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The Uncanny X-Men Omnibus
The X-Men Omnibus, Vol. 2
This is the original X-Men: ReLoad featuring the mutantdom's first new costumes and the death of Professor X So hold on to your hats as the X-Men go toe-to-toe against Juggernaut, the Mole Man, Mekano, the Changeling and more menaces than any other mutants' muster could match
Collecting: X-Men #32-66, Avengers #53, Ka-Zar #2-3, Marvel Tales #30
Collecting: X-Men #32-66, Avengers #53, Ka-Zar #2-3, Marvel Tales #30
890 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 1971
25 people are currently reading
192 people want to read
About the author
Roy Thomas
4,479 books271 followersRoy Thomas was the FIRST Editor-in-Chief at Marvel--After Stan Lee stepped down from the position. Roy is a longtime comic book writer and editor. Thomas has written comics for Archie, Charlton, DC, Heroic Publishing, Marvel, and Topps over the years. Thomas currently edits the fanzine Alter Ego for Twomorrow's Publishing. He was Editor for Marvel comics from 1972-1974. He wrote for several titles at Marvel, such as Avengers, Thor, Invaders, Fantastic Four, X-Men, and notably Conan the Barbarian. Thomas is also known for his championing of Golden Age comic-book heroes — particularly the 1940s superhero team the Justice Society of America — and for lengthy writing stints on Marvel's X-Men and Avengers, and DC Comics' All-Star Squadron, among other titles.
Also a legendary creator. Creations include Wolverine, Carol Danvers, Ghost Rider, Vision, Iron Fist, Luke Cage, Valkyrie, Morbius, Doc Samson, and Ultron. Roy has also worked for Archie, Charlton, and DC among others over the years.
Also a legendary creator. Creations include Wolverine, Carol Danvers, Ghost Rider, Vision, Iron Fist, Luke Cage, Valkyrie, Morbius, Doc Samson, and Ultron. Roy has also worked for Archie, Charlton, and DC among others over the years.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
July 25, 2023
Wish I could have finished this sooner but I got caught doing other things a few times. Anyway, another run of old school classic X-Men comics ran through. Here we get some retuning villains like Juggernaut, The Blob amongst others and of course Magneto showing up like every 7-10 issues. Always scheming. Plus we get some more first appearances. We get Havoc, Polaris, Sauron and Sunfire. The issue Sunfire appears in, you can definitely understand why he was trying to attack the capitol building. And can’t forget about the “death” of Professor X. In the first volume, we had the love triangle with Scott, Angel and Jean with Cyclops and Marvel Girl coming out of that together. Here we get another one with Bobby, Havoc and Polaris. Looking like it will be Havoc and Polaris coming out of that one together. Don’t worry Iceman, there’s always Zelda. As this book progressed, I found myself really having fun with these stories. Especially towards the end. Reading these two omnibuses, you can see the team slowly getting better and better as a team and becoming more skilled as combatants. Looking forward to keeping this rolling with re-reading the Uncanny X-Men omnibuses. But first up next is the X-Men epic collection: It’s Always Darkest Before the Dawn.
March 9, 2014
Like the previous omnibus, it's very much a mixed bag. I struggled to make it through this one probably because it's starts off right in the middle of Roy Thomas/Werner Roth's run. Lots of third rate villains, crossover guest appearances from more successful comics, and repeating returns of villains from early in the X-Men run as well as throw-away villains from other Marvel comics.
Sure, eventually Doom Patrol co-creator Arnold Drake comes eventually and makes X-Men more enjoyable to read. In contrast, Roy Thomas' previous writing/scripting was way too cluttered with unnecessary narration boxes, speech bubbles, and thought bubbles.
And, of course, Neal Adam's efforts for the X-Men is definitely appealing and a high mark for the book for the few issues he was able to be a part of.
Of course, the last half of this book are the only parts really worth reading if you're interested in reading this silver age stuff at all. It isn't until All-New Giant Sized X-Men when the X-Men finally gets some direction to go.
Like the first omnibus, I only recommend it for hardcore X-Men fans or collectors.
Sure, eventually Doom Patrol co-creator Arnold Drake comes eventually and makes X-Men more enjoyable to read. In contrast, Roy Thomas' previous writing/scripting was way too cluttered with unnecessary narration boxes, speech bubbles, and thought bubbles.
And, of course, Neal Adam's efforts for the X-Men is definitely appealing and a high mark for the book for the few issues he was able to be a part of.
Of course, the last half of this book are the only parts really worth reading if you're interested in reading this silver age stuff at all. It isn't until All-New Giant Sized X-Men when the X-Men finally gets some direction to go.
Like the first omnibus, I only recommend it for hardcore X-Men fans or collectors.
November 29, 2023
Things really start picking up especially with Roy Thomas writing. Then the Neal Adams portion is great, it doesn't age, It holds up!
April 2, 2024
More of a 3.5. It was better than expected! Besides Neal Adams, we have a couple of issues by Steranko, and the Thomas issues are readable. The middle part with Arnold Drake are quite boring though. But it has its charm. It's amazing that the series was cancelled because it was selling "only" 200k per issue 🥲
December 29, 2014
This second X-Men omnibus collects issues #32 through #66 (including The Avengers #53, Ka-Zar #2 and #3 and Marvel Tales #30) of the original X-men comic. The omnibus is beautiful, reprinting these 50 year old comics in glorious oversized color pages in a well bound hardcover book. The contents however are a bit of a mixed bag.
Issues #32 - #43 are written by Roy Thomas and are hardly noteworthy. These are standalone stories culminating in a multi-issue finale featuring a nefarious band of villains called "Factor Three". Some of the X-Men silliest foes re-appear here, like the Blob and Unus. Thomas' run is repetetive and dull; the art by Werner Roth and/or Don Heck is functional but hardly note-worthy. Frankly, reading these issues, it is no wonder that the X-Men was one of Marvel's least popular titles. I rate them 2/5.
Gary Friedrich takes over the writing duties for issues #44-#47. At this point, one of the X-men has died and the remainig X-Men have disbanded and are now scattered into small groups. Each of these issues features only some of the X-Men, usually in a stand-alone plot. [1,5/5]
Starting in issue #38 each issue features two stories: a 15 page main story and a 5 page ongoing story about the origins of the X-Men. These background stories (prequels to issue #1) are frequently more interesting and entertaining than the main story. These prequels run up to issue #57 where they are discontinued before Jean Grey's background story gets told, which is unfortunate. [2,5/5]
Things get more interesting when Arnold Drake takes over scripting duties in issue #48. His stories are slightly better and more serialized, often told in the course of 4 or more issues. Combined with the penciling prowess of artists like Jim Steranko (issue 50-51) some of these stories are truly special. When newcomer Neal Adams takes over the art in #56 he, together with Drake, elevates the X-Men comic to a whole new level. Together they create some of the first classic stories in the X-Men canon when the Sentinels returns in issues #57-#59. It's these three issues only that I would rate 5/5. Unfortunately the quality drops after that. Drake and Adams still manage to write a couple of great yarns, but soon both Adams and Drake are taken of the X-Men and the entire title is put on the shelves, only for Chris Claremont to have another stab at these characters 5 years later.
