The 10 Best X-Men Stories In Marvel History

The X-Men are arguably Marvel’s most successful team. While the Fantastic Four helped launch the entire Marvel Universe, their popularity has faded recently. The Avengers dominate the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but that universe has been struggling, and the comic book Avengers haven’t been a major draw for years. The X-Men, however, rose from being a disliked comic in the early days of Marvel to become the industry leader, creating iconic characters that became household names and surpassed older heroes. The X-Men have achieved a level of success unmatched by any other Marvel team and continue to be a central part of the Marvel Universe.

The X-Men have a rich history filled with incredible stories, ranging from long, complex sagas to intimate, single-issue character studies. They’ve tackled every kind of narrative and, at their peak, helped shape the comic book world. These ten stories represent the very best of the X-Men’s impressive 60+ year legacy.

10) Inferno

The Krakoa era of X-Men comics began with a lot of excitement, but Jonathan Hickman’s run wasn’t consistently strong. While some of his events were good, “X of Swords” wasn’t a success – though that’s likely due to the collaborative writing process, as the parts Hickman did write were the most enjoyable. However, his final story, Inferno, is exceptional. This four-issue arc, with art by Valerio Schiti, R.B. Silva, and Stefano Caselli, brings Hickman’s time on the mutant island to a thrilling close, packed with mystery, impactful moments, a surprising twist, and a truly spectacular final battle. Inferno is far better than many recent X-Men books have been, and it deserves recognition for its quality.

9) “Inferno”

Absolutely, this was intentional. Chris Claremont truly redefined the X-Men, creating everything fans love about the team. He wrote the X-Men for 17 years straight, delivering countless iconic stories. Claremont also revolutionized crossover events, and his final large summer story, “Inferno,” is arguably his best – even better than classics like “Mutant Massacre” and “Fall of the Mutants,” though those are great too. “Inferno” fully explored the Madelyne Pryor storyline, with Cyclops’s rejected wife joining forces with demons to get revenge. It’s a huge story, bringing together all the X-teams from the ’80s with heroes from across Marvel’s New York universe, and it’s incredibly impactful. This represents the peak of Claremont’s work, and it’s phenomenal.

8) “Planet X”

Some argue that the “Planet X” storyline portrays Magneto negatively by depicting him as a terrorist, but this misses the deeper meaning of Grant Morrison’s New X-Men and the complexity of Magneto’s character. This story dramatically expanded the scope of New X-Men, revealing that many of the team’s struggles were actually manipulated by their most formidable foe. Despite being outmatched and outmaneuvered, the X-Men never lose hope. Morrison and artist Phil Jimenez – a fantastic creative partnership – crafted a thrilling and unpredictable story that takes readers on an incredible journey. I followed the story as it came out, and it was a truly captivating experience. In fact, Phil Jimenez once shared with me the original ending Morrison had planned (a major spoiler!).

7) “The Brood Saga”

“The Brood Saga” is a standout achievement in sci-fi horror, and a fantastic collaboration between writer Chris Claremont and artist Dave Cockrum. The story introduced the terrifying Brood – likely inspired by the movie Alien – and pitted the X-Men against a completely new type of enemy. Many consider it a perfect superhero story, brought to life by Cockrum’s incredible artwork. While John Byrne is often recognized as Claremont’s primary artistic partner, “The Brood Saga” demonstrates the incredible synergy between Claremont and Cockrum.

6) House of X/Powers of X

Fans have embraced the recent Krakoa Era of X-Men, even though the storyline recently concluded on a somewhat disappointing note. It all began with House of X/Powers of X by Jonathan Hickman, Pepe Larraz, and R.B. Silva, which completely reinvented the X-Men. The mutants established their own sovereign nation on the island of Krakoa, facing the challenges of building a country while also confronting their most dangerous enemies ever. Amidst all this, a massive secret from X-Men history came to light. House of X/Powers of X was a truly unique and exciting experience, weaving together timelines and alternate realities to tell a groundbreaking story.

5) “Riot at Xavier’s”

New X-Men is the team’s 21st century pinnacle, telling some of the best X-Men stories ever. The middle of the run has some excellent stories, many of which are bogged by rushed art (Igor Kordey was forced to finish issues in days because of blown deadlines from back-up artist Ethan Van Sciver and regular artist Frank Quitely). However, “Riot at Xavier’s” put an end to that era of the book. The story introduced readers to Quentin Quire, a powerful telepath who finds out he’s adopted, shattering his world. Quentin decides to embrace chaos, creating the Omega Gang and starting a riot on the school’s first open house. This is a wild story of youthful rebellion from Morrison and Frank Quitely, taking readers on an insane ride that sets up the pieces for the inevitable end of Morrison’s run (I’d also recommend “Murder at the Mansion” and “Assault on Weapon Plus”, the next two story arcs).

4) “Days of Future Past”

“Days of Future Past” was a groundbreaking story that dramatically changed the world of comics. Written by Claremont and Byrne, it popularized the idea of dystopian futures, a theme that’s still common in the X-Men and other comics today. The story depicts a future where mutants are nearly wiped out, and the X-Men attempt a daring two-part plan to defeat the Sentinels who rule the world: sending Kate Pryde back in time and directly confronting the Master Mold, the leader of the mutant-hunting robots. It’s a truly exceptional superhero comic, a rare example of perfection in the genre. Claremont and Byrne were an incredible team, and this story is a prime example of their synergy (and don’t forget Uncanny X-Men #143, their last collaboration, which is widely considered the greatest Christmas comic ever made).

3) “E Is for Extinction”

Grant Morrison’s acclaimed run on X-Men started strong with “E Is for Extinction,” illustrated by Frank Quitely. The story sees the X-Men shifting their focus from traditional superheroics to supporting mutantkind, preparing the Xavier Mansion for students, and undertaking rescue operations. Simultaneously, a dangerous new villain, Cassandra Nova, emerges with a plan to target everything Charles Xavier holds dear. This three-part story is exceptional, immediately establishing Morrison as a fantastic X-Men writer. He demonstrated a deep understanding of the characters while delivering stories that felt both fresh and familiar. Quitely’s artwork perfectly complemented Morrison’s writing, bringing the story to life with impressive skill. It’s a truly memorable story and a standout chapter in the history of Marvel’s X-Men.

2) God Loves, Man Kills

Chris Claremont and Brent Anderson’s God Loves, Man Kills is a remarkably insightful story that feels relevant even today. It centers around Reverend Stryker and his extremist group, the Purifiers, who believe mutants are evil and set out to eliminate them. When mutant children are murdered, Magneto and the X-Men unite to fight back against this hateful prejudice. Published in 1982, this story powerfully addresses bigotry and the dangers of religious and political extremism, exposing some of the darkest aspects of American society, and remains impactful 43 years later.

1) “The Dark Phoenix Saga”

“The Dark Phoenix Saga” is a truly exceptional story, and I consider it the best Marvel has ever published. Written by Claremont and Byrne, it concludes the Phoenix storyline with a confrontation against the Hellfire Club, which unleashes a dark force within Jean Grey. What follows is a powerfully emotional experience, watching the X-Men struggle to save a friend consumed by darkness. Beyond the thrilling action and suspense, this story has a deeply affecting heart, and in my view, nothing Marvel has released since has come close to matching its impact.

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2025-11-27 18:19