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

Volume 5: The Dark Avengers

From the ashes of Secret Invasion Norman Osborn has risen to power and has now been proclaimed the protector of the world.  What plans does his Cabal have in store?  What will the heroes of the Marvel Universe do now that the villains are on top?  Can Norman keep the Green Goblin in check?  And who are his Dark Avengers?  As the dark clouds cover the Marvel Universe his reign has begun.From here you can take a tour of the Marvel Universe in Dark Reign: Marvel Universe

Dark Reign: Avengers Prime

Tony Stark has lost everything. The Avengers, his fortune and his position as lead of S.H.I.E.L.D. However he does not leave Stark Tower empty handed. After storing the S.H.R.A. (Super Hero Registration Act) Database in his mind he goes on the run from Norman Osborn to protect the identities of the registered super humans. As he slowly erases the database from his mind he is also erasing his mind…

Loki’s schemes begin to build as Thor is banished from Asgard! Can he find Sif in die before the body she inhabits expires? And as Dr. Doom’s continues his twisted experiments it ultimately leads to a confrontation with the Asgardians and Thor!

Finally the new Captain America settles into his new uniform when someone from his past forces him to lay down his shield. The Winter Soldier has returned! And what has Sharon Carter remembered? A figure in the light?

Dark Reign:  Mighty Avengers Initiative

Hank Pym picks up the pieces of his life after Secret Invasion but where does he belong? The woman he loved is gone and a Skrull imposter has been living his life everything has changed. But when the return of an old enemy threatens all life on the planet Pym forms his own Avengers, the Mighty Avengers! But what is the Scarlet Witch up to?

The 50 State Initiative promised to train young heroes and put a Super Hero team in every state. However Norman Osborn has some plans of his own as he takes over and adds known villains to the roster! And wait until you see who he puts in charge! Will the Initiative recruits take a stand against the corruption? And what is the Avengers Resistance?

Volume 6: The New Avengers Strike Back

Lines have been crossed. As Osborn tries to strengthen his grip on the Marvel Universe things and people begin slipping through his fingers. As new laws are drafted to restrict mutant rights Norman finds an opportunity to boost his public standing. However he faces the mutant militia known as the X-Men and their leader Cyclops. Forming a mutant group of his own Norman unveils his Dark X-Men. It’s a chess game of war but who will be the victor?

Then New Avengers find themselves once again facing off against the Hood’s crew but where is the Hood? Things go from bad to worse as the Avengers are stripped of their powers and then the Dark Avengers arrive! A ray of light shines through Norman’s reign as the greatest Avenger is reborn! And what exactly is going on with the Sentry?

I mainly put Mighty Avengers 34 here as the round table discussion talks about recent events that are in this volume. If I put it with the rest of Mighty it would spoil things that happen before you get to this volume. If you’re not binding Mighty Avengers then you can leave it out.

Continues in Dark Reign Marvel Universe!

Or jump to Siege!

Back to Secret Invasion!

back to Avengers Vol 4 The Initiative Era 

Back to Avengers Vol 1-3 Bendis Era