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Classic X-Men #1-23
X-Men Classic: The Complete Collection, Vol. 1
In 1986, Marvel launched CLASSIC X-MEN, a series that reprinted the "All-New, All-Different X-Men" era — with a twist! All-new backup stories fleshed out the 1970s tales and delved deeper into the characters' lives — and new story pages were even inserted into the reprints, expanding on key moments and sowing the seeds for future storylines! Now, all this newly created material has been collected together — complete with comparisons and text pieces explaining what was changed, what was added and why! Friendships are forged, allies are mourned and lives are transformed in these rare tales that dance between the raindrops of some of the most revered X-Men comics of all time!
Collects Classic X-Men #1-23.
Collects Classic X-Men #1-23.
517 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 28, 2018
968 people are currently reading
128 people want to read
About the author
Chris Claremont
3,280 books888 followersChris Claremont is a writer of American comic books, best known for his 16-year (1975-1991) stint on Uncanny X-Men, during which the series became one of the comic book industry's most successful properties.
Claremont has written many stories for other publishers including the Star Trek Debt of Honor graphic novel, his creator-owned Sovereign Seven for DC Comics and Aliens vs Predator for Dark Horse Comics. He also wrote a few issues of the series WildC.A.T.s (volume 1, issues #10-13) at Image Comics, which introduced his creator-owned character, Huntsman.
Outside of comics, Claremont co-wrote the Chronicles of the Shadow War trilogy, Shadow Moon (1995), Shadow Dawn (1996), and Shadow Star (1999), with George Lucas. This trilogy continues the story of Elora Danan from the movie Willow. In the 1980s, he also wrote a science fiction trilogy about female starship pilot Nicole Shea, consisting of First Flight (1987), Grounded! (1991), and Sundowner (1994). Claremont was also a contributor to the Wild Cards anthology series.
Claremont has written many stories for other publishers including the Star Trek Debt of Honor graphic novel, his creator-owned Sovereign Seven for DC Comics and Aliens vs Predator for Dark Horse Comics. He also wrote a few issues of the series WildC.A.T.s (volume 1, issues #10-13) at Image Comics, which introduced his creator-owned character, Huntsman.
Outside of comics, Claremont co-wrote the Chronicles of the Shadow War trilogy, Shadow Moon (1995), Shadow Dawn (1996), and Shadow Star (1999), with George Lucas. This trilogy continues the story of Elora Danan from the movie Willow. In the 1980s, he also wrote a science fiction trilogy about female starship pilot Nicole Shea, consisting of First Flight (1987), Grounded! (1991), and Sundowner (1994). Claremont was also a contributor to the Wild Cards anthology series.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
November 19, 2020
The first third of this book was a challenge to get through because the narrative was skipping too much but later on those excerpts became coherent little stories, really good ones at that showing more than just action but characters facing grounded problems.
And for Claremont's writing, it's hit or miss, sometimes he nails it and you are amazed how good it compares to modern titles but in other issues the age catches up and you feel like reading stan lee stuff. What sticks out is the wonderful human art and the touching themes that will stand the test of time.
This collection is not for everyone, but for me it worked. 4.0 out of 5.0 stars
And for Claremont's writing, it's hit or miss, sometimes he nails it and you are amazed how good it compares to modern titles but in other issues the age catches up and you feel like reading stan lee stuff. What sticks out is the wonderful human art and the touching themes that will stand the test of time.
This collection is not for everyone, but for me it worked. 4.0 out of 5.0 stars
January 30, 2020
This volume pulls together all the first 23 isses of the Classic X-Men comic book, which was itself a reprint from the X-Men books from the reboot in the 1970's that expanded on the original team and added, Storm, Nightcrawler, Banshee Thunderbird, Colossus, Thunderbird, and Sunfire.
This was actually something that I thought I would be excited about, but alas, this doesn't really seem to be the whole issues. In fact, the book only contains about 4-6 pages from each issue along with plot summaries and inserted short stories that provide some strong background. The focus of this volume seems to be highlight what was changed between the original run in the 1970s and the reprint in the mid-1980s. While interesting, the result really left me wanting more ... the ability to read the whole content of the issues rather than just plot summaries and graphic hgihlights.
