The Scott and Jean Archives
Reading Guide
New to the fandom or just trying to wrap your head around over 50 years of history? The X-Men universe is notorious for being extremely convoluted, with multiple titles, alternate timelines, and crossover story arcs. It has been quite a journey for me as a collector, and I wanted to share this reading guide I have put together. Click on the guide below to enlarge to full-size; it’s enormous, trust me.
616 Universe
I try to arrange titles and sections in a logical chronological reading order. The mainstream universe, known as 616, has titles divided among these sections on ScottandJean.com: The Original Five, X-Men: First Class, Uncanny X-Men, X-Factor, X-Men, Miniseries, All-New X-Men. See the chart below for a rough distribution guide for the section reading order. You may have to jump between sections from time to time, but story arcs are usually linked issue to issue for continuity.
Alternate Universes
Alternate universes may branch out from the 616 universe, or exist without reference to 616. What If & Alternate Realities contain some titles that branch out from 616 (refer to the reading guide above). The following are stand alone alternate universes that can be read independently: 1602, Ultimate X-Men, X-Men Mangaverse.
Movies and Animated Series
The movies and most of the animated series/cartoons are loosely based on the 616 universe, but need no prior knowledge of 616. X-Men: The Animated Series follows the 616 universe most closely, borrowing majority of the storylines from 616. X-Men: Evolution is generally considered an alternate universe. Wolverine and the X-Men and Marvel Anime: X-Men are loosely based on 616. The X-Men Movies are based on 616 but have gone on to develop their own canon universe, and in turn influenced the 616 universe.
*See a mistake in the reading guide? Please let me know! This reading guide is a work in progress and will constantly change with the ever evolving X-Men universe.
Crossover Arcs Guide
Inferno
X-Factor #36: Inferno Pt IV: Transformations!
X-Factor #37: Inferno Pt V: A Matter of Honor
Uncanny X-Men (Vol 2) #242: Inferno Pt VI: Burn
X-Factor #38: Inferno Pt VII: Duet!
Uncanny X-Men (Vol 2) #243: Inferno Pt VIII: Ashes!
X-Factor #39: Inferno Pt IX: Ashes to Ashes
Days of Future Present
X-Factor Annual #5: Days of Future Present Pt III: Act of Faith
Uncanny X-Men Annual #14: Days of Future Present Pt IV: You Must Remember This
X-Tinction Agenda
New Mutants #95: X-Tinction Agenda Pt II: Shell Game
X-Factor #60: X-Tinction Agenda Pt III: Brotherhood
New Mutants #96: X-Tinction Agenda Pt V: United We Stand
X-Factor #61: X-Tinction Agenda Pt VI: Betrayal
Uncanny X-Men (Vol 2) #272: X-Tinction Agenda Pt VII: Capital Crimes
X-Factor #62: X-Tinction Agenda Pt IX: Capital Punishment
Muir Island Saga
X-Factor #69: Muir Island Saga Pt III: Clash Reunion
Uncanny X-Men (Vol 2) #280: Muir Island Saga Pt IV: One Step Back -- Two Steps Forward
X-Cutioner’s Song
Uncanny X-Men (Vol 2) #294: X-Cutioner’s Song Pt I: Overture
X-Factor #84: X-Cutioner’s Song Pt II: Tough Love
X-Men (Vol 2) #14: X-Cutioner’s Song Pt III: Fingers on the Trigger
Uncanny X-Men (Vol 2) #295: X-Cutioner’s Song Pt V: Familiar Refrain
X-Factor #85: X-Cutioner’s Song Pt VI: Snikts and Bones
X-Men (Vol 2) #15: X-Cutioner’s Song Pt VII: The Camel’s Back
X-Force #17: X-Cutioner’s Song Pt VIII: Sleeping with the Enemy
X-Factor #86: X-Cutioner’s Song Pt X: One of These Days...Pow! Zoom!
