Reviews (15)

The End of the Glory...
Once the Dark Phoenix Saga concluded, the X-Men became a victim of their own success, as the sensational collaboration between Chris Claremont and John Byrne began to sag beneath the weight of the artists' egos. The stories became verbose and overwrought as ideas seemed to perpetually recycle, the art lost much of its previous verve, and the title generally settled into a long decline.

There remain some notable highlights in "Essential X-Men Vol. 3", however. The courtship of Dr. Doom and Storm is classic and totally unexpected. The story arc with Cyclops stranded on a desert isle housing his greatest foe is sensational, as is the appearance of Dracula (!). Unfortunately, these high points sink beneath the weight of drecch like Kitty Pryde's fairytale version of the X-Men and the touted return of Dark Phoenix.

If you're a true fan of the X-Men, you'll want this collection to avoid bending the corners of your precious back issues. Otherwise, grab the first two volumes of this series instead.

GREAT
Here we have Uncanny X-Men #145-161. We have Starjammers, Dr. Doom, and all sort of goodie. I just wish it would have been in color.

Good Find!
I bought all of these to back track and read the previous things that had happened within the comic. This serves the purpose but was disapointed that they were not in color.

Issues # 145 - 161and Annuals 3- 5
This book contains X-Men issues #145 thru 161 and anuuals #3-5. Featuring Nightcrawler, Colossus, Storm, Cyclops, Wolverine and Kitty Pryde.

Chris Claremont's X-Men try to survive without John Byrne
When John Byrne left "X-Men" as the penciller and co-plotter after the fiasco over the death of Phoenix (a.k.a. Marvel Girl, a.k.a. Jean Grey), Dave Cockrum, the original artist when Chris Claremont resurrected the merry mutants from the purgatory of being a reprint comic, returned to the fold. Cockrum draws most of the seventeen issues and three annuals collected in "The Essential X-Men Volume 3," but you will also find issues drawn by Jim Sherman, Bob McLeod, Bill Sienkiewicz, Brent Anderson, George Perez, and John Romita, Jr. (the last trio do the annuals). The Perez drawn annual is of note, since he would be drawing the main rival for the "X-Men," D.C.'s "Teen Titans." The Sienkiewicz issues, where the X-Men tackled Dracula, is noteworthy because it is drawn like a regular comic book and not in the striking stylized manner we know associate with Sienkiewicz (I am telling you this now so you will not be disappointed when you read it, although his cover is closer to what you would expect, I imagine since it was not inked by Bob Wiacek like the rest of the comic).

The stories start with a smitten Dr. Doom kidnapping Storm and ends with a flashback story where Charles Xavier and Magnus (the future Magneto) take on Baron Strucker's Hydra gang. In between there is a rematch with Magneto (you have to have one of those at least once a year, but this one is nothing special), a reunion with the Starjammers (which means Corsair and Scott Summers might finally acknowledge they are father and sun), and a reapperance by Dark Phoenix (could it really be her?). In terms of the characters the three main subplots are Storm taking over as the new leader of the X-Men, Kitty Pryde trying to fit in with the gang, and Charles Xavier being terminally ill. The villains are mostly retreads, from the Hellfire Club to the Sentinels, and more guest stars, such as Dazzler and Tigra, and nobody really new and interesting.

In rereading these stories I know that the artwork is not as striking as it was when Byrne was drawing the "X-Men," but it also seems equally clear that the stories are not as epic in scope as what Claremont and Byrne were producing together. When Kitty Pride (a.k.a. Ariel, a.k.a. Sprite) is your most interesting character that is just not a good sign. But then all comic books go through peaks and valleys. Of course, after the issues collected in Volume 2 of this series, it would be hard for these comics not to look lesser in comparison. But eventually the focus will return to Wolverine and things will get a lot more interesting. ... Read more

Book Description

Professor X thought he'd solved the problem of Magneto, but the mutant master of magnetism has regained his memory and his mission!Now the X-Men are on the run, with the Ultimates hot on their trail!Can the X-Men stop Magneto before he executes his plan to enslave the human race? ... Read more

Reviews (9)

New generation of writers out to destroy comics....
These new stories by Millar contain terrible Kubert drawings and story plots that go no where. They play more like a video game rather then a comic and are the work of people who are more like internet geeks then serious writers. No wonder comic book sales are dead and less then 2,000 comic book stores are still open nationwide.

Los mutantes recontados
La idea del Universo Ultimate que tan bien le esta saliendo a la Marvel, es adaptar sus historias clasicas al entorno actual con la finalidad de atraer nuevos lectores. Es decir, todos sabemos lo geniales que son los mutantes de Stan Lee pero reconozcamos que no atraen lo suficiente a nuevos lectores.
Asi, esta version Ultimate incorpora varios cambios menores que al final hacen un gran cambio, por ejemplo en las personalidades de los personajes, su origen, etc. Y todo eso hace una gran lectura. El escritor es Mark Millar, la actual estrella de la editorial Marvel que ademas ha escrito a los geniales Ultimates y los dibujantes son los hermanos Adam y Andy Kubert que se complementan muy bien el uno al otro. En resumen, buenos autores logran una estupenda historia.
Este tomo de tapa dura tiene los primeros 12 numeros de la coleccion Ultimate X-men:
- del #1 al #6: Tomorrow People, como se reclutan a los nuevos X-men y la pelea contra la version mas malvada de Magneto que se haya visto.
- del #7 al #12: Return to Weapon X, con la aparición estelar del Ultimate Samuel Jackson, perdon, quise decir Nick Fury.
Altamente recomendable para quienes pensaron que no se podian hacer nuevas historias de mutantes, para quienes no tienen nada de los X-men en su coleccion y para quienes llegan a los X-men por la pelicula.

Keep it real
The creators of Ultimate X-men did a very smart thing. They started all the way over. Considering Ult. X-men starts off anew, they can do what they wish with the story. Unlike X-treme and New X-Men which have plots so Twisted, it doesn't feel like the X-Men at all. They changed a few things in this series, like how Wolverine joined. Also Colossus and Storm take Angel's place as one of the first X-men. Making a team of 6 instead of 5. Magneto and the Brotherhood are pretty much the same. These books are solely based on story. Theres action, but its kinda far between.

The Weapon X Program tries to "recruit" the X-Men
Despite the title and the cover art for this second trade paperback volume in the "Ultimate X-Men" series (collecting issues 7-12), "Return to Weapon X" does not focus on the character of Wolverine. True, he is a key part of the solution for the predicament our Merry Mutants have found themselves in this time around, but Weapon X is now a big time secret government program run under the auspices of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Nick Fury that has a rather impressive little roster of mutants in its service: Juggernaut, Rogue, Nightcrawler, and Sabertooth. Think of them as the government's answer to the X-Men and the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, and that pretty much accounts for all of the mutants belonging to groups at this point in the series.

