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The Uncanny X-Men Omnibus
The Uncanny X-Men Omnibus, Vol. 3
Experience some of the greatest stories the X-Men franchise has to offer! It's milestone after mutant milestone, beginning with the complete Brood Saga! Then, Chris Claremont rises to find perhaps his most poignant and challenging expression of the mutant metaphor in "God Loves, Man Kills." His work with Frank Miller on Wolverine skyrocketed the character's popularity, setting the stage for his breakout as a global icon. And the X-Men classics continue with a look into Professor X's past with Magneto, Kitty Pryde and Colossus' growing romance, Illyana Rasputin's transformation into Magik, chilling encounters with Dracula, Rogue's debut with the X-Men, the first appearance of the Morlocks and the wedding of Cyclops and Madelyne Pryor! COLLECTING: UNCANNY X-MEN (1981) 154-175, X-MEN ANNUAL (1971) 6-7, MARVEL GRAPHIC NOVEL (1982) 5, WOLVERINE (1982) 1-4, SPECIAL EDITION X-MEN (1983) 1, MAGIK (1983) 1-4
1056 pages, Hardcover
First published August 9, 1983
31 people are currently reading
488 people want to read
About the author
Chris Claremont
3,276 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
August 27, 2018
Claremont’s and Byrne’s team-up on X-Men is one of the most influential runs on a superhero comic book ever. They simultaneously went bigger and more human, with epic plots that stayed grounded through character-driven storytelling. If you’re a fan of capes-and-tights funnybooks, you should read it, both because it’s excellent and because you’ll see how it helped shape future books. This collection is particularly epic, with the Brood Saga, Claremont and Frank Miller’s Wolverine solo miniseries, and the unbelievably powerful “God Loves, Man Kills” included.
With that said, it’s time to come to Marvel’s aid once again and help them realize how they can mine their character library to conquer new entertainment genres, just as we did in helping Marvel dive into the cheesy sitcom world with "Doctor, Doctor". This time, let’s help Marvel conquer the teen dramedy realm with the WB's next smash hit…
DAYS OF OUR (FUTURE) LIVES
Dramatis Personae
SCOTT SUMMERS, a serious young man with the ability to shoot concussive energy blasts from his eyes—energy he can’t control due to a childhood accident that damaged his brain. In a relationship with Jean Grey.
JEAN GREY, a thoughtful young woman struggling to control her ability to read thoughts and move objects with her mind. In a relationship with Scott Summers, but maybe interested in someone else.
HENRY “HANK” MCCOY, a budding scientific genius whose enhanced strength, speed, and agility make him as athletically gifted as he is academically inclined. Prone to antiquated oaths.
WARREN WORTHINGTON III, a wealthy scion of a famous American industrialist who soars through the skies on angel-like wings. Confident that no woman can resist his charms.
BOBBY DRAKE, a bubbly, comical young man who can turn his body into solid ice and manipulate it in various ways. Wrestling with his sexual identity.
PROFESSOR CHARLES XAVIER, the founder of the Xavier School for the Gifted and a world-renowned scientist who is also the world’s most powerful telepath. Loves Moira McTaggert.
LOGAN, a teacher at the school whose skeleton is laced with the unbreakable metal adamantium and whose healing factor makes him almost impossible to beat. Drinks, smokes, and doesn’t care about much…except maybe Jean Grey.
MOIRA MCTAGGERT, a teacher at the school and expert in genetics. Loves Professor Charles Xavier…and Sean Cassidy.
SEAN CASSIDY, a teacher at the school who uses sonic screams to fly and generate concussive force attacks. Loves Moira McTaggert.
INT – CLASSROOM – DAYTIME
PROFESSOR CHARLES XAVIER sits at the head of a classroom built into the sprawling mansion that serves as the Charles Xavier School for the Gifted. Pale, weak beams of late-afternoon sunlight stream through windows that run nearly from floor to ceiling. Bookshelves, neatly organized, ring the other walls. Next to Professor Xavier sits a plain oak desk, well-built but unadorned. Five students, SCOTT SUMMERS, JEAN GREY, BOBBY DRAKE, WARREN WORTHINGTON, and HENRY “HANK” MCCOY, listen in various states of attentiveness as the Professor speaks.
PROFESSOR X: Of course, in years past, this would simply have been an ethical thought experiment. Now, however, with the emergence of mutants—with our emergence—we must wrestle with the uncomfortable possibility that someone might actually be able to travel back in time and murder Hitler in his crib.
BOBBY (whispering loudly to HENRY): He knows it’s almost 5 o’clock, right? And that it’s Friday, right? Like, some evil mutant hasn’t taken over his brain and forced him to make our brains hurt right before we go drink ourselves into comas, right?
HANK: I think he can hear you, Robert.
BOBBY (still whispering loudly): Duh, the guy’s a telepath—he can hear me even when I’m not talking.
HANK: Then why are you whispering?
BOBBY (shrugging): I didn’t want to be rude.
Professor X tents his fingers and stares at Bobby, who looks everywhere around the room except for at the Professor. After a tense moment, the Professor smiles.
PROFESSOR X: As a matter of fact, Bobby, I could.
BOBBY (looking nervous): Really?
PROFESSOR X: Quite easily.
WARREN: Could what, Professor?
JEAN: Make Bobby stand up in front of the class and sing “I’m a Little Teapot” while he pees his pants.
BOBBY: Great. Everyone’s a mind reader except for me. I got the gluten-free cookies of powers.
SCOTT: Focus up, team—our lesson isn’t over.
The door bursts open. LOGAN leans in the doorway and looks up at the clock.
LOGAN: Wrong, Summers. Five o’clock—you’re done for the day. Right, Chuck?
PROFESSOR X (frowning): We might have been, but for Bobby’s untimely interruption.
LOGAN: Rules are rules.
PROFESSOR X: You’ve never been much for rules, Logan.
LOGAN: I am when it’s beer o’clock.
Logan turns and leaves. The students stare at Professor X expectantly. He sighs.
PROFESSOR X: Make sure you complete your reading assignment for Monday. Go.
The students leap to their feet, all except for Scott, and scramble for the door.
PROFESSOR X: And Bobby?
Bobby stops in the doorway and looks back, nervous.
PROFESSOR X: Watch yourself—you can’t keep up with Logan. And if you don’t do your reading, I’d consider wearing rubber shorts on Monday.
Bobby nods and runs out of the room.
SCOTT: Was that a joke, Professor?
PROFESSOR X: I hope so. It depends on Mr. Drake’s willingness do what he is supposed to do.
The two stare at each other in silence for a moment.
SCOTT: What’s the right answer, Professor?
PROFESSOR X: To the Hitler question? There is no single answer. It’s wholly dependent on the individual’s morality.
SCOTT: But what would you do?
PROFESSOR X: Truly? I think I would end it before it began. To be able to prevent so much suffering…
The Professor shakes his head.
PROFESSOR X: And you?
Now Scott stares out the window, lost in thought.
PROFESSOR X: Scott?
SCOTT (hesitant): I don’t…I don’t think I could do it. Our mission should always be to protect lives.
Professor X rolls over to the window and the two of them look out over the grounds of the estate together.
PROFESSOR X: It’s a noble ideal. I’d like to believe that’s possible in practice.
INT. – BAR – EVENING
Logan, Bobby, Henry, Warren, and Jean are sitting quietly at a table in a local dive bar. The juke box is playing Journey’s “Any Way You Want It” over and over and over in the background. Everyone has a beer in front of them, save for Jean, who is sipping a white wine, and Warren, who has a glass of red wine.
HENRY (inclining his head toward the jukebox): I assume, Robert, that you’re responsible for inflicting this repeated sonic assault on us?
BOBBY: C’mon! This is a classic! It’s retro! Retro, Hank!
LOGAN: I’ll give you retro, kid.
Logan reaches over, picks up Bobby’s beer, and quickly drains it, slamming the mug back down on the tabletop.
BOBBY: Hey! That wasn’t even a little retro. Do you even know what that means? And those cost money, you know. Of which I have little.
LOGAN: Relax—pretty boy’ll pick up the tab.
WARREN: That’s presumptuous.
BOBBY: I don’t think so—you ARE pretty.
Bobby signals the waiter for another drink.
HENRY: Where’s Scott?
Everyone looks at Jean.
JEAN: He was talking to the Professor. I’m sure he’ll be here soon.
BOBBY: Yeah, it probably just takes a while to get his nose out of Xavier’s ass. It’s huge.
HENRY: I never thought the Professor had a particularly large derriere.
BOBBY: I meant Scotty’s nose. That thing’s got its own gravity.
HENRY: Well, well, Robert—making an intellectual joke. I find it fascinating how intelligence is for you like pool and darts are for most people—you start out being average at best, but become demonstrably more adept after a couple of drinks.
BOBBY: Wait until I’ve had five.
HENRY: That’s when you descend back below your starting point.
The waiter brings Bobby’s drink and the two exchange smiles. The waiter walks away with one last backward glance at Bobby.
BOBBY: Whatever. It’s Friday, we’re out, and that waiter is, uh, yeah, that waiter is nice.
WARREN: I didn’t actually say I was picking up the tab, you know.
JEAN: Warren…
WARREN: Okay—I’ve got it. I was just messing with Bobby.
BOBBY (quietly): I wish you would…
HENRY: What was that?
BOBBY: Nothing—look, there’s Scott.
Scott enters the bar and comes over to the table. Before he sits down, the waiter comes over.
WAITER: What can I get you?
SCOTT: Just a glass of water—thanks.
WAITER (nodding): Can I do anything for anyone else?
The waiter and Bobby exchange glances. Bobby looks down at the table.
LOGAN: Three more beers, two more glasses of wine, extra ice for dishrag’s water, and six shots of tequila.
SCOTT: Logan, you know I don’t drink.
LOGAN: I know, wild man. Two of those shots are for me.
The waiter bustles off to fulfill the order. In the momentary silence, “Any Way You Want It” abruptly starts up again. Scott looks at Bobby.
SCOTT: Your doing?
BOBBY: Always.
HENRY: What kept you?
Scott stares off into the distance.
HENRY: Scotty?
SCOTT: Sorry. I’m just…thinking about something.
Jean reaches over and touches Scott’s arm.
JEAN: It’s just a hypothetical—let it go.
WARREN: I think I missed something.
LOGAN: Summers has his knickers in a twist, just like always—does it matter why?
HENRY: I assume, from what was either Jean’s astute observational skills in action or power-aided mind theft, that Scott is still wrestling with the Professor’s question.
The waiter returns with the drinks. Logan passes them around the table, keeping a beer and two shots for himself.
LOGAN: It ain’t a tough decision—you kill the baby, save millions. Drink up.
Logan raises his first shot to the group and tips it back. Everyone except for Scott follows suit. Logan proceeds to down half of his beer. Bobby tries to keep up, but starts to choke. Warren pounds him on the back.
HENRY: It’s a moral conundrum, to be sure, but if you’re at all of a Bentham-esque turn of mind, I’m inclined to agree with Logan.
BOBBY: I have no idea what you just said.
Bobby finishes his beer, earning a nod from Logan, who does the same.
WARREN: I mean, I wouldn’t want to have to do it myself, but I think it’s probably the right call.
SCOTT: Jean?
Jean looks troubled as she sips her wine.
JEAN: I don’t know that I could do it. But it would be the right thing to do.
Logan raises his other shot and nods to Jean before downing it. He then signals the waiter for another round.
SCOTT: No.
HENRY: You’re taking this way too seriously, fearless leader. Hitler is already dead, you know.
Scott shakes his head and pounds his fist on the table.
SCOTT: No!
The waiter hustles over.
WAITER: Everything okay over here?
Scott looks at the waiter, his strange, ruby-red sunglasses practically glowing.
WARREN: We’re fine.
BOBBY: You’re fine. You’re both fine. We’re all fine.
Bobby tries to drink from his glass before realizing that it’s empty. The waiter leaves.
SCOTT: You know I respect all of you. But you’re all wrong.
LOGAN: Suit yourself, Slim. We all know you ain’t got the stomach to be a real leader.
Scott stares at Logan, his expression blank. The waiter returns with another round of drinks and shots. Logan and Bobby enthusiastically down theirs, but the others don’t touch them.
LOGAN: World likes nice guys. You be one of those. World needs guys who aren’t afraid to do the dirty work.
Logan looks at Jean and winks.
LOGAN: Ladies do, too. So I’ll be one of those.
SCOTT: You’re out of line, Logan.
Logan pounds the table enthusiastically.
LOGAN: Lines! Good idea. Drake, I know you’re in.
BOBBY: Yes. Yes, I am into lines.
Bobby looks at Henry.
BOBBY (whispers loudly): What are lines?
LOGAN: C’mon, ice balls—I’ll get you fixed up.
Logan grabs Bobby by the arm and leads him toward the bathroom.
HENRY: Oh my stars and garters…I’d better go keep an eye on them.
Henry follows the others to the bathroom.
SCOTT: He’s going to need help.
Scott follows Henry to the bathroom. Jean sighs.
WARREN: Looks like it’s just you and me, Red.
JEAN: It’ll never be just you and me.
WARREN: Jeanie, I’m sorry about that. I know I said—almost even did—some things I shouldn’t have. And being drunk was no excuse.
JEAN: You’re right—it wasn’t, and it isn’t.
WARREN: I know. I know. It’s just that I…never mind. I’m sorry.
