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comicreadingorder · 4 years

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X-Factor by Louise Simonson Reading Order

When this series started the main X-Men team was full of all new people while Angel, Iceman and Beast had left to bump around between college and groups like the Champions, Defenders and Avengers. Jean was dead, and Cyclops ceded leadership of the team to Storm before retiring to Alaska with his wife and newborn son. ...But fans missed the originals so Marvel jumped through some silly hoops and retconned everyone back to their original versions.

The basis of the team is that X-Factor advertises themselves as humans who hunt down mutants, taking advantage of prejudice to get people to call on anyone they suspect of being a mutant. Once alerted the team would confront the person and, if they actually were a mutant, try to help them by inviting them back to base to stay and learn their powers.

While I wrote lists for other X-Men runs, each is supposed to function by itself rather than part of some master list. I’m sure you could piece them together easily enough if you wanted, but this is made with the mindset of someone only reading X-Factor. Bold=important or official part of the story Italics=optional with a note to let you decide for yourself

Avengers 263, Fantastic Four 286 -- These issues set up the return of the main team and lead into X-Factor 1.

X-Factor (V1) 1-4

XF Annual 1

XF 5-8 -- Louise Simonson takes over with 6 and lasts through 62.

Mutant Massacre

This was the first of the big 3 crossovers uniting the X titles. Despite being the newest, it really thrived during these crossovers, telling such big stories that they almost felt like the main title.

Uncanny X-Men 210, XF 9, UXM 211, XF 10, NM 46, Thor 373, Power Pack (V1) 27, UXM 212, Thor 374, XF 11, UXM 213

XF 12-16

Thor 377, 378 -- A big change to Iceman that lasts through the entire run.

XF 17

XF Annual 2

XF 18-20

Incredible Hulk 336, 337 -- XF 20 leads into these 2 issues. It doesn’t lead back into their title or get mentioned again but they ARE a significant part of the story.

Fall of The Mutants

The second “crossover” of X-titles, except they all pretty much tell their own story in different, unrelated parts of the world so I didn’t include everything. Hulk is just a transition issue for UXM, PP shows an extended XF fight, Cap closes up a loose end, FF is an epilogue. The UXM issues are there because they’re mentioned in Inferno, where the two titles come together.

XF 21-23, UXM 220-224, Incredible Hulk 340, XF 24, 25, PP 35, UXM 225-227, Captain America 339, XF 26, FF 312

XF 27-29

XF Annual 3 -- Part of the Evolutionary War Annuals crossover but each annual’s story is pretty self-contained to their title.

XF 30-34

Inferno

Here the titles cross-pollinate heavily, ending up with some characters jumping over to other books. New Mutants also tells a significant part of Inferno that mostly precedes the XF/UXM issues, but I felt like the X-Terminators miniseries explained enough of that story. Plus there’s already so much convolution in this event that I wanted to narrow the view. UXM 239, X-Terminators 1, XF 35, XT 2-3, XF 36, UXM 240-241, XF 37, XT 4, UXM 242, XF 38, UXM 243, XF 39

XF 40

NM 76

XF 41, 42

XF Annual 4 -- Part of Atlantis Attacks, works as one-shot, follows up on the previous NM issue.

XF 43-58*

Days of Future’s Present: FF Annual 23, NM Annual 6, XF Annual 5, UXM Annual 14

XF 59

XF: Prisoner of Love -- Self contained one-shot about Beast. Mostly just adding to let you know it exists; as far as I know it’s never mentioned again.

X-Tinction Agenda: UXM 270, NM 95, XF 60, UXM 271, NM 96, XF 61, UXM 272, NM 97, XF 62 -- The last big X-over of the three titles during the Claremont era, also the last issues written by Simonson.

XF 63-64**

UXM 273 -- X-Tinction Agenda epilogue by Claremont, also the last issue of his original run where he did both the plot and script.

Kings of Pain: NM Annual 7, New Warriors Annual 1, UXM Annual 15, X-Factor Annual 6 -- Story across annuals about NW and X-Force with backups about Freedom Force. Totally skippable if you’re not reading those. Put here for breathing room between it and the Muir Isle saga.

XF 65-68

Muir Isle Saga: UXM 278-279, XF 69, UXM 280, XF 70

X-Men (V2) 1-3 -- This serves to show all the characters together before they split into teams.

At this point Peter David takes over writing and creates an entirely new team, starting a run that’s popular in its own right.

To follow Cyclops and Beast continue with the Blue team in X-Men (V2) 4.

For Jean Grey, Iceman and Archangel jump to the Gold team starting with Uncanny X-Men 281. See Also:

*X-Men Legends 3, 4 -- X-Men Legends is a 2021 anthology title that had original creators return to tell stories set during their era. The Simsonsons wrote this to take place immediately “before 43″ but like every prequel type thing it spoils later stuff.

**X-Factor Forever 1-5 -- Out of continuity mini from 2010 by Simonson set after her departure in XF 64, it allowed her to show what her future plans for the team were before leaving. Best read after you've finished everything, like a deleted scene or bonus content.

