.
Avalon. 2 episodes
Omega Red. 2 episodes
Serial 3: X-Cutioner's Song
(written by Scot Lobdell, Fabian Nicieza, and Peter David, art by Brandon Peterson, Andy Kubert, Jae Lee, and Greg Capullo)
Who tried to kill Professor X? Who is Cable? How many 90s characters happen to have that shining eye thing that Longshot and Cable and Ahab and Stryfe and everybody seem to have? While all of the mutants try and solve the mystery (ok, they don't care about investigating the eye thing but I want answers, damn it), we learn a whole mess of more confusing things about Jean Grey and Cyclops. They must be important or something.
X-Cutioner's Song. 3 episodes
Serial 4: X-Men: A Skinning Of Souls
(written by Scott Lobdell, Fabian Nicieza, and Dan Slott, art by Andy Kubert, Brandon Peterson, Richard Bennet, and more)
Picking up right after X-Cutioner's song, we meet a new villain let loose in Russia who will take on the X-Men AND Omega Red. More Jean Grey Cyclops drama. Rogue and Gambit continue to make kissy-face. Mr. Sinister just won't go away. And then you get two Psylockes for the price of one! Why are there…is this a clone thing….are they…I mean…huh.
Skinning Of Souls. 3 episodes
Episode 11: Avengers & X-Men: Bloodties
(written by Bob Harras, Fabian Nicieza, Roy Thomas, and Scott Lobdell, art by Steve Epting, Andy Kubert, Matt Ryan, Dave Ross, and John Romita Jr)
The X-Men, The Avengers, and The West Coast Avengers team-up as The Acolytes who once served Magneto (who is totally dead, of course) wreak havoc on all the superheroes. The two most prominent Acolytes, Fabien Cortez and Exodus battle for control of the team, each believing they are truly following in Mag's footprints. A lot of this takes place on good old mutant hating island nation, Genosha.
Bloodties. 1 episode
Serial 5: The Wedding Of Cyclops And Phoenix
(written by Fabian Nicieza, Scott Lobdell, Glen Herdling, and Kurt Busiek, art by Richard Bennett, Andy Kubert, Ian Chuchill, Mike McKone, John Romita Jr, Tim Sale, and Ron Randall)
Because somebody in the 90s demanded it The Wedding Of Cyclops And Phoenix not only delivers on the promise of the title but also delves into The Legacy Virus, dealing with the multiple Psylocke issue and gives us a whole mess of Sabretooth. And for the love all that's Summers, GO AWAY MR. SINISTER, YOU ARE NOT SCARY.
It's a big collection but I'm only giving The Wedding. 3 episodes
Serial 6: The Road To Onslaught, Prelude To Onslaught, and The Complete Onslaught Epic Volumes 1-4
(many writers and artists)
Now we get to our first big skip. You don't need to read Age Of Apocalypse. It has a fun set-up where Legion goes back in time to kill Magneto but accidentally takes out Professor X instead, but the ensuing storyline is utter madness. It's a whole different world that, by the end of the series ceases to exist. So don't invest! Instead, it's time for The Road To Onslaught featuring Bishop, The X-Babies, a dude who looks but does not act an awful lot like Magneto, and Psylocke trying to cure Sabretooth of his rage (it doesn't go well). Plus a bunch of planted seeds about the coming of Onslaught.
Prelude To Onslaught is the perfect primer. It starts with pivotal snippets of storylines (some which are already represented in the previous seasons, some which aren't, including a glimpse of the aforementioned missing Age Of Apocalypse) and then throws you right into The Complete Onslaught Epic. See the ultimate consequence of Professor X shutting down Magneto's mind at the beginning of the season. Guest starring pretty much every Marvel superhero who existed in the 90s. And not leaving very many of them alive at the end.
Onslaught. 6 episodes
Season 3 has 20 episodes.
Interseason Special: Zero Tolerance.