So a marvelous book, collecting some essential material for X-Men enthusiasts. But the quality of the stories isn't always there.
Now I can finally start reading my Claremont omnibus!
Issues #32 - #43 are written by Roy Thomas and are hardly noteworthy. These are standalone stories culminating in a multi-issue finale featuring a nefarious band of villains called "Factor Three". Some of the X-Men silliest foes re-appear here, like the Blob and Unus. Thomas' run is repetetive and dull; the art by Werner Roth and/or Don Heck is functional but hardly note-worthy. Frankly, reading these issues, it is no wonder that the X-Men was one of Marvel's least popular titles. I rate them 2/5.
Gary Friedrich takes over the writing duties for issues #44-#47. At this point, one of the X-men has died and the remainig X-Men have disbanded and are now scattered into small groups. Each of these issues features only some of the X-Men, usually in a stand-alone plot. [1,5/5]
Starting in issue #38 each issue features two stories: a 15 page main story and a 5 page ongoing story about the origins of the X-Men. These background stories (prequels to issue #1) are frequently more interesting and entertaining than the main story. These prequels run up to issue #57 where they are discontinued before Jean Grey's background story gets told, which is unfortunate. [2,5/5]
Things get more interesting when Arnold Drake takes over scripting duties in issue #48. His stories are slightly better and more serialized, often told in the course of 4 or more issues. Combined with the penciling prowess of artists like Jim Steranko (issue 50-51) some of these stories are truly special. When newcomer Neal Adams takes over the art in #56 he, together with Drake, elevates the X-Men comic to a whole new level. Together they create some of the first classic stories in the X-Men canon when the Sentinels returns in issues #57-#59. It's these three issues only that I would rate 5/5. Unfortunately the quality drops after that. Drake and Adams still manage to write a couple of great yarns, but soon both Adams and Drake are taken of the X-Men and the entire title is put on the shelves, only for Chris Claremont to have another stab at these characters 5 years later.
So a marvelous book, collecting some essential material for X-Men enthusiasts. But the quality of the stories isn't always there.
Now I can finally start reading my Claremont omnibus!
January 9, 2024
These are still Silver Age comic books, but I do prefer Roy Thomas writing the X-Men over Stan Lee in the previous volume.
March 12, 2025
2025 - Days of Future Past: 365 Days of The X-Men
Day 32 - 71
Angel backup in Ka-Zar #2: I honestly don’t remember there being a male villain using the Dazzler name, let alone it being Angel’s uncle.
Day 32 - 71
Angel backup in Ka-Zar #2: I honestly don’t remember there being a male villain using the Dazzler name, let alone it being Angel’s uncle.
October 8, 2016
One of comicdom's greatest spread of stories. The grand finale of the original X-Men's run with the great Neal Adams magnificent stories all collected in one high end collector's oversized volume. A certain must-have for all serious X-Men fans. And one of my very favorite books.
March 18, 2024
This begins with some terrible X-Men, but there’s some great art with solid stories near the end. Honestly, start with issue #49 and read to the end. I can’t really recommend the whole omnibus for anyone who’s not a huge X-Fan. Just get the X-Men Epic Collection Vol. 3: The Sentinels Live.
X-Men #32 ⧫ 2.5 Stars “Beware the Juggernaut, My Son!”
A weird start with a decent middle and a dumb ending.
X-Men #33 ⧫ 2 Stars “Into the Crimson Cosmos!”
Some cool ideas, but mostly dumb fighting.
X-Men #34 ⧫ 2.5 Stars “War–in a World of Darkness!”
Let’s distract from the main plot with a ridiculous subterranean story! It’s stupid, but fun.
X-Men #35 ⧫ 1.5 Stars “Along Came a Spider...”
X-Men vs. Spider-Man for basically no reason. Banshee moves the plot slightly forward.
X-Men #36 ⧫ 1.5 Stars “Mekano Lives!”
Early and rushed Ross Andru takes over here. Judge him by his Spider-Man work rather than this. Here, the X-Men forget they have a jet and run out of money, so they look for a loan, then work, then luck into money… A literally skippable issue.
X-Men #37 ⧫ 2.5 Stars “We, the Jury...”
Alright, roughly the last three issues were skippable, but now the Factor Three stuff comes to a head, and there’s some decent action. It’s not original, but it’s decent.
X-Men #38
“The Sinister Shadow of... Doomsday!” ⧫ 2 Stars
A mess of nearly nonsensical knuckle negotiations as Stan might have said, but it’s at least moving forward.
“A Man Called...X” ⧫ 3 Stars
Going back and connecting some of the early X-stuff is a good impulse. This is where many of the foundations for great later X-Men stuff is built.
X-Men #39
“The Fateful Finale!” ⧫ 1.5 Stars
The end of Factor Three, and it’s unsurprisingly really dumb. Also, I would give this a half star for Angel’s new Costume, but the other costumes are actually pretty good…
Lonely are the Hunted! ⧫ 2.5 Stars
Another decent prequel story, but the unhoused robbers bring it down somewhat.
X-Men #40
“The Mark of the Monster!” ⧫ 1 Star
Marvel’s Frankenstein sucks.
“The First Evil Mutant!” ⧫ 1.5 Stars
Okay, this is also getting bad and ridiculous. Jack O’Diamonds is really lame.
X-Men #41
“Now Strikes...the Sub-Human!” ⧫ ½ Star
Why? Why this hollow earth nonsense?
“The Living Diamond” ⧫ 1 Star
Also, just bad.
X-Men #42
“If I Should Die...!” ⧫ ½ Star
Really? The professor “died” from that? He didn’t, but wow, this issue really wants to be important. These issues start referencing Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch stuff from Avengers issues at the time, next issue references issue #49.
“The End... or the Beginning?’ ⧫ 1 Stars
I feel like both issues have the same “too close to an explosion” ending. I suppose it’s fitting for lame Cyclops to enter with a lame villain as part of a lame story.
X-Men #43
“The Torch Is Passed...!” ⧫ 2.5 Stars
Mostly good X-Men vs. Magneto story with appropriate grieving for the “dead” professor. Only the X-Men’s stupid plan kind of ruins it. Runs alongside Avengers #50
“Call Him...Cyclops” ⧫ 3 Stars
Fine first explanation for Cyclops’ powers.
