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X-Men Reading Order – Part 1: The Silver Age & the Chris Claremont Era

Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the first X-Men series was launched in September 1963. Since then, a lot has happened, and it can be overwhelming to try to make sense of it all. That said, each new era began as a new entry point in this vast universe. But first, if you’ve lived in a cave during the last decades, you may not know who the X-Men are.

Led by Charles Xavier, also known as Professor X, the X-Men are mutants, people born with superhuman abilities activated by what is called the “X-Gene.” They have incredible powers that make them, for some, dangerous people. Even if the X-Men fight for a world in which mutants and humans can be equals, they have not succeeded yet.

They must face anti-mutant bigotry, and all the powers in the world can’t seem to solve that problem. All the powerful mutants don’t see the world like Xavier and his X-Men, they want to rage war against humans. As new threats from Earth and Space continue to emerge, and enemies keep coming back, the X-Men must persevere…

X-Men Reading Order

Entering the World of X-Men

[ X-MEMO // CEREBRO_FILE_01 ]
With over sixty years of mutant history, alternate realities, and several relaunches, figuring out where to start with the X-Men can give anyone a psychic headache. To help you find the perfect X-Comics for you, here’s a curated beginner’s guide with several routes you can take to read some great X-Men stories!
— X-Men Entry Point Protocol // End of File.

X-Men Part. 1: All The X-Titles of the Classic Era

This is the first part of our Complete X-Men Reading Guide. It covers stories from X-Men #1 (1963) to X-Men (1991) #1. Here is a list of X-Men series published during that era (most of them going beyond that period). Click on the title of the series above for the issues available on Kindle & ComiXology!

  • X-Men Vol. 1: The main X-Men series launched in 1963, re-titled Uncanny X-Men from issue #142.
  • New Mutants Vol. 1: With the success of the X-Men during the eighties, the franchise expanded with this spin-off in 1983.
  • Alpha Flight Vol. 1: Also launched in 1983, this X-Men Spin-off focuses on the Canadian team created by writer/artist John Byrne.
  • X-Factor Vol. 1: Created by Bob Layton and Jackson Guice in 1986,  this spin-off from the X-Men franchise was a team formed by the five original X-Men.
  • Excalibur Vol. 1: Created by Chris Claremont and Alan Davis and launched in 1988, Excalibur is the British team, conceived as a way to combine elements of two Marvel properties: the X-Men and Captain Britain.
  • Dazzler Vol. 1: Published between 1981 and 1986, this is a Dazzler solo title that was produced in part to appeal to a female audience.
  • Wolverine Vol. 1: The breakout character had his first solo adventures in a limited series in 1982, which was followed by the Kitty Pryde And Wolverine miniseries (1984-1985) before another volume was launched!
  • Wolverine Vol. 2: Starting in 1988, Wolvie headlined his own ongoing series.
  • And other miniseries, limited series, and one-shots.

Some adventures set during this era have been published later:

  • X-Men: First Class (various volumes and titles): Created by Jeff Parker and Roger Cruz, this series and its several spin-offs follow the original team of X-Men. Published between 2006 and 2009
  • X-Men: The Hidden Years: Published between 1999 and 2001,  this John Byrne written series bridges the gap between the X-Men’s classic and the Claremont’s era.
  • X-Men Classic: From 1986 to 1990, Claremont wrote backup stories delving into and explaining the original stories.

X-Men Grand Design: A Historical Tour

“From Professor X’s formation of the original team through the Second Genesis of the All-New, All-Different X-Men and the devastating Dark Phoenix Saga to 1980s epics such as Inferno that pushed mutantkind to the brink of X-tinction,” this is Ed Piskor’s Grand Design, a labour of love that takes you on a tour of X-Men history, retracing X-Men’s Classic era, the first 30 years of adventures, missions and all the epic stories and improbable events that affected the mutants.