This was actually something that I thought I would be excited about, but alas, this doesn't really seem to be the whole issues. In fact, the book only contains about 4-6 pages from each issue along with plot summaries and inserted short stories that provide some strong background. The focus of this volume seems to be highlight what was changed between the original run in the 1970s and the reprint in the mid-1980s. While interesting, the result really left me wanting more ... the ability to read the whole content of the issues rather than just plot summaries and graphic hgihlights.
August 3, 2019
This is an odd book. It collects the back-up stories from the Classic X-Men books which are occasionally hilariously weird, but are often some of the best character moments of the old X-Men. This also collects, though, the random new pages added to the reprints when Classic X-Men was first published. Each chapter begins with a brief synopsis, so the pages aren't totally random, but you only get the new pages, not the original ones, so it's a very disjointed experience. Overall, I don't know who the target is--the reprint pages and the 'vignettes' don't seem to be aimed at the same reader. But, oh well, I enjoyed it.
January 20, 2025
The Classic X-Men reprint series from Marvel in the 80s was ahead of its time. They were doing "director's cuts" and "deleted scenes" before it was a thing. The series reprinted the early Uncanny X-Men issues, and they would go in and add extra pages and edit panels and dialogue in order to flesh out the stories. Each issue also had an all new back up story to accent the story as well.
This volume reprints almost all of the extra pages and edited panels with explanations, as well as all of the back up stories. While I find some of that overkill, I'm sure some completists will love it. I did enjoy the back up stories, however, and I have to admit the presentation of this volume is great. (There are two volumes since there's a lot of material to collect.)
If you're big X-Men fan, especially of what I consider to be some of the best comics ever published, the Byrne/Claremont run, then you'd probably enjoy this volume.
This volume reprints almost all of the extra pages and edited panels with explanations, as well as all of the back up stories. While I find some of that overkill, I'm sure some completists will love it. I did enjoy the back up stories, however, and I have to admit the presentation of this volume is great. (There are two volumes since there's a lot of material to collect.)
If you're big X-Men fan, especially of what I consider to be some of the best comics ever published, the Byrne/Claremont run, then you'd probably enjoy this volume.
December 29, 2018
Provides some backstory to help maintain continuity in the ever-growing X-Universe. Some of the backup stories are very good while others are average at best. A good concept that wasn't executed to its fullest potential. Artwork is consistently good throughout.
June 6, 2025
What a grab bag! You don't realize it when you come into X-Men comics in the 90s, but a lot of the character development that those stories rely on were either introduced or expanded upon here for the first time, in these backup stories originally published in a reprint title. This collection is at its best when it's doing real character work of the type that really isn't feasible in a standard 22-page story (though lord knows Chris Claremont always tries, gods love 'im). A highlight is the silent story of a date between Scott and Jean on the eve of her phoenixification; another is Colossus' relationship with a couple of Savage Land cuties during the team's stranding there. Also great are the stories that fill in the background, like those that feature Magneto's early days, really contextualizing his later actions.
Not so great when it slips in bizarre adventures that don't fit; all the worse when they should have been significant enough to warrant a mention somewhere along the line. That would have been the challenge of writing these stories, to find tales worth telling that nevertheless don't impinge on what the originals did. The worst offender is probably one where Storm slips into an interdimensional portal and lives an indeterminate period of time fighting space pirates with a woman she comes to think of as a mother-figure. It just lands wrong.
Still, a lot of fun, a lot of history, a lot of characterization.
Not so great when it slips in bizarre adventures that don't fit; all the worse when they should have been significant enough to warrant a mention somewhere along the line. That would have been the challenge of writing these stories, to find tales worth telling that nevertheless don't impinge on what the originals did. The worst offender is probably one where Storm slips into an interdimensional portal and lives an indeterminate period of time fighting space pirates with a woman she comes to think of as a mother-figure. It just lands wrong.
Still, a lot of fun, a lot of history, a lot of characterization.