(written by Scott Lobdell, John Francis Moore, Larry Hama, and James Robinson, art by Chris Bachalo, Carlos Pacheco, Leinil Francis Yu, and Adam Pollina)
After the cataclysmic events of Onslaught (what other kind of events are there when the X-Men are involved?) the government declares open season on mutants (again). Lots of Wolverine, Cable, Cecelia Reyes, Generation X, and even some Deadpool. Plus, sad kids.
The X-Men In Ten Seasons, Season 2: Fall Of The Mutants
Season one introduced us to Claremont's X-Men, a couple of whom were killed off, and introduced us to a slew of villains, but there wasn't a Buffy The Vampire Slayer "Big Bad". Well, welcome to season two, you're about to get to know Mr. Sinister and The Marauders.
Season Two: Fall Of The Mutants
(showrunners: Chris Claremont and Louise Simonson)
Serial 1: X-Men Mutant Massacre
(written by Chris Claremont and Louise Simonson, art by John Romita Jr, Rick Leonardi, Alan Davis, and Barry Windsor-Smith)
Because Claremont's writing is so dense, and he was on the Uncanny X-Men book for so long, it's tough to skip a chunk of continuity, but that's what I'm doing. Luckily, Claremont waxes backstory that you'll hardly notice the forty missing issues. Cough. So we start Season Two with Magneto as the headmaster at Xavier's school. Storm has been depowered, there's a new generation of X-Men called The New Mutants, and, as we learned in the interseason special, the original X-Men have started their own team called X-Factor which claims to be out hunting mutants, when, actually, they're rescuing them. Well, all those teams, plus Thor and a group of kids called The Power Pack have to deal with The Marauders, a group of villains who have invaded The Morlock Tunnels and are killing mutants. All the heroes work (not necessarily together) to stop the threat, but there's great costs (of course), and new X-Men join the team.
Morlock Massacre. 4 episodes
Episode 5: Fantastic Four Versus The X-Men
(written by Chris Claremont, art by John Bogdanove)
It really only takes one episode to tackle this mini-crossover where The FF and She-Hulk fly off to Muir Island to try and help The X-Men recover from Mutant Massacre, which has put four long time team members out of commission. The current lineup is initially excited that Reed Richards has come to help but when he experiences moment of self-doubt, Dr. Doom steps in to offer his assistance. This was the series that got me into X-Men comics, and I think it still very much holds up as one of their best stories.
Out Of Phase. 1 episode
Serial 2: Fall Of The Mutants Volume 1 & Fall Of The Mutants Volume 2
(written by Chris Claremont and Louise Simonson, art by Marc Silvestri, Walt Simonson, and Bret Blevins)
This is a giant, non-intersecting, crossover where full-on madness takes place. Forge and Storm enter a realm of magic, X-Factor battles old friends and Apocalypse, the X-Men just might die, The New Mutants lose a team member on the island of…Bird Brain? Even The Hulk, Captain America, Daredevil, and The Power Pack are involved in yet another Everything Will Change storyline.
Fall Of The Mutants. 6 episodes
Serial 3: Excalibur Classic Volume 1
(written by Chris Claremont, art by Alan Davis)
We're not going to get invested in Excalibur continuity because it was a beautifully weird book that is a fun read but isn't essential to X-Men continuity. But the first book shows what happens when the X-Men who weren't involved in Fall Of The Mutants (most of them were put out of commission during Mutant Massacre) .
Excalibur. 2 episodes
Serial 4: Inferno
(written by Chris Claremont, Louise Simonson, and many more, art by many)
Another storyline that pulls in Daredevil, The New Mutants, X-Factor, Excalibur, The Fantastic Four, and more. Madelyne Pryor is a teensy bit upset that her husband abandoned her, and, oh yea, sent their child into the future to save him from a virus that he probably got because his dad is a superputz. So she accepts demon powers and transforms New York into a Hell On Earth, even more so that it usually is. In the end, we learn Madelyne's relation to Jean, and yadda yadda, not so happily ever after. Plus more Sinister & Marauders.
