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Essential X-Men #6
Essential X-Men, Vol. 6
"Mutant" means "change," and there was plenty of that when the Uncanny X-Men counted down to the Marvel Mutant Massacre, beginning with the trial of Magneto! Rachel Summers became Phoenix and the Brotherhood became Freedom Force! Lady Deathstrike became a cyborg, Moonstar a Valkyrie, Colossus a killer, and Psylocke an X-Man! And Sabretooth first set his clawed foot into the X-Universe alongside his fellow Marauders! Guest-starring the original X-Factor, Power Pack and Thor! Gods, Morlocks, talking frogs and more!
Collects Uncanny X-Men #199-213, New Mutants Special Edition #1, X-Men Annual #9, X-Factor #9-10, New Mutants #46, Thor #373-374 and Power Pack #27.
656 pages, Paperback
First published January 10, 1987
10 people are currently reading
219 people want to read
About the author
Chris Claremont
3,281 books894 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 - 25 of 25 reviews
December 9, 2023
This volume includes Secret Wars II, Asgardian Wars and the X-Men: Mutant Massacre! Another golden age of Claremont's X-Men - Xavier is gone; Rachel is lost; The Brotherhood goes 'legit'! The Beyonder messes with them all on many levels; and then there's the sense shattering uber-deadly Mutant Massacre of which there was ne'er the like before, where countless characters are murdered and others are seriously wounded. On top of all this there are cross-overs with Power Pack, The New Mutants, Thor and X-factor. Not enough? How about Longshot, Psylocke, Nathan Summers, Phoenix II, Marauders for starters?
It is the Mutant Massacre by the deadly 'Marauders' that pushes Claremont's writing to the fore daring to show the true death and destruction that can be exerted by superhuman powers and more importantly how the said destruction can be done so callously... a masterpiece. All this occurs under a rabid rise in anti-mutant hysteria partially stoked by X-factor's short sighted business plan. Yet Claremont manages to still gives the likes of Storm, Colossus and Nightcrawler 'humanity' as they strive to find themselves in this new dark world.
And still more; there's a classic single comic book issue where Wolverine is hunted by Lady Deathstrike. There's Nimrod! There's Spiral! If story arcs could have Oscars! Even with all these comic books, this volume gets a consistent and amazing 8.5 out of 12 overall read - Four Stars!..some of the best of the X!
Collects The Uncanny X-Men #199-213
2023, 2017, 2014 and 2010 read
It is the Mutant Massacre by the deadly 'Marauders' that pushes Claremont's writing to the fore daring to show the true death and destruction that can be exerted by superhuman powers and more importantly how the said destruction can be done so callously... a masterpiece. All this occurs under a rabid rise in anti-mutant hysteria partially stoked by X-factor's short sighted business plan. Yet Claremont manages to still gives the likes of Storm, Colossus and Nightcrawler 'humanity' as they strive to find themselves in this new dark world.
And still more; there's a classic single comic book issue where Wolverine is hunted by Lady Deathstrike. There's Nimrod! There's Spiral! If story arcs could have Oscars! Even with all these comic books, this volume gets a consistent and amazing 8.5 out of 12 overall read - Four Stars!..some of the best of the X!
Collects The Uncanny X-Men #199-213
2023, 2017, 2014 and 2010 read
August 7, 2019
A mixed bag of stories, with the highlight being "Mutant Massacre", which is surprisingly brutal, even today. We also get a big team shake up, with Magneto and Psylocke joining the team and Colossus, Nightcrawler, and Kitty Pride benched from being severely wounded.