JEAN: You have no idea how hard it is being the only woman in this group.
WARREN: Harder than being a guy who has angel wings growing out of his back?
JEAN: Yes. A lot harder.
WARREN: Fair enough—I was kidding. Though it is tough, to be fair. At least you look normal from head-to-toe.
JEAN: I know. I didn’t mean to snap—it’s just that I always feel like I’m being sized up. Everyone’s got an agenda. You want me to be a notch in your bedpost. Bobby wants me be his cover story. Hank…well, I think Hank’s in love with me.
WARREN: Hank is definitely in love with you.
JEAN: Scott, of course, is Scott.
WARREN: Scott’s in “I can’t function if Jean Grey isn’t my life partner and soulmate” with you. And then there’s Logan…
JEAN: He’s such a creep. SUCH a creep.
WARREN: True. But you still kind of like him, don’t you?
Jean looks down at her nearly empty glass and shrugs.
JEAN: No. Yes. I don’t know. I love Scott. I always will. And I don’t want Logan—not in that way. But, it’s like…it’s like those stupid candy pumpkins at Halloween.
WARREN: You lost me.
JEAN: Those things are terrible—they’re glowing orange and they taste like chemicals and have the worst aftertaste and make you nauseous for hours. But, once you eat one, you just want more—you know they’re terrible for you and disgusting and you should just throw them away, but you just crave them and eat them non-stop until you remember how bad they are and you feel awful and wretched and stupid when you’re done.
WARREN: Are you talking about circus peanuts? Those are gross.
JEAN: No—the pumpkins! The mallowcreme pumpkins! Like candy corns. Forget the pumpkins! I just…argh! Why is this so hard?
WARREN: Kind of makes you wish Magneto would attack right now, doesn’t it?
JEAN: At least when that happens, you know what’s right and what’s wrong.
Logan, Bobby, Henry, and Scott return from the bathroom. Logan is grinning and wired, Bobby looks sick, Henry looks worried, and Scott looks grim.
WARREN: You’re back. You don’t look so good, Bobby.
BOBBY: Mom?
JEAN: What did you do to him, Logan?
LOGAN: Nothin’ he can’t handle.
SCOTT: That’s debatable.
HENRY: We need to get Bobby some medical attention. Soon.
BOBBY: Mom?
SCOTT: Logan and I need to have a word first. Outside.
LOGAN: You ain’t got the guts.
SCOTT: Try me.
LOGAN: Same guy who wouldn’t kill Hitler?
SCOTT: Outside. Now.
JEAN: Scott, don’t do this.
SCOTT: Stay out of it, Jean.
JEAN: Don’t talk to me like that.
LOGAN: Tough guy when it comes to the ladies, aren’t you, Slim?
Scott’s visor flares red.
LOGAN: Don’t lose control. Chuck wouldn’t like that.
Jean grabs Scott’s arm.
JEAN: Logan, back off. Scott’s right—you’re way out of line.
BOBBY: Grandma?
HENRY: We need help. Now.
Warren pulls out his phone.
HENRY: Don’t call 911. I’m not sure if he can control his powers when he’s, um, whatever he is. ‘Coked out’ would be the technical medical term, I guess.
WARREN: Then what do we do?
HENRY: We need to call Moira.
JEAN: She’ll tell the Professor.
HENRY: Would you rather Bobby die? Because we can put that on your conscience if you want.
JEAN: Dammit.
SCOTT: Warren—call Moira. Tell her to meet us at the mansion. Hank—you and Jean get Bobby into a cab and go. Now.
Warren dials. Henry and Jean struggle to get Bobby, who’s on the verge of losing consciousness, to his feet.
HENRY: What are you going to do?
SCOTT: Logan and I will be right behind you.
Warren begins talking into the phone as he leads the way out of the bar, Henry and Jean trailing behind with Bobby propped up in between them. Scott and Logan watch them go.
LOGAN: Ain’t my fault he can’t heal himself like I can.
SCOTT: You’re right—it’s just your fault that he ingested enough cocaine to kill a horse. Or maybe a young man you’re supposed to be watching out for.
LOGAN: A man makes his own decisions and accepts the consequences. Hard to see that when you spend all day tryin’ to make other people’s decisions for ‘em, I guess.
Scott and Logan stare at each other in silence.
LOGAN: It’s a dilemma, ain’t it? You wanna blast me—want it so bad you can taste it—but doin’ that would tell everyone here what you are, and you ain’t gonna put yourself at risk like that.
SCOTT: It’s not about me—it’s about Jean, Hank, Bobby, and the Professor.
Logan grins.
LOGAN: And me?
SCOTT: It’s never about you no matter how much you want it to be.
LOGAN: Jeanie might think different.
Scott’s visor flares red again.
SCOTT: If you ever touch her, we’ll find out whether your healing factor can regrow limbs.
LOGAN: That a threat, Slim?
SCOTT: It’s a promise.
The two stand toe-to-toe, glaring. After a moment, Logan smiles and pats Scott on the shoulder.
LOGAN: Maybe you got a little fire in your belly after all, Summers. Not enough to actually do anything if I decide I’m done dealing with your shit, but there’s somethin’ there. Nurture it. Grow it. It’s your only chance to survive this shithole world.
Logan heads to the door.
LOGAN: I’ll get us a cab.
Logan walks out. Scott grinds his teeth. The waiter approaches.
WAITER: I take it, uh, that’ll be all? I’ve got the check…
SCOTT: Yeah. That’s all.
Scott hands the waiter a credit card. The waiter walks away as Scott looks into his empty wallet.
SCOTT: Thanks, Warren.
END OF ACT I
With that said, it’s time to come to Marvel’s aid once again and help them realize how they can mine their character library to conquer new entertainment genres, just as we did in helping Marvel dive into the cheesy sitcom world with "Doctor, Doctor". This time, let’s help Marvel conquer the teen dramedy realm with the WB's next smash hit…
DAYS OF OUR (FUTURE) LIVES
Dramatis Personae
SCOTT SUMMERS, a serious young man with the ability to shoot concussive energy blasts from his eyes—energy he can’t control due to a childhood accident that damaged his brain. In a relationship with Jean Grey.
JEAN GREY, a thoughtful young woman struggling to control her ability to read thoughts and move objects with her mind. In a relationship with Scott Summers, but maybe interested in someone else.
HENRY “HANK” MCCOY, a budding scientific genius whose enhanced strength, speed, and agility make him as athletically gifted as he is academically inclined. Prone to antiquated oaths.
WARREN WORTHINGTON III, a wealthy scion of a famous American industrialist who soars through the skies on angel-like wings. Confident that no woman can resist his charms.
BOBBY DRAKE, a bubbly, comical young man who can turn his body into solid ice and manipulate it in various ways. Wrestling with his sexual identity.
PROFESSOR CHARLES XAVIER, the founder of the Xavier School for the Gifted and a world-renowned scientist who is also the world’s most powerful telepath. Loves Moira McTaggert.
LOGAN, a teacher at the school whose skeleton is laced with the unbreakable metal adamantium and whose healing factor makes him almost impossible to beat. Drinks, smokes, and doesn’t care about much…except maybe Jean Grey.
MOIRA MCTAGGERT, a teacher at the school and expert in genetics. Loves Professor Charles Xavier…and Sean Cassidy.
SEAN CASSIDY, a teacher at the school who uses sonic screams to fly and generate concussive force attacks. Loves Moira McTaggert.
INT – CLASSROOM – DAYTIME
PROFESSOR CHARLES XAVIER sits at the head of a classroom built into the sprawling mansion that serves as the Charles Xavier School for the Gifted. Pale, weak beams of late-afternoon sunlight stream through windows that run nearly from floor to ceiling. Bookshelves, neatly organized, ring the other walls. Next to Professor Xavier sits a plain oak desk, well-built but unadorned. Five students, SCOTT SUMMERS, JEAN GREY, BOBBY DRAKE, WARREN WORTHINGTON, and HENRY “HANK” MCCOY, listen in various states of attentiveness as the Professor speaks.
PROFESSOR X: Of course, in years past, this would simply have been an ethical thought experiment. Now, however, with the emergence of mutants—with our emergence—we must wrestle with the uncomfortable possibility that someone might actually be able to travel back in time and murder Hitler in his crib.
BOBBY (whispering loudly to HENRY): He knows it’s almost 5 o’clock, right? And that it’s Friday, right? Like, some evil mutant hasn’t taken over his brain and forced him to make our brains hurt right before we go drink ourselves into comas, right?
HANK: I think he can hear you, Robert.
BOBBY (still whispering loudly): Duh, the guy’s a telepath—he can hear me even when I’m not talking.
HANK: Then why are you whispering?
BOBBY (shrugging): I didn’t want to be rude.
Professor X tents his fingers and stares at Bobby, who looks everywhere around the room except for at the Professor. After a tense moment, the Professor smiles.
PROFESSOR X: As a matter of fact, Bobby, I could.
BOBBY (looking nervous): Really?
PROFESSOR X: Quite easily.
WARREN: Could what, Professor?
JEAN: Make Bobby stand up in front of the class and sing “I’m a Little Teapot” while he pees his pants.
BOBBY: Great. Everyone’s a mind reader except for me. I got the gluten-free cookies of powers.
SCOTT: Focus up, team—our lesson isn’t over.
The door bursts open. LOGAN leans in the doorway and looks up at the clock.
LOGAN: Wrong, Summers. Five o’clock—you’re done for the day. Right, Chuck?
PROFESSOR X (frowning): We might have been, but for Bobby’s untimely interruption.
LOGAN: Rules are rules.
PROFESSOR X: You’ve never been much for rules, Logan.
LOGAN: I am when it’s beer o’clock.
Logan turns and leaves. The students stare at Professor X expectantly. He sighs.
PROFESSOR X: Make sure you complete your reading assignment for Monday. Go.
The students leap to their feet, all except for Scott, and scramble for the door.
PROFESSOR X: And Bobby?
Bobby stops in the doorway and looks back, nervous.
PROFESSOR X: Watch yourself—you can’t keep up with Logan. And if you don’t do your reading, I’d consider wearing rubber shorts on Monday.
Bobby nods and runs out of the room.
SCOTT: Was that a joke, Professor?
PROFESSOR X: I hope so. It depends on Mr. Drake’s willingness do what he is supposed to do.
The two stare at each other in silence for a moment.
SCOTT: What’s the right answer, Professor?
PROFESSOR X: To the Hitler question? There is no single answer. It’s wholly dependent on the individual’s morality.
SCOTT: But what would you do?
PROFESSOR X: Truly? I think I would end it before it began. To be able to prevent so much suffering…
The Professor shakes his head.
PROFESSOR X: And you?
Now Scott stares out the window, lost in thought.
PROFESSOR X: Scott?
SCOTT (hesitant): I don’t…I don’t think I could do it. Our mission should always be to protect lives.
Professor X rolls over to the window and the two of them look out over the grounds of the estate together.
PROFESSOR X: It’s a noble ideal. I’d like to believe that’s possible in practice.
INT. – BAR – EVENING
Logan, Bobby, Henry, Warren, and Jean are sitting quietly at a table in a local dive bar. The juke box is playing Journey’s “Any Way You Want It” over and over and over in the background. Everyone has a beer in front of them, save for Jean, who is sipping a white wine, and Warren, who has a glass of red wine.
HENRY (inclining his head toward the jukebox): I assume, Robert, that you’re responsible for inflicting this repeated sonic assault on us?
BOBBY: C’mon! This is a classic! It’s retro! Retro, Hank!
LOGAN: I’ll give you retro, kid.
Logan reaches over, picks up Bobby’s beer, and quickly drains it, slamming the mug back down on the tabletop.
BOBBY: Hey! That wasn’t even a little retro. Do you even know what that means? And those cost money, you know. Of which I have little.
LOGAN: Relax—pretty boy’ll pick up the tab.
WARREN: That’s presumptuous.
BOBBY: I don’t think so—you ARE pretty.
Bobby signals the waiter for another drink.
HENRY: Where’s Scott?
Everyone looks at Jean.
JEAN: He was talking to the Professor. I’m sure he’ll be here soon.
BOBBY: Yeah, it probably just takes a while to get his nose out of Xavier’s ass. It’s huge.
HENRY: I never thought the Professor had a particularly large derriere.
BOBBY: I meant Scotty’s nose. That thing’s got its own gravity.
HENRY: Well, well, Robert—making an intellectual joke. I find it fascinating how intelligence is for you like pool and darts are for most people—you start out being average at best, but become demonstrably more adept after a couple of drinks.
BOBBY: Wait until I’ve had five.
HENRY: That’s when you descend back below your starting point.
The waiter brings Bobby’s drink and the two exchange smiles. The waiter walks away with one last backward glance at Bobby.
BOBBY: Whatever. It’s Friday, we’re out, and that waiter is, uh, yeah, that waiter is nice.
WARREN: I didn’t actually say I was picking up the tab, you know.
JEAN: Warren…
WARREN: Okay—I’ve got it. I was just messing with Bobby.
BOBBY (quietly): I wish you would…
HENRY: What was that?
BOBBY: Nothing—look, there’s Scott.
Scott enters the bar and comes over to the table. Before he sits down, the waiter comes over.
WAITER: What can I get you?
SCOTT: Just a glass of water—thanks.
WAITER (nodding): Can I do anything for anyone else?