Despite being on a first name basis with the President of the United States, Xavier's School for Gifted Children is hit by Colonel Wraith and his shock troops, both human and mutant. Now Cyclops, Marvel Girl, and the others will serve the greater good and help the government fight fire with fire (the only good mutant is a mutant with a neural implant). Of course, since this is a comic book, the person in charge of this government program is psychotic and perfectly willing to do anything to do anything to get the job done (or did I mention already that Wraith was in charge?). The main part of the story arc has to do with the X-Men regaining their freedom, but this is also mixed up with Wolverine's search for his past and Nick Fury's search for an illegal genetic operation violating the Superhuman Test-Ban Treaty.

I think that one of the main strengths of the Ultimate comic books is that they emphasize story arcs that take multiple issues (six in this case) so that a dozen issues into the series we have only dealt with two major stories instead of a self-contained episode with a new villain every single month. This should help the well from running dry too quickly. Writer Mark Millar along with Penciller Adam Kubert (with Tom Raney & Tom Derenick) and Inker Art Thibert (with Scott Hanna, Joe Kubert, Danny Miki, & Lary Stucker) are having fun tweaking the "original" X-Men stories and creating some new dynamics (e.g., Storm is interested in Hank McCoy, Nightcrawler does not speak English) so I think that those who have been reading the X-Men since issue #1 of "The Uncanny X-Men" (or issue #1 of "The Giant-Size X-Men") will enjoy the differences more than neophytes and appreciate the way key stories resonant (e.g., Jean Grey is Marvel Girl and not Phoenix when she steps over the line this time around).

"Return to Weapon X" is not as good as the first volume in the series, but it is hard to compete with Magneto when you talking about the X-Men, whichever version of the group is involved. Millar's story is certainly complex enough and you can see all sorts of things being set up for down the road. As long as you are not offended by the very existence of the series, you should find "Ultimate X-Men" or any of the other titles in the Marvel series to be at least entertaining and quite possibility compelling. At the very least, you should be able to appreciate the tweaking.

Awesome!
An alternate X-Men universe is perhaps the best way for newer readers to come to terms with the characters that have amazed many throughout the years. The familiar characters get a stylish upgrade. Jean Grey with red, spiky hair? Cyclops with a goatee? Iceman with a bandana? You get them all here! Fantastic artwork with a reasonably paced storyline. The X-Men's battle with Magneto's Brotherhood of the Evil Mutants opened its first chapter. A highly recommended read. ... Read more

Book Description

The mysterious Quiet Man's identity is finally revealed! Mystique is sent on a mission to find Shortpack, who has mysteriously vanished. But she has enough on her mind already: she has to figure out how to assassinate Professor Charles Xavier! Mystique has been caught between two masters long enough; now, the time has come when she can no longer serve both!Collects Mystique #19-24. ... Read more

Book Description

This deluxe hardcover collects Ultimate X-Men Volume 7: Blockbuster and Ultimate X-Men Volume 8: New Mutants, plus a hefty helping of DVD-style extras. In Blockbuster, Wolverine returns to New York after a short time away from the X-Men - with a strange strike force armed with sophisticated military technology on his tail. To survive, he's forced to rely on the Big Apple's own Spider-Man and Daredevil - not to mention a little help from his fellow X-Men! In New Mutants, the President of the United States decides in the face of growing racism and paranoia between man and mutant that Professor X - with his mysterious psychic powers and shrouded background - might be the bigger problem. The President's solution: get the U.S. Government involved in the mutant-training business. With the help of Emma Frost, the President handpicks a class of "New Mutants" to serve his political agenda - including Dazzler, Karma, Havok, and Polaris. But who is this mysterious Emma Frost and what is her connection to Xavier? ... Read more

Book Description

A tragic death at the Xavier Institute reveals a powerful enemy living among the X-Men that they could never have suspected - and no, it's not Magneto. Things heat up in a way none of the X-Men ever dreamed, but will teamwork save the day when they can't even depend on themselves? Collects Astonishing X-Men #7-12. ... Read more

Book Description

This hardcover volume features many key introductions, including Proteus (the evil son of Professor X), Gambit (who enjoyed a large fan-following in the hit X-Men cartoon) and Phoenix (the dark split personality of Jean Grey). The X-Men are cut to the emotional core as they battle their way through an obstacle course of deadly trials. First, Professor Xavier -- the mentor of the X-Men -- is forced to confront his past sins when his own son explodes into a destructive force. The question is, will he sacrifice his team to save his son? Then, the X-Men face another internal conflict when Jean Grey turns to the dark side.To save themselves, and the world, will the X-Men strike down their own teammate? ... Read more

Reviews (9)

New generation of writers out to destroy comics....
These new stories by Millar contain terrible Kubert drawings and story plots that go no where. They play more like a video game rather then a comic and are the work of people who are more like internet geeks then serious writers. No wonder comic book sales are dead and less then 2,000 comic book stores are still open nationwide.

Los mutantes recontados
La idea del Universo Ultimate que tan bien le esta saliendo a la Marvel, es adaptar sus historias clasicas al entorno actual con la finalidad de atraer nuevos lectores. Es decir, todos sabemos lo geniales que son los mutantes de Stan Lee pero reconozcamos que no atraen lo suficiente a nuevos lectores.
Asi, esta version Ultimate incorpora varios cambios menores que al final hacen un gran cambio, por ejemplo en las personalidades de los personajes, su origen, etc. Y todo eso hace una gran lectura. El escritor es Mark Millar, la actual estrella de la editorial Marvel que ademas ha escrito a los geniales Ultimates y los dibujantes son los hermanos Adam y Andy Kubert que se complementan muy bien el uno al otro. En resumen, buenos autores logran una estupenda historia.
Este tomo de tapa dura tiene los primeros 12 numeros de la coleccion Ultimate X-men:
- del #1 al #6: Tomorrow People, como se reclutan a los nuevos X-men y la pelea contra la version mas malvada de Magneto que se haya visto.
- del #7 al #12: Return to Weapon X, con la aparición estelar del Ultimate Samuel Jackson, perdon, quise decir Nick Fury.
Altamente recomendable para quienes pensaron que no se podian hacer nuevas historias de mutantes, para quienes no tienen nada de los X-men en su coleccion y para quienes llegan a los X-men por la pelicula.

Keep it real
The creators of Ultimate X-men did a very smart thing. They started all the way over. Considering Ult. X-men starts off anew, they can do what they wish with the story. Unlike X-treme and New X-Men which have plots so Twisted, it doesn't feel like the X-Men at all. They changed a few things in this series, like how Wolverine joined. Also Colossus and Storm take Angel's place as one of the first X-men. Making a team of 6 instead of 5. Magneto and the Brotherhood are pretty much the same. These books are solely based on story. Theres action, but its kinda far between.

The Weapon X Program tries to "recruit" the X-Men
Despite the title and the cover art for this second trade paperback volume in the "Ultimate X-Men" series (collecting issues 7-12), "Return to Weapon X" does not focus on the character of Wolverine. True, he is a key part of the solution for the predicament our Merry Mutants have found themselves in this time around, but Weapon X is now a big time secret government program run under the auspices of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Nick Fury that has a rather impressive little roster of mutants in its service: Juggernaut, Rogue, Nightcrawler, and Sabertooth. Think of them as the government's answer to the X-Men and the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, and that pretty much accounts for all of the mutants belonging to groups at this point in the series.

