The 10 Best X-Men Stories In Marvel History

In many ways, the X-Men are the most successful Marvel team ever. Sure, the Fantastic Four’s success built the Marvel Universe, but they haven’t been genuinely popular in years, despite some good runs in the 21st century. The Avengers are the kings of the MCU, but that universe has been circling the drain for a while, and in the comics, no one has cared about them for a decade. The X-Men were once everyone’s least favorite Silver Age Marvel comic and eventually grew to the biggest book in the comic industry, creating superstar characters that would vault into the public consciousness, overtaking the old guard easily. The X-Men have had successes that no other Marvel team has, and remain a focus of the Marvel Universe.

Looking over the team’s history, there are some excellent stories, from multi-part epics to single issue character dramas. The X-Men have been in every kind of story you could imagine, and have pushed the comic industry forward in their best stories. These ten X-Men stories are the best of the best, shining bright from the team’s over 60 year history.

10) Inferno

The Krakoa Era started with a blast, but Hickman’s X-Men wasn’t great. It would be easy to say that he wrote amazing X-Men events and good X-Men stories, but “X of Swords” puts the lie to that (although you can probably blame how mid that one was on co-creator Tini Howard and the other X-writers; the Hickman written parts are the few parts of the story worth reading). However, Hickman’s last story on Krakoa is outstanding. Inferno, by Hickman, Valerio Schiti, R.B. Silva, and Stefano Caselli, sees the writer put the kibosh on his time on the mutant island with a four-issue story full of intrigue, big moments, a mindbending twist, and a final battle issue that will knock your socks off. Inferno is way better than the reputation of the latter day Krakoa books has you believe, and deserves its flowers.

9) “Inferno”

Yes, I did this on purpose. Chris Claremont is the most revolutionary X-Men writer, having created everything that everyone loves about the team. His first run with the men and women of X lasted 17 years and gave us numerous best of all time stories. Claremont helped change the way the crossover event worked, and his final massive summer crossover is easily his best (sorry, “Mutant Massacre” and “Fall of the Mutants”, although both are good). “Inferno” brought the Madelyne Pryor plot to a head, as Cyclops’s spurned wife teamed with the demons of Limbo for revenge against everyone. This story is massive, combining all of the ’80s X-teams with heroes from Marvel’s NYC, and it will knock your socks off. This is the end of peak Claremont, and it’s amazing.

8) “Planet X”

There are people out there who will try to convince you that “Planet X” is bad because it makes Magneto into an evil terrorist, but these people don’t understand the subtext of Morrison’s New X-Men or Magneto as a character. This story blew New X-Men wide open, as most of the team’s problems were revealed to be orchestrated by their greatest enemy. They’re outclassed, outsmarted, and overwhelmed, yet they never give up. Morrison and artist Phil Jimenez, an amazing team whenever they work together, give readers a twisting, turning narrative that will take them to some amazing places. I was reading the book monthly all those years ago, and it was quite a ride (I even know how Morrison was originally going to kill SPOILER because Phil Jimenez told me at a signing years ago).

7) “The Brood Saga”

“The Brood Saga” is a masterpiece of sci-fi horror. The story re-teamed Claremont with artist Dave Cockrum, and the two of them made magic. It introduced the Brood, probably because Claremont had watched Alien again or something, in a story that saw the X-Men face off against a foe unlike any they had ever seen before. “The Brood Saga” is a flawless piece of superhero perfection, with Cockrum’s amazing pencils really bringing the whole thing to life. When most people think of Claremont’s greatest artistic partners, they usually jump right to John Byrne, but “The Brood Saga” proves just how amazing Cockrum and Claremont were together.

6) House of X/Powers of X

X-Men fans love the Krakoa Era, even with the mediocre ending, and they have from the start. House of X/Powers of X, by Jonathan Hickman, Pepe Larraz, and R.B. Silva, kicked off this bold new era by tearing down everything that defined the team and replacing it. The mutants moved to the island of Krakoa, creating their own nation, having to deal with all of problems of nation-building, all while dealing with the most powerful anti-mutant force ever. As all of that is going on, the biggest secret in X-Men history is revealed. HoX/PoX is a wild ride, the two books that are one taking readers through time and the multiverse to tell a story unlike anything you’ve ever read.