The waiter and Bobby exchange glances. Bobby looks down at the table.
LOGAN: Three more beers, two more glasses of wine, extra ice for dishrag’s water, and six shots of tequila.
SCOTT: Logan, you know I don’t drink.
LOGAN: I know, wild man. Two of those shots are for me.
The waiter bustles off to fulfill the order. In the momentary silence, “Any Way You Want It” abruptly starts up again. Scott looks at Bobby.
SCOTT: Your doing?
BOBBY: Always.
HENRY: What kept you?
Scott stares off into the distance.
HENRY: Scotty?
SCOTT: Sorry. I’m just…thinking about something.
Jean reaches over and touches Scott’s arm.
JEAN: It’s just a hypothetical—let it go.
WARREN: I think I missed something.
LOGAN: Summers has his knickers in a twist, just like always—does it matter why?
HENRY: I assume, from what was either Jean’s astute observational skills in action or power-aided mind theft, that Scott is still wrestling with the Professor’s question.
The waiter returns with the drinks. Logan passes them around the table, keeping a beer and two shots for himself.
LOGAN: It ain’t a tough decision—you kill the baby, save millions. Drink up.
Logan raises his first shot to the group and tips it back. Everyone except for Scott follows suit. Logan proceeds to down half of his beer. Bobby tries to keep up, but starts to choke. Warren pounds him on the back.
HENRY: It’s a moral conundrum, to be sure, but if you’re at all of a Bentham-esque turn of mind, I’m inclined to agree with Logan.
BOBBY: I have no idea what you just said.
Bobby finishes his beer, earning a nod from Logan, who does the same.
WARREN: I mean, I wouldn’t want to have to do it myself, but I think it’s probably the right call.
SCOTT: Jean?
Jean looks troubled as she sips her wine.
JEAN: I don’t know that I could do it. But it would be the right thing to do.
Logan raises his other shot and nods to Jean before downing it. He then signals the waiter for another round.
SCOTT: No.
HENRY: You’re taking this way too seriously, fearless leader. Hitler is already dead, you know.
Scott shakes his head and pounds his fist on the table.
SCOTT: No!
The waiter hustles over.
WAITER: Everything okay over here?
Scott looks at the waiter, his strange, ruby-red sunglasses practically glowing.
WARREN: We’re fine.
BOBBY: You’re fine. You’re both fine. We’re all fine.
Bobby tries to drink from his glass before realizing that it’s empty. The waiter leaves.
SCOTT: You know I respect all of you. But you’re all wrong.
LOGAN: Suit yourself, Slim. We all know you ain’t got the stomach to be a real leader.
Scott stares at Logan, his expression blank. The waiter returns with another round of drinks and shots. Logan and Bobby enthusiastically down theirs, but the others don’t touch them.
LOGAN: World likes nice guys. You be one of those. World needs guys who aren’t afraid to do the dirty work.
Logan looks at Jean and winks.
LOGAN: Ladies do, too. So I’ll be one of those.
SCOTT: You’re out of line, Logan.
Logan pounds the table enthusiastically.
LOGAN: Lines! Good idea. Drake, I know you’re in.
BOBBY: Yes. Yes, I am into lines.
Bobby looks at Henry.
BOBBY (whispers loudly): What are lines?
LOGAN: C’mon, ice balls—I’ll get you fixed up.
Logan grabs Bobby by the arm and leads him toward the bathroom.
HENRY: Oh my stars and garters…I’d better go keep an eye on them.
Henry follows the others to the bathroom.
SCOTT: He’s going to need help.
Scott follows Henry to the bathroom. Jean sighs.
WARREN: Looks like it’s just you and me, Red.
JEAN: It’ll never be just you and me.
WARREN: Jeanie, I’m sorry about that. I know I said—almost even did—some things I shouldn’t have. And being drunk was no excuse.
JEAN: You’re right—it wasn’t, and it isn’t.
WARREN: I know. I know. It’s just that I…never mind. I’m sorry.
JEAN: You have no idea how hard it is being the only woman in this group.
WARREN: Harder than being a guy who has angel wings growing out of his back?
JEAN: Yes. A lot harder.
WARREN: Fair enough—I was kidding. Though it is tough, to be fair. At least you look normal from head-to-toe.
JEAN: I know. I didn’t mean to snap—it’s just that I always feel like I’m being sized up. Everyone’s got an agenda. You want me to be a notch in your bedpost. Bobby wants me be his cover story. Hank…well, I think Hank’s in love with me.
WARREN: Hank is definitely in love with you.
JEAN: Scott, of course, is Scott.
WARREN: Scott’s in “I can’t function if Jean Grey isn’t my life partner and soulmate” with you. And then there’s Logan…
JEAN: He’s such a creep. SUCH a creep.
WARREN: True. But you still kind of like him, don’t you?
Jean looks down at her nearly empty glass and shrugs.
JEAN: No. Yes. I don’t know. I love Scott. I always will. And I don’t want Logan—not in that way. But, it’s like…it’s like those stupid candy pumpkins at Halloween.
WARREN: You lost me.
JEAN: Those things are terrible—they’re glowing orange and they taste like chemicals and have the worst aftertaste and make you nauseous for hours. But, once you eat one, you just want more—you know they’re terrible for you and disgusting and you should just throw them away, but you just crave them and eat them non-stop until you remember how bad they are and you feel awful and wretched and stupid when you’re done.
WARREN: Are you talking about circus peanuts? Those are gross.
JEAN: No—the pumpkins! The mallowcreme pumpkins! Like candy corns. Forget the pumpkins! I just…argh! Why is this so hard?
WARREN: Kind of makes you wish Magneto would attack right now, doesn’t it?
JEAN: At least when that happens, you know what’s right and what’s wrong.
Logan, Bobby, Henry, and Scott return from the bathroom. Logan is grinning and wired, Bobby looks sick, Henry looks worried, and Scott looks grim.
WARREN: You’re back. You don’t look so good, Bobby.
BOBBY: Mom?
JEAN: What did you do to him, Logan?
LOGAN: Nothin’ he can’t handle.
SCOTT: That’s debatable.
HENRY: We need to get Bobby some medical attention. Soon.
BOBBY: Mom?
SCOTT: Logan and I need to have a word first. Outside.
LOGAN: You ain’t got the guts.
SCOTT: Try me.
LOGAN: Same guy who wouldn’t kill Hitler?
SCOTT: Outside. Now.
JEAN: Scott, don’t do this.
SCOTT: Stay out of it, Jean.
JEAN: Don’t talk to me like that.
LOGAN: Tough guy when it comes to the ladies, aren’t you, Slim?
Scott’s visor flares red.
LOGAN: Don’t lose control. Chuck wouldn’t like that.
Jean grabs Scott’s arm.
JEAN: Logan, back off. Scott’s right—you’re way out of line.
BOBBY: Grandma?
HENRY: We need help. Now.
Warren pulls out his phone.
HENRY: Don’t call 911. I’m not sure if he can control his powers when he’s, um, whatever he is. ‘Coked out’ would be the technical medical term, I guess.
WARREN: Then what do we do?
HENRY: We need to call Moira.
JEAN: She’ll tell the Professor.
HENRY: Would you rather Bobby die? Because we can put that on your conscience if you want.
JEAN: Dammit.
SCOTT: Warren—call Moira. Tell her to meet us at the mansion. Hank—you and Jean get Bobby into a cab and go. Now.
Warren dials. Henry and Jean struggle to get Bobby, who’s on the verge of losing consciousness, to his feet.
HENRY: What are you going to do?
SCOTT: Logan and I will be right behind you.
Warren begins talking into the phone as he leads the way out of the bar, Henry and Jean trailing behind with Bobby propped up in between them. Scott and Logan watch them go.
LOGAN: Ain’t my fault he can’t heal himself like I can.
SCOTT: You’re right—it’s just your fault that he ingested enough cocaine to kill a horse. Or maybe a young man you’re supposed to be watching out for.
LOGAN: A man makes his own decisions and accepts the consequences. Hard to see that when you spend all day tryin’ to make other people’s decisions for ‘em, I guess.
Scott and Logan stare at each other in silence.
LOGAN: It’s a dilemma, ain’t it? You wanna blast me—want it so bad you can taste it—but doin’ that would tell everyone here what you are, and you ain’t gonna put yourself at risk like that.
SCOTT: It’s not about me—it’s about Jean, Hank, Bobby, and the Professor.
Logan grins.
LOGAN: And me?
SCOTT: It’s never about you no matter how much you want it to be.
LOGAN: Jeanie might think different.
Scott’s visor flares red again.
SCOTT: If you ever touch her, we’ll find out whether your healing factor can regrow limbs.
LOGAN: That a threat, Slim?
SCOTT: It’s a promise.
The two stand toe-to-toe, glaring. After a moment, Logan smiles and pats Scott on the shoulder.
LOGAN: Maybe you got a little fire in your belly after all, Summers. Not enough to actually do anything if I decide I’m done dealing with your shit, but there’s somethin’ there. Nurture it. Grow it. It’s your only chance to survive this shithole world.
Logan heads to the door.
LOGAN: I’ll get us a cab.
Logan walks out. Scott grinds his teeth. The waiter approaches.
WAITER: I take it, uh, that’ll be all? I’ve got the check…
SCOTT: Yeah. That’s all.
Scott hands the waiter a credit card. The waiter walks away as Scott looks into his empty wallet.
SCOTT: Thanks, Warren.
END OF ACT I
May 14, 2024
Edit 5/13/2024 - Just re-read this again and it’s was still a lot of fun. Star Jammers showing up and Cyclops and Havok learning who their pops was, the Brood saga, Carol becoming Binary, the classic Marvel Graphic Novel: God loves man Kills, the Morlocks appearing. Plus Wolverine’s first solo series which I’ve now read 3 times. Love that mini series. Then we get Rogue joining the X-men and the Magik mini series where we see her in limbo getting her abilities. Great stuff.
Great stuff. So glad marvel has been reprinting all of Claremont’s Uncanny X-men omnis. There’s stuff about the X-men lore that I knew a tad bit about but not what comics it happened in. Like the last two omnis I read, some more of that stuff happens in here. The Brood pulling up on the scene wrecking havoc, Rouge leaving the Brotherhood of Evil mutants and becoming an X-man, Magik being lost for 7 years in limbo and Madelyn Prior showing up and the New Mutants showing up. So many great adventures. Almost tho whole first have of this book the X-men were dealing with the Brood in space and Carol Danvers was with them through most of that like she was part of the team. I never knew she had so much history with the mutants. I had already read God loves, man kills and the 4 part Wolverine mini with 172-173. But re-reading all that just reminded how good that stuff was. The only sad part was right as the Madelyn Prior stuff was heating up, the book ended. Can’t wait for Uncanny X-men omnibus vol 4 to drop next month. I’ll be immediately diving right in. Meanwhile, on the the New Mutants omnibus next.
Great stuff. So glad marvel has been reprinting all of Claremont’s Uncanny X-men omnis. There’s stuff about the X-men lore that I knew a tad bit about but not what comics it happened in. Like the last two omnis I read, some more of that stuff happens in here. The Brood pulling up on the scene wrecking havoc, Rouge leaving the Brotherhood of Evil mutants and becoming an X-man, Magik being lost for 7 years in limbo and Madelyn Prior showing up and the New Mutants showing up. So many great adventures. Almost tho whole first have of this book the X-men were dealing with the Brood in space and Carol Danvers was with them through most of that like she was part of the team. I never knew she had so much history with the mutants. I had already read God loves, man kills and the 4 part Wolverine mini with 172-173. But re-reading all that just reminded how good that stuff was. The only sad part was right as the Madelyn Prior stuff was heating up, the book ended. Can’t wait for Uncanny X-men omnibus vol 4 to drop next month. I’ll be immediately diving right in. Meanwhile, on the the New Mutants omnibus next.
August 29, 2020
This is probably the best collection so far in the series! It definitely feels like the most consistent in quality. The first half is the epic Brood Saga, a pseudo-space opera featuring the Shi’ar, the StarJammers, and creepy new alien villains called the Brood. It’s an exciting and well-plotted story that proves to be one of the best story arcs so far.
The last half of this is where the X-Men franchise really begins to expand. The end of the Brood Saga brings the introduction of the New Mutants, the rapid growing up and corruption of Illyana Rasputin, and the redemption of Rogue, who finds a place on the X-Men team, where she becomes one of the staple members. Wolverine also takes some time off to go on a Japanese adventure to secure his love in his first miniseries, which really was a turning point in the tone of his character.
And in the middle of all of this, we get the classic, provocative graphic novel X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills, which is alone worth the price of admission. You can see all the future promise in this book!
The last half of this is where the X-Men franchise really begins to expand. The end of the Brood Saga brings the introduction of the New Mutants, the rapid growing up and corruption of Illyana Rasputin, and the redemption of Rogue, who finds a place on the X-Men team, where she becomes one of the staple members. Wolverine also takes some time off to go on a Japanese adventure to secure his love in his first miniseries, which really was a turning point in the tone of his character.
And in the middle of all of this, we get the classic, provocative graphic novel X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills, which is alone worth the price of admission. You can see all the future promise in this book!
August 11, 2016
My first X-Men comic was Rom #17 (and #18), but after that I hunted down back issues, digging down to X-Men #138. So, I missed out on the Dark Phoenix saga. I got the entirely fascinating X-Men #141 that kicked off the Days of Future Past ... but I couldn't find an affordable #142 for years later. (My grandmother finally bought it for me, even though she didn't really approve of comics.)