January 12, 2023
Classic X-Men era um título que republicava as edições a partir do surgimento dos "totalmente novos, totalmente diferentes" X-Men, com algumas correções de erros, além de pequenas mudanças e retcons para corrigir discrepâncias, erros de continuidade e se adequar à cronologia vigente à época. Além disso, cada edição tinha uma história curta, complementando a história principal ou aprofundando algum personagem.
Dito isso, essa edição não contém as histórias republicadas no título de forma integral, mas apenas apresenta um pequeno resumo. Porém, coloca as páginas e/ou arte adicionais, compara as mudanças e, a cereja do bolo, o material novo. Já li algumas reclamações a esse respeito, mas entendo que o objetivo aqui é justamente publicar o material inédito que nunca foi republicado de outra forma. Como já sabia desse detalhe, li junto com o omnibus com as histórias originais.
A maioria dessas histórias é escrita pelo Claremont e a maioria é desenhada pelo John Bolton. São momentos na vida de alguns personagens, aprofundando suas personalidades e nos apresentando suas personalidades, motivações, sonhos, medos. Esclarece alguns pontos, como as razões pela qual Magneto quer dominar a humanidade e o início do círculo interno do Clube do Inferno. Nisso, humanizam personagens como o próprio Magneto ou mesmo Sebastian Shaw. Algumas foram publicadas espalhadas no Brasil, mas a maioria permanece inédita.
Enfim, é uma edição que recomendo para quem gosta dos mutantes e, particularmente, dessa fase inicial.
Dito isso, essa edição não contém as histórias republicadas no título de forma integral, mas apenas apresenta um pequeno resumo. Porém, coloca as páginas e/ou arte adicionais, compara as mudanças e, a cereja do bolo, o material novo. Já li algumas reclamações a esse respeito, mas entendo que o objetivo aqui é justamente publicar o material inédito que nunca foi republicado de outra forma. Como já sabia desse detalhe, li junto com o omnibus com as histórias originais.
A maioria dessas histórias é escrita pelo Claremont e a maioria é desenhada pelo John Bolton. São momentos na vida de alguns personagens, aprofundando suas personalidades e nos apresentando suas personalidades, motivações, sonhos, medos. Esclarece alguns pontos, como as razões pela qual Magneto quer dominar a humanidade e o início do círculo interno do Clube do Inferno. Nisso, humanizam personagens como o próprio Magneto ou mesmo Sebastian Shaw. Algumas foram publicadas espalhadas no Brasil, mas a maioria permanece inédita.
Enfim, é uma edição que recomendo para quem gosta dos mutantes e, particularmente, dessa fase inicial.
October 3, 2022
Bit disappointing, I thought this would be a collection of the stories, but it's actually just the edits, new pages and new back-up stories that were added when the comics were reprinted. Interesting, but probably for die hard X-Men fans who know the original stories anyway, more of a curio. The new back-up stories are pretty decent, but they do make up the bulk of the reading.
February 4, 2022
The other reviews here are trying too hard to figure out who this book is for and aren’t careful readers of book contents. This book is most clearly for fans of Chris Claremont’s X-Men run, and for completists. If you are a fan and wanted a collection of everything Claremont wrote about mutants during his first classic 17 year run, the bonus stories he wrote for the 80s Classic X-Men reprint series were hard to find. This volume is an excellent collection of this material, and throws in great historical perspective on further edits and additions made in the reprint series to update and fix the original stories.
As to the stories themselves, they are a bit hit or miss. The most effective provide welcome character shading that was impossible when their parent stories were first published, either because of space or the lacking sophistication in writing. I liked especially the material covering the first night with the new recruits, additional perspectives on the troubled Thunderbird, the gorgeous silent depiction of Jean’s last day before becoming Phoenix, and the stories that strengthened the friendships between these characters. The others were either average or pointless.
This stuff is not for everyone, and I can’t say it’s essential. But if you love Claremont’s X-Men work, I think you’ll appreciate the added texture the best of these stories adds to the early issues of his run.