Inferno. 4 episodes
Serial 5: The X-Tinction Agenda
(written by Chris Claremont and Louise Simonson, art by Jim Lee, Rob Liefeld, John Bogdanove, and Guang Yap)
Eventually, we'll pare down the amount of teams in a book, but here's another All Mutant crossover. It turns out that X-Factor has been working for an evil dude this whole time. There's an island where mutants are slaves and they're hella mad at the X teams because of the events of a super complex (don't read it if you don't have to) storyline called Days Of Future Present. So the leader of Genosha kidnaps The New Mutants and Storm (who was de-aged….don't worry about it) and all the X teams go to rescue them. This is the Jim Lee, Rob Liefeld era of X-Men so expect big guns and big muscles.
X-Tinction Agenda. 3 episodes
This puts season two at 20 episodes.
Interseason Special: The Muir Island Saga
(written by Chris Claremont, Fabien Nicenza, and Peter David, art by Paul Smith, Andy Kubert, Whilce Portacio, Kirk Jarvinen, and Steven Butler)
I'm going to stray from my Collections-Only policy, and tell you to track down five issues. They'll be cheap, probably cheaper than new comic issues. Uncanny X-Men #278 & #279, X-Factor #69, Uncanny X-Men #280, and then X-Factor #70 make up The Muir Island Saga. Since the end of Fall of The Mutants, the X-Men have been less a team and more a series of former teammates on their own adventures. In these books, all the mutants are put back on the board and arranged into new teams. Professor X battling The Shadow King is the focus of this story but the purpose was to set up X-Men #1. the biggest selling comic of all-time.
The X-Men In Ten Seasons, Season 1: Uncanny
Personally, I'm skipping all the silver age comics. No offense to silver age fans. The silver age X-Men books are fun but the book didn't really hit its stride until the 70s, where we'll start off Season 1. In place of episodes, I'm calling each book a serial, like old school Doctor Who storylines because you shouldn't try and cram a Chris Claremont story into forty-five minutes.
art by Dave Cockrum
Season 1: Uncanny
(showrunner: Chris Claremont)
Serial 1: X-Men Epic Collection: Second Genesis
(written by Chris Claremont, art by Dave Cockrum, Bob Brown, Tony Dezuniga, and John Byrne)
Chris Claremont isn't The Father of The X-Men (Stan Lee and John Byrne are the My Two Dads for our mutant heroes) but he's the mentor who raised them into what they've become.
We start off with Professor X recruiting a team of mutants to rescue his previous team of mutants (the original X-Men) who went on a mission to Krakoa and, apart from team leader, Cyclops, did not return. This is a very 1970s shot at diversity. There's an eastern European demon-looking guy, a Russian who seems to be made of metal, an African storm goddess, a Japanese flamethrower, a Canadian with adamantium claws, a Scottish guy with a debilitating scream, and a super strong Apache. By 2015 standards, their characters and origins are hugely problematic, but this team was incredibly progressive for 1975. In this volume, the team comes together, suffers a tragedy, integrates with the original X-Men and hits all the tropes from the original run of X-Men in a slightly more modern manner.
We're then introduced to The Phoenix, the Sh'iar, we spend some time learning about Professor X's backstory via Juggernaut and Black Tom and some other crucial X-Men villains make appearances. A lot of what will become important X-history is laid down here by Claremont, Cockrum, and Byrne, and though its over-exposition is dated, the actual story is worth the read.
This serial is called Hope You Survive The Experience. 4 episodes
Serial 2: X-Men Proteus
(written by Chris Claremont, art by John Byrne)
This serial presents us with the first Claremont-conceived villain. Moira Mactaggert discovers something bad is going down on Muir Island, and it isn't long before the X-Men show up to help some of their beleaguered comrades. The hardcover collection also contains some issues of Classic X-Men that delve deeper into the Proteus story, and have some fun artistic takes on what happens to mutants when you bend reality. Polaris and Havoc show up in this volume, and we also get to meet Madrox.
Proteus. 2 episodes.
Serial 3: X-Men The Dark Phoenix Saga
This is pretty much the ultimate X-story. Every time the X-Men have crossed into another media, the writers tell some version of this space saga. Phoenix (formerly Marvel Girl/Jean Grey) is manipulated by members of The Hellfire Club. In this volume you meet Kitty Pride, Emma Frost, Dazzler, and more (but who needs more than them?), you get to see Wolverine be all Wolveriney for the first time, and the Sh'iar show up to put a stop to a villain who threatens their very existence. There are also some cameos by Oatu The Watcher and Dr. Strange.
The Dark Phoenix Saga can not be containted. 4 episodes
Serial 4: X-Men Days Of Future Past
This is not quite like the movie of the same name. We start at a funeral (omg, did someone die in the last storyline? I wonder if it's forever), then we spend some time with Alpha Flight, and then we get into the storyline that the movie is based on. Sentinels. Mystique. Destiny. The future. And how to keep all the X-Men from being massacred by a corrupt government. The series closes off with a Christmas story where Kitty Pride battles an alien that is in no way at all inspired by the xenomorphs in Alien.
Days Of Future Past. 4 episodes.
Serial 5: God Loves, Man Kills
(written by Chris Claremont, art by Brent Anderson)
We take a break from Byrne (but not Claremont) for what was originally a graphic novel with art by Brent Anderson. We see how religion and politics are at odds with the science based mutant X-Men. This graphic novel was the basis for the second X-Men movie, with the main difference being that the villain (Stryker) is a minister, not a military guy. Also we get to see Magneto be more of a good guy, as his aim doesn't seem to be "kill all non-mutants".
God Loves Man Kills. 2 episodes
Serial 6: From The Ashes
(written by Chris Claremont, art by Paul Smith, Walter Simonson, and John Romita Jr)
"Professor X is a jerk!" is one of the most iconic Kitty Pride moments. In this serial, we spend more time with The Hellfire Club, Mystique and Destiny. Rogue joins the X-Men, Wolverine goes to Japan, the X-Men meet The Morlocks, Storm gets a mohawk, and Cyclops meets Madeline Pryor who looks just a teensy bit like his ex. There is a metric ton of story packed into this volume, and not just because of Claremont's exposition. This is a good closing spot for season one, not just because many of the characters are at rest points in their stories, but because there is a vast amount of X-Men books after this that haven't been collected anywhere.
From The Ashes. 4 episodes
This puts Season 1 at 20 episodes.
BUT WAIT. One of the recent traditions in Doctor Who is to have an Interseason (usually Christmas) special. I'll be using this device as a setup for a coming season.
Interseason Special: Fantastic Four By John Byrne Vol 07.
(written by John Byrne, Roger Stern, and Bob Layton, art by John Byrne, John Buscema, and Jackson Guice)
It's possible that I'll do an FF chronology someday, but for now, you don't need to know anything to pick up this book. It opens with the Fantastic Four (Reed Richards, The Invisible Woman, The Human Torch, and She-Hulk) calling in The Avengers to fight a bunch of Skrulls. Once that crossover is finished, The Beyonder shows up and then the FF and The Avengers find a cocoon in the ocean. Inside the cocoon? An X-Men believed to be dead. Yeup, Phoenix is back and she joins up with the original X-Men team (Cyclops, Beast, Iceman, and Angel) to form a new superhero group: X-Factor. Yeup, Cyclops leaves his wife and baby boy (born between seasons) behind to bro out with his high school friends and his ex-girlfriend. Scott Summers has always been an egocentric piece of shit.
Barry Windsor Smith
Barry Windsor-Smith
Batmite
Brother Blood
Brotherhood Of Evil
Bryan Talbot
Calendar Man
Carmen Infantino
Dick Grayson Robin
Fabien Nicieza
Falcones
Francis Manapaul
G Willow Wilson
Hugo Strange
Jason Todd Robin
Jenny Noblesse
Jj Birch
Joe Chill
Judd Winnick
Julie Madison
Mindy Newell
Mr. Whisper
Norman Madison
Paul J Tomasi
P Craig Russell
Ras Al Ghul
Sal Maroni
The Killer Moth
The Vigilante
Young Justice Cartoon