Notable first appearances: Rachel Summer's Phoenix form, Marauders, Nathan Summers (we still have a few years to go before we get Cable, though), first mention of Mister Sinister (he doesn't actually appear yet, though)
Notable stories: "Mutant Massacre", "Wounded Wolf"
Notable first appearances: Rachel Summer's Phoenix form, Marauders, Nathan Summers (we still have a few years to go before we get Cable, though), first mention of Mister Sinister (he doesn't actually appear yet, though)
Notable stories: "Mutant Massacre", "Wounded Wolf"
January 20, 2016
Even though I feel that Chris Claremont had passed his peak issues on the title, he was still going strong and there were still many more wonderful stories to be told. This black & white reprint collection was a great (meaning inexpensive) way for fans to get these issues without having to fork over large piles of cash, sadly Marvel has discontinued their line of Essential volumes in favor of the more expensive (and profitable) Epic Collection volumes. This volume includes a crazy donnybrook between the merry Mutants of Marvel and the peoples of Asgard with fabulous pencilings by Arthur Adams and then turns to Claremont's valid attempt to redeem Magneto by having him reform and actually join the X-Men with Xavier's endorsement. These is also a struggle to lead the team between Cyclops and Storm and several issues that deal with Secret Wars II crossovers (which are the low points in this collection) and several one-off issues that focus on, more or less, solo adventures of team members before Claremont kicks-off the Mutant Massacre crossover event. This was the first "big" crossover event that focused on the mutant titles and was fairly well executed, although it was clearly over hyped and in the end the "massacre" amounted to little more than extras and cameo characters. Still, when everything is taken into account, the creators involved with the Mutant Massacre pulled it off without too much going wrong. There are some continuity issues and some contradictions, but generally a good read (although it was still over-promoted for the quality and ramifications of the content, but then that's Stan Lee's legacy at Marvel). There's also a lot of really wonderful artists contributing some outstanding work through this volume including the aforementioned Adams, John Romita Jr., Barry Windsor-Smith, June Brigman, P. Craig Russell, Terry Shoemaker, Alan Davis, Rick Leonardi, Sal Buscema & many more.
June 24, 2022
A thing very specifically about my age as a comics reader is that I started reading the X-Men during what I now realize was a very brief window between the death of Jean Grey and her resurrection - and because I was so young, of course that handful of years felt like forever, of course I accepted Jean's death as permanent and irrevocable, since it was probably the biggest part of recent Marvel history that I was familiar with.
I think that because Jean's death was so significant during that time, I soaked up this idea that the Jean Grey era of the X-Men - if nothing else, the Jean Grey era of Claremont's X-Men - was some kind of Golden Age. But reading the whole Claremont era now, start to finish instead of piecemeal like when you're a kid raiding quarter bins, the biggest revelation for me has been realizing that Claremont really hit his stride, really turned the book into The Claremont Era Of X-Men[tm], only after Jean died. This is probably very obvious to people a little older than me who were reading them all as they came out, or people a little younger than me whose first encounter with the X-Men wasn't in that interregnum.
(This comment isn't limited to this particular volume, but this happens to be the point where I've caught up to the first X-Men comics that I read when they were new.)
I think that because Jean's death was so significant during that time, I soaked up this idea that the Jean Grey era of the X-Men - if nothing else, the Jean Grey era of Claremont's X-Men - was some kind of Golden Age. But reading the whole Claremont era now, start to finish instead of piecemeal like when you're a kid raiding quarter bins, the biggest revelation for me has been realizing that Claremont really hit his stride, really turned the book into The Claremont Era Of X-Men[tm], only after Jean died. This is probably very obvious to people a little older than me who were reading them all as they came out, or people a little younger than me whose first encounter with the X-Men wasn't in that interregnum.
(This comment isn't limited to this particular volume, but this happens to be the point where I've caught up to the first X-Men comics that I read when they were new.)
October 17, 2008
656 pages, all black-and-white. The nifty thing about this collection of Uncanny X-Men issues from the mid-1980s is that it includes issues from other titles that tied into running storylines, such as New Mutants and Thor. However, it makes for a somewhat schizophrenic read as storylines bounce around with multiple writers and artists.
Oh, who am I kidding -- despite the sometimes hard-to-follow timeline, these stories are pure gold, mostly written by Chris Claremont and when not drawn by the awe-inspiring John Romita, Jr., there's art by Walt Simonson, Art Adams and Rick Leonardi. Really, it doesn't get better.
