10 Best X-Men Stories of the 2020s

The X-Men have been an having an interesting time in the 2020s. The decade kicked off with the Krakoa Era, which had begun at the tail end of 2019. The X-Men books were the hottest comics in the comic industry in 2020, with the team running the table of the sales charts immediately. The X-Men kept Marvel going through the Covid days, and gave readers the first major crossover of the Krakoa Era. Writer Jonathan Hickman had made the X-Men cool again, and created a corps of writers and artists that put out mindblowing stories. X-Men fans loved Hickman and company, but behind the scenes, the seeds were planted for the end of the Krakoa Era’s quality, as Hickman’s original stories were changed to fit ideas that the new writers brought in. Hickman ended up leaving the books in 2022, and it was honestly mostly downhill there. There were some great X-Men stories still, but the energy was gone. The Krakoa Era ended in disgrace, and Marvel decided to push the past again with the “From the Ashes” publishing initiative.

The X-Men in the ’20s are the definition of uneven, with some outstanding stories and some pretty bad stories. It’s been both a great time to be an X-Men fan and a terrible time to be an X-Men fan, especially after 2022. However, there are still some excellent stories from this period, X-Men comics that have blown the minds of readers. These ten X-Men stories of the ’20s are the cream that rose to the top, giving readers stories that they’ll never forget.

10) Planet-Size X-Men #1

After Hickman left the X-Men, Gerry Duggan took over the flagship book, X-Men. Now, I think Duggan’s X-Men is the worst X-Men since Chuck Austen; you won’t be seeing anything from X-Men (Vol. 6) or Fall of the House of X. However, Duggan did write one great X-Men story, and that’s Planet-Size X-Men #1, along with artist Pepe Larraz. This one-shot was the finale of the first Hellfire Gala. Throughout the Hellfire Gala issues, the Krakoans were teasing the “fireworks” that would end the Gala and Planet-Size X-Men #1 shows what those fireworks were. A group of Omega mutants, from both Krakoa and Arakko, band together to terraform Mars, giving it more gravity and an atmosphere. This comic honestly feels like Hickman wrote it, and is an enthralling read. The art by Pepe Larraz is perfect; Larraz became a superstar because of the Krakoa Era, and the art in this book will show you why. It’s a shame Duggan couldn’t keep up this level throughout his time writing X-Men, because this story has the goods.

9) Uncanny X-Men (Vol. 6) #6

The X-Men’s “From the Ashes” era hasn’t been great. X-Men group editor Tom Brevoort’s only idea for the mutants is copying the past. There is only one worthwhile X-Men book in “From the Ashes” and that’s Uncanny X-Men. Written by Gail Simone, Uncanny X-Men uses Claremont-style storytelling to tell new X-Men adventures, and introduces four of the coolest new mutants ever, the Outliers. Showing up in the book’s first story arc, the Outliers would get the spotlight in Uncanny X-Men (Vol. 6) #6, from Simone and guest artist Javier Garron. This issue sees the Outliers go to high school, and builds up their relationships, both with each other and with the X-Men. This is classic X-Men storytelling, and it will make you fall in love with the Outliers.

8) “Sins of Sinister”

The Krakoa Era was great for Mister Sinister. It was the first time in years the villain, who was considered a top three X-Men villain for years but fallen from grace, was important and it led to one of the best stories of the Krakoa Era — “Sins of Sinister”. Sinister was built up in Hellions and Immortal X-Men, showing that he had a secret plan for the mutant nation of Krakoa and “Sins of Sinister” shows what it is. Sinister’s DNA library was the key to Krakoan resurrection and Sinister was able to secretly suborn the process, allowing him to take control of the resurrected mutants. Sinister uses this ability to end the various enemies of mutants and humanity, and Krakoa conquers the world. “Sins of Sinister” then goes in an Age of Apocalypse direction, showing the world Sinister built in Immoral X-Men, Storm and the Brotherhood of Mutants, and Nightcrawlers, which took the place of Immortal X-Men, X-Men Red, and Legion of X. This is exactly the kind of alternate universe X-Men saga you want, and it took readers in some directions. It also presages the beginning of the end of the Krakoa Era. It’s probably the last legitimately great story of the Krakoa Era and you need to check it out.

7) Uncanny X-Men (Vol. 6) #1-4

Simone’s Uncanny X-Men (Vol. 6) kicked off with the four-issue story called “Red Wave”. Krakoa is over and the X-Men have been scattered to the winds. The X-Mansion has become a prison for mutants called Greymalkin, controlled by the government, and Cyclops has taken many of the X-Men to Alaska. However, not all of them wanted to be Cyclops’s soldiers, with Rogue, Gambit, Wolverine, Nightcrawler, and Jubilee banding together after Rogue, Gambit, and Wolverine learn a terrible prophecy for the mutant race from a Norse dragon. That leads them to New Orleans and the Outliers, four young mutants who hold the destiny of the mutant race in their hands. Meanwhile the warden of Greymalkin decides that she wants these new mutants, sending the monstrous Sarah Gaunt to destroy the X-Men. Uncanny X-Men (Vol. 6) #1-4, by Simone and artist David Marquez, is awesome. It honestly has an Outback era feel while also being its own thing. This is the X-Men at their best.