X-Men Reading Order: The Classic X-Menu

[ X-MEMO // CEREBRO_RESOURCE_HUB_02 ]
From the classic Claremont era to modern mutant stories, there are more than 50 omnibuses dedicated to the X-Men at this time of writing, including almost half of them covering the 1963-1991 time period. Find them all in one place:
See Our Complete Guide to the X-Men Omnibus Collection →
🧬 TARGET DOSSIERS // INDIVIDUAL CHARACTER READING ORDERS

[01] Silver Age: Magneto • Cyclops • Jean Grey • Juggernaut • Havok

[02] Claremont: Wolverine • Storm • Nightcrawler • Magik • Mystique • Kitty Pryde • Emma Frost

[03] 90s Genesis: Jubilee • Gambit • Cable • Deadpool

— X-Men Era Hub // End of File.

X-additions: The 2026 Releases and Other Titles

As new releases and reprints of the X-Men are continually happening, you’ll find here the last additions to this reading order, the first part of our big guide dedicated to the X-Men! We hope it makes things a little bit easier.

X-Men: The Silver Age Reading Order (1963-70)

Founder of Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters, Professor X recruits mutants from around the world to teach them how to use their powers and coexist with humanity. The original five X-Men (Warren Worthington III/Angel, Hank McCoy/Beast, Scott Summers/Cyclops, Robert “Bobby” Drake/Iceman, and Jean Grey/Marvel Girl). These are their adventures.

Founder of Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters, Professor X recruits mutants from around the world to teach them how to use their powers and coexist with humanity. The original five X-Men (Warren Worthington III/Angel, Hank McCoy/Beast, Scott Summers/Cyclops, Robert “Bobby” Drake/Iceman, and Jean Grey/Marvel Girl). These are their adventures.

X-Men ended with issue #66, but that was not THE END. The mutants started to guest-star in other series. X-Men #67 to #93 were reprint issues of those stories featuring the X-Men with new covers.

  • X-Men Epic Collection: It’s Always Darkest Before the Dawn
    Collects X-Men (1963) #67-93, Annual (1970) #1-2; Amazing Adventures (1970) #11-17; Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #92; Incredible Hulk (1968) #150, #161, #172, #180-182; Marvel Team-Up (1972) #4, #23; Avengers (1963) #110-111; Captain America (1968) #172-175; Defenders (1972) #15-16; Giant-Size Fantastic Four (1974) #4).

X-Men Reading Order - X-Logo

Several series have been published throughout the years, telling stories taking place during the Silver Age such as:

▻ From Jeff Parker and Roger Cruz, The X-Men: First Class (2006-2009) consists of new stories set during the period (If you intend to read them, we advise doing so mostly after issue #23)

▻ With X-Men: The Hidden Years (1999-2001),  John Byrne bridges the gap between the X-Men’s classic and all-new, all-different eras!

🧬 Omnibus Collection: The X-Men Omnibus, Vol. 1 | The X-Men Omnibus, Vol. 2 | X-Men: The Hidden Years Omnibus

▼ XAVIER’S ARCHIVES: Marvel Masterworks – The SILVER AGE ERA

The Marvel Masterworks line was a collection of hardcover and trade paperback of classic Marvel storylines with restored artwork. In 2025, the collection was put on indefinite hiatus. Some of these books are already hard to find; most will soon be. 

You can also find three volumes in the Mighty Marvel Masterworks: The X-Men Collection (a trade paperback version of the collection).

The Chris Claremont X-Men Reading Order (1975-1991)

Part. 1: From the Second Genesis to the Dark Phoenix Saga and Days of the Future Past

From a team on the verge of disappearing to one of the most influential Marvel comics of all time, this is the beginning of the longest and most famous era in X-Men history: The Claremont Era. Spanning 17 years and hundreds of issues, Chris Claremont’s historic run didn’t just redefine the main title, it launched an entire mutant empire, introducing iconic spin-offs like New Mutants, X-Factor, Wolverine, and Excalibur.