As to the stories themselves, they are a bit hit or miss. The most effective provide welcome character shading that was impossible when their parent stories were first published, either because of space or the lacking sophistication in writing. I liked especially the material covering the first night with the new recruits, additional perspectives on the troubled Thunderbird, the gorgeous silent depiction of Jean’s last day before becoming Phoenix, and the stories that strengthened the friendships between these characters. The others were either average or pointless.
This stuff is not for everyone, and I can’t say it’s essential. But if you love Claremont’s X-Men work, I think you’ll appreciate the added texture the best of these stories adds to the early issues of his run.
Read
January 2, 2021Stopped about mid-way after I realized that these were not complete issues, but rather an editorial guide that explains the additions and changes to an earlier revised run. There are, however, some standalone stories that are provided and I guess were also in the revised editions, too. In any case, all of this was confusing and poorly explained in the up-front matter.
One of the strangest collections I have come across. Glad I got this for free via Prime Reading and did not buy it. Deceptive title.
One of the strangest collections I have come across. Glad I got this for free via Prime Reading and did not buy it. Deceptive title.
December 19, 2020
Not worth it
Got about a quarter of the way through this, and simply got frustrated with the lack of story coninuity. You get a ful full stories, but then a few snippets with edits that are incomplete. No doubt they are meant to be, but it makes for a difficult read. Plus the stories are not contiguous, suddenly you find that Thunderbird, a character I thought never worked, died gallantly, but without the actual story. Frustrating and unreadable.
Got about a quarter of the way through this, and simply got frustrated with the lack of story coninuity. You get a ful full stories, but then a few snippets with edits that are incomplete. No doubt they are meant to be, but it makes for a difficult read. Plus the stories are not contiguous, suddenly you find that Thunderbird, a character I thought never worked, died gallantly, but without the actual story. Frustrating and unreadable.
March 22, 2025
An echo of forgotten craftsmanship
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)
This volume is a great reminder of just how strong comic writing used to be. Rated PG-13 (though by today’s standards, probably closer to PG), it features mostly mild violence & some subtle references to adult themes—nothing crude or explicit. It's incredibly accessible for anyone looking to dive into classic X-Men stories without wading through modern edge or filler.
The standout here is the writing. It’s sharp, thoughtful, and layered—way above the surface-level storytelling we get so often today. Even more impressive? One of the issues has zero dialogue, and yet it's still one of the most powerful in the collection. That kind of storytelling confidence is rare.
Most of the storylines were totally new to me—I hadn’t encountered them through the movies or modern adaptations—which made this volume feel fresh despite its age. It’s a well-curated collection of stories that highlight what made X-Men such a standout franchise in the first place.
If you’re into clean, high-caliber storytelling with strong character work & a nostalgic feel, this one's absolutely worth picking up.
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)
This volume is a great reminder of just how strong comic writing used to be. Rated PG-13 (though by today’s standards, probably closer to PG), it features mostly mild violence & some subtle references to adult themes—nothing crude or explicit. It's incredibly accessible for anyone looking to dive into classic X-Men stories without wading through modern edge or filler.
The standout here is the writing. It’s sharp, thoughtful, and layered—way above the surface-level storytelling we get so often today. Even more impressive? One of the issues has zero dialogue, and yet it's still one of the most powerful in the collection. That kind of storytelling confidence is rare.
Most of the storylines were totally new to me—I hadn’t encountered them through the movies or modern adaptations—which made this volume feel fresh despite its age. It’s a well-curated collection of stories that highlight what made X-Men such a standout franchise in the first place.
If you’re into clean, high-caliber storytelling with strong character work & a nostalgic feel, this one's absolutely worth picking up.
April 19, 2024
*Joint review of Vol. 1 & Vol. 2*
I initially thought it was worth reading despite being a slightly modified version of #94 - #137. Yes it has the extra story, but most are written by Ann Nocenti, a couple by Fabian Nicienza. They're fine, as far as deeper explorations of characters go, but I just wasn't sure where they got their base characters from. They felt different. I get it if it was a new run, but these are supposed to be Claremont's x-men. They come across as slightly distorted versions of themselves and that's damned odd and off putting. And this goes for the extras written by Claremont himself.