However it was only in the late #140s that I was able to regularly buy the comic, and so it was the #150s and the #160s that really won me over to the comic, from "Kitty's Fairy Tale" (in the last Omnibus), to the paired space sagas here and the introduction of the New Mutants. And, they were amazing: totally unlike anything else I'd seen in comics. They covered fantasy, humor, and science fiction. They introduced new characters, but also built on a rich history. I've been eager to reread these groundbreaking stories for some time, and am thrilled that the Omnibuses finally reached this X-era.
The Deathbird Saga (154-157). This space adventure shows the amazing potential of the X-Men in the early '80s. It's got an interstellar empire, backstabbing politics, and a weird and scary new alien race in the Brood. There are some rough bits here and there, which I suspect were a disconnect between Claremont & Cockrum, but this nonetheless is amazing, groundbreaking storytelling that still holds up today [8/10].
Shorts (158-161, A6). Back to Earth (158), the X-Men focus on a number of subplots, from the revelation of Corsair to the return of Linda Danvers. It's a nice issue that shows how skilled Claremont was at moving along a number of character arcs. The fight between Linda and the Brotherhood may actually be the weakest part of the issue, though it's a nice character moment for Danvers [7/10]. The Dracula story (159) is shocking for its juxtaposition of horror and the X-Men. It's a nice moody issue, but not a particularly deep one; some time later, Dracula's return (Annual #6) hits largely the same notes [7/10]. Chutes and Ladders (160) may be my favorite X-Men story of all time. It's pretty shocking how much Claremont manages to fit into this tightly compressed story. The timey-wimeyness is wonderful, as all the alternate versions of the X-Men, however it's nothing compared to the magnificent storyline he sets up for Illyana [10/10]. Gold Rush (161) is almost as brilliant for its look at the first meeting between Xavier and Magnus, but even moreso for its recreation of Magnus as a truly sympathetic character, due to his history in the German concentration camps [9+/10].
The Brood Saga (162-168). In my opinion this remains one of the best X-Men sagas for a number of reasons. First, we start off entirely en media res, something seen too infrequently in comics, particularly of this era. Then, the plot is rather magnificently told with the individual issues feeling like they each have great closure, but fitting together like puzzle pieces; the Wolverine and Storm spotlights are particularly good. Along the way, X-Men transforms into a high-end science-fiction comic, with the focus being on interstellar races (the brood and the acanthi). The result is overall storytelling that's not just enthralling, but very innovative as well. [8/10] The return to Earth (167) is a nice coda to the saga, because it pays out the long-running question of who's been sleeping in Xavier's head and also links up to the New Mutants. Some New Mutants lore is really needed to completely appreciate the issue, but so it goes [7+/10] And then "Jerk" (168) is one more coda, showing how the X-Men react to their return and why Kitty belongs in the X-Men. It's another nice story, though not as notable as what came before it [7/10].
God Loves, Man Kills. The Dark Phoenix Saga gets all the attention, but this graphic novel is at least as much of a masterpiece of Claremont's '80s X-Men writing. All along, mutants have been used as a metaphor for the underprivileged in society, but this is the volume that makes it explicit, equating them to blacks and Jewish people alike. It also features extremely human villains in Stryker and the Purifiers (both of whom continue to make waves decades later), but if anything these humans are more dangerous than any other enemy the X-Men have faced, thanks to the dark, grittiness of this tale. The artwork by Brent Anderson is also terrific: vastly superior to almost any comics of the time. [9/10]
Morlocks (169-170). This two-parter is crucial mainly for what it introduces to the X-Men mythos: the Morlocks, another imaginative and interesting Claremont invention. The story itself, with a kidnapped Angel, is just minorly interesting until Ororo takes on Callisto in one of her greatest character-defining moments. [6+/10]
Rogue (171). The introduction of Rogue to the X-Men is superb for its deep continuity and for what it says about Professor X and the role of the X-Men [8/10].
Wolverine (mini-series). Claremont and Miller's original Wolverine miniseries is still astoundingly good. The integration of Wolverine into Japan is perfect, especially with its combination of modern crime and ancient Samurai culture. The characterization of Wolverine himself is also very strong. Hand-in-hand, Miller really steps up with the artwork, especially in the final issue, which is sublime [9/10].
Wolverine's Wedding (172-173). This is a very nice continuation of the mini-series, but with X-Men. What's particularly impressive is how Claremont manages to spotlight so many characters. So we get the continuation of the plot with Wolverine and the crime families, even bringing in the Viper plot from New Mutants; then we get a nice arc of change for Storm; and finally we get a lovely acceptance of Rogue into the X-Men. However my favorite may be a couple of panels of Madeline with Lockheed on page 722, long-before the character assassination that followed the appearance of X-Factor. Overall, an excellent comic on many levels [8/10].
Dark Phoenix Returns (174-175). Three years later, it was very appropriate to return to the question of Dark Phoenix, and also to give answer to the questions about Madelyne (for a time, at least, as Claremont insisted on muddying the waters afterward). It's a nice mini-story, particularly for showing what a badass the highly trained Cyclops over. Overall, a nice anniversary story that puts Jean Grey to rest once and for all (until the marketers got a hold of her for X-Factor. [7+/10].
Scavenger Hunt (A7). One of the few classic Claremont X-Men stories that's totally not worth reading. It's a long snipe hunter after the Impossible Man that's supposed to be funny and usually isn't. Skip. [1/10].
Magik! X-Men #160 was amazing, but it left many questions unanswered, like what happened to Illyana in her 7 years in Limbo. The answer could have totally sputtered out, but instead Claremont excels, offering a story almost as great as its predecessor. Part of the joy is seeing these weird, warped version of the X-Men. Part is seeing a bit more of timey-wimeyness. But the best part of the story is simply the terrific depiction of Illyana's apprenticeship: how she went from being an innocent girl to the dark childe. Sadly, when Illyana's story finally came to a close in Inferno some years later it wasn't nearly as good as what was set up here [8/10]
Claremont obviously still has it in these stories, but his era of greatness was quickly coming to an end.
However it was only in the late #140s that I was able to regularly buy the comic, and so it was the #150s and the #160s that really won me over to the comic, from "Kitty's Fairy Tale" (in the last Omnibus), to the paired space sagas here and the introduction of the New Mutants. And, they were amazing: totally unlike anything else I'd seen in comics. They covered fantasy, humor, and science fiction. They introduced new characters, but also built on a rich history. I've been eager to reread these groundbreaking stories for some time, and am thrilled that the Omnibuses finally reached this X-era.
The Deathbird Saga (154-157). This space adventure shows the amazing potential of the X-Men in the early '80s. It's got an interstellar empire, backstabbing politics, and a weird and scary new alien race in the Brood. There are some rough bits here and there, which I suspect were a disconnect between Claremont & Cockrum, but this nonetheless is amazing, groundbreaking storytelling that still holds up today [8/10].
Shorts (158-161, A6). Back to Earth (158), the X-Men focus on a number of subplots, from the revelation of Corsair to the return of Linda Danvers. It's a nice issue that shows how skilled Claremont was at moving along a number of character arcs. The fight between Linda and the Brotherhood may actually be the weakest part of the issue, though it's a nice character moment for Danvers [7/10]. The Dracula story (159) is shocking for its juxtaposition of horror and the X-Men. It's a nice moody issue, but not a particularly deep one; some time later, Dracula's return (Annual #6) hits largely the same notes [7/10]. Chutes and Ladders (160) may be my favorite X-Men story of all time. It's pretty shocking how much Claremont manages to fit into this tightly compressed story. The timey-wimeyness is wonderful, as all the alternate versions of the X-Men, however it's nothing compared to the magnificent storyline he sets up for Illyana [10/10]. Gold Rush (161) is almost as brilliant for its look at the first meeting between Xavier and Magnus, but even moreso for its recreation of Magnus as a truly sympathetic character, due to his history in the German concentration camps [9+/10].
The Brood Saga (162-168). In my opinion this remains one of the best X-Men sagas for a number of reasons. First, we start off entirely en media res, something seen too infrequently in comics, particularly of this era. Then, the plot is rather magnificently told with the individual issues feeling like they each have great closure, but fitting together like puzzle pieces; the Wolverine and Storm spotlights are particularly good. Along the way, X-Men transforms into a high-end science-fiction comic, with the focus being on interstellar races (the brood and the acanthi). The result is overall storytelling that's not just enthralling, but very innovative as well. [8/10] The return to Earth (167) is a nice coda to the saga, because it pays out the long-running question of who's been sleeping in Xavier's head and also links up to the New Mutants. Some New Mutants lore is really needed to completely appreciate the issue, but so it goes [7+/10] And then "Jerk" (168) is one more coda, showing how the X-Men react to their return and why Kitty belongs in the X-Men. It's another nice story, though not as notable as what came before it [7/10].
God Loves, Man Kills. The Dark Phoenix Saga gets all the attention, but this graphic novel is at least as much of a masterpiece of Claremont's '80s X-Men writing. All along, mutants have been used as a metaphor for the underprivileged in society, but this is the volume that makes it explicit, equating them to blacks and Jewish people alike. It also features extremely human villains in Stryker and the Purifiers (both of whom continue to make waves decades later), but if anything these humans are more dangerous than any other enemy the X-Men have faced, thanks to the dark, grittiness of this tale. The artwork by Brent Anderson is also terrific: vastly superior to almost any comics of the time. [9/10]
Morlocks (169-170). This two-parter is crucial mainly for what it introduces to the X-Men mythos: the Morlocks, another imaginative and interesting Claremont invention. The story itself, with a kidnapped Angel, is just minorly interesting until Ororo takes on Callisto in one of her greatest character-defining moments. [6+/10]
Rogue (171). The introduction of Rogue to the X-Men is superb for its deep continuity and for what it says about Professor X and the role of the X-Men [8/10].
Wolverine (mini-series). Claremont and Miller's original Wolverine miniseries is still astoundingly good. The integration of Wolverine into Japan is perfect, especially with its combination of modern crime and ancient Samurai culture. The characterization of Wolverine himself is also very strong. Hand-in-hand, Miller really steps up with the artwork, especially in the final issue, which is sublime [9/10].
Wolverine's Wedding (172-173). This is a very nice continuation of the mini-series, but with X-Men. What's particularly impressive is how Claremont manages to spotlight so many characters. So we get the continuation of the plot with Wolverine and the crime families, even bringing in the Viper plot from New Mutants; then we get a nice arc of change for Storm; and finally we get a lovely acceptance of Rogue into the X-Men. However my favorite may be a couple of panels of Madeline with Lockheed on page 722, long-before the character assassination that followed the appearance of X-Factor. Overall, an excellent comic on many levels [8/10].
Dark Phoenix Returns (174-175). Three years later, it was very appropriate to return to the question of Dark Phoenix, and also to give answer to the questions about Madelyne (for a time, at least, as Claremont insisted on muddying the waters afterward). It's a nice mini-story, particularly for showing what a badass the highly trained Cyclops over. Overall, a nice anniversary story that puts Jean Grey to rest once and for all (until the marketers got a hold of her for X-Factor. [7+/10].
Scavenger Hunt (A7). One of the few classic Claremont X-Men stories that's totally not worth reading. It's a long snipe hunter after the Impossible Man that's supposed to be funny and usually isn't. Skip. [1/10].
Magik! X-Men #160 was amazing, but it left many questions unanswered, like what happened to Illyana in her 7 years in Limbo. The answer could have totally sputtered out, but instead Claremont excels, offering a story almost as great as its predecessor. Part of the joy is seeing these weird, warped version of the X-Men. Part is seeing a bit more of timey-wimeyness. But the best part of the story is simply the terrific depiction of Illyana's apprenticeship: how she went from being an innocent girl to the dark childe. Sadly, when Illyana's story finally came to a close in Inferno some years later it wasn't nearly as good as what was set up here [8/10]
Claremont obviously still has it in these stories, but his era of greatness was quickly coming to an end.
October 30, 2025
Sve ono što smo do sad vidjeli od X-Men franšize u filmu je apsolutno najosnovnije površinsko obrađivanje "popularnih" storylineova.
I nije da su ti popularni storylineovi loši, ali je bizarno da imaju mogućnost snimit space-operu ili fantasy film a uporno se vraćaju na Dark Phoenix sagu ili se izdrkavaju na Wolverinea.
Šteta, jer su X-Men stripovi iz ovog perioda vrhunski i zaslužuju više pažnje.
I nije da su ti popularni storylineovi loši, ali je bizarno da imaju mogućnost snimit space-operu ili fantasy film a uporno se vraćaju na Dark Phoenix sagu ili se izdrkavaju na Wolverinea.
Šteta, jer su X-Men stripovi iz ovog perioda vrhunski i zaslužuju više pažnje.
April 21, 2021
This Omnibus marks the end of when I "lost interest in the X-Men". A lot of fans loved all the events that followed (Mutant Massacre, Inferno, Fall of the Mutants...etc.) and loved JR JR and Marc Silvestri's art but for me the book became too dark and complicated and lost the fun adventures that I had loved so much.