Despite being on a first name basis with the President of the United States, Xavier's School for Gifted Children is hit by Colonel Wraith and his shock troops, both human and mutant. Now Cyclops, Marvel Girl, and the others will serve the greater good and help the government fight fire with fire (the only good mutant is a mutant with a neural implant). Of course, since this is a comic book, the person in charge of this government program is psychotic and perfectly willing to do anything to do anything to get the job done (or did I mention already that Wraith was in charge?). The main part of the story arc has to do with the X-Men regaining their freedom, but this is also mixed up with Wolverine's search for his past and Nick Fury's search for an illegal genetic operation violating the Superhuman Test-Ban Treaty.

I think that one of the main strengths of the Ultimate comic books is that they emphasize story arcs that take multiple issues (six in this case) so that a dozen issues into the series we have only dealt with two major stories instead of a self-contained episode with a new villain every single month. This should help the well from running dry too quickly. Writer Mark Millar along with Penciller Adam Kubert (with Tom Raney & Tom Derenick) and Inker Art Thibert (with Scott Hanna, Joe Kubert, Danny Miki, & Lary Stucker) are having fun tweaking the "original" X-Men stories and creating some new dynamics (e.g., Storm is interested in Hank McCoy, Nightcrawler does not speak English) so I think that those who have been reading the X-Men since issue #1 of "The Uncanny X-Men" (or issue #1 of "The Giant-Size X-Men") will enjoy the differences more than neophytes and appreciate the way key stories resonant (e.g., Jean Grey is Marvel Girl and not Phoenix when she steps over the line this time around).

"Return to Weapon X" is not as good as the first volume in the series, but it is hard to compete with Magneto when you talking about the X-Men, whichever version of the group is involved. Millar's story is certainly complex enough and you can see all sorts of things being set up for down the road. As long as you are not offended by the very existence of the series, you should find "Ultimate X-Men" or any of the other titles in the Marvel series to be at least entertaining and quite possibility compelling. At the very least, you should be able to appreciate the tweaking.

Awesome!
An alternate X-Men universe is perhaps the best way for newer readers to come to terms with the characters that have amazed many throughout the years. The familiar characters get a stylish upgrade. Jean Grey with red, spiky hair? Cyclops with a goatee? Iceman with a bandana? You get them all here! Fantastic artwork with a reasonably paced storyline. The X-Men's battle with Magneto's Brotherhood of the Evil Mutants opened its first chapter. A highly recommended read. ... Read more

Book Description

Following exciting new developments in the XMen universe, this revised edition of Ultimate XMen includes the best of the two feature films and the animated television series. Watch the evolution of the XMen superheroes from their conception in the 1960s to what they are today. Each chapter focuses on a different decade in XMen history, revealing new characters and their powers, the major stories and their settings. ... Read more

Reviews (32)

Outstanding book for the money
This book is a must for anyone who ever read the X-men and saw the movie an wanted to learn more about the characters and history. True...it does have everything a die hard X-men ( Comic book) would want, but covers enough the story line and characters that it will not confuse the newer reader.

I'm sure the author and publisher struggled with the fact that they wanted a complete history of the X-men but also wanted the book to be affordable for the average consumer.

Yes, I fan of the X-men would pay $50-100 for a complete history, but would a young child? Would you Mom and Dad fork over $50 dollars when you were a kid for a comic book based book?

They also made the book very user friendly for people of all ages. The children in my life will be fasinated with the images in the book and its is my hope that this will prompt them to attempt to read the book.

I think they made a great comprise and created a Must have book for any X-men fan.

Not everything if you are a fan.
If you like nice big pictures without going to the full details of the x-men, this book is for you. If you are a long time fan, I would recommend get the previous edition, it still includes the annoying "behind the scenes" of the first movie (as if there were not enough DVD's with such feature) but includes more about the characters of the comics.. This updated edition includes just a few more pages but, some mutants don't appear or are not fully well described as in the previous edition, which you can still get here in Amazon. It's a nice book indeed, the cover and the quality of the paper and great illustrations, but they really need to get in touch with the fans to meet their needs. There is the need of a REAL X-men guide to all the characters, organized alphabetically prefferably.

Incompetence
I picked up the original edition of this book because the "updated" version isn't updated at all and actually contains less information. Anyway, it ended up not mattering since both versions are crap. Like others have mentioned, there are all sorts of problems with the poor layout and incorrect information in this book. In addition to that, most of the art is pretty bad, and there are tons of omissions that kinda defeat the purpose of an "Ultimate guide" (and are not corrected in the "updated" version). The book is slim. The Updated verion is only 8 pages longer (it's not 192 pages as listed here, it's 184 pages.) and those pages are dedicated to the new X-Men movie and lame stuff like X-Statix (which no one likes and doesn't sell, not that that matters to those geniuses at Marvel). To make things worse, each profile of X-Men characters featured in the movies contains a sidebar giving a history of the MOVIE version of that character! That's a complete waste of space and goes against the continuity of the X-Men mythos for a cheap commercial (when you can already buy books and endless DVDs with info on the movies). I can see the feature on the movies at the end of the book, but to interrupt profiles which were (way) too small to begin with for even more advertisements for the movie was too much and ruined this book. Another wasted opportunity, another failure for DK. You guys - and the current powers that be at Marvel - are utterly incompetent and clearly couldn't care any less about the fans. The best guide so far has been the Spider-Man one, which had major problems of its own, but stuck to the COMIC BOOK continuity, not a bunch of stuff about the movies.

great for the X-fans
There isn't a whole lot to say about this book. It's an 'encyclopedia' of the X-Men. It covers them and their history pretty well and also delves into some of the alternate X-Men. If you are an X-Fan, I'd definitely get this book, otherwise, go to something else.

Awesome Book on the History of X-Men
This book and the series gives good in depeth look at the X-Men and all its characters, friends, enemies, homes, and everything else. Anything you wanted to know of the X-Men. Hopefully they'll make more books like these. ... Read more

Reviews (41)

One of the most important comic stories of all time
The Dark Phoenix saga has too much backstory to really mention in a review. Both the history of the character of Jean Grey and the writer/artists conflicts with the then editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics isn't found anywhere in this book (and believe me, it adds a lot to the tale) but the co-plotters Chris Claremont and John Byrne (assisted by Terry Austin on inks and a huge acknowledgement to the overlooked Tom Orzechowski and his lettering) have written such an engaging tale that you can jump in anywhere and enjoy the story. The best thing is that they were not consciously setting out to write a "saga" and therefore, they weren't pressured to create something that would sell in the trade paperbacks twenty years on. It's just far and away a story with a punch: a gut wrenching finale and some of the most beautiful artwork of the era.

This latest edition of the trade spruces up the artwork (no more dot matrix colors) and includes (for the first time) the much needed cover gallery, which was absent from previous printings. The art and story have hold up so well that almost a quarter of a century later it still stands as one of the best comic stories of all time.