But I still have to resist the urge to break out the Crayolas and color it.
Oh, who am I kidding -- despite the sometimes hard-to-follow timeline, these stories are pure gold, mostly written by Chris Claremont and when not drawn by the awe-inspiring John Romita, Jr., there's art by Walt Simonson, Art Adams and Rick Leonardi. Really, it doesn't get better.
But I still have to resist the urge to break out the Crayolas and color it.
May 30, 2017
I loved the X men comics when I was a kid and I have finally come to the point where I stopped reading them as a kid. I still enjoy them though not as much as before. I LOVED them as a kid and I can say I enjoy the comics but may just stop here. Some of the stories are fun and some are ridiculous. But overall I still love the X men!
July 26, 2017
Ugh. These are the issues where Claremont just becomes painful, and these are worse than many since they include Rachel Summers, who is just a horrible character. From now until Claremont leaves there aren't a lot of high points
May 14, 2023
These are some of my favorite stories from Uncanny X-Men. It’s still amazing how many words Claremont can stick in a panel. But I always thought the Mutant Massacre was the best crossover of all the X-Men crossovers.
January 16, 2019
Waning down on the Claremont era but the stories are still great.
October 28, 2019
Some great stories, especially the Magneto on Trial storyline
May 7, 2024
It took me a while to get deep into this volume, but the bumpy start ended with a helluva bang. The final third is intense and very hard-hitting, an absolute powerhouse of an ending.
February 20, 2009
I have never read either Secret Wars events. But what I know about the two series is that the first was a good way of doing a crossover event. It was separate from everything else though it affected some of the major characters involved. However if you completely missed the series you would be alright. If it was a terrible series, it's okay cause the book you are following is for the most part alright. Secret Wars II... is a terrible way to do a crossover event. You can't ignore it, the lines you are following are having the events forced upon it. To understand what is going on you feel the necessity to read the series even though from the little you are seeing the series merits more burning then reading. This is very frustrating and consumes way too much of this essential. It also is painful to see how small a view of God many people have.
What you also get is Magneto's international trial. His joining the X-Men, which seems far more relevant to the New Mutants than it does to the X-Men. The culmination of Rachel's Uncanny storyline... which leaves you all kinds of unfulfilled. Unless you hate her, in which case perhaps you are rejoicing. And then the book wraps up with the Mutant Massacre event which I will review mostly separately. There are other smaller events but those are the big arcs.
Claremont is still stripping everything down through this comic. He uses Rachel as a major divisive force. I realize she is quite messed up from the physical and emotional abuse her life endured, but it is hard to see her motivation in somethings. Again, I like the idea of her, if not the execution.
Storm is probably the centerpiece of the whole series' downward spiral. As she goes on her journey of self discovery it seems like the whole series does likewise. I would be interested to at some point hear from Claremont how Watchmen may have influenced some of his destruction.
This book also contains the New Mutants Special and Uncanny Annual #9 which details them going to Asgard (see Asgard Wars review). As well as a Wolverine one-shot story that somehow I think I had never read before... This was done by Barry Windsor-Smith and the art was enjoyed much more than I had the Life-Death stories.
This essential also marks John Romita Jr. passing on the baton. Marc Silvestri should be the next mainstay artist.
What you also get is Magneto's international trial. His joining the X-Men, which seems far more relevant to the New Mutants than it does to the X-Men. The culmination of Rachel's Uncanny storyline... which leaves you all kinds of unfulfilled. Unless you hate her, in which case perhaps you are rejoicing. And then the book wraps up with the Mutant Massacre event which I will review mostly separately. There are other smaller events but those are the big arcs.
Claremont is still stripping everything down through this comic. He uses Rachel as a major divisive force. I realize she is quite messed up from the physical and emotional abuse her life endured, but it is hard to see her motivation in somethings. Again, I like the idea of her, if not the execution.
Storm is probably the centerpiece of the whole series' downward spiral. As she goes on her journey of self discovery it seems like the whole series does likewise. I would be interested to at some point hear from Claremont how Watchmen may have influenced some of his destruction.