My brief review - Omnibus vol 2 is the BEST run of X-Men for me (Claremont/Byrne/Cockrum at their best) and I even like volume one better than this (maybe the stories aren't as sharp but I loved discovering the team and their personalities as the writer tried new things). But this is still an amazing omnibus and a must have for an X-Men fan or a lover of comic books of this era.
My favorite parts of this are when Paul Smith came on to do the art. I loved his art back then and it holds up now. It is a shame his run was so brief and he was so overwhelmed he needed JR JR's help to finish the last issue. We get Rogue coming to the team and evolving from a 2-D villain to a 3D hero). We get the Wolverine mini series with Frank Miller art - I think the mini is great but the problems I had with it decades ago still exist (I didn't understand the motivations of most of the characters).
We get Cockrum's last run on the book and his art has never looked better.
Less favorite parts: Annual 7 with the Impossible Man. You have Michael Golden art so at the every least I should enjoy the art? Nope. Golden phoned it in. A funny story? Nope - it was chaotic and made no sense. Claremont didn't go 100% for the silly or 100% for the serious so you got a story that didn't work with jokes that didn't land. Note to writers - in jokes about your fellow workers don't age well and aren't even funny at the time.
Magik the mini series - I remember when I first read this I hated it and reading it again decades later - still l hate it. Magik goes on to be a cool character in the pages of New Mutants but this origin story is just dark and not well executed. It also is another glimpse of a Claremont trope I don't like - he loves to mind control his heroes and make them do evil things. So many times you see him do this. The circus issue, all through the Dark Phoenix saga, the Brood saga. Here you have innocent Illyana thinking thoughts like "I like the power" "I know he is evil but I want to please him". Ick. One thing I will say about this mini series - the IDEA was great - some of the directions he took it were interesting - it just felt like a 1000 page novel being condensed to four issues so the key dramatic point "Illyana loses 7 years of her life living in Limbo with twisted versions of the X-men" fell flat because the 7 years passed by (to the reader) so fast. .
I also don't love the Brood saga that takes up a chunk of this book. Again - we have the X-men getting taken over and controlled as the key plot point. Reading it again here I like it better than the first time I read it but I still feel it stretches on too long. Although - modern comic writers have take the idea of "stretching out an idea for too long" to new heights.
So to sum: I do love this era of the X-Men and I very much enjoyed reading this (hey, I can still be critical of things I love :) but get volume 2 first.
My brief review - Omnibus vol 2 is the BEST run of X-Men for me (Claremont/Byrne/Cockrum at their best) and I even like volume one better than this (maybe the stories aren't as sharp but I loved discovering the team and their personalities as the writer tried new things). But this is still an amazing omnibus and a must have for an X-Men fan or a lover of comic books of this era.
My favorite parts of this are when Paul Smith came on to do the art. I loved his art back then and it holds up now. It is a shame his run was so brief and he was so overwhelmed he needed JR JR's help to finish the last issue. We get Rogue coming to the team and evolving from a 2-D villain to a 3D hero). We get the Wolverine mini series with Frank Miller art - I think the mini is great but the problems I had with it decades ago still exist (I didn't understand the motivations of most of the characters).
We get Cockrum's last run on the book and his art has never looked better.
Less favorite parts: Annual 7 with the Impossible Man. You have Michael Golden art so at the every least I should enjoy the art? Nope. Golden phoned it in. A funny story? Nope - it was chaotic and made no sense. Claremont didn't go 100% for the silly or 100% for the serious so you got a story that didn't work with jokes that didn't land. Note to writers - in jokes about your fellow workers don't age well and aren't even funny at the time.
Magik the mini series - I remember when I first read this I hated it and reading it again decades later - still l hate it. Magik goes on to be a cool character in the pages of New Mutants but this origin story is just dark and not well executed. It also is another glimpse of a Claremont trope I don't like - he loves to mind control his heroes and make them do evil things. So many times you see him do this. The circus issue, all through the Dark Phoenix saga, the Brood saga. Here you have innocent Illyana thinking thoughts like "I like the power" "I know he is evil but I want to please him". Ick. One thing I will say about this mini series - the IDEA was great - some of the directions he took it were interesting - it just felt like a 1000 page novel being condensed to four issues so the key dramatic point "Illyana loses 7 years of her life living in Limbo with twisted versions of the X-men" fell flat because the 7 years passed by (to the reader) so fast. .
I also don't love the Brood saga that takes up a chunk of this book. Again - we have the X-men getting taken over and controlled as the key plot point. Reading it again here I like it better than the first time I read it but I still feel it stretches on too long. Although - modern comic writers have take the idea of "stretching out an idea for too long" to new heights.
So to sum: I do love this era of the X-Men and I very much enjoyed reading this (hey, I can still be critical of things I love :) but get volume 2 first.
May 28, 2021
Probably my favorite set of Claremont stories yet. They aren't as famous as Dark Phoenix or days of future past, but volume three expands the ambition of the Claremont X-universe dramatically with the Brood saga, the introduction of the Morlocks, Madelyne Pryor, Kitty and Rogue growing into the team. Basically this is great shit, essential reading for X-Men fans.
tbr
July 7, 2017Trust me when I tell you I'm getting all of these babies eventually.
April 5, 2016
Chris Claremont's first run on Marvel's Uncanny X-Men comic ran from 1976 to 1991, a period in which he more or less invented the X-Men as popular culture has come to know them, turning it from a struggling title revived after cancellation into a massive property that would dominate Marvel's publishing strategy for the next quarter-century (until the gods changed with the rise of Marvel Studios and the Avengers properties). The Omnibus series of Claremont's run now gets its third volume, covering material published from February 1982 to March 1984 (in the main series, until November 1983). Volumes 1 & 2 were largely self-contained, but Volume 3 sees the X-Men's ancillary materials and spin-offs begin to make their presence felt (New Mutants, the companion title that launched in this period, is not collected here, though its characters' presence begins to be felt; if you are interested in those, investigate the New Mutants Classic collected editions).
Volume 3 continues to show Chris Claremont at the peak of his creative power, juggling numerous storylines and characters with apparent ease (over the years, the juggling act would wear a bit thin, unfortunately, but those days are a ways off). His most famous artistic collaborator and co-plotter, John Byrne, had long since moved on to other things (Fantastic Four, namely), leaving this volume to be illustrated by a diverse roster of artists, including Claremont's original collaborator Dave Cockrum, his replacement Paul Smith, and smaller guest pencils from the likes of Bill Sienkiewicz (Claremont's future New Mutants collaborator, albeit without the highly distinctive style that he would pioneer there); ancillary projects feature the likes of Frank Miller (then a rising star from his work on Daredevil), Brent Anderson, and Sal Buscema. Reading these volumes make for an interesting means of observing the development of artistic styles, as Marvel slowly turns away from the fairly uniform house style of the 1960s and 1970s into the 1980s, where stylistic distinction would soon become very common. Paul Smith's expressive, somewhat cartoony pencils are the most interesting of the volume, in my opinion. More detailed comments on the story content of this volume follow:
And that's the end of Volume 3. Well, we'll hopefully only have a year or two to wait until the release of Volume 4.
Volume 3 continues to show Chris Claremont at the peak of his creative power, juggling numerous storylines and characters with apparent ease (over the years, the juggling act would wear a bit thin, unfortunately, but those days are a ways off). His most famous artistic collaborator and co-plotter, John Byrne, had long since moved on to other things (Fantastic Four, namely), leaving this volume to be illustrated by a diverse roster of artists, including Claremont's original collaborator Dave Cockrum, his replacement Paul Smith, and smaller guest pencils from the likes of Bill Sienkiewicz (Claremont's future New Mutants collaborator, albeit without the highly distinctive style that he would pioneer there); ancillary projects feature the likes of Frank Miller (then a rising star from his work on Daredevil), Brent Anderson, and Sal Buscema. Reading these volumes make for an interesting means of observing the development of artistic styles, as Marvel slowly turns away from the fairly uniform house style of the 1960s and 1970s into the 1980s, where stylistic distinction would soon become very common. Paul Smith's expressive, somewhat cartoony pencils are the most interesting of the volume, in my opinion. More detailed comments on the story content of this volume follow:
And that's the end of Volume 3. Well, we'll hopefully only have a year or two to wait until the release of Volume 4.
May 1, 2022
(Zero spoiler review) 4.5/5
At last, it all finally clicks into place. This is the X-men stories I've been waiting for. Despite more or less enjoying the previous two Uncanny omnibus', I always felt like there was still something missing from the overall equation. Something holding it back. Whatever that something was, has been rectified here on Uncanny omnibus 3. Despite possibly having the weaker art overall, and that's me being an incredibly nitpicky jerk, as we get about a third of these issues with the amazing Dave Cockrum. And whilst I quite enjoyed Paul Smith who did the majority of the book, it still wasn't John Buscema or Dave Cockrum.
Mostly though, the improvements here belong to Claremont. The man is obviously a talented writer. Just look at his body of work and how heralded it is. Hell, just hold it up to anyone writing comics these days and even his lesser stories appear God tier in comparison. Gone are the issue after issue of villain of the month stories. Gone is the silver age, page filling levels of cheesy dialogue. Throughout the course of this book, you can see the man honing his craft to a much sharper, more precise point. Dialogue shrinks to what I would call the near perfect amount (a lot but not overdoing it). The stories all ebb and flow freely across the course of a few dozen issues, with interpersonal stories given equal time to shine amidst all the usual superhero punchy / save the world fare. Aa superhero story that doesn't spend time building the lives of its characters outside all the cape wearing and do-gooding is of little to no interest to me. Just punching bad guys for twenty pages... yawn. Claremont got the balance damn near spot on here, whilst giving us some series defining arcs to boot. Despite the two omnibus' that came before it, and all the fanfare and fanaticism they engender, this is where Uncanny X-men starts for me. There's a reason why this stuff is so lauded forty years after its release, and why so much of all that came after it struggles to stand apart from the legacy of Chris Claremont. Pretty much essential. 4.5/5
OmniBen.
At last, it all finally clicks into place. This is the X-men stories I've been waiting for. Despite more or less enjoying the previous two Uncanny omnibus', I always felt like there was still something missing from the overall equation. Something holding it back. Whatever that something was, has been rectified here on Uncanny omnibus 3. Despite possibly having the weaker art overall, and that's me being an incredibly nitpicky jerk, as we get about a third of these issues with the amazing Dave Cockrum. And whilst I quite enjoyed Paul Smith who did the majority of the book, it still wasn't John Buscema or Dave Cockrum.
Mostly though, the improvements here belong to Claremont. The man is obviously a talented writer. Just look at his body of work and how heralded it is. Hell, just hold it up to anyone writing comics these days and even his lesser stories appear God tier in comparison. Gone are the issue after issue of villain of the month stories. Gone is the silver age, page filling levels of cheesy dialogue. Throughout the course of this book, you can see the man honing his craft to a much sharper, more precise point. Dialogue shrinks to what I would call the near perfect amount (a lot but not overdoing it). The stories all ebb and flow freely across the course of a few dozen issues, with interpersonal stories given equal time to shine amidst all the usual superhero punchy / save the world fare. Aa superhero story that doesn't spend time building the lives of its characters outside all the cape wearing and do-gooding is of little to no interest to me. Just punching bad guys for twenty pages... yawn. Claremont got the balance damn near spot on here, whilst giving us some series defining arcs to boot. Despite the two omnibus' that came before it, and all the fanfare and fanaticism they engender, this is where Uncanny X-men starts for me. There's a reason why this stuff is so lauded forty years after its release, and why so much of all that came after it struggles to stand apart from the legacy of Chris Claremont. Pretty much essential. 4.5/5
OmniBen.
September 17, 2018
Word it already for the Wolverine mini series from Miller and the Graphic Novel God loves man kils alone. I had some Trouble in the middle part, Chris Claremont is very talkative at times . But still this is the golden age of the X men. Just liked the last omnibus a tiny bit better.
December 1, 2018
Oh, man - I didn’t expect to be as affected by the Belasco stuff. It was genuinely, disturbing. Nor did I expect that Wolverine could ever say or do anything that would make me feel, well, anything, but here we are.
April 15, 2019
The best volume yet, Paul Smith's art was so bold and striking.
September 22, 2024
There were a few issues that were not really good, but the overall experience was very good. Definitely worth checking out!