It all started in May 1975 with Giant-Size X-Men #1. This issue was not written by Claremont, but by Len Wein and Dave Cockrum. It introduced new X-Men, including Wolverine, Nightcrawler, Storm, and Colossus, followed by the threat of Proteus, the legendary cosmic saga of the Phoenix/Dark Phoenix , and the dystopian future of Days of Future Past.

X-Men Reading Order - X-Logo

▻ In 1986, Marvel launched the Classic X-Men series reprinting what is called the “All-New, All-Different” era of X-Men, with original backup stories written by Claremont himself, delving into and explaining the original stories! All those backup stories have been collected in:

▻ Also, the First Class adventures continue, this time with Uncanny X-Men: First Class (2009), set after X-Men #110.

🧬 Omnibus Collection: Uncanny X-Men Omnibus Vol. 1 | Uncanny X-Men Omnibus Vol. 2 | X-Men Classic Omnibus

Part. 2: The Brood Saga, New Mutants Rising, & Factor Genesis

Following the events of Days of Future Past, the X-Universe began to expand. This era saw the team face the horrifying alien threat of The Brood Saga, marking a darker, more intense period for them. Meanwhile, back on Earth, the franchise truly began to grow, leading to New Mutants Rising and the launch of the book’s first official spin-off series.

Then came Factor Genesis. The original five Silver Age X-Men are finally reunited to form a brand-new team: X-Factor. This divided the mutant world into two distinct factions, paving the way for deep interpersonal drama and major crossovers.

▻ Also, X-Men: Starjammers by Dave Cockrum collects Uncanny X-Men (1981) #107-108, 154-158, 161-167; X-Men: Spotlight on Starjammers #1-2.

The New Mutants X-Men Reading Order

Created by Chris Claremont and Bob McLeod, The New Mutants was the first official X-Men spin-off, focusing on a group of teenage mutant superheroes-in-training. It’s not always easy to jump from one series to another with collected editions. However, the connections between The New Mutants and Uncanny X-Men are not important. For the most part, the two series can be read separately.

This is when the first major Marvel event crossover happened. Fascinated by the presence of superheroes on Earth, The Beyonder chooses a group of both heroes and supervillains and teleports characters against their will to “Battleworld,” a planet in a distant galaxy. More precisely, Secret Wars takes place after Uncanny X-Men #180 and before New Mutants #15.

The first one was a big event. Why not produce a second similar event? So, here comes Secret Wars II. This one takes place after New Mutants #29. It’s not really straightforward.

The original X-Men have returned, but, as you might have guessed, they are not taking charge of the Uncanny X-Men. Instead, follow their adventures in X-Factor!

🧬 Omnibus Collection continues and expands in: Uncanny X-Men Omnibus Vol. 3 | New Mutants Omnibus, Volume 1 | Alpha Flight by John Byrne Omnibus | Uncanny X-Men Omnibus Vol. 4 | Uncanny X-Men Omnibus Vol. 5 or X-Men: Mutant Massacre Prelude Omnibus

Part. 3: From The Mutant Massacre to Inferno

Everything changed for the X-Men when the mysterious Marauders invaded the underground tunnels and slaughtered the Morlocks. The Mutant Massacre event’s unexpected success inspired Marvel Comics to make mutant crossovers an annual fixture.

From faking their deaths to become underground vigilantes in the Australian Outback, to facing a massive, demonic invasion of New York City orchestrated by the Goblin Queen in Inferno, the X-Men jumped from one event to another, from one peril to another, creating an interconnected epic tale.

⚠️ Uncanny X-Men #220-247 are not collected in X-Men Epic Collection yet (Vol. 15 and 16)! You can find those issues in:

Not one, but two new X-series joined the ranks of the X-family collection. First, The Wolverine starts his very own solo series. Then, Excalibur is born when Captain Britain, the metamorphic Meggan band together with former X-Men Nightcrawler and Kitty Pryde when Gatecrasher and her Technet are sent to capture Rachel “Phoenix” Summers.