X-Men #44
“Red Raven, Red Raven...!” ⧫ ½ Star
New scripter… This comic is really going off the rails. Magneto does dumb villain stuff and then Angel vs. Bird People. Runs alongside Avengers #51
“The Iceman Cometh!” ⧫ 3 Stars
Good, if standard mutant stuff for Iceman, but pretty standard.
X-Men #45
“When Mutants Clash!” ⧫ 2.5 Stars
More action, fine, if bland.
“And the Mob Cried...Vengeance!” ⧫ 3 Stars
Still fine.
Avengers #53 ⧫ “In Battle Joined!” ⧫ 3 Stars
It’s weird seeing the art upgrade even if the story amounts to very little.
X-Men #46
“The End of the X-Men!” ⧫ 1.5 Stars
They’re throwing everything at the wall… Unfortunately, everything is still kind of lame.
“...And Then There Were Two” ⧫ 3 Stars
Yep, still fine. Sorry about the repetition. I know this is the origin of much of what would make the X-Men unique and different, but it’s basically the same thing over and over, but that thing is the the standard thing for the X-Men in the future, so it’s hard to judge.
X-Men #47
“The Warlock Wears Three Faces!” ⧫ ½ Star
A rough first issue for Drake. A lame villain and high levels of sexism make this a tough sell.
“I, the Iceman” ⧫ 3 Stars
And now, Iceman’s powers!
X-Men #48
“Beware Computo, Commander of the Robot Hive!” ⧫ 2 Stars
Ah yes, a lame villain reveal. The art is bad. It really tries with the sex appeal, well it kinda tries. Apparently Cyclops is sexy… No, I’m not a Cyclops fan.
“Yours Truly, the Beast” ⧫ 3 Stars
More fine mutant-intro stuff for the Beast.
X-Men #49
“Who Dares Defy... the Demi-Men” ⧫ 3 Stars
Okay, this is an all over the place issue, but it actually starts a pretty intense arc that’s brought together by some great art over the next few issues. It introduces a major future X-Character
“A Beast Is Born” ⧫ 3 Stars
The children of the atom stuff is codified here with Beast’s conception.
X-Men #50
“–Hail, Queen of Mutants!” ⧫ 4 Stars
So, I know about the big art upgrade later in the Silver Age, but seeing Steranko, even rushed Steranko suddenly drawing the X-Men was like being awakened from sleep by a glacier falling on my junk. I’ve read Steranko’s Nick Fury, and this is nowhere near that, but the art, alongside, Drake’s rather weird and dark conspiracy story makes this arc at least a curiosity to check out. Also, I shouldn’t have been as affected by that end villain reveal, but the dynamism and weirdness of the episode really sold it for me, and I already knew Lorna’s backstory!
“This Boy–This Bombshell!” ⧫ 3 Stars
More fine origin stuff with a hint toward a very dumb villain.
X-Men #51
“The Devil Had a Daughter!” ⧫ 3.5 Stars
More Steranko insanity. It’s definitely rushed, but it’s way more how the Factor 3 arc should have gone.
“The Lure of the Beast-Nappers!” ⧫ 2 Stars
I miss the standard people hate mutants stuff.
X-Men #52
“Twilight of the Mutants!” ⧫ 3.5 Stars
Major art downgrade, but the story actually makes sense with the X-Men actually doing something!
“The Crimes of the Conquistador!” ⧫ 2 Stars
The Conquistador is so stupid.
X-Men #53
“The Rage of Blastaar!” ⧫ 3 Stars
Such a weird issue. It feels much more like an early Fantastic Four issue, made weirder by Barry Smith doing his best Jack Kirby impression> It’s hit or miss; he can’t draw girls yet, but when Barry returns after the X-Men reboot, and adds Windsor to his name, he draws some of the best issues of the series, see the “Lifedeath” storyline for some absolute 5 Star X-Men. Here, it’s probably not objectively good, but it’s a fine change and a Marvel milestone.
“Welcome to the Club, Beast!” ⧫ 2.5 Stars
And, no more Conquistador!
X-Men #54
“Wanted: Dead or Alive... Cyclops!” ⧫ 2.5 Stars
Alex Summers debut! And, it’s pretty awkward. The pharaoh is silly, and the start of this arc is really wonky, like the panels don’t show everything. Still, the art’s better, and it kind of works.
“The Million Dollar Angel” ⧫ 4 Stars
How does Angel have the coolest backstory? Young Angel being an avid climber is great. Angel saves the day and plays into his powers! It’s more creativity than the others got. I’ve read an update of this story, and I think it really works.
X-Men #55
“The Living Pharaoh!” ⧫ 2.5 Stars
It comes together next issue…
“Where Angels Dare to Tread!” ⧫ 3.5 Stars
Angel as a solo hero is fun! Some classic Marvel hero battles happen.
X-Men #56
“What is...the Power?” ⧫ 3.5 Stars
Neal Adams comes in with a Bronze Age hammer, and this book gets insane. I know it’s not quite the Bronze Age yet, but man, this is what it looks like. The superstar artists make this book look so cool. The Pharaoh's schemes kind of make sense, and it all looks amazing. Angel and Marvel girl get the spotlight, and the book gets genuinely good again!
“The Flying A-Bomb!” ⧫ 3.5 Stars
Angel proves himself. It’s still great.
X-Men #57
“The Sentinels Live!” ⧫ 3.5 Stars
Roy Thomas returns to the book, and alongside Neal Adams makes the Sentinels into what people remember. Massive, purple, busting through roofs. These are what people remember. There is still some wonkiness with the end of the Pharaoh stuff, but largely, it’s good!
“The Female of the Species!” ⧫ 2 Stars
And, Jean’s powers are displayed with a healthy dose of sexism.
X-Men #58 ⧫ 4 Stars “Mission: Murder!”
The Sentinels continue to be major threats, and it’s pretty awesome. This reaches back, bringing all the previous mutants together.
X-Men #59 ⧫ 4 Stars “Do or Die, Baby!”
The arc end with some cool twists! It’s actually kind of a shame that the series is going to end, though it definitely has been a rough road.
X-Men #60 ⧫ 3.5 Stars “In the Shadow of...Sauron!”
I’m not a huge Sauron or Savage Land fan, but the start here is pretty cool. This is just the core of the villain, and I like it. I’m used to him showing up and doing his thing with little to no reason. The art definitely helps.
X-Men #61 ⧫ 3.5 Stars “Monsters Also Weep”
Sauron’s rampage continues, and I’m not used to all the pathos for the pterosaur man.