Read
April 23, 2025""i could have slain her with a lightning bolt...but i could not bring myself to do it." / "no shame in bein' what you are, darlin'. i'm the killer on this team, remember?" / "not this time, wolverine. i was the first x-men. it's my right --- my responsibility.""
some really cool, fun issues in this one [173 and 175 were personal favorites]; all aspects considered, the layouts and the narrative boxes stand out in particular for both [jean throwing rogue, wolverine's fight with the silver samurai]. the narrative boxes just give each character such rich internal depths--wolverine and cyclops' battle-honed insights and ororo's heartwrenching emotional dwellings build out the core of the characters and make them complex, interesting people. [imo, ororo's selflessness and compassion really patched up the weakest arc of this volume.] cyclops' spotlight issue [175] is SO fun--a guy who knows his team, inside and out, and the maximum/minimums of his own abilities--and it really shows how ororo and cyclops are both really, really good leaders. wolverine is just a personal favorite--and maybe a writer's favorite--but he occupies a very cool space on the team and in the story; he refers to himself as a killer and a monster and a beast and tries very hard to be the one who has to make the hard, violent decisions 'for the good of the team' or the mission or the world. having to grapple with possibly, maybe needing to kill his team/family/friends to save them from something horrible means needing to give into a side of himself that he has to wield and threaten with but is often saved from using with the x-men. it's made even worse when he enters this vulnerable space [marriage! domesticity!] and is told that he isn't worthy. who he is--what he is--what he's done--makes him unworthy of a soft, safe, comfortable life.
some really cool, fun issues in this one [173 and 175 were personal favorites]; all aspects considered, the layouts and the narrative boxes stand out in particular for both [jean throwing rogue, wolverine's fight with the silver samurai]. the narrative boxes just give each character such rich internal depths--wolverine and cyclops' battle-honed insights and ororo's heartwrenching emotional dwellings build out the core of the characters and make them complex, interesting people. [imo, ororo's selflessness and compassion really patched up the weakest arc of this volume.] cyclops' spotlight issue [175] is SO fun--a guy who knows his team, inside and out, and the maximum/minimums of his own abilities--and it really shows how ororo and cyclops are both really, really good leaders. wolverine is just a personal favorite--and maybe a writer's favorite--but he occupies a very cool space on the team and in the story; he refers to himself as a killer and a monster and a beast and tries very hard to be the one who has to make the hard, violent decisions 'for the good of the team' or the mission or the world. having to grapple with possibly, maybe needing to kill his team/family/friends to save them from something horrible means needing to give into a side of himself that he has to wield and threaten with but is often saved from using with the x-men. it's made even worse when he enters this vulnerable space [marriage! domesticity!] and is told that he isn't worthy. who he is--what he is--what he's done--makes him unworthy of a soft, safe, comfortable life.
June 13, 2021
Another one that did not age well...
February 29, 2024
The best of the series (so far)!
April 7, 2024
Some great and crucial X-Men, especially with Illyana, Wolverine in Japan, and God Loves, Man Kills, but Claremont is also launching several new books, and along with all the miniseries, this is where reading the X-Men becomes complicated and the timeline gets weird, but it’s still quite good.
Uncanny X-Men #154 ⧫ 3.5 Stars “Reunion”
The start of the first Brood arc is a little soft. I like the Cyclops-Storm interplay, but Cyclops really looks bad in the Corsair stuff, big overreaction.
Uncanny X-Men #155 ⧫ 3.5 Stars “First Blood”
A big fight against the new enemies that sets them up to be a solid threat and does it well. I don’t even remember that hive mind spider/manta thing, and it’s really cool.
Uncanny X-Men #156 ⧫ 3.5 Stars “Pursuit!”
I think this arc has a little too much going on. There’re several new villains, a new Shi’ar threat, the Cyclops dad stuff, an injured X-Man. This issue kind of jumbles them all I a way that reminded me of less-effective drawn out future X-Arcs. It’s a lot.
Uncanny X-Men #157 ⧫ 3.5 Stars “Hide 'n' Seek”
The ending of this issue crystallized one of the issues I am having with this arc. It basically wants Deathbird to be the new D’Ken without much real status. It makes the Shi’ar government look incredibly weak and diminishes the past X-Men victories somewhat. Also, the arc pauses for several issues and other more interesting stuff happens, so it adds to the disjointed nature of the threat. It’s going for Phoenix/Dark Phoenix and not quite getting there. Now, this issue specifically is rather fun, and I love the Kitty and Nightcrawler charade.
Uncanny X-Men #158 ⧫ 4 Stars “The Life That Late I Led...”
While the X-Men head into the Pentagon to destroy mutant registration files, they encounter Rogue and Mystique and have to fight. This leads Carol Davers to a crossroads where she has the option to leave her old life behind. Carol’s struggles elevate what could be a run-of-the-mill X-Men undercover story. I really like her involvement as this leads to her next big change in a few issues.
Uncanny X-Men #159 ⧫ 3.5 Stars “Night Screams!”
Dracula shows up and attacks Storm. It’s a weird standalone issue that’s alright, other than being weirdly placed between two halves of a story. The Storm/Kitty stuff is sweet, but seems somewhat cliche.
Uncanny X-Men #160 ⧫ 4 Stars “Chutes and Ladders”
And here it is! Space is warped and time is bendable. I like how crazy this is, and I’m a big fan of Illyana. This is the start of Illyana as one of Marvel’s coolest characters.
Uncanny X-Men #161 ⧫ 3.5 Stars “Gold Rush!”
This one is great, but it slows somewhat once the action starts. It also seems a little convenient and will be expanded on as the series progresses. It also leads to some curious problems later.
Uncanny X-Men #162 ⧫ 4 Stars “Beyond the Farthest Star”
Wolverine tries to figure out what happened to him, and the horrible truth of the Brood is finally revealed. It’s a good issue with a great end! I’m just not sure that Cockrum is the one to visualize this. The art’s a bit cartoony and the ideas of space are more 70s than 80s.
Uncanny X-Men #163 ⧫ 3.5 Stars “Rescue Mission”
It has some good development, but I feel like this issue could have been combined with the issues before and after it to be stronger. This story seems a little too decompressed.
Uncanny X-Men #164 ⧫ 3.5 Stars “Binary Star!”
I forgot how wonky Binary’s origin is, though I’m glad to see her.
Uncanny X-Men #165 ⧫ 4 Stars “Transfigurations”
Paul Smith takes over art and brings the main series solidly into the 80s. I like his more realistic art, and it fits the tenser tone and more somber nature of this issue, and I’m looking forward to more. While the end is incredibly of the era, I like the X-Men reflecting on death and seeking solace in that. Some A+ Wolverine/Nightcrawler and Kitty/Colossus moments here.
Uncanny X-Men #166 ⧫ 3 Stars “Live Free or Die!”
First (real) Lockheed! This issue ramps up the space magic, and in doing so, kind of lets the Brood threat down. X-Men shifts from being more Star Wars to Star Trek and ends up in more of a Doctor Whoish place. These tonal shifts, the length of the arc, the weird inclusion of Shi’at politics, and the splitting of the two make this initial Brood arc more toothless than I remember. It really needed some horror vibes and commitment to the horror.
It might be good to read Marvel Graphic Novel #4 and the first three issues of New Mutants before continuing. It’s not essential, but it is a great set of comics
Uncanny X-Men #167 ⧫ 4.5 Stars “The Goldilocks Syndrome! (or: Who's Been Sleeping in My Head?)”
The battle is cool with added stakes of the X-Men not knowing who the New Mutants are, and the New Mutants defending a now-possessed Xavier. However, this also gives some wonderful downtime for character development and team building. Plus, that cliffhanger!
I actually think skipping ahead and reading issue 168 before Annual 6 and the Special Edition X-Men story is a better reading experience.
Uncanny X-Men Annual #6 ⧫ 3.5 Stars “Blood Feud!”
I love the Sienkiewicz art, even if he’s not doing the weird stuff yet. In and of itself, it's fine.
Special Edition X-Men #1 ⧫ 3.5 Stars “A Day Like Any Other”
A cute little short story with Kitty and Illyana. The art’s only okay, but that’s fine.
Marvel Graphic Novel #5 ⧫ 5 Stars “God Loves, Man Kills
Magneto is right. At the start of this graphic novel, Purifiers, essentially religious terrorist cops, gun down two black mutants and string them up. Then, Magneto arrives, takes them down, and declares that the perpetrators must “pay.” And, he’s right. This non-canon at the time graphic novel essentially completes Magneto’s transition from supervillain to antihero. The scene in and of itself is definitely blunt, though I’d like to note that this shit is statistically likely to be happening somewhere on earth as I write this, but I think the fact that it’s Magneto and not the X-Men that take the kids down is where the juice is. Magneto, evil mutant, is outraged at the atrocity. Shouldn’t everyone be? Everyone isn’t. The comic is full of conversations, some direct, some indirect, that reflect the reality of society’s complacency with certain forms of intolerance. This all culminates in the iconic, “You dare call that… thing–human?!?” panel, which features Stryker pointing at Nightcrawler. However, the biggest deal is who comes to Nightcrawler’s defense: Kitty Pryde. She initially found Nightcrawler scary, but now she vehemently defends his character, perfect. After that, there are a few things I take issue with, but overall, this is rightfully held as one of the greatest X-Men comics.
Uncanny X-Men #168 ⧫ 5 Stars “Professor Xavier Is a Jerk!”
An iconic title page followed by a fantastic character introduction. Lockheed joins the X-Men, and this issue is just all-around great. It’s not the same kind of 5 Star as the previous entry, but it deserves it, at least in my heart.
Uncanny X-Men #169 ⧫ 4 Stars “Catacombs”
I like the Morlocks and think they’re interesting as they’re essentially a group that seeks belonging and falls under the sway of the sadistic and charismatic Callisto. It’s a cool idea and pretty well executed here.
Uncanny X-Men #170 ⧫ 4 Stars “Dancin' in the Dark”
Okay, I wasn’t going to mention it, but this brings up issues of Dazzler and wants to use their continuity, but that doesn’t really work with Angel’s continuity unless time is weird. I’ve been trying to read both and got whiplash. I also like the Madelyne Pryor stuff even though I don’t like where it leads. Mostly, Storm gets to be a boss.
Uncanny X-Men #171 ⧫ 3 Stars “Rogue”
Kind of a weird issue that has a better idea than execution. I like that the X-Men have to overcome their own prejudice, but Storm is very out of character all of a sudden. No mention is made of Angel. Also, I normally like Simonson’s art, but this seems like a rush job, and he doesn’t really have the X-Men down. It’s an issue with more promise than anything.
Wolverine #1 ⧫ 5 Stars “I'm Wolverine”
The debut issue of this miniseries has Wolverine dealing with some Canadian issues before heading to Japan to see why Mariko stopped taking his calls. He finds himself stymied by cultural obligation and custom> Miller’s art is in top form here, and the whole thing is beautiful.
Wolverine #2 ⧫ 4 Stars “Debts and Obligations”
The plot gets a little twisty here for my tastes, but it’s still a great issue with a great cliffhanger.
Wolverine #3 ⧫ 4.5 Stars “Loss”
The downslope is great. Wolverine, down and out, goes on a bender with his new girlfriend. The hammer drops, and then it’s all rage.
Wolverine #4 ⧫ 5 Stars “Honor”
Wolverine is the best he is at what he does, and what he does is destroy crime. I also like the end with Mariko and how each views honor differently. A strong end to a great series.
Uncanny X-Men #172 ⧫ 4 Stars “Scarlet in Glory”
I forgot this is Rogue’s first issue as an X-Man, and while I may have taken issue with the treatment of characters in the previous issue. This one is great. Okay, Storm’s a little wonky, but more on point. Mariko being accepting of Rogue is fantastic. I’m still not totally sold on the Storm arc, though. Shouldn't she have died from that lightning?
Uncanny X-Men #173 ⧫ 5 Stars “To Have and Have Not”
This is a great issue with Rogue and Wolverine making a phenomenal pairing. This also debuts Storm with the Mohawk, which is all class. The ending is a bit out of left field, but it makes more sense than some of the stuff that’s a result of this arc.
Uncanny X-Men #174 ⧫ 3.5 Stars “Romances”
Some good stuff here that I’m trying not to let future X-Men stuff ruin.
Uncanny X-Men #175 ⧫ 3.5 Stars “Phoenix!”
I’m still kind of unclear how much of this Mastermind is responsible for? Is he responsible for Storm’s issues or is that space whales/Morlocks/leading the X-Men. I think it’s all of the above, but I feel like a little more of the narrative should be devoted to that. The ending is nice, but I feel Wyngard’s deception wasn’t that well handled. The Wolverine in Japan stuff waits for a few issues; it just seems a little narratively loose. My issues are less with this issue than Claremont being spread narratively thin.
Uncanny X-Men Annual #7 ⧫ 3 “Scavenger Hunt”
A silly issue, but it’s fun. Marvel likes its assistant editor stuff, and I’ll take that over the event annuals that happen later.
Magik #1 ⧫ 3.5 Stars “Little Girl Lost”
The placement in this collection is really jarring since Illyana remembers this in issue 171, though that would put it in the way of the Wolverine miniseries, which fits better. Honestly, I like it before New Mutants #14, which is the issue that leads into Uncanny X-Men #180. I have some sympathy for the editors, though, as this era of X-men is woven together fairly tightly. As an introduction issue, this one does a good job of introducing the status quo for the first half of the series. Older Storm and Kitty reveal a possible future for poor little Illyana, and the concepts of limbo are introduced, though they’re better introduced in Uncanny X-Men #160, “Chutes and Ladders.”
Magik #2 ⧫ 3 Stars “Cold Iron Hot Blood!”
This one’s probably the weakest… Not bad, it just feels like it could have been a half issue. I also think that this is where some more development of Belasco or the threat he poses could have occurred, once again done better earlier.
Magik #3 ⧫ 3.5 Stars “Soulquest”
Illyana’s descent continues and the stakes increase. Here’s where we get more Belasco, finally. It’s a solid penultimate issue, but I still feel like this could have been a three-issue series.
Magik #4 ⧫ 3.5 Stars “Darkchild”
The conclusion does a good job of using the frame story to create a solid conclusion, and this is the best part of the story. After all the baser horror, it ends on a surprisingly mature note. Illyana has matured into a teenager, and her growth really helps here. Finisher Tom Palmer also does quite a bit of work keeping the art consistent across three artists.