This book also contains the New Mutants Special and Uncanny Annual #9 which details them going to Asgard (see Asgard Wars review). As well as a Wolverine one-shot story that somehow I think I had never read before... This was done by Barry Windsor-Smith and the art was enjoyed much more than I had the Life-Death stories.
This essential also marks John Romita Jr. passing on the baton. Marc Silvestri should be the next mainstay artist.
March 1, 2016
tl:dr Storm has no powers but manages OK. Rachel suffers from PTSD and is a risk for everyone. Especially when another superteam appears. Then Rogue will touch some other mutant, get his/her powers, lose control, turn against the team. Kitty/Colossus/Nightcrawler will run to the rescue and somebody gets seriously crippled in the struggle.
And this goes for half the issues here.
Worst superteam ever.
On a more serious note, this is the dawn of the Dark Age of comics and these issues are pretty much the blueprint. The concept of the superhero is violently disconstructed and the person with superpowers emerges. The storylines are gritty and grim, the writing gets more decompressed but this ain't neither Watchmen nor Daredevil by Brian Michael Bendis & Alex Maleev Ultimate Collection, Book 1: It carries all the things that went wrong in 90's superpeople comics: Characters get constantly introduced, arcs linger for ages and seldom get resolved, angst is mistaken for drama, caption texts are still stuck in the 70's and where there once was high adventure, drama and larger than life characters, we get angsty melodrama and convulted plotlines.
What redeems the book are the three standout plotlines, Aasgard, trial of Magneto and Massacre. What drags it down is the Secret Wars 2 crossover.
Clearly far bellow the early Clairmond's X-men
And this goes for half the issues here.
Worst superteam ever.
On a more serious note, this is the dawn of the Dark Age of comics and these issues are pretty much the blueprint. The concept of the superhero is violently disconstructed and the person with superpowers emerges. The storylines are gritty and grim, the writing gets more decompressed but this ain't neither Watchmen nor Daredevil by Brian Michael Bendis & Alex Maleev Ultimate Collection, Book 1: It carries all the things that went wrong in 90's superpeople comics: Characters get constantly introduced, arcs linger for ages and seldom get resolved, angst is mistaken for drama, caption texts are still stuck in the 70's and where there once was high adventure, drama and larger than life characters, we get angsty melodrama and convulted plotlines.
What redeems the book are the three standout plotlines, Aasgard, trial of Magneto and Massacre. What drags it down is the Secret Wars 2 crossover.
Clearly far bellow the early Clairmond's X-men
October 10, 2012
Sure it was written in 1985, but I still like it and there's something about mutants (the Marvel Universe's rejects) that still manages to hit an emotional center with me.
Sure it's formulaic and overwrought, but Chris Claremont still makes it interesting. Unfortunately, Claremont is not the only author here, which is why I knocked off some stars. There's a gigantic crossover here. I used to think that crossovers were cool, and they are, if every author that takes part in the crossover can write.
The thing about crossovers is that they make you feel as if you're missing something if you don't read all the parts of it. The writing of the other authors is so poor that I still feel like I'm missing something, even when I have all the parts together here. It's like Lorne on Angel said, "I had to come back here to find out I didn't have to come back here."
Anyway, still looking forward to more Claremont.
Sure it's formulaic and overwrought, but Chris Claremont still makes it interesting. Unfortunately, Claremont is not the only author here, which is why I knocked off some stars. There's a gigantic crossover here. I used to think that crossovers were cool, and they are, if every author that takes part in the crossover can write.
The thing about crossovers is that they make you feel as if you're missing something if you don't read all the parts of it. The writing of the other authors is so poor that I still feel like I'm missing something, even when I have all the parts together here. It's like Lorne on Angel said, "I had to come back here to find out I didn't have to come back here."
Anyway, still looking forward to more Claremont.