Marvel's Greatest Story Ever Told - It Has It All!
In the Dark Phoenix Saga, Chris Claremont and John Byre, firing on all cylinders, create the greatest comics story ever. It is a story that fits logically in the greatest run by an artist/writer team in a comic series ever (chronicled in the Essential X-Men Vol.2 graphic novel), but one that also stands so well on its own.

In a story where so many things are done right, it stands out because it is a primarily a story about conflict. There is conflict on virtually every page. Not just shot-em up, video game violence, but internal, character-driven conflict.

There is conflict between Prof. X and Cyclops over leadership of the X-men; between the fiery Wolverine and the control-freak Prof. X; Jean Grey struggles to control her dark side; Cyclops tries to mold the fiercly independent members of the X-men into a tight-knit team; Jean & Scott try to maintain their relationship thru the mounting chaos....

The X-men, the ultimate ousiders, rely on each other time and again and yet, their most powerful member turns on them and then saves them - repeatedly.

The X-men have a truly worthy opponent in the Hellfire Culb.

Obstacle after obstacle is overcome before the truly life and death battle at the climax. The escalation of tension is evere bit as gripping as when I read the original comics as a kid. Its lost none of the magic or mystery. There is none of the letdown so often felt when we re-visit the source of our nostalgia.

There have been a half dozen stories that were much more revolutionary than the Dark Phoenix Saga - from the death of Gwen Stacey in Spider-Man, to The Dark Knight, the Watchmen and Crisis on Infinite Earths over at DC. Yet, for my money, Dark Phoenix is better - not for its novelty or originality or life-like art, but because its that good.

The Gold Standard of Comics
I still remember the day when X-men #137, the finale of the Dark Phoenix saga, came out at my local comic shop all those years ago. I got the last one there, and it was hidden in the magazines. Even then, I had the sense that this was a major event in comic book history - possibly the best comic book story ever written. It's amazing to me that, after all of this time, that still holds up. Other comic epics are routinely compared to the Dark Phoenix story, and I have yet to read or even hear about anything that approaches it.

For those that think comics are exclusively for kids, I hold this book up as Exhibit A. After seeing the X-men movies, my wife actually read it out of curiosity. She's the antithesis of a comic book person and had never heard of the X-men. She was actually impressed enough to read the rest of Byrne's X-men in Essential X-men Volume 2, and now looks down her nose a bit less at my childhood hobby.

From the reviews I've seen so far, I don't need to go into detail about the story. For those of you who are relying on the X-men movies to give you the scoop, I have one word of advice: DON'T. The movies are really messing with the stories in an unacceptable way. While it's clear that they're going to attempt some kind of Phoenix plot in the next movie, it won't do the real story justice. The only way to truly experience this story is through these pages, panel by panel.

I moved on from the X-men and comics a few years after the Dark Phoenix story was done, and I missed the whole return of Jean Grey. When I heard about it, I was severely disappointed that Marvel would take such a tragic character that transcended comics and reduce her to just another super hero that avoided death. Phoenix was so much more significant at the end of X-men #137, and bringing Jean Grey back has made both much less so. Most unfortunate. Still, it doesn't change my view of this story - truly amazing.

classic
This is another one of those classic comic storylines: The Dark Phoenix Saga and the death of Jean Grey. There really isn't much more you can say than that. If you are familiar with it you know how great it is. And for you recent X-fans, those that aren't familiar with it, it is one of the classic stories and one that if you haven't read yet, you're not really that much of a fan.

THE Definitive X-Men Epic.
Before Sinister, before Apocalypse, even before Sabretooth...there was Jean Grey.

The purest soul and noblest heart among the X-Men, she was willing to sacrifice her life to protect those she loved. Cosmic chance empowered her with a force beyond comprehension, and she became the Phoenix, an angel of mercy and light, who saved an entire universe with the power of her love for her friends.

Then...as all great things do...she fell.

This epic (there's no other way to describe it) chronicles exactly how Jean fell, transformed by her own dark side (with a little help from the Hellfire Club) into a Black Angel, a Chaos-Bringer, a Ravager of Worlds. The best thing about it is that it does so in a way that every reader can understand. You could give this to your eight-year-old son or your forty-eight-year-old mother, and either of them could understand the story, and take it to heart in their own ways.

Claremont shines in this epic as in all his X-Men work, but the true brilliance is as much in the way John Byrne draws the characters as in the way Claremont writes them. Sympathetic yet dynamic figures express their feelings and actions in ways that neither Jim Lee's stone-faced idols nor Frank Quitely's reality-based blobs of humanity can quite approximate. The X-Men are heroes, through and through, but what Claremont and Byrne get across, as effectively as their heroism...is their humanity. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Bargain Purchase, Thick Volume Of Classics In One Place
This series is a great buy for those who want to read classic stories but do not want to shell out the big bucks for Masterworks editions or originals. Each book offers about 20 issues of continuity in a single volume. This is a great book detailing the original X-Men, how they came to be, and their earliest encounters with some of their deadliest foes. The characters are developed nicely early on, especially the intellectual Beast and moody Cyclops. The Juggernaut, third Magneto, and Sentinal storylines are quite exciting, especially with the X-Men on the ropes. These stories are from a simpler time but they are a lot of fun. Hopefully, Marvel will continue this series and explore more of the original X-Men, and possibly the Frank Miller Daredevil run, the Simonson Thor series, and more Avengers.

Going back to the basics
Marvel gets lots of flak for the format of their Essential editions: I can agree with the mid-stream format change - just like the Masterworks, you have to start over if you want a uniform set. I can also agree with the flimsy paper, to a degree, as it tears easily during the binding process. The ink bleed results in ghost images on facing pages. And the lack of color leaves out some of the visual appeal. Yet, with all of this, I still LOVE this line, as it is hands-down the cheapest way to educate yourself on the Silver Age of Marvel Comics. I will gladly pay the low price for these 500-page books!

Anyway, on to the meat of this volume: Uncanny X-Men #1 - 24, by Lee, Kirby, Thomas, Gavin, et al. I guess most folks today prefer post-Giant-Size-X-Men, but whatever your preference, check out this book, as this is where it all began! These stories are from the early '60s, so of course the dialogue is cheesy; of course the characterizations are stereotyped; but by gum, you just can't get innovative stories like this anymore. Here we have the original X-Men, as kids no less, setting the stage for the uneasy coexistence of humanity and mutants. It's super-hero action combined with teen angst, and some little oddities that, to my knowledge, were not carried into later issues (Professor X loves teen-age Jean Grey? Eeeugh!). Featured villains include, in their first appearances, Magneto, the Blob, the Vanisher, Unus, the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, Juggernaut, the Sentinels, Lucifer, Mimic, and the Stranger, plus a few others I won't mention. Plus, you get a great Kirbyesque cover by Bruce Timm (this guy should do all of the covers for Kirby's reprints).

The Marvel Essentials line is one of the best bargains in comics. Why not fill your shelves with them?