X-Men #62 ⧫ 3 Stars “Strangers ...in a Savage Land”
Once in the Savage Land proper, I really lose interest. This is the first appearance of the mutates, and I’ve never found them interesting. Some cool critter fights, but I just can’t. Angel finally gets a good costume!
X-Men #63 ⧫ 2.5 Stars “War in the World Below!”
Girl make boys go dumb. Ugh, at least Jean gets to save the day, but this is Roy Thomas on autopilot.
X-Men #64 ⧫ 3 Stars “The Coming of Sunfire!”
Don Heck actually mimics Neal Adams somewhat well. It’s certainly not as dynamic, but it’s serviceable. Sunfire’s story is fine. It feels somewhat rushed, and it will be expanded on later. The ending is good, but it’s a shame not much is really done with it.
X-Men #65 ⧫ 3 Stars “Before I'd Be Slave...”
Great art, silly story. I did not expect the return of Professor X to be so mediocre. It takes up a huge part of the book, and I feel like this would have been way better if Marvel Girl had to step up and take on the aliens. This does get picked up with the Shi’ar stuff later, but here it comes out of nowhere. This is more notable for having Denny O'Neil and Neal Adams together prior to their legendary runs on Green Lantern/Green Arrow and helping redefine Batman, essentially starting the Bronze Age.
X-Men #66 ⧫ 2.5 Stars “The Mutants and the Monster”
It’s a Hulk story… The X-Men fight the Hulk for a gizmo. And, that’s it! Canceled. I can see why. The X-Men Epic Collection Volume 4: It's Always Darkest Before the Dawn collects many of the team’s appearances while they were canceled, and John Byrne wrote X-Men: The Hidden Years later as well as X-Men: First Class, the comic, to do more, but it ends here for awhile, and that makes sense. It just seems like nobody wanted the original X-Men.
Ka-Zar #2-3, Marvel Tales #30 ⧫ 3 Stars “From the Sky… Winged Wrath!” “...In the Den of the Dazzler!” “To Cage an Angel!”
This is a very Golden Age story with some decent art that sheds a little more light on the Angel. It’s written by Superman co-creator, Jerry Siegel, and it’s pretty decent. Maybe I’m biased, but it’s a good Angel story, if somewhat stereotypical. Also, I had no idea there was an original Dazzler who is rightfully forgotten because he sucks.
Other Omnibus Reviews
X-Men Omnibus #1
Amazing Spider-Man Omnibus #1
Untold Tales of Spider-Man Omnibus
Amazing Spider-Man Omnibus #2
Amazing Spider-Man Omnibus #3
Amazing Spider-Man Omnibus #4
Amazing Spider-Man Omnibus #5
Spectacular Spider-Man Omnibus #1
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
X-Men #32 ⧫ 2.5 Stars “Beware the Juggernaut, My Son!”
A weird start with a decent middle and a dumb ending.
X-Men #33 ⧫ 2 Stars “Into the Crimson Cosmos!”
Some cool ideas, but mostly dumb fighting.
X-Men #34 ⧫ 2.5 Stars “War–in a World of Darkness!”
Let’s distract from the main plot with a ridiculous subterranean story! It’s stupid, but fun.
X-Men #35 ⧫ 1.5 Stars “Along Came a Spider...”
X-Men vs. Spider-Man for basically no reason. Banshee moves the plot slightly forward.
X-Men #36 ⧫ 1.5 Stars “Mekano Lives!”
Early and rushed Ross Andru takes over here. Judge him by his Spider-Man work rather than this. Here, the X-Men forget they have a jet and run out of money, so they look for a loan, then work, then luck into money… A literally skippable issue.
X-Men #37 ⧫ 2.5 Stars “We, the Jury...”
Alright, roughly the last three issues were skippable, but now the Factor Three stuff comes to a head, and there’s some decent action. It’s not original, but it’s decent.
X-Men #38
“The Sinister Shadow of... Doomsday!” ⧫ 2 Stars
A mess of nearly nonsensical knuckle negotiations as Stan might have said, but it’s at least moving forward.
“A Man Called...X” ⧫ 3 Stars
Going back and connecting some of the early X-stuff is a good impulse. This is where many of the foundations for great later X-Men stuff is built.
X-Men #39
“The Fateful Finale!” ⧫ 1.5 Stars
The end of Factor Three, and it’s unsurprisingly really dumb. Also, I would give this a half star for Angel’s new Costume, but the other costumes are actually pretty good…
Lonely are the Hunted! ⧫ 2.5 Stars
Another decent prequel story, but the unhoused robbers bring it down somewhat.
X-Men #40
“The Mark of the Monster!” ⧫ 1 Star
Marvel’s Frankenstein sucks.
“The First Evil Mutant!” ⧫ 1.5 Stars
Okay, this is also getting bad and ridiculous. Jack O’Diamonds is really lame.
X-Men #41
“Now Strikes...the Sub-Human!” ⧫ ½ Star
Why? Why this hollow earth nonsense?
“The Living Diamond” ⧫ 1 Star
Also, just bad.
X-Men #42
“If I Should Die...!” ⧫ ½ Star
Really? The professor “died” from that? He didn’t, but wow, this issue really wants to be important. These issues start referencing Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch stuff from Avengers issues at the time, next issue references issue #49.
“The End... or the Beginning?’ ⧫ 1 Stars
I feel like both issues have the same “too close to an explosion” ending. I suppose it’s fitting for lame Cyclops to enter with a lame villain as part of a lame story.
X-Men #43
“The Torch Is Passed...!” ⧫ 2.5 Stars
Mostly good X-Men vs. Magneto story with appropriate grieving for the “dead” professor. Only the X-Men’s stupid plan kind of ruins it. Runs alongside Avengers #50
“Call Him...Cyclops” ⧫ 3 Stars
Fine first explanation for Cyclops’ powers.
X-Men #44
“Red Raven, Red Raven...!” ⧫ ½ Star
New scripter… This comic is really going off the rails. Magneto does dumb villain stuff and then Angel vs. Bird People. Runs alongside Avengers #51
“The Iceman Cometh!” ⧫ 3 Stars
Good, if standard mutant stuff for Iceman, but pretty standard.
X-Men #45
“When Mutants Clash!” ⧫ 2.5 Stars
More action, fine, if bland.
“And the Mob Cried...Vengeance!” ⧫ 3 Stars
Still fine.
Avengers #53 ⧫ “In Battle Joined!” ⧫ 3 Stars
It’s weird seeing the art upgrade even if the story amounts to very little.
X-Men #46
“The End of the X-Men!” ⧫ 1.5 Stars
They’re throwing everything at the wall… Unfortunately, everything is still kind of lame.
