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X-Men Reading Order, Part. 7: Destiny of X and Fall of X, The Second Age of the X-Men of Krakoa

 

Welcome to Part 7 of our ongoing effort to compile a comprehensive X-Men Reading Order through the lens of collected editions. If you’re just joining us, you can start from the beginning with Part 1: The Silver Age & Chris Claremont (1963–1991), then follow through Part 2: Age of Apocalypse & Onslaught (1991–2001), Part 3: From the Grant Morrison Era to Civil War, Part 4: The Road to Avengers vs. X-Men, Part 5: Marvel NOW to ResurrXion, and Part 6: The Jonathan Hickman Era.

This chapter picks up where Hickman left off—literally. After wrapping his ambitious reimagining of the X-Men with the Inferno (2021) miniseries, Hickman stepped away, and a new creative collective carried the torch. What followed is not a reboot, but a continuation: The Second Age of the X-Men of Krakoa, informally known as the Destiny of X era.

This era builds directly on the foundation laid during Reign of X. Much like Dawn of X before it, Destiny of X launches with a prelude and then branches out into a wave of new titles—Immortal X-Men, X-Men Red, Legion of X, Knights of X, and more. The promise is clear: Krakoa’s future is still being written, with its greatest victories and most harrowing trials yet to come.

X-Men: Destiny of X Reading Order

X-Men Reading Order - X-LogoIf you want a detailed reading order issue by issue of the Destiny of X era, I recommend that you go to the Way of X website.

Before the full launch of the Destiny of X era, the twin miniseries The X Lives of Wolverine and The X Deaths of Wolverine serve as a transitional event—both a character-focused saga and a thematic bridge between Inferno and what comes next. Told in alternating issues, the story follows Wolverine as he leaps through time to protect Charles Xavier’s lineage, while a parallel narrative explores Moira MacTaggert’s desperate flight and a grim vision of Krakoa’s future. Together, they reframe Wolverine’s role in the Krakoan saga and lay the groundwork for the Second Age of X.

X-Men Hickman Event Alert! The X-Men claim they’re Earth’s new gods. The Eternals believe that role is already taken. And the Avengers are about to learn just how many secrets their mutant allies have been hiding. This is A.X.E.: Judgment Day, the major crossover event of the Destiny of X era, where ideology, immortality, and judgment collide. For a complete reading order of the event, check out our dedicated article.

  • A.X.E.: Judgment Day
    Collects A.X.E.: Judgment Day #1-6, A.X.E.: Avengers #1, A.X.E.: X-Men #1, A.X.E.: Eternals #1, Free Comic Book Day 2022: Avengers/X-Men #1 (A.X.E. story).
  • A.X.E.: Judgment Day Companion
    Collects A.X.E.: Eve Of Judgment, A.X.E.: Judgment Day Omega, A.X.E.: Death To The Mutants #1-3, A.X.E.: Starfox, A.X.E.: Iron Fist And Fantastic Four (2018) #47-48.

The complete event is now available in the A.X.E.: Judgment Day Omnibus, which includes issues from the following books.

Event Alert! The Dark Web has descended! Ben Reilly and Madelyne Pryor, two clones cast aside, have had enough, and they’re reigniting the Inferno in their own twisted image. As Chasm and the Goblin Queen weave chaos across New York City, Spider-Man and the X-Men are pulled into a nightmare of demonic possessions and twisted memories. For the full reading order and tie-in details, head over to our dedicated guide for the event.

Before the Fall…

X-Men: The Fall of X

The Fall of X marks the beginning of the end for the Krakoan age as the dream of mutant sovereignty comes under brutal attack. Following the shocking events of the 2023 Hellfire Gala, mutantkind is scattered, hunted, and forced underground once more. The utopia of Krakoa is no longer safe, and the X-Men must navigate betrayal, loss, and survival in a world that has turned against them. This era reshapes the line once again with new titles, shifting alliances, and a growing sense of finality.

Fall of the House of X / Rise of the Powers of X

The fallout from Fall of X builds toward a dramatic conclusion in the paired miniseries Fall of the House of X and Rise of the Powers of X. Echoing the structure that launched the Krakoan era (House of X/Powers of X), these two books serve as the grand finale—wrapping up years of storytelling, revealing the final fate of Krakoa, and setting the stage for what comes next in the X-Men’s saga.

Issue by Issue (source)

  • X-Men #30-31
  • Fall of the House of X #1
  • Invincible Iron Man #15
  • Avengers #12-13
  • Invincible Iron Man #16
  • Fall of the House of X #2
  • X-Men #32
  • Fall of the House of X #3
  • X-Men #33
  • Rise of the Powers of X #1
  • Resurrection of Magneto #1-4
  • Invincible Iron Man #17-18
  • Cable #1-4
  • X-Men: Forever #1
  • Rise of the Powers of X #2
  • Dead X-Men #1-4
  • Rise of the Powers of X #3-4
  • X-Men: Forever #2
  • Fall of the House of X #4
  • X-Men #34
  • X-Men: Forever #3-4
  • Fall of the House of X #5
  • Rise of the Powers of X #5
  • X-Men #35

Collected in:

  • Fall Of The House Of X / Rise Of The Powers Of X Omnibus (in 2025)
    Collects Fall Of The House Of X #1-5, Rise Of The Powers Of X #1-5, X-Men (2021) #30-34, Resurrection Of Magneto #1-4, Dead X-Men #1-4, X-Men Forever (2024) #1-4, Invincible Iron Man (2022) #13-20, Avengers (2023) #12-13, Ms. Marvel: Mutant Menace #1-4, Cable (2024) #1-4, and material from X-Men (2021) #35.

Also available in Fall of the House of X / Rise of the Powers of X
Collects Fall of the House of X #1-5, Rise of the Powers of X #1-5, and material from X-Men (2021) #35.

With Fall of X and its aftermath, the Krakoan age reaches its dramatic close. But every ending is a new beginning—next comes From the Ashes, a new era for the X-Men.

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