Graphic novels are great, but...
I love graphic novels as much as the next collector and have just about everything listed by Amazon. Not exactly everything, but a great percentage. This graphic novels should actually be rated and listed the same as regular novels, because the dynamics of their stories, not just the fantastic artwork, takes you away to places that novels, such as STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND, CHILDHOOD'S END, FOUNDATION, RINGWORLD, STAR TREK novels, DARKEYE: CYBER HUNTER and so forth, take you. All are extremely imaginative and have visually-gratifying narrative/dialogue not too far removed from graphic novels such as this or any other. Broaden your minds, but hang on to the graphic novels as well!

The First and Original X-MEN
I am a newcomer to the X-Men mythology, having discovered these unforgettable mutants through the Hugh Jackson films. The films incorporate (and take many liberties with) the 25+ years of the X-Men which has made reading the comics a vastly different (but enjoyable) experience. Here follows a summary of what to expect in volume 1 of THE UNCANNY X-MEN. (Possible spoilers.)

Our superheroes and their lives and powers are varied:

~Robert (Bobby) Drake, Iceman. The youngest member of the group with a sense of humor that compliments that of Hank McCoy's.

~Hank McCoy, Beast. The most intellectual, humorous, and athletic.

~Warren Worthington III, Angel. Wealthy, charismatic, and in love with Jean Grey. He is the one with wings.

~Scott Summers, Cyclops. The most tragic (because of the intense power of his eyes) and the most respected (the deputy leader of the X-Men) and in love with Jean.

~Jean Grey, Marvel Girl. Telekinetic (also telepathic, but that is not revealed in this volume), the only female member, and forced to choose between Scott and Warren.

~Charles Xavier, Professor X. A wheelchair-bound mutant whose telepathic powers make him one of the most formidable and most powerful of all mutants. He not only founded the X-Men and leads them, but created the school Professor Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters (where mutants go to learn to control and refine their powers and abilities).

Volume 1 contains issues 1-24. The X-Men fight several of their memorable villians:

~Magneto (The X-Men's archenemy, enough said.)

~Brotherhood of Evil Mutants (Mastermind, Toad, and siblings Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver) who work for Magneto.

~Juggernaut

~the Sentinels

~Lucifer

~Mimic (who will later become an X-Man)

Other lesser villians include the Stranger, the Vanisher, the Blob, Unus, the Locust and the Submariner.

The X-MEN comics are excellent and thrilling reads, however, the series isn't without its faults (written in the 1960s, the sexism is quite obvious, even if it isn't offensive). However, after reading this, you'll be wanting more---much more.

The Essential series is published only in black and white. There is another series, Marvel Masterworks, which reprints the series in color.

Marvel has yet to publish a follow-up to volume 1 of the Essentials, which is sorely needed as one is left with many unresolved issues that begged to be answered (How do Jean-Scott-Warrren resolve the love triangle? What is Magneto planning next? Will the Locust be back? What happened to Unus and the Blob?)

Whether one is a newcomer to comics or a longtime reader, the X-MEN should not be missed out by anyone!

Good Find
I bought all of these to back track and read the previous things that had happened within the comic. This serves the purpose but was disapointed that they were not in color. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Just good story telling and good art
I've heard alot of criticism of Morrison's run on X-man. Having purchased and read TPB 1-7, I can safely say I'm glad I spend the time and the money. Morrison's more modern take on the X-men has been at time confusing but always fascinating. This is not a comic for people who don't want to think - Morrison's addresses alot of real life issues- drug addiction, infidelity, loneliness, betrayal, death and rebirth. Honestly, in the same way Chris Claremont addressed issues of racism in revolutionary run in X-men, so to does Morrison- in his own style and fashion.

And what can I say about the art- its gorgeous, really. I'm ready a couple of others TPB's at the moment and I'd pick the art in new X-men over anybody else I'm looking at. I'm a big story guy myself, with art being a secondary consideration in deciding what to read - however, the art really jumps out at you - I love the way Jiminez draws his characters- and I've enjoyed watching the characters evolve in his art (look no further then Esme- who goes from one of the generic Stepford Cukoos to a femme fatale of the highest order). You've simply got to check out Jiminez's art- its fantastic and his run on New X-men, like MOrrison's, has been of the highest quality.

For the record, this is NOT the book you want to pick up to sample Morrison's new X-men - one of the major surprises in the series is revealed in this issue and the surprise will literally be ruined if you know its coming- my suggestion is, start with book one (or at worst, start with book 4) and work your way forward. You'll be glad you did.

Next Up....
...oh. This again. The simple, yet awe-inspiring arrival of yet another MasterPiece, thanks to the very strange and talented mind of Grant Morrison, and several extremely well talented artists. This is the same man who has, over the past 20 years, crafted industry changing pieces of art such as Animal Man, Doom Patrol, & JLA, and the least of these is nothing less than a brilliant forray into why comic books should be taken more seriously by the general literary community as actual works of art, meant, more often than not by the writers and artists, to be taken seriously and with a point at hand. Planet X is the last story arc in Mr. Morrison's run on New X-men, at least, the last continuity based, within the regular bounderies of the Marvel Universe, story arc. In this five part tale, Mr. Xorn is revealed in a brilliant stroke of shock and storytelling as none other Magneto, the X-men's arch nemises.....and to the regular readers of this title, that's just the start of the revelations and strange ideas, come to frutition in this arc, and the following arc, 'Here Comes Tomorrow',....think of it, a man in an iron mask, decieving and slowly taking the Institute apart, one mutant at a time, one idea at a time, one allegiance at a time, for the better part of three years...all while staying within the confines of an already very well known and well established character's bounderies...This is apparently the ending that Mr. Morrison had had in mind for the entire duration of his run, which more than anything, comes off, upon secoundary reading, as one gigantic,majestically thought out, statues quo smashing, very adult themed three year story. The strings of continuity and plot point are hauled together in this arc, or at least, the beginnings of this massive 'finishing up' begins with this arc. Kick. The School Riots. The Phoenix. The Xavier/Magneto ideology theme and why neither will survive beyond a certain point in time. The Jean/Cyclops/White Queen story. Wolverine. The students and their drives, intentions, and the eventual culmination of why there had to be students, actual students, introduced to the Institute at all. The E-gene subplot.Cassandra Nova. John Sublime and his U-men. The disintegration of the Xavier Institute and its values, points, traditions,relationships and characters. Going over the entire run up to this point, i realize that Morrison has had a reason for every spoken word, every situation, every character that came up as he wrote the title for these past three years. I won't spoil anything else, but i will say this;...once you've read 'Here Comes Tomorrow', the story arc following this one, go back and reread the entire 43 issue run, all at once. I promise that it all will make much more sense this time around. This is without any doubt, one of the very BEST runs that this tile has ever seen. Think of Morrison's work on this title, by and large, as a tree All the plots and storylines representing the roots as they spread out and feed the tree. Now imagine these roots, singular, yet very important aspects of this tree, running their course towards their final climax and purpose...feeding the tree. Growing the tree. In the end, no matter how far these roots, these mouths, strayed from their epicenter, their Whole, they all draw back together, making for one hellova tale.......Planet X is the start of this Great Unification. Far more adult, these mutants have dared to become...by leagues, far meaningful and poinant, too.
Hawksmoor...From The Bleed.