“...And Then There Were Two” ⧫ 3 Stars
Yep, still fine. Sorry about the repetition. I know this is the origin of much of what would make the X-Men unique and different, but it’s basically the same thing over and over, but that thing is the the standard thing for the X-Men in the future, so it’s hard to judge.
X-Men #47
“The Warlock Wears Three Faces!” ⧫ ½ Star
A rough first issue for Drake. A lame villain and high levels of sexism make this a tough sell.
“I, the Iceman” ⧫ 3 Stars
And now, Iceman’s powers!
X-Men #48
“Beware Computo, Commander of the Robot Hive!” ⧫ 2 Stars
Ah yes, a lame villain reveal. The art is bad. It really tries with the sex appeal, well it kinda tries. Apparently Cyclops is sexy… No, I’m not a Cyclops fan.
“Yours Truly, the Beast” ⧫ 3 Stars
More fine mutant-intro stuff for the Beast.
X-Men #49
“Who Dares Defy... the Demi-Men” ⧫ 3 Stars
Okay, this is an all over the place issue, but it actually starts a pretty intense arc that’s brought together by some great art over the next few issues. It introduces a major future X-Character
“A Beast Is Born” ⧫ 3 Stars
The children of the atom stuff is codified here with Beast’s conception.
X-Men #50
“–Hail, Queen of Mutants!” ⧫ 4 Stars
So, I know about the big art upgrade later in the Silver Age, but seeing Steranko, even rushed Steranko suddenly drawing the X-Men was like being awakened from sleep by a glacier falling on my junk. I’ve read Steranko’s Nick Fury, and this is nowhere near that, but the art, alongside, Drake’s rather weird and dark conspiracy story makes this arc at least a curiosity to check out. Also, I shouldn’t have been as affected by that end villain reveal, but the dynamism and weirdness of the episode really sold it for me, and I already knew Lorna’s backstory!
“This Boy–This Bombshell!” ⧫ 3 Stars
More fine origin stuff with a hint toward a very dumb villain.
X-Men #51
“The Devil Had a Daughter!” ⧫ 3.5 Stars
More Steranko insanity. It’s definitely rushed, but it’s way more how the Factor 3 arc should have gone.
“The Lure of the Beast-Nappers!” ⧫ 2 Stars
I miss the standard people hate mutants stuff.
X-Men #52
“Twilight of the Mutants!” ⧫ 3.5 Stars
Major art downgrade, but the story actually makes sense with the X-Men actually doing something!
“The Crimes of the Conquistador!” ⧫ 2 Stars
The Conquistador is so stupid.
X-Men #53
“The Rage of Blastaar!” ⧫ 3 Stars
Such a weird issue. It feels much more like an early Fantastic Four issue, made weirder by Barry Smith doing his best Jack Kirby impression> It’s hit or miss; he can’t draw girls yet, but when Barry returns after the X-Men reboot, and adds Windsor to his name, he draws some of the best issues of the series, see the “Lifedeath” storyline for some absolute 5 Star X-Men. Here, it’s probably not objectively good, but it’s a fine change and a Marvel milestone.
“Welcome to the Club, Beast!” ⧫ 2.5 Stars
And, no more Conquistador!
X-Men #54
“Wanted: Dead or Alive... Cyclops!” ⧫ 2.5 Stars
Alex Summers debut! And, it’s pretty awkward. The pharaoh is silly, and the start of this arc is really wonky, like the panels don’t show everything. Still, the art’s better, and it kind of works.
“The Million Dollar Angel” ⧫ 4 Stars
How does Angel have the coolest backstory? Young Angel being an avid climber is great. Angel saves the day and plays into his powers! It’s more creativity than the others got. I’ve read an update of this story, and I think it really works.
X-Men #55
“The Living Pharaoh!” ⧫ 2.5 Stars
It comes together next issue…
“Where Angels Dare to Tread!” ⧫ 3.5 Stars
Angel as a solo hero is fun! Some classic Marvel hero battles happen.
X-Men #56
“What is...the Power?” ⧫ 3.5 Stars
Neal Adams comes in with a Bronze Age hammer, and this book gets insane. I know it’s not quite the Bronze Age yet, but man, this is what it looks like. The superstar artists make this book look so cool. The Pharaoh's schemes kind of make sense, and it all looks amazing. Angel and Marvel girl get the spotlight, and the book gets genuinely good again!
“The Flying A-Bomb!” ⧫ 3.5 Stars
Angel proves himself. It’s still great.
X-Men #57
“The Sentinels Live!” ⧫ 3.5 Stars
Roy Thomas returns to the book, and alongside Neal Adams makes the Sentinels into what people remember. Massive, purple, busting through roofs. These are what people remember. There is still some wonkiness with the end of the Pharaoh stuff, but largely, it’s good!
“The Female of the Species!” ⧫ 2 Stars
And, Jean’s powers are displayed with a healthy dose of sexism.
X-Men #58 ⧫ 4 Stars “Mission: Murder!”
The Sentinels continue to be major threats, and it’s pretty awesome. This reaches back, bringing all the previous mutants together.
X-Men #59 ⧫ 4 Stars “Do or Die, Baby!”
The arc end with some cool twists! It’s actually kind of a shame that the series is going to end, though it definitely has been a rough road.
X-Men #60 ⧫ 3.5 Stars “In the Shadow of...Sauron!”
I’m not a huge Sauron or Savage Land fan, but the start here is pretty cool. This is just the core of the villain, and I like it. I’m used to him showing up and doing his thing with little to no reason. The art definitely helps.
X-Men #61 ⧫ 3.5 Stars “Monsters Also Weep”
Sauron’s rampage continues, and I’m not used to all the pathos for the pterosaur man.
X-Men #62 ⧫ 3 Stars “Strangers ...in a Savage Land”
Once in the Savage Land proper, I really lose interest. This is the first appearance of the mutates, and I’ve never found them interesting. Some cool critter fights, but I just can’t. Angel finally gets a good costume!
X-Men #63 ⧫ 2.5 Stars “War in the World Below!”
Girl make boys go dumb. Ugh, at least Jean gets to save the day, but this is Roy Thomas on autopilot.
X-Men #64 ⧫ 3 Stars “The Coming of Sunfire!”
Don Heck actually mimics Neal Adams somewhat well. It’s certainly not as dynamic, but it’s serviceable. Sunfire’s story is fine. It feels somewhat rushed, and it will be expanded on later. The ending is good, but it’s a shame not much is really done with it.
X-Men #65 ⧫ 3 Stars “Before I'd Be Slave...”
