X-Men stories that are actually masterpieces

[crimsontt]

I think that when it comes to crafting historical moments in comic book history, no other franchise has given us so many masterpieces than the x-men

I’ll start with 3 groundbreaking moments in terms of storytelling aesthetics:

Uncanny x-men 17: having such an intense battle happening in the astral plane between xavier and the shadow king with charles and Amahl discreetly and discretely siting just across each other in a restaurant.

New x-men 121: the textless issue with jean and emma exploring xavier’s mindscape was so unique. It told us a clear, complete adventure without any narration nor dialogues.

Uncanny x-force 1 to 4: the final pages had few to none words from the members after fantomex killed the child apocalipse. No words yet the sentiment of the team was devastating. the art, the tones, the face expressions gave us the perfect comprehension of their conflicts and depressing inner struggles.

[Grunty]

X-men: God Loves, Man Kills.

Fittingly, it's a stand alone graphic novel, which also means it can be read with only a passing knowledge of the X-men and marvel mutants and no need to fit it anywhere into continuity.

[gambitxremy]

Dark Angel saga

[K7P5V]

Definitely, my choice would be...

Weapon X

[Rift]

Hellions (2004)

Honestly, Julian already elevates everything he appears in, making it fine art. But a mini focused largely on him and his friends? Let's just say Tolkien is crying in his grave.

[Nicoclaws]

- The introduction of the multi-ethnic team of New X-men was pretty historic.
- The Dark Phoenix saga in general, but I'm not sure which moment would be more iconic. I have to reread it soon.
- I would say the infamous Wolverine's "now it's my turn" panel was pretty genre defining. Is that the moment where Wolverine clicked for the readership ?
- Morrisson's New Xmen, first issue. New villain, new aesthetic, on-panel genocide. Also that moment where Xavier Nova reveals the school to the world. Loved the nuff said issue too indeed but at the time all of Marvel did that.
- House of M "No More Mutants".

Also Age of Apocalypse was a really important crossover. It may have brought Marvel's era of big crossovers, with Onslaught cementing it.

[Mutant101]

Messiah trilogy.

The birth of Hope...
Action packed of several teams looking for Hope.

[K7P5V]

The entirety of Alan Davis' Excalibur

[Alex_Of_X]

If we're talking milestones...CC\Jim Lee's X-Men #1-3

The 90s comic book.

[sunofdarkchild]

Dark Phoenix Saga
Days of Future Past
God Loves Man Kills
Magik: Storm and Illyana
Demon Bear Saga
Life: Death 1 and 2
New Mutants 45
Age of Apocalypse
HoxPox

Borderline: Zeb Wells' New Mutants and Hellions.

[Nicoclaws]

Oh, obviously HoXPoX was a big moment too.

[Master of Sound]

Graphic Novel No More Humans

The Rogue/ Michael Rossi story

Fall of Avalon

[Jackraow21]

Messiah trilogy.

The birth of Hope...
Action packed of several teams looking for Hope.

Yeah, taken in aggregate this really was a great long form story… starting with the final issues of the Carey X-men run into Messiah Complex, then Messiah War and Second Coming. Taken all together this was a pretty great tale and defined the X-books for a fairly long period.

Now… what came after that was pretty lackluster IMO, but the Second Coming event itself delivered a great payoff.

A lot of other great suggestions in this thread too that I fully agree with…

- New X-men #121 (the silent issue) as well as New X-men ‘E is for Extinction’
- Uncanny X-Force (Vol. 1) ‘The Apocalypse Solution’… really the entire ‘Dark Angel Saga’ but that first four issue story was next level!
- ‘X-men: New Genesis’ (adjectiveless X-men #1-7 under Claremont and Lee)
- The Dark Phoenix Saga
- God Loves, Man Kills
- Weapon X by Barry Windsor-Smith
- Days of Future Past
- Age of Apocalypse
- HoX/PoX

[K7P5V]

Origin from Paul J. & Andy K.

[IN-a-Synch]

Origin from Paul J. & Andy K.

Yes i actually had a co-worker read this (never read a comic in her life) and she was soooooooooo Amazed