The most important X-Men stories pre New X-Men

[Mutant X]

Great list! Agree with many that are saying Claremont;s entire run is "essential" and no filler. You forgot the one that brought them back from publishing extinction : Giant Sized X-Men!

I agree about CC.
And before him, I think Roy Thomas and Neal Adams work in X-Men #56–63, 65 is very relevant.

[Zero Hunter]

The Muir Island Saga and all of Paul Smith's run are very underrated in quality and importance IMHO.

Claremont/Smith includes Ororo's transformation, the Morlocks (knife fight!), Rogue joining, Maddie Pryor, Logan's wedding, Kitty's "Prof X is a jerk!". All of this in around 15 issues. It works as an awesome transition between Byrne/Cockrum's era to the gritty 80s X-Men.

I was just going to say this. Those issue between 168 and 176 are pure gold. The trade is hard to find but so worth it.

[yogaflame]

I agree about CC.
And before him, I think Roy Thomas and Neal Adams work in X-Men #56–63, 65 is very relevant.

I like the last story with the ZNoxx, but other than Neal Adam's art, that era never really works for me. This page in particular is just like the antithesis of what the X-Men became under Claremont.

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[CRaymond]

Was “world tour” that stretch of stories in the middle of Phoenix Sagas where the team was Cyclops, Storm, Wolverine, Nightcrawler, Colossus, and Banshee?

[Master of Sound]

I still consider Deadly Genesis also as one of the highlights.

[yogaflame]

Was “world tour” that stretch of stories in the middle of Phoenix Sagas where the team was Cyclops, Storm, Wolverine, Nightcrawler, Colossus, and Banshee?

Yes. World tour kinda starts right after Jean Phoenixed out for the first time when Logan, Ororo, Kurt, Sean, and Piotr go on vacation in #101-104(at least this is a preamble). They come back to join up with Jean again to finish the original Phoenix saga vs Firelord and Eric the Red and all that in #105.

Then it starts up again in earnest in #111 with the Texas circus and ends after they leave Canada vs Alpha Flight in #121(this is what most people think of as the Byrne/Claremont "World Tour"). #122 is back at the mansion in NY for regrouping, and then the Murder World story, just before the Dark Phoenix proper, with the Proteus story (#125-128). It's not officially called that, whereas Ultimate X-Men's third paper back trade is, but that's definitely a great era in the X-Men run.

[CRaymond]

Yes. World tour kinda starts right after Jean Phoenixed out for the first time when Logan, Ororo, Kurt, Sean, and Piotr go on vacation in #101-104(at least this is a preamble). They come back to join up with Jean again to finish the original Phoenix saga vs Firelord and Eric the Red and all that in #105.

Then it starts up again in earnest in #111 with the Texas circus and ends after they leave Canada vs Alpha Flight in #121(this is what most people think of as the Byrne/Claremont "World Tour"). #122 is back at the mansion in NY for regrouping, and then the Murder World story, just before the Dark Phoenix proper, with the Proteus story (#125-128). It's not officially called that, whereas Ultimate X-Men's third paper back trade is, but that's definitely a great era in the X-Men run.

Thanks I bought this huge omnibus of The Phoenix Saga. It’s great and then all of a sudden there’s this black page with columns of text explaining some stuff. Turn the page and it's Jean and Moira I’m the lab.

I really learned to hate Phoenix but appreciate Jean a lot more. There’s an actual character there under all the soap and pathos.

[yogaflame]

Claremont's early Jean is my favorite Jean, 100%. I would have been fine with her staying dead in DPS. Peak Jean. The world tour era Jean is the part of the story Fox always ignored, and it is the best part. It's the part where Jean is coming to terms with her power, with the ferocity bubbling up inside of her. She thinks Scott and the team are dead. Charles leaves for Shi'Ar space. She's all alone, with all that power and emotional turmoil. And that's where Mastermind does his work. Very important stories for Jean here sprinkled in between the main team's adventures.

[Talon1load]

X-men Legion Shadow King Rising collects the Muir Island Saga.

[ermac]

Charles leaves for Shi'Ar space. She's all alone, with all that power and emotional turmoil. And that's where Mastermind does his work.

Xavier's perfect timing, as always

[yogaflame]

Xavier's perfect timing, as always

Right? To be fair, Jean wanted to leave[the mansion after Scott and the team apparently died in the volcano lair), so without any students, he just went with Lilandra. It was only after being largely dismissed in Shi'Ar space(getting bored), that he realized Jean was probably in over her head and went back to check on her.

[mikelmcknight72]

Hey every one, as the title suggests I'm just wanting to know what the most essential X-Men stories are (to continuity and just cause they're good) pre Grant Morrisons 'New X-Men' I'm thinking in this order;

The Dark Phoenix Saga
Days of Future Past
God Loves, Man Kills
Mutant Massacre
Fall of the Mutants
Inferno
Days of Future Present
X-Tinction Agenda
Muir Island Saga
X-Cutioner Song
Fatal Attractions
Phalanx Covenant
Age of Apocalypse
Legion Quest
Onslaught
Children of the Atom
Operation: Zero Tolerance
The Twelve
Dream's End
Eve of Destruction

As a few others have posted, a few order tweaks are needed. Otherwise, I'd add the following:

The Outback era issues of Uncanny is a must. It starts pretty much immediately following Fall of the Mutants, and it ends not too long after Inferno. It contains the introduction of Genosha, the introduction of the Reavers, the introduction of Jubilee, and an enjoyable arc with the Brood on Earth. The Genosha arc also plays a big role in the start of Inferno. I believe this is were Madripoor first appeared before getting explored more in Logan's first ongoing.
The Havok/Wolverine: Meltdown mini set during the outback era is good. There is some good character work, and the non-traditional art work is pretty. One of the characters in it, Scarlett, re-appears in Age of Apocalypse in Angel's bar (I think).
The Wolverine ongoing that starts during that era is fun at times. Logan was different in many ways then, including the more reasonable level of his healing factor. His "disguise" as Patch is paper thin, his costume is kind of lame, but it is funny seeing characters like Jessica Drew, Lindsey McCabe, and Karma all more or less pretend to be fooled by it to humor Logan. His more or less noir adventures centered around Madripoor are often fun, especially the arc with the Joe Fix-It incarnation of the Hulk.
The two one shots centered around Rahne and Logan in an parallel world where she has replaced her counterpart (a princess) are both fun.
The Wolverine/Apocalypse/Savage Land one shot is also fun.