Great art, silly story. I did not expect the return of Professor X to be so mediocre. It takes up a huge part of the book, and I feel like this would have been way better if Marvel Girl had to step up and take on the aliens. This does get picked up with the Shi’ar stuff later, but here it comes out of nowhere. This is more notable for having Denny O'Neil and Neal Adams together prior to their legendary runs on Green Lantern/Green Arrow and helping redefine Batman, essentially starting the Bronze Age.
X-Men #66 ⧫ 2.5 Stars “The Mutants and the Monster”
It’s a Hulk story… The X-Men fight the Hulk for a gizmo. And, that’s it! Canceled. I can see why. The X-Men Epic Collection Volume 4: It's Always Darkest Before the Dawn collects many of the team’s appearances while they were canceled, and John Byrne wrote X-Men: The Hidden Years later as well as X-Men: First Class, the comic, to do more, but it ends here for awhile, and that makes sense. It just seems like nobody wanted the original X-Men.
Ka-Zar #2-3, Marvel Tales #30 ⧫ 3 Stars “From the Sky… Winged Wrath!” “...In the Den of the Dazzler!” “To Cage an Angel!”
This is a very Golden Age story with some decent art that sheds a little more light on the Angel. It’s written by Superman co-creator, Jerry Siegel, and it’s pretty decent. Maybe I’m biased, but it’s a good Angel story, if somewhat stereotypical. Also, I had no idea there was an original Dazzler who is rightfully forgotten because he sucks.
Other Omnibus Reviews
X-Men Omnibus #1
Amazing Spider-Man Omnibus #1
Untold Tales of Spider-Man Omnibus
Amazing Spider-Man Omnibus #2
Amazing Spider-Man Omnibus #3
Amazing Spider-Man Omnibus #4
Amazing Spider-Man Omnibus #5
Spectacular Spider-Man Omnibus #1
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
October 29, 2023
It may seem hard for modern fans to believe, but The X-Men were a bunch of also-rans back in the 1960s. No matter who worked on the title, it seemed like no one put a lot of effort into it. These were just in between other assignment jobs to most. Sure, Roy Thomas did some occasionally clever stuff, but it really wasn't until Issue 50 that this title was a serious contender. That iconic logo that adorned the cover for decades was created by Jim Steranko, who stepped in for a mere two issues and seemed to jump start things.
That's not to say that every issue prior to #50 sucked. Werner Roth did some fine artwork, sure, but much of this stuff was just sort of there. Even Roy Thomas was hit or miss. I am a fan of his work, but he didn't seem to give this book as much care as he did The Avengers. Only when he was able to make them identifiable to teenagers of the day was he able to make it work. The whole outsiders, us versus them, establishment versus the new generation zeitgeist bit was when the title hit it's stride. I found in interesting that the term Cybertron was used repeatedly in #48. Computo's cyrbernetic servants were called Cybertrons. This obviously predates Transformers by 15 years.
Once Neal Adams came on board this title became the best that Marvel was publishing at the time. Indeed, the Thomas/Adams era of this title ranks right up there with the Claremont/Byrne run. Like them, Thomas pushed Adams who pushed Thomas to write more intelligently. In short, issues #56-63 and 65 are art of the highest order. Read those issues and then read anything that Marvel is doing today and try telling me that their comic books are better now. They're not.
If you are an aspiring comic book artist then Neal Adams should be your god. Adams' artwork is kinetic and actually seems to thrust from panel to panel and off of the page. Paired with inker Tom Palmer, Adams was an unstoppable force of nature. His panel layouts and composition were groundbreaking. What makes his work even more impressive to me is that he wasn't doing this to option a television or movie deal, nor was he trying to do “iconic” images to license on t-shirts or whatnot. He simply made art. If there were a Mount Rushmore of the all time greatest comic book artists then Adams would be on it. Photo realistic comic book art should never be considered out of style.
Thomas and Adams went from strength to strength, trying to top themselves with each and every issue. The twist endings and subplots take your breath away. These comics move at such a brisk clip that I was left begging for more, not screaming for mercy. These guys are still alive and it would be great if they could do more X-Men stories together. A guy can dream, right?
My favorite issues were the ones with the Sentinels. While it was Lee and Kirby who introduced them, it was Thomas and Adams who ushered in the growing anti-mutant hysteria that Chris Claremont would build upon in the '70s and '80s to great effect. Sauron was another fantastic introduction. I'm going to level with you. I could sit here and gush endlessly about Roy Thomas and Neal Adams' X-Men, it is that good. I weep for the children who have never read this stuff and accept what now passes as the X-Men.
The Angel back-up stories from Ka-Zar and Marvel Tales were written by Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel. It makes me sad to think how poorly some of the legends were treated in their later years. I mean, you gave the world Superman and the best assignment you could give him were Angel back-up stories? Cripes. The more things change...
Many fans hold Not Brand Echh in almost mythical regard. I am not among those fans, as I find it to be unreadable. The only thing that I found enjoyable was Roy Thomas' Doom Patrol slam. You see, the Doom Patrol were led by a guy in a wheelchair and debuted at roughly the same time as The X-Men. It is standard Internet operating procedure for Marvel and DC fans to argue about who ripped off whom. I'm going to go out on a limb and just say that The X-Men were stolen from the 1953 science-fiction novel Children Of The Atom. Google it and decide for yourself. This renders The X-Men versus Doom Patrol argument moot.
I enjoyed the Mutant Mailbox letter pages which were included for each issue, especially seeing letters from future Marvel creators Tony Isabella, Mark Gruenwald, and Doug Moench.
This was an uneven read. It was admittedly tough slogging through some of these issues on the reread. If I ever revisit this material it will strictly be the Steranko and Thomas/Adams issues. The rest of these are of historical significance and are recommended for completists only. Please note that the rating below is an average. Some of the earlier issues in the book were abysmal and dragged the average down
That's not to say that every issue prior to #50 sucked. Werner Roth did some fine artwork, sure, but much of this stuff was just sort of there. Even Roy Thomas was hit or miss. I am a fan of his work, but he didn't seem to give this book as much care as he did The Avengers. Only when he was able to make them identifiable to teenagers of the day was he able to make it work. The whole outsiders, us versus them, establishment versus the new generation zeitgeist bit was when the title hit it's stride. I found in interesting that the term Cybertron was used repeatedly in #48. Computo's cyrbernetic servants were called Cybertrons. This obviously predates Transformers by 15 years.
Once Neal Adams came on board this title became the best that Marvel was publishing at the time. Indeed, the Thomas/Adams era of this title ranks right up there with the Claremont/Byrne run. Like them, Thomas pushed Adams who pushed Thomas to write more intelligently. In short, issues #56-63 and 65 are art of the highest order. Read those issues and then read anything that Marvel is doing today and try telling me that their comic books are better now. They're not.