Other Comics Reviews
X-Men Omnibus #1
X-Men Omnibus #2
Epic Collection Volume 4: It's Always Darkest Before the Dawn
Champions Classic Complete Collection
Uncanny X-Men Omnibus #1
Uncanny X-Men Omnibus #2
X-Men Classic Omnibus
Uncanny X-Men #154 ⧫ 3.5 Stars “Reunion”
The start of the first Brood arc is a little soft. I like the Cyclops-Storm interplay, but Cyclops really looks bad in the Corsair stuff, big overreaction.
Uncanny X-Men #155 ⧫ 3.5 Stars “First Blood”
A big fight against the new enemies that sets them up to be a solid threat and does it well. I don’t even remember that hive mind spider/manta thing, and it’s really cool.
Uncanny X-Men #156 ⧫ 3.5 Stars “Pursuit!”
I think this arc has a little too much going on. There’re several new villains, a new Shi’ar threat, the Cyclops dad stuff, an injured X-Man. This issue kind of jumbles them all I a way that reminded me of less-effective drawn out future X-Arcs. It’s a lot.
Uncanny X-Men #157 ⧫ 3.5 Stars “Hide 'n' Seek”
The ending of this issue crystallized one of the issues I am having with this arc. It basically wants Deathbird to be the new D’Ken without much real status. It makes the Shi’ar government look incredibly weak and diminishes the past X-Men victories somewhat. Also, the arc pauses for several issues and other more interesting stuff happens, so it adds to the disjointed nature of the threat. It’s going for Phoenix/Dark Phoenix and not quite getting there. Now, this issue specifically is rather fun, and I love the Kitty and Nightcrawler charade.
Uncanny X-Men #158 ⧫ 4 Stars “The Life That Late I Led...”
While the X-Men head into the Pentagon to destroy mutant registration files, they encounter Rogue and Mystique and have to fight. This leads Carol Davers to a crossroads where she has the option to leave her old life behind. Carol’s struggles elevate what could be a run-of-the-mill X-Men undercover story. I really like her involvement as this leads to her next big change in a few issues.
Uncanny X-Men #159 ⧫ 3.5 Stars “Night Screams!”
Dracula shows up and attacks Storm. It’s a weird standalone issue that’s alright, other than being weirdly placed between two halves of a story. The Storm/Kitty stuff is sweet, but seems somewhat cliche.
Uncanny X-Men #160 ⧫ 4 Stars “Chutes and Ladders”
And here it is! Space is warped and time is bendable. I like how crazy this is, and I’m a big fan of Illyana. This is the start of Illyana as one of Marvel’s coolest characters.
Uncanny X-Men #161 ⧫ 3.5 Stars “Gold Rush!”
This one is great, but it slows somewhat once the action starts. It also seems a little convenient and will be expanded on as the series progresses. It also leads to some curious problems later.
Uncanny X-Men #162 ⧫ 4 Stars “Beyond the Farthest Star”
Wolverine tries to figure out what happened to him, and the horrible truth of the Brood is finally revealed. It’s a good issue with a great end! I’m just not sure that Cockrum is the one to visualize this. The art’s a bit cartoony and the ideas of space are more 70s than 80s.
Uncanny X-Men #163 ⧫ 3.5 Stars “Rescue Mission”
It has some good development, but I feel like this issue could have been combined with the issues before and after it to be stronger. This story seems a little too decompressed.
Uncanny X-Men #164 ⧫ 3.5 Stars “Binary Star!”
I forgot how wonky Binary’s origin is, though I’m glad to see her.
Uncanny X-Men #165 ⧫ 4 Stars “Transfigurations”
Paul Smith takes over art and brings the main series solidly into the 80s. I like his more realistic art, and it fits the tenser tone and more somber nature of this issue, and I’m looking forward to more. While the end is incredibly of the era, I like the X-Men reflecting on death and seeking solace in that. Some A+ Wolverine/Nightcrawler and Kitty/Colossus moments here.
Uncanny X-Men #166 ⧫ 3 Stars “Live Free or Die!”
First (real) Lockheed! This issue ramps up the space magic, and in doing so, kind of lets the Brood threat down. X-Men shifts from being more Star Wars to Star Trek and ends up in more of a Doctor Whoish place. These tonal shifts, the length of the arc, the weird inclusion of Shi’at politics, and the splitting of the two make this initial Brood arc more toothless than I remember. It really needed some horror vibes and commitment to the horror.
It might be good to read Marvel Graphic Novel #4 and the first three issues of New Mutants before continuing. It’s not essential, but it is a great set of comics
Uncanny X-Men #167 ⧫ 4.5 Stars “The Goldilocks Syndrome! (or: Who's Been Sleeping in My Head?)”
The battle is cool with added stakes of the X-Men not knowing who the New Mutants are, and the New Mutants defending a now-possessed Xavier. However, this also gives some wonderful downtime for character development and team building. Plus, that cliffhanger!
I actually think skipping ahead and reading issue 168 before Annual 6 and the Special Edition X-Men story is a better reading experience.
Uncanny X-Men Annual #6 ⧫ 3.5 Stars “Blood Feud!”
I love the Sienkiewicz art, even if he’s not doing the weird stuff yet. In and of itself, it's fine.
Special Edition X-Men #1 ⧫ 3.5 Stars “A Day Like Any Other”
A cute little short story with Kitty and Illyana. The art’s only okay, but that’s fine.
Marvel Graphic Novel #5 ⧫ 5 Stars “God Loves, Man Kills
Magneto is right. At the start of this graphic novel, Purifiers, essentially religious terrorist cops, gun down two black mutants and string them up. Then, Magneto arrives, takes them down, and declares that the perpetrators must “pay.” And, he’s right. This non-canon at the time graphic novel essentially completes Magneto’s transition from supervillain to antihero. The scene in and of itself is definitely blunt, though I’d like to note that this shit is statistically likely to be happening somewhere on earth as I write this, but I think the fact that it’s Magneto and not the X-Men that take the kids down is where the juice is. Magneto, evil mutant, is outraged at the atrocity. Shouldn’t everyone be? Everyone isn’t. The comic is full of conversations, some direct, some indirect, that reflect the reality of society’s complacency with certain forms of intolerance. This all culminates in the iconic, “You dare call that… thing–human?!?” panel, which features Stryker pointing at Nightcrawler. However, the biggest deal is who comes to Nightcrawler’s defense: Kitty Pryde. She initially found Nightcrawler scary, but now she vehemently defends his character, perfect. After that, there are a few things I take issue with, but overall, this is rightfully held as one of the greatest X-Men comics.
Uncanny X-Men #168 ⧫ 5 Stars “Professor Xavier Is a Jerk!”
An iconic title page followed by a fantastic character introduction. Lockheed joins the X-Men, and this issue is just all-around great. It’s not the same kind of 5 Star as the previous entry, but it deserves it, at least in my heart.
Uncanny X-Men #169 ⧫ 4 Stars “Catacombs”
I like the Morlocks and think they’re interesting as they’re essentially a group that seeks belonging and falls under the sway of the sadistic and charismatic Callisto. It’s a cool idea and pretty well executed here.
Uncanny X-Men #170 ⧫ 4 Stars “Dancin' in the Dark”
Okay, I wasn’t going to mention it, but this brings up issues of Dazzler and wants to use their continuity, but that doesn’t really work with Angel’s continuity unless time is weird. I’ve been trying to read both and got whiplash. I also like the Madelyne Pryor stuff even though I don’t like where it leads. Mostly, Storm gets to be a boss.
Uncanny X-Men #171 ⧫ 3 Stars “Rogue”
Kind of a weird issue that has a better idea than execution. I like that the X-Men have to overcome their own prejudice, but Storm is very out of character all of a sudden. No mention is made of Angel. Also, I normally like Simonson’s art, but this seems like a rush job, and he doesn’t really have the X-Men down. It’s an issue with more promise than anything.
Wolverine #1 ⧫ 5 Stars “I'm Wolverine”
The debut issue of this miniseries has Wolverine dealing with some Canadian issues before heading to Japan to see why Mariko stopped taking his calls. He finds himself stymied by cultural obligation and custom> Miller’s art is in top form here, and the whole thing is beautiful.
Wolverine #2 ⧫ 4 Stars “Debts and Obligations”
The plot gets a little twisty here for my tastes, but it’s still a great issue with a great cliffhanger.
Wolverine #3 ⧫ 4.5 Stars “Loss”
The downslope is great. Wolverine, down and out, goes on a bender with his new girlfriend. The hammer drops, and then it’s all rage.
Wolverine #4 ⧫ 5 Stars “Honor”
Wolverine is the best he is at what he does, and what he does is destroy crime. I also like the end with Mariko and how each views honor differently. A strong end to a great series.
Uncanny X-Men #172 ⧫ 4 Stars “Scarlet in Glory”
I forgot this is Rogue’s first issue as an X-Man, and while I may have taken issue with the treatment of characters in the previous issue. This one is great. Okay, Storm’s a little wonky, but more on point. Mariko being accepting of Rogue is fantastic. I’m still not totally sold on the Storm arc, though. Shouldn't she have died from that lightning?
Uncanny X-Men #173 ⧫ 5 Stars “To Have and Have Not”
This is a great issue with Rogue and Wolverine making a phenomenal pairing. This also debuts Storm with the Mohawk, which is all class. The ending is a bit out of left field, but it makes more sense than some of the stuff that’s a result of this arc.
Uncanny X-Men #174 ⧫ 3.5 Stars “Romances”
Some good stuff here that I’m trying not to let future X-Men stuff ruin.
Uncanny X-Men #175 ⧫ 3.5 Stars “Phoenix!”
I’m still kind of unclear how much of this Mastermind is responsible for? Is he responsible for Storm’s issues or is that space whales/Morlocks/leading the X-Men. I think it’s all of the above, but I feel like a little more of the narrative should be devoted to that. The ending is nice, but I feel Wyngard’s deception wasn’t that well handled. The Wolverine in Japan stuff waits for a few issues; it just seems a little narratively loose. My issues are less with this issue than Claremont being spread narratively thin.
Uncanny X-Men Annual #7 ⧫ 3 “Scavenger Hunt”
A silly issue, but it’s fun. Marvel likes its assistant editor stuff, and I’ll take that over the event annuals that happen later.
Magik #1 ⧫ 3.5 Stars “Little Girl Lost”
The placement in this collection is really jarring since Illyana remembers this in issue 171, though that would put it in the way of the Wolverine miniseries, which fits better. Honestly, I like it before New Mutants #14, which is the issue that leads into Uncanny X-Men #180. I have some sympathy for the editors, though, as this era of X-men is woven together fairly tightly. As an introduction issue, this one does a good job of introducing the status quo for the first half of the series. Older Storm and Kitty reveal a possible future for poor little Illyana, and the concepts of limbo are introduced, though they’re better introduced in Uncanny X-Men #160, “Chutes and Ladders.”
Magik #2 ⧫ 3 Stars “Cold Iron Hot Blood!”
This one’s probably the weakest… Not bad, it just feels like it could have been a half issue. I also think that this is where some more development of Belasco or the threat he poses could have occurred, once again done better earlier.
Magik #3 ⧫ 3.5 Stars “Soulquest”
Illyana’s descent continues and the stakes increase. Here’s where we get more Belasco, finally. It’s a solid penultimate issue, but I still feel like this could have been a three-issue series.
Magik #4 ⧫ 3.5 Stars “Darkchild”
The conclusion does a good job of using the frame story to create a solid conclusion, and this is the best part of the story. After all the baser horror, it ends on a surprisingly mature note. Illyana has matured into a teenager, and her growth really helps here. Finisher Tom Palmer also does quite a bit of work keeping the art consistent across three artists.
Other Comics Reviews
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Uncanny X-Men Omnibus #1
Uncanny X-Men Omnibus #2
X-Men Classic Omnibus
April 9, 2016
Just about all of this was a reread for me, having read and owned nearly all of these issues contained within in one form or another.
The first 1/3 has the X-Men fighting the Brood, an alien species clearly a rip-off of the Alien movie, however, Claremont uses it more to really test the X-Men and see how they react to an impending doom. Between this multi-part story (which I felt was just a couple issues too long) and the ground-breaking God Loves, Man Kills graphic novel, this is some very grim stuff that you can really feel in the tone of the stories. There's quite a bit of the hallmark characterization defined by the large amount of dialogue and thought balloons and to a lesser extent the narration (which I felt was less than 'normal' and can be a turn off for many.) Reading this stories again was very comforting, like visiting old friends who you haven't seen in awhile.
This volume also contains a defining story for Wolverine, the mini-series with Frank Miller, where Logan is shown to have the nobility and honor of a "fallen samurai". This aspect of Wolverine really cemented my love for the character, that along with his constant battle for control over his inner beast. Continuing from this is another grim story for him in the regular pages of the X-Men.
There's also a reprinting of the four issue Magick miniseries which was new to me. I've always been curious what happened to Illyana during that time in Limbo. While the story and art were just fine, it was a letdown for me. It just didn't seem to have the 'oompf' I was looking for.
The extras in the book are too numerous to mention, but all add some weight and quality to this omnibus volume, another highpoint for the X-Men.
