"Uncanny X-Men" ended last week at #544 after a 40 year run . This is quite an achievement for many reasons. Firstly, no other Marvel title has ever able to stay with it's consecutive numbering. "Fantastic Four," "Avengers" and "Amazing Spider-Man," all at some point were reset back to #1 and then reset back to their original numbering, but never "Uncanny X-Men." At least until now. Granted, X-Men only became "Uncanny," around #140, but it still had always been the one and only X-Men series. The flagship title of Marvel and the #1 read comic for decades (I believe Spawn dethroned it in the 90s). The title has also dodged a couple of potentially series ending moments.
At the beginning of the 70s Marvel editors couldn't find anyone to write or draw the series and were actually reprinting issues until Len Wein and Chris Claremont worked their magic. X-Men should have died after 80 or so issues. Later, even under the ambitious writing talents of Claremont and Byrne, Marvel editorial wanted to kill off Wolverine initially, do to negative fan reaction. However, Byrne (a Canadian and one of the best artist/co-plotters during the 70s and 80s) swore he would quit if they killed off the only Canadian character in comics. Marvel digressed and "Wolvie," has become one of the most popular and highest money making comic characters ever.
What is even more remarkable about the success and longevity of the title is that there has always been sooooo many auxiliary titles to collect and at times some of these titles (like "Astonishing," by Josh Whedon) have been better quality. However, "Uncanny X-Men," eventually takes it's place back on top of the X-Men pile of comics. Now we have "Uncanny X-Men," in November back at #1 and today the all new "Wolverine and the X-Men #1." The Schism of the X-Men has begun. Also check out the new "Ultimate Comics X-Men." Nick Spencer has really nailed the mutant inequality and persecution that makes the X books so interesting. Currently the best X-title out there. We'll see shortly what the relaunched "Uncanny X-Men," by Kieron Gillen and "Wolverine and the X-Men," by Jason Aaron have to add to the X mythos.
If you think about it, all DC's titles have been reset to #1 recently and all of Marvel's titles have reverted back to #1 at some point in the past. For the months of September and October, "Uncanny X-Men," was the highest consecutively numbered title on the shelf. Now let's celebrate all things X-Men with their Top 10 greatest story lines ever!
01 - "THE DARK PHOENIX SAGA" by Chris Claremont, John Byrne and Terry Austin (Uncanny
X-Men #129-137. 1980).
02 - "DAYS OF FUTURE PAST" by Chris Claremont, John Byrne and Terry Austin (Uncanny
X-Men #141-142. 1981).
03 - "E IS FOR EXTINCTION" by Grant Morrison, Frank Quitely and Tim Townsend (New X-Men #114-116. 2001).
04 - "X-MEN: GOD LOVES, MAN KILLS" by Chris Claremont and Brent Anderson (graphic novel, 1982).
05 - "THE PHOENIX SAGA" by Chris Claremont, Dave Cockrum and Terry Austin (X-Men #101-108. 1976).
06 - "MUTANT MASSACRE" by Chris Claremont, Louise Simonson, John Romita Jr., Alan Davis, Rick Leonardi, Sal Buscema, Terry Shoemaker and Jon Bogdanove (Uncanny X-Men #210-213, X-Factor #9-11, Thor #373-374, New Mutants #46 and Power Pack #27, 1986).
07 - "MESSIAH COMPLEX" by Ed Brubaker, Mike Carey, Peter David, Craig Kyle, Christopher Yost, Marc Silvestri, Billy Tan, Scott Eaton, Humberto Ramos and Chris Bachalo (X-Men: Messiah Complex one shot, Uncanny X-Men #492-494, X-Men #205-207, New X-Men #44-46 and X-Factor #25-27. 2007).
08 - "TORN" by Josh Whedon and John Cassady (Astonishing X-Men #13-18. 2005).
09 - "X-TINCTION AGENDA" by Chris Claremont, Louise Simonson, Jim Lee, Rob Liefeld and Jon Bogdanove (Uncanny X-Men #270-272, New Mutants #95-97 and X-Factor #60-62. 1990).
10 - "AGE OF APOCALYPSE" by Scott Lobdell, Mark Waid, Fabian Nicieza, John Francis Moore, Larry Hama, Warren Ellis, Jeph Loeb, Howard Mackie, Terry Kavanagh, Roger Cruz, Steve Epting, Joe Madureira, Andy Kubert, Tony Daniel, Salvador Larroca, Chris Bachalo, Adam Kubert, Ken Lashley, Steve Skroce, Terry Dodson, Ian Churchill, Carlos Pacheco and Joe Bennett (all the X-Titles were replaced in '95-'96, with renamed miniseries with their own numbering system. These new miniseries were: X-Men: Alpha, X-Calibre, Gambit and the X-Ternals, Generation Next, Amazing X-Men, Astonishing X-Men, Weapon X, Factor X, X-Man, X-Universe and X-Men: Omega).
Wanted to give honourable mention to a current storyline called "THE DARK ANGEL SAGA," in "Uncanny X-Force," by Remender and Opena (Uncanny X-Force #10-17. 2011). Still has a couple of issues to go and it has been an instant classic. Enjoy the covers. Cheers!
At the beginning of the 70s Marvel editors couldn't find anyone to write or draw the series and were actually reprinting issues until Len Wein and Chris Claremont worked their magic. X-Men should have died after 80 or so issues. Later, even under the ambitious writing talents of Claremont and Byrne, Marvel editorial wanted to kill off Wolverine initially, do to negative fan reaction. However, Byrne (a Canadian and one of the best artist/co-plotters during the 70s and 80s) swore he would quit if they killed off the only Canadian character in comics. Marvel digressed and "Wolvie," has become one of the most popular and highest money making comic characters ever.
What is even more remarkable about the success and longevity of the title is that there has always been sooooo many auxiliary titles to collect and at times some of these titles (like "Astonishing," by Josh Whedon) have been better quality. However, "Uncanny X-Men," eventually takes it's place back on top of the X-Men pile of comics. Now we have "Uncanny X-Men," in November back at #1 and today the all new "Wolverine and the X-Men #1." The Schism of the X-Men has begun. Also check out the new "Ultimate Comics X-Men." Nick Spencer has really nailed the mutant inequality and persecution that makes the X books so interesting. Currently the best X-title out there. We'll see shortly what the relaunched "Uncanny X-Men," by Kieron Gillen and "Wolverine and the X-Men," by Jason Aaron have to add to the X mythos.
If you think about it, all DC's titles have been reset to #1 recently and all of Marvel's titles have reverted back to #1 at some point in the past. For the months of September and October, "Uncanny X-Men," was the highest consecutively numbered title on the shelf. Now let's celebrate all things X-Men with their Top 10 greatest story lines ever!
01 - "THE DARK PHOENIX SAGA" by Chris Claremont, John Byrne and Terry Austin (Uncanny
X-Men #129-137. 1980).
02 - "DAYS OF FUTURE PAST" by Chris Claremont, John Byrne and Terry Austin (Uncanny
X-Men #141-142. 1981).
03 - "E IS FOR EXTINCTION" by Grant Morrison, Frank Quitely and Tim Townsend (New X-Men #114-116. 2001).
04 - "X-MEN: GOD LOVES, MAN KILLS" by Chris Claremont and Brent Anderson (graphic novel, 1982).
05 - "THE PHOENIX SAGA" by Chris Claremont, Dave Cockrum and Terry Austin (X-Men #101-108. 1976).
06 - "MUTANT MASSACRE" by Chris Claremont, Louise Simonson, John Romita Jr., Alan Davis, Rick Leonardi, Sal Buscema, Terry Shoemaker and Jon Bogdanove (Uncanny X-Men #210-213, X-Factor #9-11, Thor #373-374, New Mutants #46 and Power Pack #27, 1986).
07 - "MESSIAH COMPLEX" by Ed Brubaker, Mike Carey, Peter David, Craig Kyle, Christopher Yost, Marc Silvestri, Billy Tan, Scott Eaton, Humberto Ramos and Chris Bachalo (X-Men: Messiah Complex one shot, Uncanny X-Men #492-494, X-Men #205-207, New X-Men #44-46 and X-Factor #25-27. 2007).
08 - "TORN" by Josh Whedon and John Cassady (Astonishing X-Men #13-18. 2005).
09 - "X-TINCTION AGENDA" by Chris Claremont, Louise Simonson, Jim Lee, Rob Liefeld and Jon Bogdanove (Uncanny X-Men #270-272, New Mutants #95-97 and X-Factor #60-62. 1990).
10 - "AGE OF APOCALYPSE" by Scott Lobdell, Mark Waid, Fabian Nicieza, John Francis Moore, Larry Hama, Warren Ellis, Jeph Loeb, Howard Mackie, Terry Kavanagh, Roger Cruz, Steve Epting, Joe Madureira, Andy Kubert, Tony Daniel, Salvador Larroca, Chris Bachalo, Adam Kubert, Ken Lashley, Steve Skroce, Terry Dodson, Ian Churchill, Carlos Pacheco and Joe Bennett (all the X-Titles were replaced in '95-'96, with renamed miniseries with their own numbering system. These new miniseries were: X-Men: Alpha, X-Calibre, Gambit and the X-Ternals, Generation Next, Amazing X-Men, Astonishing X-Men, Weapon X, Factor X, X-Man, X-Universe and X-Men: Omega).
Wanted to give honourable mention to a current storyline called "THE DARK ANGEL SAGA," in "Uncanny X-Force," by Remender and Opena (Uncanny X-Force #10-17. 2011). Still has a couple of issues to go and it has been an instant classic. Enjoy the covers. Cheers!
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