If you are an aspiring comic book artist then Neal Adams should be your god. Adams' artwork is kinetic and actually seems to thrust from panel to panel and off of the page. Paired with inker Tom Palmer, Adams was an unstoppable force of nature. His panel layouts and composition were groundbreaking. What makes his work even more impressive to me is that he wasn't doing this to option a television or movie deal, nor was he trying to do “iconic” images to license on t-shirts or whatnot. He simply made art. If there were a Mount Rushmore of the all time greatest comic book artists then Adams would be on it. Photo realistic comic book art should never be considered out of style.
Thomas and Adams went from strength to strength, trying to top themselves with each and every issue. The twist endings and subplots take your breath away. These comics move at such a brisk clip that I was left begging for more, not screaming for mercy. These guys are still alive and it would be great if they could do more X-Men stories together. A guy can dream, right?
My favorite issues were the ones with the Sentinels. While it was Lee and Kirby who introduced them, it was Thomas and Adams who ushered in the growing anti-mutant hysteria that Chris Claremont would build upon in the '70s and '80s to great effect. Sauron was another fantastic introduction. I'm going to level with you. I could sit here and gush endlessly about Roy Thomas and Neal Adams' X-Men, it is that good. I weep for the children who have never read this stuff and accept what now passes as the X-Men.
The Angel back-up stories from Ka-Zar and Marvel Tales were written by Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel. It makes me sad to think how poorly some of the legends were treated in their later years. I mean, you gave the world Superman and the best assignment you could give him were Angel back-up stories? Cripes. The more things change...
Many fans hold Not Brand Echh in almost mythical regard. I am not among those fans, as I find it to be unreadable. The only thing that I found enjoyable was Roy Thomas' Doom Patrol slam. You see, the Doom Patrol were led by a guy in a wheelchair and debuted at roughly the same time as The X-Men. It is standard Internet operating procedure for Marvel and DC fans to argue about who ripped off whom. I'm going to go out on a limb and just say that The X-Men were stolen from the 1953 science-fiction novel Children Of The Atom. Google it and decide for yourself. This renders The X-Men versus Doom Patrol argument moot.
I enjoyed the Mutant Mailbox letter pages which were included for each issue, especially seeing letters from future Marvel creators Tony Isabella, Mark Gruenwald, and Doug Moench.
This was an uneven read. It was admittedly tough slogging through some of these issues on the reread. If I ever revisit this material it will strictly be the Steranko and Thomas/Adams issues. The rest of these are of historical significance and are recommended for completists only. Please note that the rating below is an average. Some of the earlier issues in the book were abysmal and dragged the average down
November 5, 2024
I finished reading The X-Men Omnibus Vol. 2 including the second half of the original Silver Age X-Men comics (and a few non-X-Men comics of that era featuring characters from the team). These issues were primarily written by Roy Thomas and Arnold Drake with art primarily by Werner Roth, Don Heck, and Neal Adams. This span of issues included the first appearances of characters such as Polaris, Havok, Sauron, Sunfire, and several forgettable villains.
Entering into this book, I did not have high hopes as the Silver Age is not my favorite form of comic storytelling nor art. Beyond that, the stories collected here are generally less iconic than those presented in Vol 1. Despite this, I feel that these writers were able to begin to flesh out the principle characters more giving a bit more personality and life to them than previously shown. I particularly enjoyed the arc of Polaris's first appearance.
I can't say that I loved these stories, but I feel they hold up better than earlier issues. The art also becomes less clunky and static, though, there are two panels of Cyclops's butt that are extremely awkward across two different issues.
The villains are still very one-dimensional (though, Sauron--the pterodactyl man--of all characters, probably came the closest to breaking that mold). While iconic villains like Magneto, Juggernaut, and the sentinels had several appearances, they themselves were not much better off. I am not surprised that several of the villains presented in these issues are hardly ever heard from again.
With issue #66, this series was cancelled in 1970. From there, reprints of older issues continued the numbering until the X-Men got their relaunch with a much my dynamic writer and interesting team in 1975.
While I, personally, enjoyed this volume more than the first, I can't say that it wasn't a bit of a slog. I'd still rank it a 2/5. Though, any completionist fan should read these, the Silver Age in general could probably be skipped for most casual readers.
Entering into this book, I did not have high hopes as the Silver Age is not my favorite form of comic storytelling nor art. Beyond that, the stories collected here are generally less iconic than those presented in Vol 1. Despite this, I feel that these writers were able to begin to flesh out the principle characters more giving a bit more personality and life to them than previously shown. I particularly enjoyed the arc of Polaris's first appearance.
I can't say that I loved these stories, but I feel they hold up better than earlier issues. The art also becomes less clunky and static, though, there are two panels of Cyclops's butt that are extremely awkward across two different issues.
The villains are still very one-dimensional (though, Sauron--the pterodactyl man--of all characters, probably came the closest to breaking that mold). While iconic villains like Magneto, Juggernaut, and the sentinels had several appearances, they themselves were not much better off. I am not surprised that several of the villains presented in these issues are hardly ever heard from again.
With issue #66, this series was cancelled in 1970. From there, reprints of older issues continued the numbering until the X-Men got their relaunch with a much my dynamic writer and interesting team in 1975.
While I, personally, enjoyed this volume more than the first, I can't say that it wasn't a bit of a slog. I'd still rank it a 2/5. Though, any completionist fan should read these, the Silver Age in general could probably be skipped for most casual readers.
June 5, 2019
I decided to go all the way with the X-men. I want to know everything from the very beginning. People talk a lot about jumping in points for comics and I'm the type of reader who needs to know everything so there was only one place to jump in; X-men issue 1, released in 1963 and go from there.
Like I said on the review for Vol. 1, it's silver age comics, so don't expect the stories to hide how silly they are like with today's comics. The stories are very upfront about their nature. Super bad guy has super evil plan, let's stop him and dump huge amounts of exposition text while we do it. It's very theatrical in a way, very verbose and over the top.
Here's my list for best stories in this volume:
The X-Men get caught in an underground feud between Mole Man and Tyrannus in "War -- in a World of Darkness!" #34
The X-men try to avoid an Alien ploy to trigger World War III beggining in "We, the Jury..." #37, #38 and #39
The uncanny world and fate of Grotesk and the Gortokians in "Now Strikes...the Sub-Human!" #41
Mesmero and the City of Mutants, also the first appearance of Polaris in "Who Dares Defy... the Demi-Men" #49 and #50
The Living Monolith saga and first appearance of Havok in "Wanted: Dead or Alive... Cyclops!" #54, #55 and #56
The Sentinels return under the direction of the Sentinel's original creator's son, Larry Trask in "The Sentinels Live!" #57, #58, #59
Magneto relocates to the Savage Lands and start to buid a mutate army there in "War in the World Below! #63
Like I said on the review for Vol. 1, it's silver age comics, so don't expect the stories to hide how silly they are like with today's comics. The stories are very upfront about their nature. Super bad guy has super evil plan, let's stop him and dump huge amounts of exposition text while we do it. It's very theatrical in a way, very verbose and over the top.
