Ultimate X-Men vs Astonishing X-Men vs Exiles vs Excalibur

[REVOLUTION]

Ultimate X-Men 1-100 vs Astonishing X-Men 1-68 vs Exiles 1-100 vs Excalibur 1-125. Which of the four is the better run?

[REVOLUTION]

On a side note, am I the only person that is a big fan of the Mutant X 23 issue run?

[From The Shadows]

On a side note, am I the only person that is a big fan of the Mutant X 23 issue run?

I haven't read it but you definitely aren't. Though, I haven't seen anyone talk about it in years.

[Wolverine12]

Ultimate X-Men is #1
Astonishing is #2

[REVOLUTION]

https://images.app.goo.gl/nyjXrDRDFocf6Wb28

[Uncanny X-Man]

Ultimate X-Men 1-100 vs Astonishing X-Men 1-68 vs Exiles 1-100 vs Excalibur 1-125. Which of the four is the better run?

Tough call. All of these started out great and fizzled out into the less-than-great as they progressed.

I'd say Excalibur probably has the longest highest average quality with the Claremont/Davis, Davis and Ellis runs.
Ultimate X-Men was a lot of fun for the first few years but for me only the Mark Millar and Brian K. Vaughan issues were really remarkable. The Bendis and Kirkman stuff was often enjoyable but not exceptional.
Astonishing X-Men had a great first 24 issues and I also enjoyed the Marjorie Liu run but not as much as her X-23 or Daken.
Exiles under Judd Winick was tons of fun, what followed wasn't bad but again nothing as good as those first few years.

[Master of Sound]

Ultimate X-Men 1-100 vs Astonishing X-Men 1-68 vs Exiles 1-100 vs Excalibur 1-125. Which of the four is the better run?

Astonishing I would say. Then Excalibur, but only as off number 90.

[davetvs]

Of these, Astonishing for sure. Ultimate X-Men starts out great but ends up terrible.

[Mutant X]

Exiles is good while Judd Winnick was writing, around #25.

Ultimate X-men highlight is Millar's run (until #33) but is one of his less inspired works.

Excalibur I only read Claremont and Davis run which is excellent. But it ends on #24.

And Astonishing X-men has 24 great issues by Whedon, then a divisive run by Ellis. And what comes after is irrelevant.

Difficult choice.

[Factor]

Hard to compare, as most of these weren't one single run and vision. Exiles probably kept the quality for longer, but Astonishing reached higher highs at the start. UXM was completely botched by Kirkman and then by Ultimatum. Excalibur by Claremont and Davis holds a special place in my heart, but after Davis left, things were DIRE.
If I had to pick solely based on particular runs, Davis' Excalibur would be #1, followed by Whedon's AXM, Winnick's Exiles and pre-Kirkman Ultimate X-men.

[charliehustle415]

Ultimate X-Men 1-100 vs Astonishing X-Men 1-68 vs Exiles 1-100 vs Excalibur 1-125. Which of the four is the better run?

hmmm, this is a tough one.

Quality wise in regards to the opening arcs I would say; for me, Astonishing then Ultimate X-Men

[NewMutant]

Random pairings. Astonishing is the clear winner to me.

1) Astonishing
2&3 tie) Excalibur / Ultimate
4) Exiles

[Triniking1234]

Of these, Astonishing for sure. Ultimate X-Men starts out great but ends up terrible.

^^^

This is tough cuz I never finished Exiles and Excalibur vol 1. As for the remaining two, Astonishing's key moments are the Whedon issues, Northstar getting married, Karma and Warbird (?) joining after Schism and Iceman turning evil. Ultimate craps the bed after Apocalypse.

[SturdyMike89]

!. Excalibur: This book (especially when Alan Davis was on art), will always have a special place in my heart. I loved these characters. Still do

2. Exiles: This book was very smartly written and has a concept I just love. I miss Blink so much. I was really hoping that she would have a role in the Krakoa era.

3. Astonishing X-Men: I have not been able to enjoy the first 24 issues as much now that I know how much of a creep the writer was. Warren Ellis's run was terrible IMHO. Marjorie Liu did a fine job, but it was too little too late.

4. Ultimate X-Men: Mark Miller hates superheroes and man does it show. I was probably the only person back then who could not get into this book and the awful way Miller wrote the characters.

[yogaflame]

Gonna have to go with Lord Claremont's Excalibur in the #1 position. Those early parts are great, and even the later runs have their merits. Underappreciated, for sure.

I'll go with Exiles for #2, but definitely not for Lord Claremont's part! Kinda thin, but a lot of fun and drama. Great pacing.

I'll go with Ultimate X-Men for #3. Millar's part was far less inspired than his Ultimates, but it was serviceable and in many ways an homage to Lord Claremont's OG run. The later writers weren't usually great, but it was still interesting to see a different world. I kinda liked Kirkman's run a bit, at least for his Storm. Definitely ended poorly with Ultimatum and the Banshee drug or whatever. Highly uneven, let's say.

I'll put Astonishing last. I never understood the appeal of Whedon. Whisker aliens for the big arc? Wtf? Highly overrated. Ellis's run was okay(LOVED Bianchi's artwork), but nothing great. I didn't follow the end very closely, but I don't think I missed anything that important. Iceman freezing the world got swept under the carpet, though, didn't it?

It's not fair to throw Mutant X into the running because of its brevity, but for what it's worth, I did really like that run. Bloodstorm ftw, of course!