🧬 The Mutant Massacre Era in Omnibus: X-Men: Mutant Massacre Omnibus | X-Men: Fall of the Mutants Omnibus | New Mutants Omnibus Volume 2.

🧬 The Inferno Era in Omnibus: X-Men: Inferno Prologue Omnibus, X-Men: inferno Omnibus | Alpha Flight by Bill Mantlo & Jim Lee Omnibus | Wolverine Omnibus Vol. 1 | X-Men by Chris Claremont and Jim Lee Omnibus Vol. 1 | Excalibur Omnibus vol. 1 | Wolverine Omnibus Vol. 2

▼ XAVIER’S ARCHIVES: Marvel Masterworks – The CLAREMONT ERA

Part. 4: From X-tinction Agenda to Muir Island Saga and Mutant Genesis

This is the last year of Chris Claremont’s run on the X-Men, and currently the least well-collected part of his run in the Epic Collection line. Story-wise, the different X-Teams are simply facing one dangerous and vicious enemy after another. From battling the mutant-exploitative regime of Genosha in the X-tinction Agenda, to confronting the psychic malice of the Shadow King in the Muir Island Saga, and dealing with Apocalypse, the stakes were still piling up… until all came to an end in Mutant Genesis.

⚠️ X-Men Epic Collection Vol. 18 (Uncanny X-Men #268–277) has not been released yet, as well as X-Factor Epic Collection Vol. 5 & 6 (#51-70)

🧬 The Claremont era comes to an end in Omnibus with X-Men: X-Tinction Agenda Omnibus and X-Men By Chris Claremont & Jim Lee Omnibus Vol. 2

X-Men Reading Order

Next! The X-Men adventures continue in…

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7 thoughts on “X-Men Reading Order – Part 1: The Silver Age & the Chris Claremont Era”

  1. Eman
    Reply

    This guide is just fantastic but I noticed that it’s ‘ missing comics like weapon X, first class, origins, magneto testament etc, etc… how can I know when to read those?

    1. Fabien
      Reply

      It’s kind of the difficulty with the X-Men books, they go in all directions. If they are not in the guide, chances are they are origin stories published later. The classic Weapon X from Barry Windsor-Smith is a story taking place before Wolverine became an X-Men, X-Men First Class is retroactively set around the end of “Marvel Masterworks: The Uncanny X-Men Vol. 2.” If I remember correctly (need to check), the Wolverine: First Class are more around the event in Marvel Masterworks: The Uncanny X-Men Vol. 5. Wolverine: Origins can be read later, they are collected with the Daniel Way collection set after House of M. I’ve got a Wolverine Reading Order in the tube, it will be published soon.
      As for Magneto Testament is again an origin story, you can read it when you want.
      It’s the same with most of the origin stories, they don’t impact the overall storylines, they revisit the past, and can add some bits, but mostly work as standalone.

  4. Author
    Reply

    Hey Fabien

    I really wanted to ask you a question. Can I read X-Men from 1-100 then only focus on reading the X-Men events like Mutant Massacre, Inferno & more, then read the full mordern X-Men stories and not miss out on the soul and essentials of X-Men? Please give me tips if you can, thanks.

    1. Carole
      Reply

      Hey Author,

      I’m pretty sure Fabien would agree… For the X-Men, the tip is always the same: read Chris Claremont. This is the most defining run in the history of X-Men. You don’t need the Silver Age. You need Claremont.

      1. Fabien
        Reply

        X-Men from #1 to #66, then we jump to Giant-Size X-Men #1 and Claremont took over with #94 as 67 to 93 were reprints. But #100 is not a point to stop. In fact, it’s just the beginning. It goes on for 16 years. That said, yes, follow Claremont that’s the only way to not get lost as he wrote the main stories, from one storyline to the others.

  6. Federico
    Reply

    Hi, i wanted to mention that one important X-Men epic collection is missing, the God Loves Man Kills one, during the Maddy Pryor era, collecting Uncanny X-Men (1981) 168-175

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