Here's my list for best stories in this volume:
The X-Men get caught in an underground feud between Mole Man and Tyrannus in "War -- in a World of Darkness!" #34
The X-men try to avoid an Alien ploy to trigger World War III beggining in "We, the Jury..." #37, #38 and #39
The uncanny world and fate of Grotesk and the Gortokians in "Now Strikes...the Sub-Human!" #41
Mesmero and the City of Mutants, also the first appearance of Polaris in "Who Dares Defy... the Demi-Men" #49 and #50
The Living Monolith saga and first appearance of Havok in "Wanted: Dead or Alive... Cyclops!" #54, #55 and #56
The Sentinels return under the direction of the Sentinel's original creator's son, Larry Trask in "The Sentinels Live!" #57, #58, #59
Magneto relocates to the Savage Lands and start to buid a mutate army there in "War in the World Below! #63
December 1, 2022
Obviously you have to switch gears a bit when reading the Silver Age but if you can do it, it’s worth doing. (Well, in this case. Lots of things we can do but shouldn’t.)
There is definitely a quality jump in the stories in this issue although it’s still hit or miss. The greatest enjoyment, for me at least, still comes from seeing certain characters, settings, and concepts for the first time.
I never bought into the idea that Silver Age X-Men is uniquely bad compared to the rest of Marvel’s output. I think both this book and Avengers were hurt by not having a single hero featured, so there’s really no one main character to latch onto.
If you’re planning on reading every X-Men comic ever, and why wouldn’t you, this isn’t the worst collection of stories. For that, you’ll have to look to ahead to the In-between Years. But even those are worth reading once, if only because what follows is so meteorically superior.
There is definitely a quality jump in the stories in this issue although it’s still hit or miss. The greatest enjoyment, for me at least, still comes from seeing certain characters, settings, and concepts for the first time.
I never bought into the idea that Silver Age X-Men is uniquely bad compared to the rest of Marvel’s output. I think both this book and Avengers were hurt by not having a single hero featured, so there’s really no one main character to latch onto.
If you’re planning on reading every X-Men comic ever, and why wouldn’t you, this isn’t the worst collection of stories. For that, you’ll have to look to ahead to the In-between Years. But even those are worth reading once, if only because what follows is so meteorically superior.
January 30, 2017
In vol. 2, we see an improvement in the art work. The style of dialog where characters say what they are doing feels very dated. It was interesting to see how they started but I think after 2 volumes of this, it's enough to make a hardcore fan want to move on. I doubt a casual fan would make it this far to vol 2. Crossovers, in general, are cool but I'm not a Ka-Zar fan so I might be bias in saying it was boring and couldn't wait read something else.
August 17, 2023
More like volume 1. One word…outdated! But what do you expect? X-Men 1 starts in 1963. If you’re looking for a trip, over the top, theatrical, verbose, non interesting story telling…this would be your jam.
There’s not much to learn here besides some of the first appearances.
I’m give it 2 stars because you have to be a diehard to appreciate this stuff. It’s cool for your X Men omnibus collection but nothing else.
X Men really starts with Uncanny by Claremont.
There’s not much to learn here besides some of the first appearances.
I’m give it 2 stars because you have to be a diehard to appreciate this stuff. It’s cool for your X Men omnibus collection but nothing else.
X Men really starts with Uncanny by Claremont.
April 21, 2023
There are some very badly drawn and written comics in here but I will say the Neal Adams run of comic books bumps this all the way up to a four out of five, as what he was doing artwise was leaps and bounds above everyone else, and the stories improved immensely as a result. I think it's that Thomas and Adams run that made sure the X-Men didn't fade into total obscurity.
April 19, 2025
This was a slog to get through and is very different from what the X-men becomes down the line, but I am glad to say I have read through the early days and of the original X-men stories. There are some great stories near the end of this half of the 1960s run, but its still a super slow build to get there. Start at Giant Size X-men for the real journey
October 18, 2025
one thing I enjoyed was seeing how the quality of the story telling and artwork improved, especially over the last third of the book (not to say the the earlier issues weren't good). however it only made the fact it would be cancelled (until being brought back 5 years later with a new team) all the more suprising, given that it was constantly getting better and better
August 15, 2022
More of a 2.5. This was definitely an improvement over Omnibus #1. Roy Thomas is still a mediocre writer (especially in the earlier issues), but the talent of artists like Jim Steranko and Neal Adams shines through and elevates the material beyond its earlier issues.
April 25, 2024
The second half of the original X-Men run. So great to read these original stories.
December 16, 2023
New Sagas, Varying Directions
Well, here the X-Men try to get new paths but have to deal with a long-held tradition, retcons. Don't blame people for reversing things when they don't work out, like the death of Professor X. But at the same time, it's like they aren't allowed to grow. Or at least if you're not Cyclops and Jean Grey.
But then there are the plots that come flying by the seat of writers' pants like an Egyptian villain kidnapping the Summers brothers. And introducing new characters instead of developing the ones they've got. Angel, for one, got to be more distinct as the hot-headed adventurer. Meanwhile, Iceman is the hopeless romantic... and that's about it.
Sure, Polaris and Havok are interesting, but maybe that's because the art changed with their intro. Neal Adams art was the biggest welcome addition. It influenced more dynamic art for a new era, full of energy. Shame that the last third took a while.
Well, here the X-Men try to get new paths but have to deal with a long-held tradition, retcons. Don't blame people for reversing things when they don't work out, like the death of Professor X. But at the same time, it's like they aren't allowed to grow. Or at least if you're not Cyclops and Jean Grey.
But then there are the plots that come flying by the seat of writers' pants like an Egyptian villain kidnapping the Summers brothers. And introducing new characters instead of developing the ones they've got. Angel, for one, got to be more distinct as the hot-headed adventurer. Meanwhile, Iceman is the hopeless romantic... and that's about it.
Sure, Polaris and Havok are interesting, but maybe that's because the art changed with their intro. Neal Adams art was the biggest welcome addition. It influenced more dynamic art for a new era, full of energy. Shame that the last third took a while.
May 6, 2012
It took me ages to finish this one because its a real slog. The Kirby days are long past and it's not until the later Neal Adams issues that this one starts to hit it's stride. It's just not worth it.
January 31, 2014
mixed bag...cool to read these old stories and the Neal Adams art is a plus but it ain't all good
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