6) X-Men Red #1-18

This list is going to include two entire series from the Krakoa Era because they’re so good, I can’t really pare them down. The first of these is X-Men Red, written by Al Ewing with art by Stefano Caselli, Madibek Musabekov, Jacopo Camagni, and Yildray Cinar. X-Men Red is set on Arakko, where Storm, Magneto, and Sunspot, distrusting the Quiet Council of Krakoa and the Great Circle of Arakko, form the Brotherhood with the Arakkii known as the Fisher King in order to work for mutants without any cares for themselves. What follows is multiple issues of mutant politics, wild cosmic adventures, a battle against a traitor to Krakoa, and the return of Apocalypse’s wife and children to Arakko. This book perfectly builds the relationship between Storm and Magneto, and does a fantastic job of keeping readers on the edge of their seat throughout its run. It was one of the highlights of the latter stages of the Krakoa Era, showing that even Hickman had left, not everything was lost.

5) Immortal X-Men #1-18

The loss of Hickman was a blow, but readers got another X-Men expert back with Kieron Gillen. Gillen gave readers Immortal X-Men, an 18-issue series with artist Lucas Werneck, Michele Bandini, Paco Medina, and Juan Jose Ryp. This book concentrated on the Quiet Council — Xavier, Hope Summers, Mystique, Destiny, Emma Frost, Sebastian Shaw, Kate Pryde, Nightcrawler, Exodus, Colossus, Storm, and Mister Sinister — and the various machinations of the members of the group as they try to keep Krakoa together. The book is a masterpiece of characterization. Most issues focus on one character, putting the reader into their mind, to see their worries and their secrets. It’s a fantastic book. While Duggan’s mediocre X-Men outsold it, this was the epicenter of the main plots of the last two years of the Krakoa Era. If the rest of the post-Hickman Krakoa Era could have been as good as this one, we’d be in a better X-Men timeline than we are now.

4) X-Men (Vol. 5) #4

The Krakoa Era was brilliant when it kicked off, with Hickman’s X-Men the epicenter of the era. In its beginning, X-Men (Vol. 5) told one issue stories that took readers all over Krakoa, with Cyclops as the book’s main character, teaming him up with a variety of mutants. Each issue was vastly different, but one of the better books of those early days was X-Men (Vol. 5) #4, by Hickman and Leinil Yu. This issue saw Cyclops and the Gorgon given the job of guarding an economics conference that Xavier, Magneto, and Apocalypse go to. While there’s a subplot about an attack on the conference, the best part of the book is the conference itself. The hubris of Xavier, Magneto, and Apocalypse in their dealings with the human governments of the world is astounding, and it’s entertaining to watch the three of them alternately talk down and then build up the humans in the room. There are so many great moments in the conversation, making it one of the memorable moments in the Krakoa Era.

3) X-Men (Vol. 5) #5 and #18-19

Hickman’s X-Men (Vol. 5) is one of his more uneven runs at Marvel. There are some fantastic issues and some that aren’t up to snuff. And then there’s X-Men (Vol. 5) #5 and #18-19, by Hickman, R.B. Silva, and Mahmud Asrar. This three part stories begins with issue #5, when Wolverine II, Synch, and Darwin are sent into the Vault, a tesseract space containing the technology that created the ultimate post-humans known as the Children of the Vault. Issues #18-19 tell the story of their time inside, and it’s phenomenal. Time runs differently in the Vault and five hundred pass for the three mutants, as they try to survive enemies that can adapt to anything they throw at them. These three issues are the best moments of Hickman’s X-Men (Vol. 5), a Hickman sci-fi masterpiece with killer art that will blow your mind.

2) Inferno

Hickman’s run as Head of X ended with the four-issue miniseries Inferno, with artists Valerio Schiti, R.B. Silva, and Stefano Caselli. Mystique, tired of being used by Xavier and Magneto, decides to take her destiny (pun definitely intended) into her own hands by bringing back the one person Xavier and Magneto denied her. Meanwhile, Moira MacTaggert is as shady as ever, and the Orchis Initiative and their new Nimrod prepare themselves for their latest strike against the mutants. Inferno is outstanding from start to finish. It’s full of the kind of intrigue that Hickman did so well in the Krakoa Era, with a little bit of alternate future craziness thrown in. It contains the origin of Orchis and one of the coolest battles in the Krakoa Era — Magneto and Xavier versus Omega Sentinel and Nimrod. This is a wild comic, and while a lot of people don’t like where it took the Krakoa Era, it’s some patented Hickman goodness.

1) Uncanny X-Men (Vol. 6) #13-16

Simone’s Uncanny X-Men is the peak of “From the Ashes”. Simone and regular artist David Marquez are giving readers the best stories imaginable. “From the Ashes” is mediocre at best, which helps Uncanny X-Men look even better; however, this would be a top X-Men book in any era and the perfect example of this is Uncanny X-Men (Vol. 6) #13-16, titled “Dark Artery”. The story sees the Outliers led into the catacombs under the X-Men’s New Orleans base Haven House, learning a secret that reaches back to the early 20th century. Meanwhile, Gambit learns about the terrible destiny of his possession of the Left Eye of Agamotto before the X-Men spring into action to find their students. Simone builds a mutant history that plays into the real world history of oppression in the United States, and then takes the whole thing in directions you could never imagine. Simone promised some Southern Gothic horror in this book, and this is the peak of that. There are plots on plots in this story, perfect X-Men writing. Marquez’s art is insanely good, and in my opinion is the best X-Men art of the 2020s. This is everything you could want from an X-Men story and then some.

What do you think are the best X-Men stories of the ’20s? Sound off in the comments below.

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