The first 1/3 has the X-Men fighting the Brood, an alien species clearly a rip-off of the Alien movie, however, Claremont uses it more to really test the X-Men and see how they react to an impending doom. Between this multi-part story (which I felt was just a couple issues too long) and the ground-breaking God Loves, Man Kills graphic novel, this is some very grim stuff that you can really feel in the tone of the stories. There's quite a bit of the hallmark characterization defined by the large amount of dialogue and thought balloons and to a lesser extent the narration (which I felt was less than 'normal' and can be a turn off for many.) Reading this stories again was very comforting, like visiting old friends who you haven't seen in awhile.
This volume also contains a defining story for Wolverine, the mini-series with Frank Miller, where Logan is shown to have the nobility and honor of a "fallen samurai". This aspect of Wolverine really cemented my love for the character, that along with his constant battle for control over his inner beast. Continuing from this is another grim story for him in the regular pages of the X-Men.
There's also a reprinting of the four issue Magick miniseries which was new to me. I've always been curious what happened to Illyana during that time in Limbo. While the story and art were just fine, it was a letdown for me. It just didn't seem to have the 'oompf' I was looking for.
The extras in the book are too numerous to mention, but all add some weight and quality to this omnibus volume, another highpoint for the X-Men.
June 29, 2025
2025 - Days of Future Past: 365 Days of The X-Men
Day 146 - 180 (5/26 - 6/29)
Day 146 - 180 (5/26 - 6/29)
August 22, 2016
The Brood. Wolverine. Magik. Storm with a mohawk. We're flying high right now.
January 3, 2021
Bought this in Feb. 2016. Glad last year got me back into my own shelves. Frankly, just spending all my time in my office rather than going *to* an office really helped me realize how many cool books I'd collected but not spent time reading.
Most of this was uncharted territory for me w/r/t Claremont's X-Men run. I'd read the first two Omnibus editions years ago, and grew up reading the material in those collections as sold in the Essential volumes around the time the first movie came out (in black & white). I think I always read up until just after Kitty's introduction. So a few issues prior to the start of this collection.
I was pretty blown away! Lots of fun Claremontian storytelling here, where he pulls in a lot of his external influences - particularly Sci-fi fandom - and mixes it with his consistently engaging character soap opera. I enjoy his use of subplots and slow-burns beneath the larger action plotlines.
Also included is the original Wolverine miniseries by Claremont & Miller, which I'd not read since High School. It's such a level up in art and storytelling compared to the rest of the book (which is itself nothing to complain about thanks to Cockrum & Smith). May need to re-read a bunch of Miller's work this year, as I do own quite a lot of it.
Uncanny Vol. 4 is coming out in a few months and I may save a Christmas gift card to buy it, but his run on this series lasted 15 years, and Vol.3 only takes us through year 3 or 4. Even this volume introduces the New Mutants spin-off (which has an Omnibus I'd like to get someday). After 4, we end up with multiple titles, cross-overs, and...a lot of books I do not own and don't know if I need to own? We'll see. I really loved this volume though! X-Men are good comics.
Most of this was uncharted territory for me w/r/t Claremont's X-Men run. I'd read the first two Omnibus editions years ago, and grew up reading the material in those collections as sold in the Essential volumes around the time the first movie came out (in black & white). I think I always read up until just after Kitty's introduction. So a few issues prior to the start of this collection.
I was pretty blown away! Lots of fun Claremontian storytelling here, where he pulls in a lot of his external influences - particularly Sci-fi fandom - and mixes it with his consistently engaging character soap opera. I enjoy his use of subplots and slow-burns beneath the larger action plotlines.
Also included is the original Wolverine miniseries by Claremont & Miller, which I'd not read since High School. It's such a level up in art and storytelling compared to the rest of the book (which is itself nothing to complain about thanks to Cockrum & Smith). May need to re-read a bunch of Miller's work this year, as I do own quite a lot of it.
Uncanny Vol. 4 is coming out in a few months and I may save a Christmas gift card to buy it, but his run on this series lasted 15 years, and Vol.3 only takes us through year 3 or 4. Even this volume introduces the New Mutants spin-off (which has an Omnibus I'd like to get someday). After 4, we end up with multiple titles, cross-overs, and...a lot of books I do not own and don't know if I need to own? We'll see. I really loved this volume though! X-Men are good comics.
August 27, 2025
I finished reading The Uncanny X-Men Omnibus vol. 3. This included issues #154-175 as well as the original Wolverine limited series and the Magik limited series spanning roughly 1982-1984. It also included the famous graphic novel God Loves, Man Kills. It was almost exclusively written by Chris Claremont with art primarily by Dave Cockrum and Paul Smith.
This section of X-Men history includes one of my favorites stories: the Brood Saga, introducing the Brood as characters and spanning a large number of issues. We also had the first appearance of Callisto and the Morlocks, Madelyn Pryor, and Rogue joining the team after her appearances with the Brother(Sister)hood of Mutants.
There are so many iconic issues among these. I've read most of them before, having spent time with the Brood Saga when I was much younger. The Wolverine mini-series I could take or leave. The Magik mini-series--while not a favorite of mine--shows some alternate reality X-Men as well as the dangling plotline of what happened in the seconds that Illyana Rasputin (Colossus's sister) disappeared while escaping limbo and reappeared 7 years older.
While I have never loved Storm's punk/mohawk phase, I do enjoy the struggle she has after the Brood Saga with who she is, in large part brought on by her conflict with Callisto and the Morlocks. We also see the X-Men (particularly Storm) face off against Marvel's version of Dracula on two separate occasions--both of which I do enjoy.
Overall, I'd say this was probably my favorite of the X-Men Omnibus volumes so far. The heroes have become well-defined by this point and even the villains are becoming more than two-dimensional archetypes. Overall, definitely a 5/5.
This section of X-Men history includes one of my favorites stories: the Brood Saga, introducing the Brood as characters and spanning a large number of issues. We also had the first appearance of Callisto and the Morlocks, Madelyn Pryor, and Rogue joining the team after her appearances with the Brother(Sister)hood of Mutants.
There are so many iconic issues among these. I've read most of them before, having spent time with the Brood Saga when I was much younger. The Wolverine mini-series I could take or leave. The Magik mini-series--while not a favorite of mine--shows some alternate reality X-Men as well as the dangling plotline of what happened in the seconds that Illyana Rasputin (Colossus's sister) disappeared while escaping limbo and reappeared 7 years older.
While I have never loved Storm's punk/mohawk phase, I do enjoy the struggle she has after the Brood Saga with who she is, in large part brought on by her conflict with Callisto and the Morlocks. We also see the X-Men (particularly Storm) face off against Marvel's version of Dracula on two separate occasions--both of which I do enjoy.
Overall, I'd say this was probably my favorite of the X-Men Omnibus volumes so far. The heroes have become well-defined by this point and even the villains are becoming more than two-dimensional archetypes. Overall, definitely a 5/5.
May 13, 2021
This is the third volume in Chris Claremont’s X-Men run. It contains issues #154-#175, X-Men Annual #7, plus some key mini-series of the early 80s. “God loves, Man kills,” Logan’s first 4 issue mini-series, “Wolverine,” and the harrowing 4 issue origin mini-series about Illanya Rasputin, “Magik.” There is also a generous set of Marvel Universe entries for X-Men and their related characters as well as a gorgeous cover gallery. This content alone certainly makes this omnibus edition worth the price, but these editions really are an embarrassment of riches. There are some very enlightening essays by Louise Simonson, who was the books editor during this run, reprinted letter columns (which I have to say, I enjoyed as much as the comics) and some interviews with Chris Claremont and the artist for “God Loves, Man Kills,” a book by the way that feels as relevant now as when it was released.
I came to the X-Men in the late 80s. Just a few issues before the mutant massacre. And I did my best to rummage the back issue boxes to round out my collection. At the time I had only gotten to maybe the 180s. These omnibus editions have filled a big void in my X-Men knowledge.
I did not know that the XMen had a serious beef with Dracula. Or that Ororo was much more than just a mutant capable of controlling the weather. I thought I knew about the Brood Saga, but it turns out what I knew was only the barest skeleton of an amazing, shocking, edge of your seat thrill ride. It’s nice to have all these issues in one place, well curated for the reader to make the most chronological sense.
If you are an X-Men fan this is a book you will want to pick up.
I came to the X-Men in the late 80s. Just a few issues before the mutant massacre. And I did my best to rummage the back issue boxes to round out my collection. At the time I had only gotten to maybe the 180s. These omnibus editions have filled a big void in my X-Men knowledge.
I did not know that the XMen had a serious beef with Dracula. Or that Ororo was much more than just a mutant capable of controlling the weather. I thought I knew about the Brood Saga, but it turns out what I knew was only the barest skeleton of an amazing, shocking, edge of your seat thrill ride. It’s nice to have all these issues in one place, well curated for the reader to make the most chronological sense.
If you are an X-Men fan this is a book you will want to pick up.
March 5, 2025
Another fine volume of comics here to be sure. There is a bit of a lull of interesting stories at first, but then we get into the Brood story, God Loves, Man Kills, the Wolverine miniseries drawn by Frank Miller and, oddly placed as it feels, the Magik miniseries (probably here because of how much Storm is involved in it).
I do get the feeling that this is where some people would normally drop off or skip ahead because God Loves, Man Kills, is probably the only majorly significant piece of longstanding lore here. I'm determined though, and overall I had a good time with these stories as well. I'm all for X-Men in space so the Brood story was especially fun.
This omni is also where we see Rogue joining the team and the introduction of the Morlocks, who as an idea are pretty cool in my book. They invite some unique elements and different stories to be told when they show up, and again, I just had a lot of fun reading those issues.
So yeah, another fine volume overall.
I do get the feeling that this is where some people would normally drop off or skip ahead because God Loves, Man Kills, is probably the only majorly significant piece of longstanding lore here. I'm determined though, and overall I had a good time with these stories as well. I'm all for X-Men in space so the Brood story was especially fun.
This omni is also where we see Rogue joining the team and the introduction of the Morlocks, who as an idea are pretty cool in my book. They invite some unique elements and different stories to be told when they show up, and again, I just had a lot of fun reading those issues.
So yeah, another fine volume overall.
March 24, 2024
The definitive X-Men Omnibus. This is the part of the run where Claremont was in his element and realized what X-Men could be. The Brood Saga, God Loves Man Kills, and Wolverines first solo series. God Loves Man, Kills is the graphic novel you give to someone to understand the X-Men. The books was influential enough to have the X-2 movie be based on it but nothing can be the comic. Themes in this volume are precient and still relevent today. There is nothing I can say that hasnt been already said about these stories but I had to put it somewhere! Def worth reading if you want to read the highlight of Claremont's X-Men. He's the best there is at what he does and what he does is actually very nice.
June 1, 2024
This one doesn’t hit hard as vol 2 and not that many new mutant introductions or expansion of the team but several highlights, Frank Miller (pre crazy days) artwork on the solo Wolverine is amazing, seeing Claremont branch out with developing characters is great. The Brood saga just went too long for my liking, God Loves Man Kills is easily 5 stars and the Magik series was a really heartbreaking tale that develops Ilyana into her own special character.
So the highs definitely overshadow the lows but the lows can feel a bit draggy but again Claremont is doing really amazing work, almost feels like a tv show come to life.
So the highs definitely overshadow the lows but the lows can feel a bit draggy but again Claremont is doing really amazing work, almost feels like a tv show come to life.
June 8, 2021
The X-Men saga continues and, as it exploded in popularity, so come the new titles, mini-series, and one-shots all designed to drive sales. This omnibus remains solid: the Uncanny books are fantastic. The Wolverine mini (and the UXM two-parter tied to it) is legendary, and the Magik series works well enough. But there is already a growing sense of dilution that would soon lead to a deluge of spin-offs, storylines, and subplots that would create a convoluted universe far beyond its simpler origins.
May 23, 2022
I still find it tough to review these Omnibuses. They're a great way to collect and read stories, but each one has so much content it's hard to give one simple review for the whole.
Like, this volume includes The Brood Saga, the introduction of the Morlocks, 2 weddings, the Wolverine miniseries, the Magik miniseries, multiple annuals, God Loves, Man Kills, and more besides. How do you give one star rating to all that?
But at the end of the day, its peak Claremont with some fantastic art teams and wonderful, iconic stories. Which I guess gets 4 stars from me.
Like, this volume includes The Brood Saga, the introduction of the Morlocks, 2 weddings, the Wolverine miniseries, the Magik miniseries, multiple annuals, God Loves, Man Kills, and more besides. How do you give one star rating to all that?
But at the end of the day, its peak Claremont with some fantastic art teams and wonderful, iconic stories. Which I guess gets 4 stars from me.
June 6, 2021
Some absolute classics contained here.
- All of Paul Smith's issues on art (with Bob Wiacek inking). I don't know that the title ever looked better.
- The Wolverine mini series with Frank Miller.
- Rogue joining the X-Men.
- The introduction of Callisto and the Morlocks.
- God Loves, Man Kills!
I've always found the Magik limited series to be a bit of a slog to be honest, and in my opinion Cockrum's art has nothing on Byrne or Smith's, but this is still a great collection.
- All of Paul Smith's issues on art (with Bob Wiacek inking). I don't know that the title ever looked better.
- The Wolverine mini series with Frank Miller.
- Rogue joining the X-Men.
- The introduction of Callisto and the Morlocks.
- God Loves, Man Kills!
I've always found the Magik limited series to be a bit of a slog to be honest, and in my opinion Cockrum's art has nothing on Byrne or Smith's, but this is still a great collection.
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