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comicreadingorder · 4 years

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New Mutants Volume 1 Reading Order

With the X-Men’s success Marvel editorial demanded the brand be expanded into more titles. Claremont, after fighting this as long as he could, made the compromise to do one, but his way. The result was New Mutants. This focuses on a diverse group of teen (13-19) outcasts, most having nowhere else to go, joining the school to get a handle on their powers. The goal was not for them to be a backup team or the next generation of the X-Men, but for Professor X to return to his base goal of a safe space for raising mutants. This is also where the Hellfire Club, particularly Emma Frost, and their inner workings are more fully explored, largely because they have a rival group of young mutants called Hellions that mirror the NM. While I wrote lists for other X-Men runs, each is supposed to function by itself rather than part of some master list. I’m sure you could piece them together easily enough if you wanted, but this is made with the mindset of someone only reading NM. Bold=important parts of the main story Italics=optional (with explanations)

Marvel Team-Up (V1) 100 -- The first appearance of Xi'an Coy Manh, also known as Karma, which leads into 165 and then the GN.

Uncanny X-Men (V1) 165 -- There are only couple relevant pages to the NM here but it’s significant for Professor Xavier’s choice to bring in new students.

New Mutants Graphic Novel -- The official name is Marvel Graphic Novel #4. It’s the first appearance of most of the team and how they came together.

New Mutants (V1) 1-3

UXM 167 -- During the previous issues the X-Men were in space fighting the Brood, this is their return and first time meeting the new students.

NM 4-12

Marvel Team-Up (V1) Annual 6 -- Relevant to future stories.

NM 13

Magik 1-4 -- Miniseries showing Magik’s upbringing shortly before joining the team.

NM 14

UXM 180 -- It’s only the last few pages that lead into NM 15.

NM 15-21

NM Annual 1

NM 22-25

UXM 192

Firestar 1-2 -- Introduction to the character from the Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends cartoon into comics canon. It takes place over years which is why I cut UXM 193 in between.

UXM 193

Firestar 3-4

NM 26-29

Secret Wars Two #1

NM 30-34

NM Special Edition 1 (1985), UXM Annual 9

UXM 200

NM 35-37

Secret Wars Two #9

NM 38-44

NM Annual 2, UXM Annual 10

NM 45-51

NM Annual 3

NM 52

Fallen Angels (V1) 1-3 -- Miniseries following Sunspot and Warlock. Doesn’t really affect the main title besides those characters not being around for a few issues.

NM 53-54 -- Claremont departs*.

Fallen Angels 4-8

NM 55-57 -- Louise Simonson takes over.

Power Pack 33 — What happens to Warlock and Sunspot after Fallen Angels but before their return to the team.

NM 58-66

NM Annual 4 -- Part of the Evolutionary War event across annuals. Works fine as a solo story.

UXM 231

NM 67-70

X-Terminators 1-3 -- Miniseries mostly following some kids from X-Factor during Inferno. Gives more background to explain what causes Inferno.

NM 71

X-Terminators 4

NM 72-76

X-Factor 41, 42 -- The team briefly stays with the kids from X-Factor (a book also written by Simonson) who will shortly join the team.

NM 77-87 -- Rob Liefeld takes over art duties with 86

NM Annual 5 -- Same as Annual 4 but with Atlantis Attacks.

NM 88-91

NM Summer Special (1990) -- One-shot by Ann Nocenti

NM 92

Days of Future Present: Fantastic Four Annual 23, NM Annual 6, XF Annual 5, UXM Annual 14

NM 93-94

X-Tinction Agenda: UXM 270, NM 95, XF 60, UXM 271, NM 96, XF 61, UXM 272, NM 97, XF 62 -- Louise Simonson departs.

UXM 273 -- XA epilogue and Claremont’s real final issue of the X-Men. After this he was relegated to scripting a few issues before leaving altogether.

NM 98-100 -- At this point Liefeld/Nicieza take over on script/plot/pencil duties and set up the team’s reboot into X-Force.

Kings of Pain: NM Annual 7, New Warriors Annual 1, UXM Annual 15, X-Factor Annual 6 -- Has a New Mutants annual despite happening after the change to X-Force; I guess they figured it was too soon for that title. Focuses on X-Force and New Warriors with backups about Freedom Force. Totally skippable unless you’re reading those.

If you want to follow Wolfsbane you have the option of reading the Muir Island Saga (UXM 278, 279, XF 69, UXM 280, XF 70) that leads into X-Factor 71 where that team is completely remade, or just jump to XF 71. If you want to follow Sam and Boom-Boom continue with X-Force 1 If you want to follow other New Mutants you’ll probably have to check wiki because it’s a while before they’re around again. See also:

*New Mutants Forever 1-5 -- Out of continuity mini from 2010 by Claremont, set after 54, imagining the story he would’ve told had he never left and providing a chance to close some threads left hanging by his departure. Best read after you've finished the list, like a deleted scene or bonus content.

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