It's all come to this
If you want proof that Grant Morrison is the best writer to pen X-Men since Chris Claremont, look no further than Planet X. Collecting the five part storyarc which drops the biggest bombshell in comics of 2003. Xorn; a mutant healer that has lived among the X-Men for months, is Magneto. When Magneto reveals himself while all of the X-Men are effectively neutralized, he cripples Professor X again, destroys the school, and completely decimates New York City christening it New Genosha; all the while the Phoenix force continues to grow in Jean Grey, all concluding with a shocking climax and epilogue that sets the stage for Morrison's final New X-Men storyarc: Here Comes Tomorrow. Planet X proves that Morrison is still a brilliant writer, and his new turns on characters we have known and loved continues to impress. The art by Phil Jimenez is nothing short of beautiful, with Magneto looking absolutely fearsome. It's a shame that Morrison's run on New X-Men is over, so hopefully Marvel will find another high caliber scribe to take on the merry mutants. All in all, this is the best X-Men read in years. ... Read more

Reviews (29)

"To me my X-Men"
After a series of convolted and plain old lame storylines (The Twelve, Operation: Zero Tolerance), Marvel finally had the good sense to get an acclaimed and truly gifted writer to take on everyone's favorite merry mutants. The great Grant Morrison, along with artist Frank Quitely began they're now classic run on X-Men (re-titled New X-Men) with E is for Extinction. Introducing us to Professor Xavier's evil twin sister Cassandra Nova and the mass genocide of the mutant populated island of Genosha was just the beginning of Morrison's brilliant run as the X-Men themselves are given a makeover. The spandex multi-colored suits are gone in place of practical black leather, and the attitude and tone of the book has become more adult as well. Many different themes are presented in this first collected volume: Cyclops and Jean Grey's marriage is under strain now more than ever, with Emma "White Queen" Frost in the middle of it. Beast grows more disenchanted, and Wolverine is at his berserker, claw popping best. We are also introduced to the mysterious mutant healer called Xorn; a character who would have a never even thought of impact before Morrison's run ended. Quitely's artwork is great and suits the book, no over muscled, cleavage busting (except for Emma that is) character models that were so apparent throughout various X-books during the 90's. All in all, if you were turned off by the X-Men a few years back after all the lame storylines, you should pick this book up and discover that Grant Morrison is the best writer to ever hit the X-Men since Chris Claremont.

The Atypical X-Men
Yeah this is the X-Men, there's no need to adjust the set. Yeah, they aren't wearing spandex, this is a good thing, believe me. Grant Morrison does the X-Men a good service and decides to take them in a surprising new direction. Gone are the overly complicated and boring stories of the last few years that leave dangling plot threads that get resolved years afterward.
So what do we get? A smaller, more manageable team, better characterzation (Emma Frost, written by Morrison is probably one of the most fun characters out there in comics), and then there's the actual story. E is for Extinction packs a good punch, especially the ending of the second issue (I'm not gonna give that away but it's a stunner of an ending). An X-Men story hasn't been this bold in ages.
I didn't use to like X-Men much, but now, it feels worth a look finally.
Oh and no matter what anyone says, the new costumes are better than the old. Would you rather wear skin tight spandex or something that can pass off as clothing?

A "NEW" beginning
E is for extinction is a good jump-on point for readers old and new. The X-universe is notorously complex but with a little patience it's a ride worth taking. Professor X has created a school were he helps young mutants learn to control their powers and abilities, unfortunatly mutantkind is curently under siege. Cassandra Nova, Professor X's evil twin sister, has aquired a dangerous new type of sentinel technology and is looking to destroy the mutant race. It's up to the X-men to stop her. The team consists of:1-Scott/Cyclops:Team Leader/resident hunk and husband to 2-Jean/Phoenix:The incredibly powerful girl next door and all around goody two shoes. 3-Emma/The White Queen:Conniving, ruthless, brilliant and beautiful. 4-Hank/Beast:The brilliant scientist that looks like a monster but has a heart of gold and 5-Logan/Wolverine:the other special man in Jeans a forbidden romance with the "wild and crazy overrated bad boy". The art in this first volume is pretty good, the storytelling is very good.Highly recommended. EP

I was very satisfied
Though I usually read hardcore sci-fi or cyberpunk books, such as "Stranger in a Strange Land", "Broken Angels", "Altered Carbon", "Childhood's End", "Neuromancer", "Cryptonomicon", "Cyber Hunter", and so forth, I still love graphic novels, especially when they are about such wonderfully rounded and believable characters, which have lasted for decades, as the X-Men. Highly recommended.

well done
This is a really well done book. I've been away from the comics for some time now, so I'm not sure what's been going on, but it is easy to pick this volume up and be back into it just that easy. They have a great new look and I love the uniforms. It's all very well written and the art is great as well. They keep you interested in the story. ... Read more

Book Description

More secrets of the world's deadliest mutant are exposed! Wolverine, Cyclops and the enigmatic Fantomex travel to the other side of the world and beyond in search of the keys to their pasts. However, what they find within the deadly Weapon Plus program may be more frightening than their worst nightmares. ... Read more

Reviews (29)

Exciting!!
The second volume of Grant Morrisons X-men run cranks up the action and the drama. Morrisons storytelling skills are astounding, when Cassandra was coming back to destroy the Xmen i could feel the desperation and fear of the characters. Clever plot twists are around every corner. The only reason i gave the book 4 stars is due to the fluctuating quality of the art, sometimes its good and sometimes its bad. A good follow up to "E IS FOR EXTICTION". EP

New X-Men Vol.2 Hardcover Edition : Reprints Nos. 127-141!
Grant Morrison's New X-Men is constantly surprising me. It makes good twists in the stories. There's only one thing I don't like: the face of some characters changes too much from one number to another (check Wolverine or Emma Frost). There are diferent pencilers so there's nothing to do about it.

Note: Amazon said it includes the stories found in New X-Men book 3 (New worlds) & book 4 (Riot at Xavier's) and some behind the scenes (drawings). It also includes some stories from the book 5 (Assault on weapon plus) because it REPRINTS Nos. 127-141!

It doesn't include the New X-Men Anual 2002. New X-Men Vol.1 Hardcover edition does include the New X-Men Anual 2001

Don't get confused with the links to paperback edition. The paper cover is the same from the paperback edition of volume 3 (the one with wolverine and one claw)

I love the hardcover edition because if you need something to show in your bookshelf, you can remove the paper cover and you get a nice black book.

