Volume 1: All New, All Different

Wolverine, Nightcrawler, Storm, Colossus, Banshee, Sunfire and Thunderbird are mutants endowed with unique abilities. These mutants, born as children of the atom, are summoned by Professor X to rescue the original X-Men, an underground organization sworn to protect those that fear and hate them. However, when the dust settles and the new class meets the old spark fly!

Volume 2: Dark Phoenix

An epic tale of triumph and tragedy! When the Dark Phoenix rises, suns grow cold and universes die! Gathered together by Professor Charles Xavier to protect a world that fears and hates them, the X-Men had fought many battles, been on adventures that spanned galaxies, grappled enemies of limitless might, but none of this could prepare them for the most shocking struggle they would ever face. One of their own, Jean Grey, has unwittingly attained power beyond conception – and been corrupted, absolutely. The X-Men must decide: Is the life of the woman they cherish worth the existence of an entire universe?

 Volume 3: Days of Future Past

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times: Relive the legendary first journey into the dystopian future of 2013 – where Sentinels stalk the Earth, and the X-Men are humanity’s only hope…until they die! Also featuring the first appearance of Alpha Flight who have come to claim Wolverine but the return of the Wendigo puts a crimp in their plans! Learn how Wolverine first met the Hulk. Ms. Marvel takes on the Brotherhood and Rogue which leads to a battle that will forever change her life and Kitty meets a demon for Christmas!? Then X-Men team with the Amazing Spider-man in his adventure to the Savage Land- a land that time forgot. There, the heroes unearth a world-threatening secret hidden that can threaten all humanity. Finally, it’s the slugfest no one can forget! Webs won’t stop him, electricity won’t stop him – a wrecking ball to the face won’t stop him! But with friend and ally Madame Web near death, Spider-Man’s got to stop the Juggernaut somehow!

Continued in…

New Mutants

Volume 62: House of M

Welcome to the House of M. A world where your heart’s greatest desire can and does come true. A world where homo superior is dominant, homo sapiens are content and peace reigns. A world that seems too good to be true. That doesn’t seem real. A world that isn’t real…but a world of unreality where everything will change forever. Welcome to a house of cards built from the ashes of the disassembled Avengers and the legacy of one of the X-Men’s greatest foes. Where the longer the secrets of the House of M remain untold, the further away reality has any hope of being restored.

*This mapping is based off of an X-Men reading order.  Meaning, this volume is optimized if you have been reading all the X-Men titles. 

Since my binds are mainly focus on the X-Men I have made Wolverine a secondary priority.
I included Origin (Wolverine’s origin story) in this bind as House of M restored his memory. If you are focusing on a Wolverine run then bind House of M, Origin then jump to Wolverine Origins.

Vol 1 of Wolverine Origins AKA X-Men 70A

Volume 63: The Decimation

It was the worst day in X-Men history. In the blink of an eye, the whole world changed. Now it’s the day after. The House of M is over, but the effects will be felt for the rest of their lives. How do the X-Men pick up the pieces in a world that has completely changed? Plus: Something’s amiss at the House of Xavier! A sneak attack forces the X-Men to re-evaluate just who their friends are and to aligns them with former enemies! Xavier’s School becomes a haven for those that are different. but has this former sanctuary become the one place most dangerous for mutants? It’s the day he’s lost his powers, his sister and his cause. How far is he willing to go to get them back?

All he wanted was to make the world a perfect place for mutantkind. Pietro Maximoff was Quicksilver, the fastest living creature on Earth until the Scarlet Witch took it all away. Now, the son of Magneto is despised, rejected, alone and powerless. Crushed and defeated, his only hope and refuge lies with the Inhumans. Re-united with his wife Crystal, will his desperate ambitions lead him to an even greater betrayal?

Excalibur is back, just the way you like them! From the ashes of House of M a new Excalibur team is formed to combat the aftereffects of this cataclysmic event! Witness the birth of Captain Britain’s new team forming, as a sinister force already tries to tear them apart!

X-Factor Investigations begins! 

Volume 64: Blood of Apocalypse

Rachel Grey faces one of the most tragic moments in her life when her entire family is placed on the intergalactic wanted list. Plus the secret to Psylocke’s resurrection!

When his people need him the most, he shall return! Apocalypse has returned to lead mutantkind into a future where only the strongest can survive! What can the blood of Apocalypse do to reverse the effects of M Day? Who will betray the X-Men? And who shall stand in they way of his new Horsemen?

The epic, untold love story between Marvel’s two pre-eminent black super heroes – Storm and the Black Panther – is finally told. An orphaned street urchin, living by her wits on the unforgiving plains of Africa, struggles to harness her slowly developing mutant powers. A warrior Prince, embarking on his rite of passage as he ponders the great responsibility in his future. And a crew of ruthless mercenaries who’ll stop at nothing to capture an elusive creature of legend: the fabled wind-rider. What sparks occur when their paths intersect?