X-Men (Vol 2) #16: X-Cutioner’s Song Pt XI: Conflicting Cathexes
X-Force #18: X-Cutioner’s Song Pt XII: Ghosts in the Machine
Uncanny X-Men (Vol 2) #297: X-Cutioner’s Song (Epilogue): Up and Around
The Phalanx Covenant
Uncanny X-Men (Vol 2) #316: The Phalanx Covenant: Generation Next Pt I: Encounter
X-Factor #106: The Phalanx Covenant: Life Signs Pt I
Excalibur #82: The Phalanx Covenant: Life Signs Pt III: The Light of a Tainted Dawn
Wolverine #85: The Phalanx Covenant: Final Sanction Pt I
Cable #16: The Phalanx Covenant: Final Sanction Pt II
Onslaught
Uncanny X-Men (Vol 2) #322: Dark Walk
X-Men (Vol 2) #46: They're Baaack...
X-Men (Vol 2) #50: Full Court Press
X-Man #16:
Uncanny X-Men (Vol 2) #333: The Other Shoe...
X-Men (Vol 2) #53: False Fronts
Uncanny X-Men (Vol 2) #334: Dark Horizon
X-Men (Vol 2) #54: Inquiring Minds
Onslaught: X-Men
Excalibur #100 London Burning
Uncanny X-Men (Vol 2) #335: Apocalypse Lives
X-Men (Vol 2) #55: Invasion Pt I
X-Men Unlimited (Vol 1) #12: The Once and Future Juggernaut
X-Men (Vol 2) #56: Invasion Pt II
Onslaught: Marvel Universe
X-Men (Vol 2) #57: Man
Uncanny X-Men (Vol 2) #337: Know Thy Enemy
Operation: Zero Tolerance
X-Men (Vol 2) #65: First Blood
X-Men (Vol 2) #66: Start Spreadin’ the News
Wolverine #115: In the Face of It
Wolverine #116: What the Blind Man Saw
Wolverine #117: A Divine Image
Wolverine #118: Out of Darkness into Light
Uncanny X-Men (Vol 2) #350: Trials and Errors
#70: Homecoming
The Twelve
Cable #74: Mindgames
Uncanny X-Men (Vol 2) #376: Filling in the Blanks
X-Men (Vol 2) #96: The Gathering
Uncanny X-Men (Vol 2) #377: The End of the World As We Know It Pt I
Cable #76: In My Eyes
X-Men (Vol 2) #97: The End of the World As We Know It Pt II
Uncanny X-Men (Vol 2) #378: First and Last Pt I
X-Men (Vol 2) #98: First and Last Pt II
Eve of Destruction
Uncanny X-Men (Vol 2) #392: Eve of Destruction Pt I: From the Ashes of the Past...Still Another Genesis!
X-Men (Vol 2) #112: Eve of Destruction Pt II: A Call to Arms
Uncanny X-Men (Vol 2) #393: Eve of Destruction Pt III: Like Lambs to the Slaughter
X-Men (Vol 2) #113: Eve of Destruction (Conclusion)
Messiah Complex
Uncanny X-Men (Vol 2) #493: Messiah Complex: Chapter Six
X-Men (Vol 2) #206: Messiah Complex: Chapter Nine
Battle of the Atom
X-Men: Battle of the Atom #1 Pt I
All-New X-Men #16: Battle of the Atom Pt II
X-Men (Vol 4) #5: Battle of the Atom Pt III
Uncanny X-Men (Vol 3) #12: Battle of the Atom Pt IV
Wolverine and the X-Men #36: Battle of the Atom Pt V
X-Men (Vol 4) #6: Battle of the Atom Pt VII
Wolverine and the X-Men #37: Battle of the Atom Pt IX
X-Men: Battle of the Atom #2 Pt X
The Trial of Jean Grey
All-New X-Men #22: The Trial of Jean Grey Pt I
Guardians of the Galaxy (Vol 3) #11: The Trial of Jean Grey Pt II
All-New X-Men #23: The Trial of Jean Grey Pt III
Guardians of the Galaxy (Vol 3) #12: The Trial of Jean Grey Pt IV
All-New X-Men #24: The Trial of Jean Grey Pt V
Guardians of the Galaxy (Vol 3) #13: The Trial of Jean Grey Pt VI
Black Vortex
All-New X-Men #39
Cyclops (Vol 3) #12
Black Vortex Omega
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