Unfocused.
The third installment of Grant Morrisons run on the Xmen slows down the pace slightly as it tries to expand on certain plotlines. Scott begins to have an affair with Emma, Xorn tries to help a confused mutant, a dangerous threat is unleashed in France, Fantomex is introduced (UGH) and Polaris tries to cope with her fathers (Magneto) legacy. The story is quite interesting, unfortunatly the art isn't up to snuff. The storyline where the Xmen are attacked in a subway in France is atrociously drawn, too much is going on and the hideous art made it very hard to understand what exactly is happening. I wouldn't reccommend it. EP

New X-men is great
This is the start of Grant Morrison's take on the X-men. This graphic novel reprints New X-men #114-126 and New X-men Annual 2001. This book follows the X-men Cyclops, Beast, Phoenix, Wolverine, and Emma Frost. Tey face off against Cassandra Nova, Professor X's evil twin, the U-men, and the Shi-ar Imperial Guard. This novel also introduces some new x-men (imagine that!) like Xorn and Beak. The only bad side to this book is that some of the art isn't as great as I'd like. Some art is great, like Frank Quitely but others aren't. Well I hope this helped make your decission about this novel.

level of quality still tops
Grant Morrison has bred new life into the X-Men. The stories and characters are fleshed out, fresh, and kept interesting. I love what has been done here. The art is still as good as in the previous volumes. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Last Morrison New Xmen
Planet X was a story about everything that could possibly go wrong, going wrong. It was the incredibly sad, morbid, and sometimes redundant feeling that old ghosts won't die and that the problems that follow you around may never really cease. It squashed out many old ideas that had been persisting in the x-books once and for all. Most importantly, it was about X-Men's hearts breaking. From Charles' "This isn't happening" to Scott's "why are there always people like you?", it was less about the opponent than the somber realization that hope is an illusion and that things never really change. It was a depressing way to end a long run on X-men. Here Comes Tomorrow, then, asks the next logical question: "How do you fix a broken heart?" The story takes place 150 years in the future and shows the repurcussions of Planet X's heartbreak, as well as revealing some of the less transparent aspects of Morrison's run on New X-Men, such as who really was supplying the mutant-power enhancing drug known as Kick, and what it really was that the X-Men had been fighting all these years. The story is slow paced and enigmatic at first, but the last few pages are some of the most surreal and beautiful to enter a Marvel Universe book. How do you fix a broken heart? Nurture it. Sometimes I think all of our decisions boil down to denials and affirmations. It's not what information we're presented with, but whether we deny or affirm it. New X-Men ends with one huge affirmation, a resounding, Joycian "yes."

Grant Morrison's stunning swan song to the X-Men
Collecting the final four issues of Grant Morrison's already legendary run on New X-Men, Here Comes Tomorrow brings everything that Morrison has set up over the past couple years to a close. Taking place 150 years after the events of Planet X, this storyarc finds Wolverine, E.V.A., a new Beak, Cassandra Nova, and a young human named Tom Skylark and his giant robot Sentinel named Rover battling over control of the Phoenix egg from the Beast. Everything meticulous detail of Morrison's run comes full circle here, and Here Comes Tomorrow is made all the more special by featuring art by the legendary Marc Silvestri who made a name for himself drawing Marvel's merry mutants. If you missed out on Morrison's run, go back to the beginning and read all seven volumes for proof alone that Grant Morrison is the best thing to happen to the X-Men since Chris Claremont. ... Read more

Book Description

Wolverine's 30th Anniversary Celebration starts off with a bang as the X-Men investigate a series of mysterious murders in New York City. All the victims seem to have been cut to pieces by blades...Adamantium blades! But if Wolverine didn't murder these people, then who did?! Plus: While on assignment to track down missing teammate Sage, the X-Men discover more than they bargained for: the birth of a newer and deadlier Hellfire Club! Collecting Uncanny X-Men 450-454, and X-Men #165. ... Read more

Book Description

This hardcover volume features many key introductions, including Proteus (the evil son of Professor X), Gambit (who enjoyed a large fan-following in the hit X-Men cartoon) and Phoenix (the dark split personality of Jean Grey). The X-Men are cut to the emotional core as they battle their way through an obstacle course of deadly trials. First, Professor Xavier -- the mentor of the X-Men -- is forced to confront his past sins when his own son explodes into a destructive force. The question is, will he sacrifice his team to save his son? Then, the X-Men face another internal conflict when Jean Grey turns to the dark side.To save themselves, and the world, will the X-Men strike down their own teammate? ... Read more

Reviews (9)

New generation of writers out to destroy comics....
These new stories by Millar contain terrible Kubert drawings and story plots that go no where. They play more like a video game rather then a comic and are the work of people who are more like internet geeks then serious writers. No wonder comic book sales are dead and less then 2,000 comic book stores are still open nationwide.

Los mutantes recontados
La idea del Universo Ultimate que tan bien le esta saliendo a la Marvel, es adaptar sus historias clasicas al entorno actual con la finalidad de atraer nuevos lectores. Es decir, todos sabemos lo geniales que son los mutantes de Stan Lee pero reconozcamos que no atraen lo suficiente a nuevos lectores.
Asi, esta version Ultimate incorpora varios cambios menores que al final hacen un gran cambio, por ejemplo en las personalidades de los personajes, su origen, etc. Y todo eso hace una gran lectura. El escritor es Mark Millar, la actual estrella de la editorial Marvel que ademas ha escrito a los geniales Ultimates y los dibujantes son los hermanos Adam y Andy Kubert que se complementan muy bien el uno al otro. En resumen, buenos autores logran una estupenda historia.
Este tomo de tapa dura tiene los primeros 12 numeros de la coleccion Ultimate X-men:
- del #1 al #6: Tomorrow People, como se reclutan a los nuevos X-men y la pelea contra la version mas malvada de Magneto que se haya visto.
- del #7 al #12: Return to Weapon X, con la aparición estelar del Ultimate Samuel Jackson, perdon, quise decir Nick Fury.
Altamente recomendable para quienes pensaron que no se podian hacer nuevas historias de mutantes, para quienes no tienen nada de los X-men en su coleccion y para quienes llegan a los X-men por la pelicula.

Keep it real
The creators of Ultimate X-men did a very smart thing. They started all the way over. Considering Ult. X-men starts off anew, they can do what they wish with the story. Unlike X-treme and New X-Men which have plots so Twisted, it doesn't feel like the X-Men at all. They changed a few things in this series, like how Wolverine joined. Also Colossus and Storm take Angel's place as one of the first X-men. Making a team of 6 instead of 5. Magneto and the Brotherhood are pretty much the same. These books are solely based on story. Theres action, but its kinda far between.

The Weapon X Program tries to "recruit" the X-Men
Despite the title and the cover art for this second trade paperback volume in the "Ultimate X-Men" series (collecting issues 7-12), "Return to Weapon X" does not focus on the character of Wolverine. True, he is a key part of the solution for the predicament our Merry Mutants have found themselves in this time around, but Weapon X is now a big time secret government program run under the auspices of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Nick Fury that has a rather impressive little roster of mutants in its service: Juggernaut, Rogue, Nightcrawler, and Sabertooth. Think of them as the government's answer to the X-Men and the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, and that pretty much accounts for all of the mutants belonging to groups at this point in the series.