Volume 65: Childhood’s End

What happens when the skeletons in your closet finally break down the door and come looking for you? The X-Men are about to find out! In the wake of the tragic events of House of M, the mutant community is in turmoil and the X-Men are bearing the brunt of this New World Order. Amid the chaos, a new enemy awakens, one whose very existence will haunt the founding members of the X-Men like nothing has before. Who is this new threat? How is he tied to Professor X’s darkest secret? Cyclops, Wolverine and the others must find out soon, before they and those closest to them go mad!

A new direction for the X-Men, or at least what’s left of them! As Rogue leads her new team old threats are put to rest and more deadly threats emerge from the unlikeliest of places. Plus: What could possibly strike terror into the heart of…Sabretooth?! And who are the Children of the Vault?

Almost all of Earth’s mutants find themselves depowered! With their species all but gone and emboldened enemies looming on all sides, the remaining New X-Men close ranks and form a new squad but what about their suddenly human friends and classmates? And what happens when X-23 arrives at the mansion? The rules have changed, the safeties are off and Reverend Stryker has found a terrifying new weapon in his holy crusade against mutants! The New X-Men will be battered, beaten and worse, and suffer assaults on all fronts. Can this untested new team summon the strength to survive and triumph?

Volume 66: Rise and Fall of the Shi’ar Empire

Death is everywhere. Who could possibly save the day? Why, New Excalibur, of course! The Black Knight guest-stars in a time-traveling tale for the ages! And finally, can a man really change who he is? Can he erase the past and set forth a new future for himself? The Juggernaut has tried to make his way as a hero but there are voices in him that are pulling him back to villainous ways. Will he give in to the temptation?

The shockingly powerful Vulcan is out for revenge and has his sights set on the Shi’ar Empire! Only Charles Xavier and his new team of X-Men can stop him but as they follow his trail of destruction, Rachel Summers’ presence on the outskirts of Shi’ar-controlled space does not go unnoticed and a new enemy with deep ties to Rachel is unleashed! Featuring the Starjammers, a clash of the titans between Vulcan and Gladiator and all-out war in the cosmos!

Get ready for the ride of your life! In the aftermath of the Stamford tragedy, Wolverine makes it his personal mission to take down the man responsible: the explosive Nitro! But as soon as he begins his hunt Logan discovers that someone else is stalking the same prey: a mysterious trio whose identity and disturbing mission will come as a shock! If Logan’s unsettled by who these guys are, then just wait until he confronts the man they answer to! And when Wolverine discovers that Nitro’s actions are tied to a much larger conspiracy, he won’t rest until he’s exposed the true culprit.

Volume 67: Endangered Species

X-23’s past returns to haunt the New X-Men! Can she and Hellion rescue Mercury before the horrifying, mutant-eating Predator X is unleashed? Then, the demonic Belasco pulls the X-Mansion into Limbo and he’s looking for Magik! Illyana Rasputin has returned to life and Belasco will put the New X-Men through literal hell until he finds her! With the team scattered, wounded and terrified, all hope seems lost. But Illyana has arrived, mad as hell and she wants her soul back! Can Pixie, of all people, help save the day? And when Magik’s quest catches the attention of the other demon lords, the X-Men must help Illyana find herself before an ancient evil is unleashed!

The X-Men are back from space, but the team is shattered, broken and separated. Then, attacks in the Morlock Tunnels immediately grab the X-Men’s attention. What do these attacks have to do with the future of the mutant race? Maybe Storm can get to the bottom of all this!

Then Beast finds himself in a race against the clock to see what he can do to save the destiny of his fellow mutants before time runs out. Alone and with the future in his hands, can he stumble upon the key that will bring about a positive change, or will a species now endangered be headed irrevocably for extinction?

Finally, Captain Britain must take on his opposite for a battle that will be waged upon many worlds. Plus: One of the team members suddenly succumbs to an all-too-real tragedy. The team must pull together and care for their fallen friend while their own lives fall to pieces.

Volume 68: Blinded by the Light

The X-Men face meltdown from within and from without…and their squad leader, Rogue, faces something worse. Meanwhile, a mysterious strike force is taking out the few remaining mutants one by one, with ruthless efficiency. But who is the ultimate target? Featuring a plethora of mutant guest stars, the return of several fan-favorites and a devastating face-off against the deadliest villain team in the X-Men’s 44 year history!

If you thought the Astonishing X-Men’s past efforts were full of shocks and surprises, hold onto your eyeballs – because you haven’t seen anything yet, as things go from peculiar to just plain bizarre! Emma Frost’s erratic behavior has the X-Men spinning in a non-stop downward spiral. Will an unlikely union be the final straw? After secretly lying in wait for months, the new Hellfire Club makes its move! Plus: The X-Man destined to destroy the Breakworld stands revealed! Who is it, and what will be their fate?

Continues in…

Messiah Era

Back to The New Age

Volume 69: Messiah CompleX

In the aftermath of House of M the future of mutants has never been bleaker. At the seeming end of their evolutionary cycle, a miracle arrives in the form of the first mutant birth since the events of M-Day. But from this source of hope comes a clash between mutants over who will control the child’s fate. It is a race for the future as the Purifiers, Mr. Sinister and the X-Men clash! The fight for the future begins here!