5) “Riot at Xavier’s”

New X-Men is the team’s 21st century pinnacle, telling some of the best X-Men stories ever. The middle of the run has some excellent stories, many of which are bogged by rushed art (Igor Kordey was forced to finish issues in days because of blown deadlines from back-up artist Ethan Van Sciver and regular artist Frank Quitely). However, “Riot at Xavier’s” put an end to that era of the book. The story introduced readers to Quentin Quire, a powerful telepath who finds out he’s adopted, shattering his world. Quentin decides to embrace chaos, creating the Omega Gang and starting a riot on the school’s first open house. This is a wild story of youthful rebellion from Morrison and Frank Quitely, taking readers on an insane ride that sets up the pieces for the inevitable end of Morrison’s run (I’d also recommend “Murder at the Mansion” and “Assault on Weapon Plus”, the next two story arcs).

4) “Days of Future Past”

“Days of Future Past” changed comics forever. The two-issue story from Claremont and Byrne made the dystopian future popular, unleashing a trope on the X-Men in particular and comics in general that we still see to this day. In a future where humanity has nearly destroyed the mutant race, the X-Men enact a two-pronged plan to defeat the world’s Sentinel overlords, sending Kate Pryde back in time while the team goes after the Master Mold leading the mutant-hunting robots. This story is amazing, a slice of superhero comic perfection that we don’t see often. Claremont and Byrne are sensational together, and this is one of many examples of why (also, shoutout to Uncanny X-Men #143, their final issue together, and the best Christmas comic of all-time).

3) “E Is for Extinction”

Morrison’s amazing run on the X-Men began with “E Is for Extinction”, by Morrison and Frank Quitely. The team decides to embrace their mission of helping mutants over superheroism, readying the Mansion for students, and going on rescue missions. Meanwhile, a new enemy, Cassandra Nova, rears her ugly head, with a plan to take away everything that Charles Xavier loves. This three-issue story is perfect. Morrison proved to be a sensational X-writer right from the beginning, showing a tremendous grasp of the characters, all while giving readers stories with familiar elements that somehow felt new. Quitely’s art was amazing, rendering everything the writer threw at him with aplomb. This story is something else, and it will always be an impressive chapter in the history of Marvel’s merry mutants.

2) God Loves, Man Kills

God Loves, Man Kills, by Claremont and artist Brent Anderson, uses the team’s central metaphor to tell a story that is eerily prescient. Reverend Stryker and his Purifiers decide that mutants are the spawn of Satan, and begin a quest to wipe them all out. When mutant children are found dead, Magneto and X-Men spring into action, teaming together to destroy the bigots. There are few books out there with as a much to say as this one. It takes a look at the bigotry and hatred that are often inherent in organized religion and conservatism, shining a light on the ugliest parts of the United States, and it came out in 1982. Even 43 years later, it holds up flawlessly.

1) “The Dark Phoenix Saga”

“The Dark Phoenix Saga” is unequivocally brilliant, a singular achievement that I’ve always felt is the greatest Marvel story ever. Claremont and Byrne close out the Phoenix plot line, as a battle with the Hellfire Club’s Inner Circle awakens the darkness in Jean Grey’s soul. What follows is an emotional roller coaster, as the team watches someone they love fall to darkness, and the journey they will go on to save their friend. “The Dark Phoenix Saga” isn’t just a comic with amazing action and spine-tingling suspense, but a story with a perfect emotional core that will touch your heart. It’s the definition of brilliant, and in my opinion no story published by Marvel in the years since has ever touched it, let alone topped it.

What are your favorite X-Men stories? Leave a comment in the comment section below and join the conversation on the ComicBook Forums!

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