Despite being on a first name basis with the President of the United States, Xavier's School for Gifted Children is hit by Colonel Wraith and his shock troops, both human and mutant. Now Cyclops, Marvel Girl, and the others will serve the greater good and help the government fight fire with fire (the only good mutant is a mutant with a neural implant). Of course, since this is a comic book, the person in charge of this government program is psychotic and perfectly willing to do anything to do anything to get the job done (or did I mention already that Wraith was in charge?). The main part of the story arc has to do with the X-Men regaining their freedom, but this is also mixed up with Wolverine's search for his past and Nick Fury's search for an illegal genetic operation violating the Superhuman Test-Ban Treaty.

I think that one of the main strengths of the Ultimate comic books is that they emphasize story arcs that take multiple issues (six in this case) so that a dozen issues into the series we have only dealt with two major stories instead of a self-contained episode with a new villain every single month. This should help the well from running dry too quickly. Writer Mark Millar along with Penciller Adam Kubert (with Tom Raney & Tom Derenick) and Inker Art Thibert (with Scott Hanna, Joe Kubert, Danny Miki, & Lary Stucker) are having fun tweaking the "original" X-Men stories and creating some new dynamics (e.g., Storm is interested in Hank McCoy, Nightcrawler does not speak English) so I think that those who have been reading the X-Men since issue #1 of "The Uncanny X-Men" (or issue #1 of "The Giant-Size X-Men") will enjoy the differences more than neophytes and appreciate the way key stories resonant (e.g., Jean Grey is Marvel Girl and not Phoenix when she steps over the line this time around).

"Return to Weapon X" is not as good as the first volume in the series, but it is hard to compete with Magneto when you talking about the X-Men, whichever version of the group is involved. Millar's story is certainly complex enough and you can see all sorts of things being set up for down the road. As long as you are not offended by the very existence of the series, you should find "Ultimate X-Men" or any of the other titles in the Marvel series to be at least entertaining and quite possibility compelling. At the very least, you should be able to appreciate the tweaking.

Awesome!
An alternate X-Men universe is perhaps the best way for newer readers to come to terms with the characters that have amazed many throughout the years. The familiar characters get a stylish upgrade. Jean Grey with red, spiky hair? Cyclops with a goatee? Iceman with a bandana? You get them all here! Fantastic artwork with a reasonably paced storyline. The X-Men's battle with Magneto's Brotherhood of the Evil Mutants opened its first chapter. A highly recommended read. ... Read more

Reviews (41)

One of the most important comic stories of all time
The Dark Phoenix saga has too much backstory to really mention in a review. Both the history of the character of Jean Grey and the writer/artists conflicts with the then editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics isn't found anywhere in this book (and believe me, it adds a lot to the tale) but the co-plotters Chris Claremont and John Byrne (assisted by Terry Austin on inks and a huge acknowledgement to the overlooked Tom Orzechowski and his lettering) have written such an engaging tale that you can jump in anywhere and enjoy the story. The best thing is that they were not consciously setting out to write a "saga" and therefore, they weren't pressured to create something that would sell in the trade paperbacks twenty years on. It's just far and away a story with a punch: a gut wrenching finale and some of the most beautiful artwork of the era.

This latest edition of the trade spruces up the artwork (no more dot matrix colors) and includes (for the first time) the much needed cover gallery, which was absent from previous printings. The art and story have hold up so well that almost a quarter of a century later it still stands as one of the best comic stories of all time.

Marvel's Greatest Story Ever Told - It Has It All!
In the Dark Phoenix Saga, Chris Claremont and John Byre, firing on all cylinders, create the greatest comics story ever. It is a story that fits logically in the greatest run by an artist/writer team in a comic series ever (chronicled in the Essential X-Men Vol.2 graphic novel), but one that also stands so well on its own.

In a story where so many things are done right, it stands out because it is a primarily a story about conflict. There is conflict on virtually every page. Not just shot-em up, video game violence, but internal, character-driven conflict.

There is conflict between Prof. X and Cyclops over leadership of the X-men; between the fiery Wolverine and the control-freak Prof. X; Jean Grey struggles to control her dark side; Cyclops tries to mold the fiercly independent members of the X-men into a tight-knit team; Jean & Scott try to maintain their relationship thru the mounting chaos....

The X-men, the ultimate ousiders, rely on each other time and again and yet, their most powerful member turns on them and then saves them - repeatedly.

The X-men have a truly worthy opponent in the Hellfire Culb.

Obstacle after obstacle is overcome before the truly life and death battle at the climax. The escalation of tension is evere bit as gripping as when I read the original comics as a kid. Its lost none of the magic or mystery. There is none of the letdown so often felt when we re-visit the source of our nostalgia.

There have been a half dozen stories that were much more revolutionary than the Dark Phoenix Saga - from the death of Gwen Stacey in Spider-Man, to The Dark Knight, the Watchmen and Crisis on Infinite Earths over at DC. Yet, for my money, Dark Phoenix is better - not for its novelty or originality or life-like art, but because its that good.

The Gold Standard of Comics
I still remember the day when X-men #137, the finale of the Dark Phoenix saga, came out at my local comic shop all those years ago. I got the last one there, and it was hidden in the magazines. Even then, I had the sense that this was a major event in comic book history - possibly the best comic book story ever written. It's amazing to me that, after all of this time, that still holds up. Other comic epics are routinely compared to the Dark Phoenix story, and I have yet to read or even hear about anything that approaches it.

For those that think comics are exclusively for kids, I hold this book up as Exhibit A. After seeing the X-men movies, my wife actually read it out of curiosity. She's the antithesis of a comic book person and had never heard of the X-men. She was actually impressed enough to read the rest of Byrne's X-men in Essential X-men Volume 2, and now looks down her nose a bit less at my childhood hobby.

From the reviews I've seen so far, I don't need to go into detail about the story. For those of you who are relying on the X-men movies to give you the scoop, I have one word of advice: DON'T. The movies are really messing with the stories in an unacceptable way. While it's clear that they're going to attempt some kind of Phoenix plot in the next movie, it won't do the real story justice. The only way to truly experience this story is through these pages, panel by panel.

I moved on from the X-men and comics a few years after the Dark Phoenix story was done, and I missed the whole return of Jean Grey. When I heard about it, I was severely disappointed that Marvel would take such a tragic character that transcended comics and reduce her to just another super hero that avoided death. Phoenix was so much more significant at the end of X-men #137, and bringing Jean Grey back has made both much less so. Most unfortunate. Still, it doesn't change my view of this story - truly amazing.

classic
This is another one of those classic comic storylines: The Dark Phoenix Saga and the death of Jean Grey. There really isn't much more you can say than that. If you are familiar with it you know how great it is. And for you recent X-fans, those that aren't familiar with it, it is one of the classic stories and one that if you haven't read yet, you're not really that much of a fan.

THE Definitive X-Men Epic.
Before Sinister, before Apocalypse, even before Sabretooth...there was Jean Grey.

The purest soul and noblest heart among the X-Men, she was willing to sacrifice her life to protect those she loved. Cosmic chance empowered her with a force bey