Volume 70: Divided We Stand

With the tragic ending of Messiah Complex the X-Men are no more! Lost more than ever the X-Men disband as Cyclops ponders the future of not only the X-Men but all of mutant kind! Will the Young X-Men be the new team to replace the X-Men? In these trying times one thing is certain. The last remaining mutants must be protected at all costs. In the darkness Cyclops puts together a team that must do what the X-Men never could. Actively and permanently remove threats to all mutant kind. Beware X-Force has returned and they have only one goal, to kill!

X-Men: Divided We Stand is a two issue mini series containing multiple stories. I have spliced up the issues stating which story to use in parenthesis.

Optional volume to read next:

Vol 1 of Wolverine Origins

Volume 71: Manifest Destiny

Cyclops has decided to move the X-Men west. Founding a new home for all mutants in a place known for its tolerance: San Francisco. Shortly after their arrival, however, the X-Men find themselves knee deep with Magneto and the robotic Sentinels!

Plus Xavier revisits one of his biggest challenges and failures of his career: Logan. But the layers of lies hide one last, deadly secret which goes back to the days of the X-Men’s founding – and the Professor’s timing couldn’t possibly be worse!

Secret Invasion then takes place

Vol 2 of Wolverine Origins Optional volumes to read next

Volume 72: Dark Reign

In the depths of his heartache over Kitty Pryde, Colossus goes looking for something, anything, to stop his pain…and finds a nightmare from the Old Country running rampant in the States. What’s their connection? Then, Rogue makes her return but while Xavier seeks her out, who is searching for him? Hunter becomes hunted and friend becomes foe, in a story that will change your favorite Southern Belle forever!

Plus Emma checks into a hotel you have to see to believe, while poor Scott sits idly by. Darkchylde returns to get her soul back, even if she has to conquer Earth in the process. Can the combined forces of the X-Men stop her rampage? They’ll have to fight through every demon in Limbo to try!

Volume 73: Messiah War

Cyclops has complete faith that his son, Cable, will do everything he can to protect the so-called mutant messiah – who he believes will save mutantkind. But he also knows what havoc former X-Man Lucas Bishop has wreaked in the nightmarish future. So now he’s sent his black ops team, the X-Force, on a risky, time-traveling mission to save Cable and the child, completely unaware that there’s something else waiting for them in the future. Something not even Bishop was counting on…and while X-Force battles in the future Beast and the X-Club travel into the past to try to reverse the affects of M Day!

Volume 74: Utopia

Who are the Dark X-Men? He has his own Avengers team and now Norman Osborn has his own X-Men team. The other shoe has finally dropped and Emma Frost has betrayed Cyclops and the rest of the X-Men. And that’s just one of the huge surprises in “UTOPIA”. Is that Namor? Cloak and Dagger? Professor X?! The thing that you aren’t ready for is that Osborn is right.

Emplate is back and he’s out for blood. More specifically, for mutant bone marrow. And with the X-Men still reeling from Utopia, he may have picked the perfect time to come calling.

Volume 75: Necrosha

Selene’s Inner Circle stands revealed and her master plan has been set into motion. Watch as the resurrected dead lay siege to the X-Men’s headquarters and the fight to survive the Black Queen’s vengeance begins. But while Warpath and Wolverine realize what’s happening, they may be too late to stop it. Because Selene is already well on her way to achieving ultimate power half a world away. And the rest of the X-Men fight mutants back from the dead!

(Now here is where we pick up with X-23 being somehow “captured” again)

Volume 76: Nation X

Cyclops has moved the X-Men from New York and created a home for mutants in San Francisco. He sent X-Force to the future to support his son Cable and even outwitted Norman Osborn and his Dark Avengers. He even led the X-Men against the undead armies of Selene but now comes one of the most difficult tasks he has ever faced….handling the day to day duties of managing the sovereign nation island of Utopia.

Juggling the basic needs of food, water and shelter are stressful enough but when trouble threatens to consume Emma Frost from within Cyclops may be in for the fight of his life. To make matters worse Beast has caught wind of X-Force, his secret black ops squad. Plus Pixie’s mother pays Utopia a visit but when evil forces conspire to consume Pixie it spurns a family reunion you would not believe! And just wait until you find out which long time X-Men villain is her father! Meanwhile Cable and Hope inch closer and closer to the present.

Volume 77: Second Coming

The climax of four years of X-Men stories is the X-Event of 2010! What started in HOUSE OF M with the Decimation of mutantkind and erupted with the first new mutant birth in MESSIAH COMPLEX finishes here. In the epic crossover SECOND COMING, Cyclops’ faith pays off when Cable returns to the present with Hope, the girl he believes to be the mutant messiah. But will she be the savior or destroyer of mutantkind? We may never know, as she is the target of an initiative for mutant eradication unlike anything the X-Men have ever experienced. Many will be wounded. Several will die. Is Hope worth it?

 
Continued in The Heroic Age

Back to The Decimation