I've only recently started reading X-Men comics—started with Astonishing, and now I'm reading through X-Force and Uncanny X-Force.

What I'm wondering is: why do Marvel comics make it so difficult to follow the story arc from comic to comic? —by changing story arc titles, changing volume and series numeration, adding in random one-offs that are actually important to the main story line, etc.? Or even supplying enough information in collected editions—especially when several comics share the same title and/or numeration in the series.

For instance, I just finished reading X-Force: The Complete Edition. Had started reading this because I had originally bought the UnCanny X-Force Omnibus book, but then I realized that I needed to go back and read X-Force before I could read Uncanny if I wanted to do it in order. I read that Uncanny picks up after X-Force Vol. 3, but I can't figure out what's what, and the Wikipedia page made it more confusing.

Can someone help me?

Are there like, flowcharts or something that will help me figure out story arcs/which books to read and in which order?



I'm okay with the chaotic story lines, but chaotic publication details make it hard to follow at all!