January 29, 2016
Volume 6 covers issues 199 through 213 and includes some high highs and low lows. Issue 200 is one of the all time great X-Men issues. It's a classic story that's both emotional and has great action. Issue 205 is this wild predecessor to Weapon X with breathtaking art by Barry Windsor-Smith. I can only imagine how bracing this would have been to contemporary readers. The Rachel Summers arc is enjoyable, but I don't think Claremont ever had a really strong idea of what to do with her. The Mutant Massacre crossover is very good, too. However, I think the strongest issues end up being the Thor and Power Pack tie-ins. The Power Pack issue, in particular, has very fun and dynamic art.
On the downside, you've got the Beyonder issues. 202 is just terrible, but 203 at least has some great splashes and all you can stand of huge cosmic Claremont goofy glorious crap. The art in the latter half is very intermittent with lots of fill-in artists; some who do well and some who do not.
On the downside, you've got the Beyonder issues. 202 is just terrible, but 203 at least has some great splashes and all you can stand of huge cosmic Claremont goofy glorious crap. The art in the latter half is very intermittent with lots of fill-in artists; some who do well and some who do not.
April 3, 2007
The first comic I ever bought was X-Men #275, penciled by Jim Lee, written by Claremont, and was "The Return of Professor X". I was hooked from that first issue, but for me the return of Xavier was no big deal - he was essential to the X-Men, and I always had them. Perhaps that's why I loved reading these pivital issues - trial of Magneto, Xavier leaving with the Shi'lar, not to return for 75 issues, or over 6 years of real-time. Magneto takes his place and the X-mEn become darker, outlaws, and then the Mutant Massacre.
January 4, 2016
I want to kill the beyonder too.
All jokes aside- this is SO FUCKING GOOD. Rachel summers, storm and rogue play huge roles. The mutant massacre is legitimately amazing and the Asgard stuff early on is engaging and beautifully drawn (especially the new mutants stuff). This is dense and character driven comics at their finest. Claremont was clearly reaching his peak here and I am morbidly super excited to read the uncanny side of the fall of the mutants.
Also spyral stole Rachel summers. Uh oh.
All jokes aside- this is SO FUCKING GOOD. Rachel summers, storm and rogue play huge roles. The mutant massacre is legitimately amazing and the Asgard stuff early on is engaging and beautifully drawn (especially the new mutants stuff). This is dense and character driven comics at their finest. Claremont was clearly reaching his peak here and I am morbidly super excited to read the uncanny side of the fall of the mutants.
Also spyral stole Rachel summers. Uh oh.
November 8, 2013
An enjoyable read with a lot of classic moments, but this is the first volume where I feel REALLY aware that the X-Men universe is getting spread out over more comics than one. The collection does a really good job at slapping in issues from other comics that you kind of need to read to make sense of whats going on in the main story. The only down side is these side issues show you how much else is going on this characters lives and almost make you more aware of how much you are missing.
October 6, 2013
probably the most quintessential vooume of X-men available. It sets the pace for all the future books.
I recommend checking out Essential X-factor volume 1 before reading this. There is some confusing backstory, but the " essential" part is covered in both volumes.
I recommend checking out Essential X-factor volume 1 before reading this. There is some confusing backstory, but the " essential" part is covered in both volumes.
March 11, 2016
This one got real heavy handed and cheesy at times I could not handle it but it got pretty good towards the end. Except some of my fav characters obviously getting sent off to the spin-offs, that is not so good.
December 30, 2015
Not as strong as previous issues. Stories are scattered and even the good ones aren't as engaging or interesting. No good villains either. However, having Power Pack in there was reminded me how crazy the 80s were.
March 10, 2009
i am currently reading the chronological x-men titles. i'm loving it thus far.
December 6, 2014
3.5, really. Strong arcs pulled down by weaker ones.
July 8, 2015
Sometimes, I just have to go back to my childhood and read some comics. I loved X-Men and this collection of issues are some of my favorites.
May 17, 2017
I must excuse myself from an impartial review. This was the peak time of my comic book reading and I was completely in love with Rachel Summers. X-men was my favorite title and my favorite story arc was the Mutant Massacre. So this collection of stories has no option other than hitting on all marks for me.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews