Looking For Good, Relatively Self-Contained X-Men Stories...

[giveuptheghost]

I'm new here, but I've been looking for some new X-books to read, and thought this might be a good place to ask.

I used to read a few X-books back from 2010-2012 or so. I gave up about 6 issues into Wolverine and the X-Men and Uncanny, read X-Factor and Legacy until they ended, respectively. (I know X-Factor relaunched).

Anyway, I've been really wanting to read some X-Men stuff lately (probably because of the Apocalypse trailers) and I wanted to know if there were any current series that might be worth adding to my shelf.

The reason I quit X-Men (and went on to also quit the DCU books as well) was too many damn crossovers. Every other month it seemed like some huge universe shaking event was happening where suddenly I have to buy six times as many books as usual just to keep up with it, and it got old. I adored X-Factor because it was character driven stories and was mostly separate from the other books, only getting pulled into a couple crossovers. Make no mistake, the occasional crossover is fine, but constant crossovers are just draining. So I wanted to know if there are any current series that are relatively self-contained and don't interact much with the rest of the X-books (or other heroes in the Marvel universe, for that matter, since with the exception of X-Men, I don't care for Marvel in general and generally prefer DC, though they overdid the crossovers for me too and now I read mostly independent stuff).

I'm also up for recommendations on older stories that I can read in trade now if they fit the bill. I'm rereading the classics (God Loves, Man Kills, Dark Phoenix, and Days of Future Past) and may give X-Factor another read, from the beginning. I've also ordered a copy of Joss Whedon's run of Astonishing since I'm under the impression that it's self-contained, supposedly great, and I've never read it. Looking into Magneto: Testament as well.

I don't care for space battling X-Men as much, but if it's good, I'll give it a go. I prefer stories that are focused more on the characters than just punchout brawls. The students dealing with discrimination and misunderstanding, the mutants as an allegory for any downtrodden group, that's what makes X-Men great for me and so much more than most superhero stories.

So, any recommended books or current series that might sate my X-Men cravings without massive amounts of crossover nonsense?

[Nachturne]

Maybe a bit outside what you are thinking, but I recommend picking up the first 30-odd issues of Exiles. Really, really good, self contained, and OMFG did I say good? So good.

[xfire2k13]

Have you read X-men vol. 3? its very self contained.

[Wolverine12]

Uncanny X-Force by Rick Remender. It's not a traditional X-Men book but it is amazing. The current run on Extraordinary X-Men sounds like it could be what you are looking for.

[Anduinel]

The most recent crop of X-Books announced the "Apocalypse War" event before all three main titles had even launched, so you might want to steer clear of the current flagships. The new Wolverine book looks like it's ignoring all of that nonsense, though, so that would be my recommendation for the current X-Books.

The Astonishing X-Men arcs post-Whedon are pretty self-contained, so that wouldn't be a bad series to keep on with. The exception is the "X-Termination" volume, but it's literally of no consequence to AXM and has no impact on the title. The Simon Spurrier volumes of X-Men Legacy are an excellent stand-alone read and cross-over free. It's not current, but if you're into student books, I'd also recommend the Weir/DeFillipis New Mutants run (and the Hellions mini series), which eventually turns into the Kyle/Yost Academy X run. The last few issues of that series are involved in a cross-over, but the rest is pretty self-contained.

Depending on how many recommendations you get, you might also want to try Marvel Comics Unlimited. It's $10 a month for all you can read, and a good way to sample a lot of different comic runs before deciding what you want on your bookshelf.

[Senyaka]

Self contained is difficult as almost every title is about to go through a big cross over at some point and all share common plot points about stuff happening elsewhere.

Stay well clear of Bendis's series as they pretty much cross over constantly.

Most recent is Cullen Bunn's Magento which is entirely self contained I think until you get to secret wars (which it only tangentially crosses over with) I also second the recommendations for Exiles and Academy X.
Closest I can think of is Uncanny Avengers, while not really being an X-book is pretty much one continued story from the start of Uncanny X-force.

But for actual self contained stories being released at the moment you'll have to keep on the look out for mini-series as it looks like the current approach is to have all the books reference each other.

[giveuptheghost]

Have you read X-men vol. 3? its very self contained.

Yeah, I read that back when I was reading it regularly.

Maybe a bit outside what you are thinking, but I recommend picking up the first 30-odd issues of Exiles. Really, really good, self contained, and OMFG did I say good? So good.

Will look into this one. You are meaning Volume 1, I take it? A quick search informed me of 3 volumes.

Uncanny X-Force by Rick Remender. It's not a traditional X-Men book but it is amazing. The current run on Extraordinary X-Men sounds like it could be what you are looking for.

I noticed Extraordinary X-Men when I was looking at previews. And I love Jeff Lemire. So I might need to go ahead and check out the first trade of that one.

Now back when I was reading X-Men on the regular, X-Force was by Kyle and Yost and was rather excessive in its violence, if memory serves. I didn't read much of it except what crossed over into events like Second Coming. Is Uncanny X-Force in that vein still as well? Not opposed to violence, but if the issue is 95% blood and gore and 5% story... If memory serves, X-Force is a sort of mutant black ops thing, which is cool.


Extraordinary X-Men
Uncanny X-Force
Exiles 1-30ish
Astonishing X-Men

Should be enough to quench my X-thirst for a bit. Thank you guys for the recommendations!

[AJpyro]

Spurrier's X-men legacy is a good twenty plus self contained story. Neat covers, a gripping story, and cameos of MU characters but not crossovers or events.

[Wolverine12]

Yeah, I read that back when I was reading it regularly.



Will look into this one. You are meaning Volume 1, I take it? A quick search informed me of 3 volumes.



I noticed Extraordinary X-Men when I was looking at previews. And I love Jeff Lemire. So I might need to go ahead and check out the first trade of that one.

Now back when I was reading X-Men on the regular, X-Force was by Kyle and Yost and was rather excessive in its violence, if memory serves. I didn't read much of it except what crossed over into events like Second Coming. Is Uncanny X-Force in that vein still as well? Not opposed to violence, but if the issue is 95% blood and gore and 5% story... If memory serves, X-Force is a sort of mutant black ops thing, which is cool.


Extraordinary X-Men
Uncanny X-Force
Exiles 1-30ish
Astonishing X-Men

Should be enough to quench my X-thirst for a bit. Thank you guys for the recommendations!

Uncanny X-Force has the violence but it also has a great story. Kyle and Yost had a decent story, but Remender just nailed it with his run.

[MetalPsyc]

Uncanny X-Force by Rick Remender. It's not a traditional X-Men book but it is amazing.

This. Specifically the Dark Angel Saga (issue #1-#18).

The current Uncanny X-Men seems to follow up on the Apocalypse storyline too since Archangel who's is a big player in Uncanny X-Force is a team member of the team.

[Ricochet Rita]

Taking into account your reading preferences (very close to mine, BTW ), I would strongly recommend to you 'Magneto: Testament' mini, 'Mutant Massacre' arc, and The New Mutants v.1 (i.e., CC's run). And Excalibur v.1 (CC & Davis run) in order to get lots of fun in an absolutely self-contained way.

[Fuzzy Barbarian]

Welcome to the X-fandom, hope you survive the experience! You're off to a good start with X-Factor (fist bump), but when it comes to other self contained... hmm...

Something that's very self-contained but good is Origin, the miniseries detailing Wolverine's early life. It really doesn't tie in to anything or have much big impact, but it's interesting.

Uncanny X-Force is very well-regarded, and I think it's the peak of what X-Force can be. Self-contained, but some of the consequences of it are explored in other series. Requires SOME basic background knowledge, but not much. It has violence and gore, but doesn't revel in it or uwe it excessively like the Kyle/Yost run. It approaches the idea of X-Force in a very mature way.

Exiles ks also good and had no impact on anything outside of itself. There are regular trades and ultimate colldctions, though I think they're a little hard to find.

I think New X-Men - Academy X was great for young mutant adventures. Mostly teens dealing with what it is to be a mutant, but in a more grounded sense. Descrimination, cliques, interesting origins, it's a good run, the one that got me into comics (along with Runaways) in fact. When Kyle/Yost come on, it gets pretty dark though.

It gets a bad rap as a whole, but Bendis X-run had somr good moments, specifically the beginning. There's nothing like the energy of the first arc of a Bendis comic. I'd recommend his Uncanny X-Men run, leave out All-New. Uncanny got one crossover(Battle of the Atom) and one tie-in arc, but it waa for Original Sin, and none of OS's tie-ins read like tie-ins. They read like normal stories, tbh. It may have the best tie-ins of any crossover I've ever read, actually.

That's all I got, from the top of my head.

[giveuptheghost]

Here's another question, that I'd rather not start another thread for, but is there anywhere on this site (or another) where I can get a summary of events in the X-books? So I can maybe get an overview of what has happened in the last few years as far as changes in the roster, deaths, rebirths, the status of Xavier's school, learn where various characters are at.

I can google various characters, but I'm having a hard time finding a good overview. I can't imagine there isn't one. A handy reference for continuity questions since just keeping it straight in one's head is quite the chore.

[xfire2k13]

Here's another question, that I'd rather not start another thread for, but is there anywhere on this site (or another) where I can get a summary of events in the X-books? So I can maybe get an overview of what has happened in the last few years as far as changes in the roster, deaths, rebirths, the status of Xavier's school, learn where various characters are at.

I can google various characters, but I'm having a hard time finding a good overview. I can't imagine there isn't one. A handy reference for continuity questions since just keeping it straight in one's head is quite the chore.

Read This:
http://uncannyxmen.net/continuity/x-men-primer

It goes from 1963 all the way to Aug 2015

[giveuptheghost]

Read This:
http://uncannyxmen.net/continuity/x-men-primer

It goes from 1963 all the way to Aug 2015

Thank you!