I liked one early Wolverine story and one with Rogue, as she's not yet made an appearance in the flagship x-men series I'm reading on the side (I'm on #144). And maybe Magneto's origin story. And it was interesting to see Apocalypse appear in the Moses Magnum origin. Beyond that this was a waste of time.
I initially thought it was worth reading despite being a slightly modified version of #94 - #137. Yes it has the extra story, but most are written by Ann Nocenti, a couple by Fabian Nicienza. They're fine, as far as deeper explorations of characters go, but I just wasn't sure where they got their base characters from. They felt different. I get it if it was a new run, but these are supposed to be Claremont's x-men. They come across as slightly distorted versions of themselves and that's damned odd and off putting. And this goes for the extras written by Claremont himself.
I liked one early Wolverine story and one with Rogue, as she's not yet made an appearance in the flagship x-men series I'm reading on the side (I'm on #144). And maybe Magneto's origin story. And it was interesting to see Apocalypse appear in the Moses Magnum origin. Beyond that this was a waste of time.
Read
February 5, 2025Sadly, I didn't know this existed until after I had already read past the collection of issues contained in this.
But I did borrow it from KU and really liked how it had pages between the short stories that gave you a summary of what was happening in the main story.
Anyway, here's a list of all the issues I did read:
Classic X-Men #1
Classic X-Men #9
Classic X-Men #10
Classic X-Men #12
Classic X-Men #13
Classic X-Men #19
I read a lot less than I thought I had!
But I did borrow it from KU and really liked how it had pages between the short stories that gave you a summary of what was happening in the main story.
Anyway, here's a list of all the issues I did read:
Classic X-Men #1
Classic X-Men #9
Classic X-Men #10
Classic X-Men #12
Classic X-Men #13
Classic X-Men #19
I read a lot less than I thought I had!
July 1, 2021
This collection provides a good basis for the X-Men story. I've always been upset by the fact that I can't read every comic book in the order that it came out so finding volumes like this make it a little easier to read all of the lesser know arcs in the franchise.
The volume focuses heavily on the Phoenix story line as well as a good amount of background for Storm. I will say that not having read many early X-Men comics I was unaware of how over sexualized Storm was and it often took me out of the story.
Overall, a good collection of X-Men back-up stories that provide background for the characters and a good introduction to some lesser stories.
The volume focuses heavily on the Phoenix story line as well as a good amount of background for Storm. I will say that not having read many early X-Men comics I was unaware of how over sexualized Storm was and it often took me out of the story.
Overall, a good collection of X-Men back-up stories that provide background for the characters and a good introduction to some lesser stories.
October 21, 2023
Should have read the blurb more carefully… I assumed I was going to read classic X-Men stories, but no, it is extra bits added to classic stories; not the whole story, just the extra bits! Really? I read a library copy. If I’d paid for it, I would have been really annoyed.
As a comic reader of many years, I’m used to stories/characters being retconned but to go back and update the original stories feels wrong. Chris Claremont was one of the first comic writers that I became aware of. Eventually I found his wordy style a bit wearing. Allowing him to go back and add even more words just got annoying.
As a comic reader of many years, I’m used to stories/characters being retconned but to go back and update the original stories feels wrong. Chris Claremont was one of the first comic writers that I became aware of. Eventually I found his wordy style a bit wearing. Allowing him to go back and add even more words just got annoying.
March 18, 2022
This graphic novel was a collection of the Classic X-Men comic books, #1 through #23. There are additional stories and unused edits from the original series, The Uncanny X-Men. This one is a little weird. It covers the second iteration of the X-Men, and it makes some very large jumps in the timeline, especially early on. That makes it hard to follow. The additional stories focused on the separate characters was the highlight.
April 26, 2025
A complete collection that isn't.....
This is a misleading title as it only includes the new stuff published in the X-Men Classic reprint of the original Uncanny X-Men. Instead of the entire comic, you have a summary page detailing what happened, any new pages added and any edits performed as well as the 2nd story. Nevertheless it is still an entertaining read and a joy to behold the exquisite art rendered in the comics.
This is a misleading title as it only includes the new stuff published in the X-Men Classic reprint of the original Uncanny X-Men. Instead of the entire comic, you have a summary page detailing what happened, any new pages added and any edits performed as well as the 2nd story. Nevertheless it is still an entertaining read and a joy to behold the exquisite art rendered in the comics.
September 21, 2020
A few of these tales provide some insight into the characters and events from Chris Claremont's early X-Men saga, and John Bolton's artwork is always a treat to look at. However, the majority of them veer between irrelevant filler and over-explaining (or worse, outright retconning) minor points of continuity, which often serves only to undermine the subtlety of the original stories.
March 28, 2021
Makes one wish that they had re-printed the whole comics not just the extra bits. The changed bits are for pedantic reasons and don't affect the story and a few pages excerpted from each issue seems essentially pointless. On the other hand the back up stories by Claremont and John Bolton are pretty good.
February 2, 2023
Very disjointed and misleading cover/description. It summarized major plot points and leaves out lots of original content, focusing on added pages or modified pages. Leads to a very disjointed read. Basically this is only good for collectors or fans that have already read these issues. Super disappointed because the full content is likely very good.
September 18, 2023
Hard to review
Glad it exists as a work of... scholarship? Archaeology? An object of obsession, with diminished return.
Very interesting to see Art Adams work here (including pinups from his marvel submission packet!). Adams birthed the nineties style, Jim Lee still calls him every Father's Day!
Glad it exists as a work of... scholarship? Archaeology? An object of obsession, with diminished return.
Very interesting to see Art Adams work here (including pinups from his marvel submission packet!). Adams birthed the nineties style, Jim Lee still calls him every Father's Day!
October 29, 2020
Not even full stories. Just selections from stories with recaps so you know what's going on. Really not what the title suggests it is. Fine if you are a super fan and want to see changes and edits, but this didn't feel "complete" in any way.
November 2, 2020
Behind the scenes look.
Good color artwork. Prime freebie. An overview of the beginnings of the new team after Krakoa ate the original team. Skips thru the event to show you the re -writes. Sort of a how to book.
Good color artwork. Prime freebie. An overview of the beginnings of the new team after Krakoa ate the original team. Skips thru the event to show you the re -writes. Sort of a how to book.
Read
June 26, 2021Ehhh
Some were not complete issues just random pages. Hard to follow or sometimes wanted to finish that issue but was moved towards another issue. Otherwise love the story telling the art and the old feel of it.
Some were not complete issues just random pages. Hard to follow or sometimes wanted to finish that issue but was moved towards another issue. Otherwise love the story telling the art and the old feel of it.
November 8, 2021
wish it had the complete stories
This is more of a collector’s oddity collection than a proper comic book, with only snippets of stories shown in order to demonstrate what changed in the re-release, but it does have interesting “shorts” that aren’t found in other places.
This is more of a collector’s oddity collection than a proper comic book, with only snippets of stories shown in order to demonstrate what changed in the re-release, but it does have interesting “shorts” that aren’t found in other places.
January 29, 2022
This was fun. Like a directors cut of the post Giant-Size X-Men #1 era. With an additional 12 page story in every issue.
I read these on Marvel Unlimited but it looks like this book only has the added parts and the extra stories. If that is the case I would pretty disappointed by that.
I read these on Marvel Unlimited but it looks like this book only has the added parts and the extra stories. If that is the case I would pretty disappointed by that.
July 17, 2024
I really loved these. John Bolton’s does the art for the backups and I love them all. There’s the occasionally mediocre story but overall they do a good job of fleshing out the characters by giving them some more room to breathe
December 6, 2020
Awesome collection
I enjoyed the different storylines and the in depth character exposure. I recommend this for readers who prefer classic X-Men.
I enjoyed the different storylines and the in depth character exposure. I recommend this for readers who prefer classic X-Men.
April 3, 2021
Ending stories
Issues with stories just ending. It's odd and seems like I am missing something. Overall good origin stories of each mutant.
Issues with stories just ending. It's odd and seems like I am missing something. Overall good origin stories of each mutant.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews